University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2022/23 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Arts > Centre for Innovation > Anthropology with Innovation (MArts) > Specification
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Programme code | 1INOV001U |
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Programme type | Single Honours |
Programme director(s) |
Conrad Brimacombe (Anthropology contact)
Daniella Jenkins Programme Director (Innovation) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
School/department | Centre for Innovation |
Second School/department | Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups | Anthropology (2019) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 4 years (full time) |
This section sets out why studying this programme is important, both in terms of inspiring you as an individual and in considering the challenges we face. It describes how this degree programme contributes to:
The digital and creative innovators of the 21st Century will bring together arts and humanities, design, science, engineering and enterprise to deliver new products, services and ways of working and living. This degree combines an in-depth subject specialism in Anthropology with interdisciplinary breadth, creative teamwork and entrepreneurial skills. Students undertaking this course will spend half their time studying Anthropology to gain a solid discipline strength whilst spending the other half of their time applying that knowledge to innovate and translate their ideas into plans for digital and creative enterprises, both social and commercial.
Anthropology is the study of humanity in all its diversity, and to understand human social life in a holistic sense requires the comparative and relativist stance that is unique to the discipline. The Anthropology specialism part of the programme aims to provide students with an understanding of the fundamental theories, methodologies and empirical bases of this interdisciplinary subject. Students learn the many different ways we can understand ‘being human’. These range from comparisons with our close primate relatives and our hominid ancestors, through to the diversity of human life-ways and an examination of the richness of variety and similarity in cultural phenomena worldwide. At every step in anthropological training students are confronted with the diversities of ways in which people innovate and solve problems, from the very first invention of stone tool technologies, to different mechanisms of social control and wealth distribution, to the inventiveness of how persons, families and identities are constituted in different communities. Anthropology at Bristol is in the broad tradition, comprising: social anthropology, which examines contemporary societies, including their beliefs and identities and relationship with nature and other neighbouring culture; linguistic anthropology, which investigates the uniquely human development of language, how language can shape cultural and social diversity, and how language in turn is affected by changes in culture and society, and evolutionary anthropology, which explores human beings as a species, from the study of hominid and primate evolution and behaviour to population genetics, demography and forensic anthropology. Our Anthropology students can also pursue interests in Archaeology and the understanding of humanity through material remains, as we are a combined department.
This knowledge of ‘being human’ applied to digital and creative innovation can unlock truly innovative products and services and make sure that these innovations actually meet the human need. Anthropology with Innovation students will recognise that human diversity holds multiple problems as well as creative solutions. In light of this, designing is not just for the next generations in industrialised nations–where the key legal, social, and political implications of a generation ‘born digital’ will be be important–but design must be for (and from) the rest of the world–those who are not ‘digital natives’. Students learn that anthropology is a dynamic subject that encompasses multiple perspectives and theories, from scientific experiments to reflexive interpretation.
The learning outcome statements shown below for your programme have been developed with reference to relevant national subject benchmarks (where they exist), national qualification descriptors (see the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) and professional body requirements.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies are listed to show how you will be able to achieve and demonstrate the learning outcomes.
This programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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Acquisition of subject-specific knowledge and understanding begins with a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental aspects of anthropology in the first year, and continues with mandatory units on contemporary theories, debates, and methodologies in second and third year. In-depth knowledge of topic-, sub-discipline- or regional-specific issues, case studies, and approaches is gained in optional units that allow students to specialise in e.g. social or evolutionary anthropology. Lectures, seminars, tutorials, and directed reading are the primary means of knowledge acquisition. Understanding is built with: anthropological methods training including guided fieldwork, ethnography and data analysis; small-group discussions, presentations and debates; and the application of knowledge in the third-year dissertation project, which allows students to work with a supervisor to explore their individual interests in a small-scale, original piece of research. Acquisition of knowledge and understanding for innovation, design and entrepreneurship occurs through lectures, workshops, seminars and tutorials (10, 11, 12 & 13) Workshops and demonstration to develop student practical innovation skills acquisition (10, 13) Innovation challenges to develop students’ skills in practical innovation and entrepreneurship (10, 11 & 13) Innovation project supervision and design challenge mentoring meetings to provide formative feedback (10, 11 & 13) |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
Summative assessments include essays, written examinations, and oral presentations for the majority of units, and also include research project reports (individual and/or group), contributions to online resources (e.g. wikis, blogs), reflective notebooks on anthropological practice, and the third-year dissertation. Diagnostic and formative assessment occurs through oral presentations, class and seminar participation, guided fieldwork, reflective notebooks, and in-class practice tests, as well as through feedback (written and oral) on summative work such as essays. Individual and group innovation coursework portfolios (including rapid prototyping and proof of concepts) and presentations (10-13) Reflective and critical accounts of practical work and learning (10-13) Iterative and agile practice based innovation and entrepreneurship challenges (10, 11 & 13) |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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Intellectual skills, including discipline-specific skills, are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and practical sessions, as well as individual essay-preparation meetings and dissertation tutorials. Lectures provide model case-studies for the description, summary, and synthesis of information, as well as the assessment of arguments and the evaluations of claims. Seminars then provide an opportunity for students to develop their increasingly sophisticated intellectual skills in discussion, debates, and through individual or group presentations. Training in practical anthropological methods encourages the development of intellectual skills in ILOs 4-7 through hands-on lab, field, and discussion sessions. Independent learning skills are achieved through written coursework that rewards independent research and critical thought as students progress through their degree, culminating in the dissertation. Acquisition of skills to innovate, design and create enterprises occurs through lectures, workshops, seminars and tutorials (9, 10, 11 & 12). Workshops and demonstration to develop student practical innovation skills acquisition (9, 10, 11 & 12). Innovation challenges to develop students’ skills in practical innovation and entrepreneurship (9, 10, 11 & 12). Innovation project supervision and design challenge mentoring meetings to provide formative feedback (9, 10, 11 & 12). |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
Summative assessments test intellectual skills include essays, written examinations, oral presentations, research project reports (individual and/or group), contributions to online resources (e.g. wikis, blogs), and reflective notebooks on anthropological practice. In the third year, the 12,000-word dissertation acts as a focal point for knowledge, understanding, and skills. In this piece of original work, students must apply their intellectual competencies by formulating a research topic and carrying out appropriate anthropological data collection and analysis. Diagnostic and formative assessment occurs through oral presentations, class and seminar participation, guided fieldwork, and reflective notebooks, as well as through feedback (written and oral) on summative work such as essays. Individual and group innovation coursework portfolios (including rapid prototyping and proof of concepts) and presentations (9-12) Reflective and critical accounts of practical work and learning (9-12) Iterative and agile practice based innovation and entrepreneurship challenges (9-12) |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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Training in these skills is delivered through lectures, exams, seminars, meetings with dissertation supervisors, guided fieldwork, group work, and both guided and independent reading. Independent learning is achieved through written coursework and the dissertation. Skills in information technology are developed throughout the programme, through independent research using online journal resources, data analysis in practical sessions, through direction towards appropriate specialist advice elsewhere in the University, and through preparation/feedback on IT-augmented coursework at all levels (e.g. word-processors, presentation and statistical software). Acquisition of skills to innovate, design and create enterprises occurs through lectures, workshops, seminars and tutorials (7-13). Workshops and demonstration to develop student practical innovation skills acquisition (7-13). Innovation challenges to develop students’ skills in practical innovation and entrepreneurship (7-13). Innovation project supervision and design challenge mentoring meetings to provide formative feedback (7-13) |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
