As easy as 1-2-3? Reflections on a programme redesign: Implementing the 1-2-3 delivery model

Transition has long been a key concern for higher education institutions. This paper reflects on the redesign of a Liberal Arts Foundation Year to explore better ways of considering transition as an ongoing and complex process rather than as a specific moment at the start of the academic year. In particular, the implementation of a 1-2-3 programme structure allowed the programme to more fully address the nuances of transition and student support across the academic year. This structure facilitated a more gradual adjustment to university study, with a single ‘short fat’ module at the point of entry followed by two mid-length modules taken concurrently for the remaining two-thirds of Semester 1. Students then follow the typical undergraduate structure of three concurrent, semester-long, modules in Semester 2. This redesign prompted a reconsideration of the Foundation Year’s position as part of wider institutional structures, and contributed to improved student satisfaction with modules and improved academic results across the cohort.