Citation

1. These Rules may be cited as the University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2010.

Commencement

2. These Rules commence on the date of commencement of the University of Canberra (Courses and Awards) Statute 2010.

Revocation and determinations

3.

(1) The Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2005 are revoked.

(2) Determinations made under the following Rules:

Courses of Study (Degrees of Bachelor) Rules 1995

Courses of Study (Degrees of Master) Rules 1995

Courses of Study (Degrees of Doctor) Rules 1995

Courses of Study (Graduate Certificates and Diplomas) Rules 1995

Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2005

are deemed to have been made under the University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2010. and continue in force until specifically revoked or the University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2010 are revoked. 

Definitions 

4. In these Rules, unless the contrary intention appears:

“Academic Board” means the Academic Board of the University established by section 19 of the Act;

“academic requirements” means the matters entered in the Register in relation to a course that a student admitted to the course is required under these Rules to complete successfully in order to qualify for the grant of an award and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes:

(a) any bridging requirements required to be undertaken; and

(b) the course components entered in the Register that a student admitted to the course is required to pass; and

(c) any other requirements (whether or not of an academic nature) entered in the Register in relation to the course that the student is required to complete successfully;

“Admissions Officer” has the same meaning as in the University of Canberra Admission Rules 2010;

“appropriate Dean”, in relation to a student admitted to a course, means the Dean of the faculty in the University in which the course is conducted;

“appropriate faculty committee”, in relation to a student admitted to a course, means the Faculty Board or other committee either established or approved by Academic Board for this purpose of the faculty in the University in which the course is conducted;

“appropriate research committee” means the University Research Committee or other committee established by Academic Board for this purpose;

“bridging requirement” means a unit or units, test, remedial work or any similar requirement (including supporting studies) that a student admitted to a course may be required to undertake as a preliminary part of the course if the appropriate Dean thinks fit;

"Council" means the Council of the University established by section 9 of the University of Canberra Act 1989 (ACT);

“course” means a course of study and instruction, leading to an award, provided under rule 5;

“course component”, in relation to a course, means a major, minor or unit that must or may be taken as part of the course;

“credit points”, in relation to a unit in a course, means the number of points assigned to the unit under rule 7;

“electives” means elective units chosen freely by the student;’.

“faculty” means a faculty determined by Council under section 8 of the Act;

“higher degree by research” means a degree of master by research or a degree of doctor by research;

“major” means a sequence of units approved as a major by the Academic Board;

“minor” means a group of units approved as a minor by the Academic Board;

“Records Officer” means the person appointed under section 6(2) of the University of Canberra Courses and Awards Statute 2010;

“Register” means the Register of Courses referred to in section 4 of the University of Canberra Courses and Awards Statute 2010;

“tertiary institution” means an educational institution at which some or all of the students who attend the institution are taught at the tertiary level of education and includes a university, an institute of technology and a college of technical and further education or other organisation declared by Academic Board or Council to be a tertiary institution for the purposes of this Rule;

“unit” means a unit of study entered in the Register under rule 6, being a unit the title and level of which have been determined under paragraph 6(1)(d), and includes a unit of study or the equivalent undertaken by a student at another tertiary institution with the approval of the appropriate faculty committee.

Courses provided by University

5.

(1) Subject to subrule (2), the University is to provide the courses entered in the Register except for those that Council has determined should cease.

(2) The Academic Board may determine which courses, among those to be provided by the University, are to be open to new admissions.

Entries in Register

6.

(1) The Academic Board must, in relation to each course, from time to time, by resolution determine the academic requirements of the course as follows:

(a) the level of the course; and

(b) the award or awards of degree, diploma or certificate to which the course leads; and

(c) the total credit points required in the course; and

(d) the course components, including:

(i) the title of each major and minor, if any, and the number of credit points assigned to each; and

(ii) the title and level of any unit or units, other than units forming part of a major or minor in the course and electives; and

(iii) the credit point value of electives, if any.

(e) the bridging requirements (if any) relating to the course; and

(f) the maximum period or periods of study permitted in relation to the course; and

(g) the requirements for admission to the course; and

(h) any other requirements relating to the course.

(2) The Records Officer must, as soon as practicable after a determination is made under subrule (1), enter the particulars of the determination in the Register.

Descriptions of units

7.

(1) The Academic Board must approve a description of each unit entered in the Register and a description of any other requirement entered in the Register in relation to a course and the Records Officer must enter a description so approved in the Register.

(2) A description approved under subrule (1) must be in accordance with such form as is from time to time determined by the Council.

(3) A description under subrule (1) must include:

(a) the number of credit points assigned to the unit; and

(b) any prerequisite or co-requisite unit or units or any other preliminary requirements relating to the unit.