These skills form crucial components of both the formative and summative methods of assessment in the programme. Diagnostic and formative assessment of these other skills occurs in essay preparation meetings, short tutorial group summaries, essays (and the subsequent feedback), guided fieldwork, and dissertation tutorials. Summative assessments consist mainly of preparation for essays and written examinations. Group-work and project-management skills are assessed in presentations, research projects, and guided fieldwork assessments. Competence in IT skills is a component of all written coursework. Individual and group innovation coursework portfolios (including rapid prototyping and proof of concepts) and presentations (7-13) Reflective and critical accounts of practical work and learning (7-13) Iterative and agile practice based innovation and entrepreneurship challenges (7-13) |
This section describes what is expected from you at each level of your programme. This illustrates increasing intellectual standards as you progress through the programme. These levels are mapped against the national level descriptors published by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
At level C, the student is expected to have gained an introductory knowledge and understanding of the main strands of anthropological theory and practice: sociocultural anthropology and kinship, evolutionary/biological anthropology, as well as the archaeological context of humanity. Discipline-specific, intellectual skills and key/transferable skills will have been developed at a foundational level in accordance with the aims and learning outcomes of particular units. They will also have gained an understanding to how design and systems thinking can be applied to problems to innovate and unearth novel and creative solutions that may have been missed from undertaking a purely analytical approach whilst gaining experience in working in multidisciplinary teams. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
At level I, the student is expected to have further developed his/her knowledge and understanding of the main strands of anthropological theory and practice in their mandatory units of contemporary theory and anthropological methods. The opportunity to further develop knowledge and understanding is provided through optional units that take specific topics or regions as their subject matter. A greater degree of independent learning and a greater competence in some or all of the skills of research and written presentation is expected. Students submit summative essays in many units and therefore have the opportunity to further develop their research and writing skills towards synthesising a coherent, evidence-based argument. Students will gain guided experience in ethnographic methods and fieldwork techniques. Student will be expected to critically reflect on past and present case studies and develop further their transdisciplinary working to real world digital and creative client problems. Students will be encouraged to broaden their perspective beyond the subject provisions in Anthropology with Innovation and take either an open unit, or a unit from the Bristol Futures programme. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
At level H, the student is expected to develop his/her knowledge and understanding of one or more of the elements or themes of anthropology studied at Level I through (a) their optional units, (b) an advanced mandatory unit on anthropological issues, and (c) a specified piece of research work in their dissertation. Each optional unit offers learning opportunities in one or more of the following: extensive primary source material research, increasing independence (in terms of student learning and originality of thought), and greater competence in oral and written presentation than that expected at level I. The 40cps dissertation allows the student to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding, and intellectual skills while acquiring a host of key transferable skills in independent thinking and project-management, as well as the potential to implement practical methodological skills. Within the transdisciplinary group project the students will be expected to innovate for their own chosen problem by exploring the potential of new technologies to enable disruptive innovation to change the way people work and live. They will be supported by mentors and coaches to explore how their proposed solutions may be turned into an enterprise. |
Level M/7 - Masters |
At level M, students are expected to critically evaluate anthropological methods and theoretical traditions. Units allow students to obtain a specialist understanding of particular anthropological topics and be able to make connections between theoretical, methodological and regional and thematic studies. Students are expected to be able to appreciate the complexities within the discipline, and to be able to articulate interdisciplinary connections. Students are expected to pull together all that they have learnt in prior years to create an enterprise; this may focus on an innovative digital and creative product or service, or a social innovation. Students will be required to assess the market, feasibility, IP, sustainability, finance and desirability of the proposition and create a proof of concept prototype to test with real world users. |
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
UG Workload Statement
Success as an undergraduate student depends on you being able to make the transition to self-motivated, independent learning. Programmes are designed to assist you in this development, in many cases by starting with units in which timetabled teaching, such as lectures and practical classes, provides the foundations of knowledge and skills in a subject, moving on to individual research-based work. Over time you will be expected to take increasing responsibility for your own learning, guided by the feedback on your work that you will receive. At the heart of your studies at every level there must be regular and disciplined individual reading, reflection and writing and it is this skill of independent studies, above all others, that will serve you best when you leave the University.
Most programmes use credits and a 20 credit unit broadly equates to about 200 hours of student input. This includes all activities related to the teaching, learning and assessment of taught units.
A component of this is the time that you spend in class, in contact with the teaching staff, which includes activities such as lectures, laboratories, tutorials and fieldwork. Some of this activity may be online and could consist of activity that is synchronous (using real-time environments such as Blackboard Collaborate) or asynchronous (using tools such as tutor moderated discussion forums, blogs or wikis).
