UC HOME | SEARCH | KEY CONTACTS | SITE INDEX  
University of Canberra

Policy on Undergraduate Courses Leading to Bachelor Degrees

  http://www.canberra.edu.au/uc/policies/acad/ugcses.html

Contents

Introduction

Principles

1.
Courses reflect the University’s values and mission and its approach to professional education (Principle 1)
2.
The development and delivery of courses are subject to the University’s Quality Assurance Framework (Principle 2)
3.
The total notional learning hours expected of students in a unit is reflected in the credit point value of that unit (Principle 3)
4.
Courses are built on components which are based on a common system with each component designed as a coherent set of learning experiences with its own rationale and learning outcomes (Principle 4)
5.
Course structures allow some choice of units in order to permit students to undertake study programs that reflect their own interests and needs (Principle 5)
6.
Students deciding to change their course early in their study program can do so with minimum penalty (Principle 6)
7.
Courses are accessible to students who wish to commence study mid-year (Principle 7)
8.
The mode of delivery of individual courses and units reflects student needs (Principle 8
9.
The University maximises opportunities for students from CIT/TAFE and other relevant institutions to articulate to UC courses (Principle 9)
10.
The University makes best use of its resources in delivering its academic program (Principle 10)

Explanations of Terms and Abbreviations

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this document is to set out the policy on the form and structure of undergraduate courses. The document will provide guidance to Divisions and Schools, students and other members of the community in the development or appraisal of the courses of the University.

The document provides the general framework of undergraduate awards. Each course will have its own particular requirements (Determination of Course Particulars) within this framework, which will be the subject of specific accreditation procedures. Information about the requirements for a particular course should therefore be obtained from the accreditation documentation. The final accreditation documentation must contain statements about the aims and objectives of the course, the specific learning outcomes expected for graduates of the course, the admissions requirements, the proposed teaching strategies, methods of assessment, the overall course design and the details of its components. The University Handbook provides general information about the University and requirements of its courses.

Undergraduate degree courses are normally designed for the admission of students with no prior experience of higher education, but there are some courses designed for graduates in some other areas (graduate entry courses). Most courses at the University of Canberra are designed to prepare graduates for professional careers. Other courses allow broad choices for students. All courses consist of components which have been designed as coherent learning experiences with strong vocational aims. Courses also aim to give graduates broad, transferable, generic professional skills which will enable continued professional development and adaptation as well as flexibility in the application of professional knowledge and skills.

In December 2003, Academic Board accepted that the University’s undergraduate and postgraduate coursework courses would be restructured on the basis of a homogeneous system of 3 credit point units or units that are a multiple of 3 credit points rather than the previous system, introduced in 1996, which was based on a combination of 3cp (or multiples of 3) for first year units and 4cp (or multiples of 4) for later year units.

In restructuring a unit from 4 credit points to 3 credit points a proportional reduction of the total notional student learning hours expected of students for that unit was required. The reduced notional learning hours expected of students in turn will be reflected in the learning activities described in the Unit Outline.

1.
Curriculum breadth

A 24-unit undergraduate course will allow students to study a broad range of topics and the opportunity to take units outside of their professional discipline area. This will enable students to undertake a study program that reflects their individual interests and needs and may also aid their development of the generic skills and attributes expected of graduates.

In addition, a course structure based on four units per semester facilitates the ability of the University to design courses with curricula that reflect the changing needs of the professions.

2.
Simplified course structures

Making later-year units the same size as (or a whole multiple of) first-year undergraduate units simplifies the structure of undergraduate courses, makes it easier for undergraduates to take a mix of first- and later-year units in the same semester [preferably in the later years of their course], and simplifies calculations of student load, student progress and course costs.

3.
Flexible study loads

Structuring courses so that four units rather than three per semester is the norm for a full-time student has advantages for those who do not wish to take a full load. Such students will be able to reduce to 0.25, 0.5 or 0.75 of a full load. This is particularly important for international students whose visa conditions require that a minimum of 0.75 be maintained and for domestic students who require a minimum load of 0.75 to maintain eligibility for support entitlements.

4.
Transportability of credit

The increasing mobility of students and the growing internationalisation of higher education are resulting in increasing demands for transportability of credit and undergraduate courses comprising 24 units of study will make inter-university transfer of credit easier to manage.

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA’S UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

Principle 1:
Courses reflect the University’s values and mission and its approach to professional education.

1a.
The curricula and teaching of all courses must be consistent with the University Strategic Plan, the University Teaching and Learning Tactical Plan and the principles outlined in the Teaching and Learning Framework.