Admission

8.

(1) A person wishing to undertake a course must apply in writing to the Admissions Officer to be admitted to the course. The Admissions Officer may require applications to be made through a central office outside the University that receives and processes applications on behalf of the University and other tertiary institutions.

(2) An applicant under subrule (1) must comply with the provisions of the University of Canberra Admission Rules 2010 and, subject to such compliance and to subrule (3), may be admitted in accordance with those Rules.

(3) An applicant for admission to a higher degree by research may not be admitted unless the applicant has been accepted for candidature by the appropriate research committee in accordance with procedures determined by Academic Board.

Course of study

9.

(1) A student admitted to a course must undertake that course in accordance with the academic requirements from time to time approved by the Academic Board.

(2) Any preliminary requirements entered in the Register in relation to a unit in a course, such as a prerequisite or co-requisite unit, may, on application by a student, be waived in respect of the student as a requirement in relation to that unit by the appropriate Dean or Dean's delegate.

Enrolment

10.

(1) Subject to subrule (2) and rule 18, each student must, in accordance with procedures determined from time to time by the Academic Board, enrol in a unit or units included in the academic requirements for the course to which the student has been admitted.

(2) The enrolment of a student in a unit under subrule (1) is subject to such conditions as the Academic Board determines from time to time as applicable in relation to enrolment in that unit.

Meeting of academic requirements

11.

(1) Subject to subrules (2) and 17(3) and rule 18, upon a student admitted to a course successfully completing all the matters specified in the academic requirements of that course within the maximum period or periods of study specified in the Register in relation to that course, then, for the purposes of rule 12, the student has met the academic requirements of that course.

(2) For the purposes of determining whether a student has met the academic requirements of a course, account is to be taken of any status granted in accordance with guidelines determined by the Academic Board, towards the award to which the course relates. 

(3) Even if a student has been granted status towards an award in accordance with guidelines determined by the Academic Board, the student is taken not to have met the academic requirements of the course to which that award relates unless, subject to subrule (4), the student has passed a unit or units of the University comprising the whole or a part of the academic requirements of the course and amounting to at least the following: 

(a) in the case of an associate degree, 24 credit points;

(b) in the case of an undergraduate or graduate entry degree of bachelor, including a degree of bachelor with honours, 24 credit points;

(c) in the case of an honours degree of bachelor, 12 credit points;

(d) in the case of a combined course leading to two degrees of bachelor, 24 credit points for each degree and 48 credit points in total;

(e) in the case of a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or degree of master by coursework, 12 credit points;

(f) in the case of a degree of doctor by coursework, 36 credit points;

(g) in the case of a degree of master by research, 1 year;

(h) in the case of a degree of doctor by research, 2 years.

(4) The Academic Board may by resolution approve an exception to subrule (3). The University Research Committee may by resolution make an exception to paragraph (g) of subrule (3).

Qualification for award

12. If a student:

(a) has undertaken a course in accordance with these Rules; and

(b) has met the academic requirements of that course;

the appropriate faculty committee or, in the case of a higher degree by research, the appropriate research committee must certify, by resolution, that the student has met the academic requirements of that course.

Passes in units and successful completion of other requirements

13. For the purposes of these Rules, a student:

(a) is taken to have passed a unit if, in accordance with the procedures from time to time approved by the Academic Board, the students performance in the unit is assessed to be of a grade of High Distinction, Distinction, Credit or Pass, or such other grade (including an ungraded pass) as may be determined from time to time by the Council; and

(b) is taken to have:

(i) successfully completed a unit if the student has passed the unit; and

(ii) successfully completed a major or minor if the student has passed units in the major or minor that satisfy the requirements of the major or minor as approved by the Academic Board; and

(iii) successfully completed any other requirement (including any bridging requirement) if, in accordance with procedures from time to time approved by the Academic Board, the students performance in complying with that requirement is assessed to be satisfactory.

Application of course changes to students

14. If a matter specified in the Register in relation to a course is changed, that change is not to apply to a student undertaking that course who has passed 1 or more units specified in the academic requirements of that course unless:

(a) the student agrees to the change; or

(b) the Academic Board otherwise determines.

Deferral

15.

(1) If a student wishes to defer commencement of a course of study to which the student has been offered admission, the student may apply in writing to the Admissions Officer or, in the case of a higher degree by research, the appropriate research committee stating the period for which, and the grounds on which, the student desires the deferral.

