Graduate Attribute 1: Intellectual Rigour

Intellectual rigour is defined as "a commitment to excellence in all scholarly and intellectual activities, including critical judgement (SCU Graduate Attribute 1)."

Intellectual rigour is having clarity in thinking and an ability to think carefully, deeply and with rigour when faced with new knowledge and arguments. This capability involves engaging constructively and methodically when exploring ideas, theories and philosophies. It also relates to the ability to analyse and construct knowledge with depth, insight and intellectual maturity. A student develops this attribute as part of the challenge of ongoing and systematic study. Intellectual rigour is encouraged for example during an assessment exercise where a debate or discussion occurs about a challenging topic. The challenge for the student is to have the ability to consider other points of view and make a thoughtful argument.

An example of how intellectual rigour is integrated into teaching practice is found in the post graduate course, Master of Osteopathic Medicine. An assessment asks students to write a report on the historical basis of osteopathic practice. To do this task, they have to research the literature, old and new and exercise critical thinking and judgement about the reliability of their research. They must understand the nature of evidence based practice, within the context of a historical legacy. Students must construct a critical evaluation of different kinds of evidence, analyse concepts and make judgements about their relevance to the potential development of their osteopathic practice. The assessment calls upon their intellectual rigour and critical judgement.

The table below highlights how this Graduate Attribute relates to unit learning outcomes, and demonstrates relevant learning strategies.