In some programmes there are field courses and/or placements that will take place in concentrated periods of time.
Outside scheduled activities you are expected to pursue your own independent learning to build your knowledge and understanding of the subjects you are studying. Such independent activities include, reviewing lecture material, reading textbooks, working on examples sheets, completing coursework, writing up laboratory notes, preparing for in-class progress tests and revising for examinations.
We recognise that many students undertake paid employment. To achieve a sensible balance between work and study, you are advised to undertake paid work for no more than 15 hours per week in term-time.
Professional Programmes
Many undergraduates in the Faculty of Health Sciences will be following the professional programmes of:
For these professional programmes, full time attendance is compulsory unless absence is formally approved. Academic activities are timetabled throughout the 5-day week and student workload is around 40 hours per week on average. Where possible, students in the early years are permitted Wednesday afternoons for sport and extra-curriculum activities. This may not be available in later years of professional programmes as when a student progresses through the curricula there is an increasing exposure to clinical and professional activities. Students in clinic or on placements may need to stay later than core times of 08.00 – 18.00 or even overnight to observe out-of-hours activities. This increasing exposure to clinical activities means that students on these professional programmes often have longer term dates than the University standard. Individual years within programmes are likely to vary in length (for example because of the timings of placements) and further information on this will be found in individual programme regulations. Another important point to note is that many of the assessments sit outside of the standard University examination timetable and are likely to be more frequent meaning that students will more oftentimes be engaged in revision activities and self-directed learning.
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty Assessment and Feedback Statement for Undergraduate Students. University of Bristol access only.
In a comprehensive first year, students are introduced to the foundational studies and theorists in anthropology, and cover all aspects of the subject. At all levels, students learn to apply their evolving knowledge and skills to the analysis of contemporary theories and debates. Students may choose to focus on social or evolutionary anthropology or material culture studies, or to retain a broad path through their degree. Whichever their focus, all students receive training in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and in descriptive, analytic, and project management techniques. Students studying across the different specialisms on the innovation degrees then come together as a cohort to learn and apply design and systems thinking for digital and creative innovation and put it into practice their working in transdisciplinary project teams. From the second year, students will undertake real-world fieldwork training in Bristol communities and further afield whilst expanding on their understanding of how to design to meet real human needs. Students will learn from past and present success and failure case studies to help students think about future opportunities. The transdisciplinary project work in the second year works with real world clients where students develop empathy for the people they are designing for, explore solutions, iterating to develop an unexpected range of possibilities, and create prototypes to take back to the client to test with real customers or users. In their third year students explore innovative and disruptive ideas, potentially designing things that people don’t yet know they want by exploring the potential of new technologies to enable disruptive innovation, changing the way people live and work. Students will learn about different ways to generate ideas, ranging from brainstorming to crowd-sourcing, exploring project opportunities and creating prototypes to test with real people. Alongside this students will learn about different kinds of enterprise that can be used to take forward their ideas supported by mentors and coaches. Within the specialism part of the degree in their third year students work closely with a member of staff in an area of specialisation to undertake an original dissertation research. These specialities include human evolution and the evolution of behaviour, cross-cultural studies of language and cognition, kinship past and present, and the social life of objects as well as social networks of people. Staff undertake research focussed on Africa, Oceania, and the Middle East, as well as applied research including business anthropology. A particular strength of the department is the application of evolutionary theory to all aspects of human social life, behaviour, and biology. The final year pulls together all the students have learnt to create an enterprise which may be an innovative digital and creative product, service or social innovation.
This integrated Masters programme has been designated as type III: Professional or Practice Masters in accordance with the QAA Degree Characteristics Statement. Please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes for further information on this type of programme.