(2) On receipt of an application under subrule (1), the Admissions Officer or appropriate research committee may, in accordance with the procedures, and subject to any conditions or restrictions from time to time determined by the Academic Board relating to the deferral of courses of study, approve the deferral of the students course of study for such period not exceeding one year, and on such terms and conditions, as the Admissions Officer or Committee thinks fit.

(3) Approval of deferral of a students course of study does not bind the University to provide the course to which the student was offered admission to that student after the deferral. In such a case the student may be offered admission to another course of study.

Intermission

16.

(1) If a student wishes to take leave of absence from a course of study which the student has pursued for one semester or more, the student may apply in writing to the appropriate Dean or, in the case of a higher degree by research, the appropriate research committee, stating the period for which, and the grounds on which, the student desires the intermission.

(2) A Dean who, or an appropriate research committee which, receives an application under subrule (1) may, in accordance with the procedures, and subject to any conditions or restrictions from time to time determined by the Academic Board relating to the intermission of courses of study, approve the intermission of the students course of study for such period, and on such terms and conditions, as the Dean or committee, as the case may be, thinks fit.

(3) Approval of intermission of a students course of study does not bind the University to provide the same course to the student after the intermission. In such a case the student may be offered admission to another course of study.

Maximum period of study to be calculated backwards from time of completion

17.

(1) For the purposes of these Rules, a student is taken to have completed a course within the maximum period or periods of study specified in the Register in relation to that course if:

(a) the student has met the academic requirements of the course (each course component or other requirement, including any bridging requirement, being referred to in this rule as a matter); and

(b) counting backwards in time from the date the student passed or successfully completed, as the case may be, the last matter specified in the academic requirements, the student has passed or successfully completed every matter so specified within the maximum period or periods so specified.

(2) For the purpose of calculating under subrule (1) whether a student has completed a course within the maximum period or periods specified in the Register in relation to that course:

(a) any period of intermission approved under rule 16 must be:

(i) if the course is a higher degree by research excluded from the count;

(ii) in any other case included in the count.

(b) any matter in respect of which the student has been granted status in accordance with guidelines determined by the Academic Board, is to be taken as having been passed or successfully completed on the date on which the status was granted.

(3) The appropriate faculty committee or, in the case of a higher degree by research, the appropriate research committee may, on the recommendation of the appropriate Dean, approve, in respect of a student, the extension of a period or periods specified in the Register in relation to a course undertaken by the student.

Variation of academic requirements

18.

(1) If a student wishes a unit which is not included in the academic requirements of the course to which the student is admitted to be counted towards the requirements of that course, the student may apply in such form and contain such information as the Academic Board requires for a variation of those academic requirements.

(2) If the appropriate Dean or Dean’s delegate is satisfied that, by reason of studies completed by a student admitted to a course (in respect of which the student has not been granted status in accordance with guidelines determined by the Academic Board), the student should be exempted from the requirement to undertake a particular unit or units, but should be required to undertake, as an alternative, a unit or units not included in the academic requirements relating to that course entered in the Register, the Dean or Dean’s delegate may authorise the variation of the academic requirements of the course for that student.

Delegation by Dean

19.

(1) The Dean of a faculty may, either generally or as otherwise provided by the instrument of delegation, signed by the Dean, delegate to any member of the academic staff of the faculty any of the Deans powers under these Rules, other than this power of delegation.

(2) A power so delegated, when exercised by the delegate, is, for the purposes of these Rules, taken to have been exercised by the Dean who made the delegation.

(3) A delegation under this rule does not prevent the exercise of a power by the Dean who made the delegation.

Delegation by Admissions Officer

20.

(1) The Admissions Officer may, either generally or as otherwise provided by the instrument of delegation, signed by the Admissions Officer, delegate to any member of the general staff any of the Admissions Officers powers under these Rules, other than this power of delegation.

(2) A power so delegated, when exercised by the delegate, is, for the purposes of these Rules, taken to have been exercised by the Admissions Officer who made the delegation.

(3) A delegation of a power under this rule does not prevent the exercise of the power by the Admissions Officer.

Delegation by Records Officer

21.

(1) The Records Officer may, either generally or as otherwise provided by the instrument of delegation, signed by the Records Officer, delegate to any member of the general staff any of the Records Officers powers under these Rules, other than this power of delegation.

(2) A power so delegated, when exercised by the delegate, is, for the purposes of these Rules, taken to have been exercised by the Records Officer who made the delegation.

(3) A delegation of a power under this rule does not prevent the exercise of the power by the Records Officer. 

Notes:

Rules approved at Council meeting No. 135 on 14 May 2010.

Rules made under section 7 of the University of Canberra (Courses and Awards) Statute 2010.

Date of commencement: 23 July 2010

In making these Rules the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).