1b.
All graduates of from the University of Canberra are expected to have developed generic skills and attributes which would facilitate graduates’ contribution to their profession and the society they live in. Courses must be designed to develop the agreed generic skills and attributes for graduates of the University as set out in the document Generic Skills and Attributes of University of Canberra Graduates from Undergraduate and Postgraduate Coursework Courses.

1c.
Courses, where possible, should indicate those semesters where it is possible for students to undertake study abroad.

Principle 2:
The development and delivery of courses are subject to the University’s Quality Assurance Framework.

2a.
Course conveners need to ensure that all documentation related to new courses complies with appropriate University policies.

2b.
Course conveners will need to ensure that there is an adequate level of external participation in the development of courses.

2c.
Individuals responsible for documentation of courses which are subject to external accreditation will need to ensure that the appropriate accrediting bodies will be advised where appropriate.

2d.
All courses offered by the University are required to satisfy the Academic Board that they are educationally appropriate and will meet the needs of the profession concerned.

2e.
In planning a course, staff are asked to explicitly consider the assumptions made about the students expected to enrol in the course, the context into which its graduates will be moving and, the principles which determine the learning, teaching and assessment in the course.

2f.
The final accreditation documentation must contain statements about the aims and objectives of the course, the specific learning outcomes expected for graduates of the course, the admissions requirements, the proposed teaching strategies, methods of assessment, the overall course design and the details of its components.

Principle 3:
The total notional learning hours expected of students in a unit is reflected in the credit point value of that unit.

3a.
Teaching will be conducted so that there is an expectation that an average full-time student will study for an average of 40 notional hours per week over a 15 week semester, including class contact time.

3b.
The number of hours spent by students engaged in work placements, field classes and practicums for a course will fall outside of the above teaching formula. The number of hours required to be undertaken by students for these activities will be governed by professional accreditation requirements and discipline norms, as will the balance between class contact hours and non-contact hours in Principle 3a above.

Principle 4:
Courses are built on components which are based on a common system with each component designed as a coherent set of learning experiences with its own rationale and learning outcomes.

All courses

4a.
Courses will be based on 3 credit point units or units which are a multiple of 3 credit points.

4b.
The minimum credit point value of an undergraduate bachelor degree course will be 72. An additional 12 credit points per semester (or equivalent) will be added for undergraduate courses which exceed 72 credit points.

4c.
For a full-time student the normal workload will be 12 credit points for a semester.

4d.
The minimum length of an undergraduate bachelor degree course will be 6 semesters of full-time study.

4e.
An undergraduate program of study will normally contain a maximum of 30 credit points at Level 1.1

1. For a student to graduate in a six-semester (three-year) undergraduate course (ie 72 credit points), no more than 30 credit points at Level 1 (ie at an ‘introductory’ level) can be counted towards course completion; most credit points will need to have been undertaken at Level 2 or higher (ie at an ‘advanced’ level). Exceptions to this rule will require specific approval by Academic Board.
(The term ‘Level’ equates to the year in which an undergraduate unit would normally be undertaken if studying on a full-time, 2-semester a year basis, ie Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, etc.)

4f.
Undergraduate courses will be structured using "building blocks" (ie course components) with standard names of -
  • Major (which provides a coherent and rigorous treatment of a single discipline or area of study)
  • Minor (which provides a coherent sequence in an area of study but at less depth than a major)
  • Unit (which is the basic building block with all other components defined in terms of the units to be included in them).

Majors and minors outside the professional area provide an opportunity for a student to come to terms with a second distinct body of knowledge, and learn its perspectives, issues and vocabulary. If such majors and minors are very closely connected to the professional field, then they amount simply to an extension of that field rather than to a new body of knowledge.

4g.
Definitions of course components are as follows -

  1. A major -
    • is a sequence of units totalling 18 to 24 credit points (equivalent to 6 to 8 x 3 credit point units);
    • will pursue learning in a particular area in depth;
    • has no more than six credit points in Level 1 (equivalent to 2 x 3 credit point units); and
    • would normally contain at least 6 credit points at Level 3 or above (equivalent to at least 2 x 3 credit point units).

  2. A minor -
    • is a group of units totalling 12 credit points (equivalent to 4 x 3 credit point units); and
    • will either -
      • pursue learning in a particular area in depth (ie a ‘standard’ minor), in which case the minor will have no more than 6 credit points in Level 1 (equivalent to 2 x 3 credit point units) and at least 6 credit points in a subsequent Level or Levels (equivalent to 2 x 3 credit point units); or
      • provide a coherent foundation to a field of study,2 in which case the minor will contain 12 credit points at Level 1 (ie 4 x 3 credit point Level 1 units).