Minimum requirement of pass mark 40% in each unit
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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Big Ideas in Anthropology | ARCH10012 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
Evolution in Action | ARCH10014 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
Material Culture (C) | ARCH10013 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Peoples, Culture and Language | ARCH10017 | 20 | Mandatory | A | TB-1 |
Design and Systems Thinking for Innovation | INOV10001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Design Futures | INOV10006 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
This integrated Masters programme has been designated as type III: Professional or Practice Masters in accordance with the QAA Degree Characteristics Statement. Please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes for further information on this type of programme.
Students must achieve a year mark of 50 or more out of a hundred at the end of the second year to be able to progress on to the four year programme.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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Anthropological Methods | ARCH20048 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Social Theories | ARCH20057 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
Transdisciplinary Group Project 2: Solving Someone's Problem | INOV20002 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
Innovation at Work | INOV20004 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Select a further 40 Credit Points from the list below. You are advised to select 20cp from TB1 units and 20cp from TB2 units | |||||
Britain AD | ARCH20068 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Lives on the move: Migration and Mobility from a Global Perspective | ARCH20066 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Anthropology and Contemporary Capitalism | ARCH20065 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Evolution and Human Behaviour | ARCH20058 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
How Societies Evolve | ARCH20064 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Early Human Origins | ARCH20005 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
The Anthropology of Gender and Childhood | ARCH20070 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Engaging with collections | ARCH20071 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Religion and Material Culture | THRS20096 | 20 | Optional | B | TB-1 |
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
This integrated Masters programme has been designated as type III: Professional or Practice Masters in accordance with the QAA Degree Characteristics Statement. Please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes for further information on this type of programme.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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New Creative Ventures | INOV30006 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
Making Ideas Happen | INOV30007 | 20 | Mandatory | D | TB-2 |
Ideation for Innovation | INOV30008 | 20 | Mandatory | A | TB-1 |
Human Challenges | ARCH30034 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Select 40 credit points from the list below. You should select 20 credit points from Teaching Block 1 units and 20 credit points from Teaching Block 2 units. | |||||
Dissertation | ARCH35022 | 40 | Optional | B | TB-4 |
Cultural Heritage of the Built Environment | ARCH30051 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Introduction to Forensic Anthropology | ARCH30039 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Stimulating Anthropology: Drugs and Society | ARCH30040 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Work placement in Archaeology/Cultural Heritage | ARCH30046 | 20 | Optional | D | TB-2 |
Anthropology of Disability and Difference | ARCH30049 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Plants and People | ARCH30052 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
A Planetary Caribbean: Land. Sea. Sky. Plantation. Plot | ARCH30053 | 20 | Optional | C | TB-1 |
The following new units have temporary codes as they are awaiting school approval. We have been advised by AQPO to add a comment with the details to allow the proposal to proceed. AQPO will then add the units when the permanent unit codes are available: ARCH3NEW1 Revolutions and Transitions TB2 20cp | |||||
Anthropology with Innovation (BA) | 120 |
This integrated Masters programme has been designated as type III: Professional or Practice Masters in accordance with the QAA Degree Characteristics Statement. Please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes for further information on this type of programme.
INOVM0026 is a must pass unit. For the definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms from Annex 1 to the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Minimum requirement of pass mark 50% in each unit
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
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In the Wild | INOVM0001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Enterprise Case | INOVM0014 | 20 | Mandatory | A,D | TB-1 |
Transdisciplinary Project 4: Going Wild | INOVM0026 | 40 | Mandatory | A | TB-2 |
Select 40 credit points from the M/7 level Anthropology list below. You should select 20 credit points from Teaching Block 1 units and 20 credit points from Teaching Block 2 units. | |||||
Stimulating Anthropology: Drugs and Society | ARCHM0077 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Anthropological Theory and Practice | ARCHM0081 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Cultural Heritage of the Built Environment | ARCHM0084 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Anthropology of Disability and Difference | ARCHM0083 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Plants and People | ARCHM0085 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Students must not choose a unit which they have already taken at undergraduate level. | |||||
Anthropology with Innovation (MArts) | 120 |
Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:
For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
An Ordinary degree can be awarded if a student has successfully completed at least 300 credits with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
The alternative classified honours degree of Arts (Anthropology with Innovation) (MArts) may be awarded on this programme. For further details please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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