        2. For example, liberal arts, commerce.

  3. A unit -
    • is a minimum 3 credit point block of learning;
    • is the basic module in the hierarchy of course components; and
    • is the fundamental component for teaching, learning, assessment, and student records.
    Regardless of the length of a unit, students cannot receive any formal credit for completing part of a unit.

4h.
Undergraduate degree courses will be of two types:
  • generic degree courses (such as that leading to the award of Bachelor of Arts) or
  • named degree courses (such as that leading to the award of Bachelor of Medical Science).

4i.
An undergraduate generic degree course will comprise at least two majors.

4j.
An undergraduate named degree course will comprise at least one designated major plus sufficient units from a designated list of majors, minors and individual units so that at least 50 per cent of the course is in an area directly related to the named area.

4k.
Majors and minors will be named and approved by Academic Board.3

3. In seeking approval for majors and/or minors, the proponents are to provide a description of the major and/or minor which addresses the suitability of the major/minor for students contemplating enrolment in the major/minor.

4l.
Majors, minors or units may have either co- and/or pre-requisites and/or assumed knowledge.

4m.
Particular majors, minors and units may be restricted to students enrolled in particular courses.

4n.
Majors and minors may consist of either a set of prescribed units or units selected by the student from a prescribed list.

4o.
Level 1 units will be considered as ‘introductory’ units; Level 2 and higher will be considered as ‘advanced’ units and will include content considered to be at an ‘advanced’ level.

4p.
Year-long units must be at least 6 credit points.4

4. Three credit point units must span one semester only and cannot apply to a year of study (ie a year-long unit).

Combined Courses (leading to double degrees)

4q.
The purpose of a combined course is, in general, the aggregate of the purposes of the two component courses together with the greater breath of professional knowledge and skills and/or the greater level of general education obtained by undertaking the combination. The combined course should therefore contain the essential features of both courses.

4r.
Combined (or double degree) courses will normally contain the required components of the individual degree courses from which the combined course is constructed.

4s.
Combined courses must require that students complete a minimum of an additional 24 credit points of work above the requirements of the longer of the two individual degree courses.5

5. For example, a combined course consisting of two 72 credit point courses requires a total of 72+24=96 credit points. A combined course consisting of a 4-year degree course and a 3-year degree course requires 96+24=120 credit points. Some combined courses, such as those with Law, require an additional 48 credit points.

4t.
Proposals for combined courses leading to double degrees will use the standard timing and the standard procedures for course development except for the following additional points.
  1. The proposed course should have the approval of the Divisions offering both the courses to be combined.
  2. The documentation should establish the professional rationale for the combination of courses proposed.
  3. In establishing the ‘need and demand’ for the combined course, the pair of course conveners involved should take joint responsibility for undertaking the necessary market research to determine the demand for the new course. They should also ensure that such courses are included in the University’s marketing strategy.
  4. To the extent that components of combined courses form coherent parts of existing accredited courses, consultation and detailed academic justification for such components will not be required.

4u.
Wherever possible students enrolled in a combined course leading to a double degree will be allowed to apply for course completion for one of the courses and be conferred with the corresponding award before completing the total requirements of the combined course. Students who have completed the requirements of one of the courses in a combined course and received the corresponding award, may be re-admitted to the combined course and receive up to full status for the completed course. On completion of the combined course such students would receive only the second award.

Honours Degree Courses

4v.
Honours degrees consist of a minimum of 24 credit points of study and must contain a significant component of independent work and training on research methods.

Degree Courses Awarded with Honours

4w.
Degrees with honours require students with a record of high academic achievement from an early stage of a course to undertake a more demanding academic program during the later stages of the course than that required of a student undertaking the course leading to a pass degree.

Please note that Honours programs are the subject of a separate policy: Honours Degrees and Degrees with Honours Guidelines and Procedures

Awards

4x.
The University offers awards with one of the following three forms of title:
  1. General Awards:
    Discipline based courses in the generic areas of Arts, Science or Commerce will lead to the corresponding awards, viz
      Bachelor of Arts
      Bachelor of Communication
      Bachelor of Commerce
  2. Professional Awards (generic form):
    Courses which provide education in an established professional field may lead to explicit professional degrees such as:
      Bachelor of Applied Science
      Bachelor of Education
      Bachelor of Nursing
  3. Professional Awards (specific form):
    Courses which provide education in a specific professional field may lead to an award with a composite title involving the generic areas identified in (i) in (ii) above and the specific field separated by the word "in", viz
      Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Principle 5:
Course structures allow some choice of units in order to permit students to undertake study programs that reflect their own interests and needs.

5a.
Undergraduate courses should normally allow students to take at least four elective units6 outside of their primary discipline/professional area as either a major, minor or individual units.7 These elective units should, where possible, be made available as a sequence over successive semesters.8

6. These four elective units are to be chosen freely by the student.
7. Exceptions to this rule will require specific approval by Academic Board.
8. This is to enable students to take an elective minor which requires a successive building of knowledge (for example, a language or mathematics).

5b.
In order to maximise flexibility for students, pre-requisites to enrol in majors, minors or units should be minimised and, where appropriate, replaced with a statement of assumed knowledge.9 However, it will be the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have the assumed knowledge to undertake a unit.

9. It is acknowledged that there will be many instances where, in order to successfully undertake a unit of study, students will need to have successfully completed certain units. Course teaching teams are, however, encouraged to substitute the notion of formal pre-requisites with assumed knowledge wherever appropriate.

Principle 6:
Students deciding to change their course early in their study program can do so with minimum penalty.

6a.
Commonality of first and second semester units across related undergraduate courses is encouraged.10

10. Wherever possible, consideration should be given to related courses being designed to have a common first year in order to allow alternative pathways for students.

Principle 7:
Courses are accessible to students who wish to commence study mid-year.

7a.
Courses should, where possible, be structured to allow mid-year entry.11

11. It is acknowledged that mid-year entry is important to accommodate enrolment of some groups of students, for example, international students, late enrollers, etc. However, it is recognised that a mid-year entry may result in some students being unable to complete their course in the minimum time.

Principle 8:
The mode of delivery of individual courses and units reflects student needs. 12

             12. Three credit point units must span one semester only and cannot apply to a year of study (ie a year-long unit).

8a.
The mode of delivery chosen for a course or unit will be based on an assessment of the needs of the students enrolled in that course or unit.

Principle 9:
The University maximises opportunities for students from CIT/TAFE and other relevant institutions to articulate to UC courses.

9a.
Course teaching teams will liaise with CIT/TAFE colleges and other relevant institutions to ensure the needs of students who are enrolled in articulated courses are met and to maximise their opportunities.

Principle 10:
The University makes best use of its resources in delivering its academic program.

10a.
Duplication of the content of different units is to be avoided. Overlap and duplication in the components of courses and in units across the University should only rarely be approved.

10b.
Under certain circumstances, the same content is delivered in two units at different levels. These units are sometimes termed "parallel units". Where combined teaching of UG and G/PG units occurs, it must take place within the University’s current policy on combined teaching.

A School may ask students in a graduate (G level) or in a postgraduate (PG level) unit to attend the lectures given for a parallel undergraduate unit or vice-versa (ie ask students in an undergraduate unit to attend the lectures given for a specified graduate or postgraduate unit), but must:

  • include advice to this effect in the initial Unit Outline, and preferably in any promotional literature and in the University Handbook information that combined teaching may be used in the course or unit, with some explanation of what combined teaching means;
  • limit the amount of combined teaching in a course to no more than one third of the units required for the course; this amount may be exceeded only if a case is made to and approved by the Divisional Education Committee (for example on grounds involving the relationship between undergraduate courses, graduate entry conversion courses and professional graduate courses);
  • require the graduate (or postgraduate) students to meet regularly as a separate group with a member of teaching staff;
  • use separate teaching strategies for the graduate (or postgraduate) unit; and
  • use separate assessment strategies for the graduate (or postgraduate) unit.

10c.
In restructuring courses, consideration is to be given to ensuring that there is no overall increase in the number of units across a Division. Course teaching teams will be required to mount a case for the creation of any net additional units.

  Approved: Academic Board Meeting No. 97/2 - 24 March 1997
  Amended: Academic Board Meeting No. 98/3 - 11 May 1998
  Amended: Academic Board Meeting No. 05/7 - 14 November 2005

  Return to the top of the document

Enquiries or comments about this document may be made to:
Secretary
University Education Committee

s_tariat@adminserver.canberra.edu.au

  

© University of Canberra

Content Custodian: Stephen HARDING
Last Modified: Friday 17 February 2006