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Delegations of Authority Policy is the key document for who is responsible to exercise a delegation – Note: Policies and procedure documents may not reflect the current delegations. Please refer to the Delegations of Authority Policy to identify who the delegate is.

Authority Source: Academic Board

Approval Date: 18/11/2020

Publication Date: 09/02/2021

Review Date: 18/12/2023

Effective Date: 01/01/2021

Custodian: Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President, Academic

Contact: lt@canberra.edu.au

Accessibility: Public

Status: Published

In developing this policy the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).

Course Policy

1. Purpose:

This policy states the principles for University of Canberra (UC) courses.

2. Scope:

In Scope
1. This policy applies to all award courses accredited by the University, regardless of location and mode of delivery, are covered by this policy. Higher Degree by Research (HDR) courses are governed by HDR policies.
2. Faculty includes any portfolio that offers a course.
Out of Scope
1. This policy does not apply to non-award courses.

3. Principles:

Course purpose
Courses will:
1. meet or surpass the requirements of:
  1. the Commonwealth and Territory governing frameworks, legislation and standards, in relevant professional accreditation standards,
  2. UC’s Rules, policies and procedures, and
  3. where relevant, professional accreditation standards.
2. support the achievement of UC’s Endorsed Strategic Plan and its associated strategies and operational plans
3. provide students with opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge and attributes:
  1. for lifelong learning,
  2. for the benefit of society, and
  3. to meet the expectations of employers, industry, and the professions.
4. enhance UC’s reputation and contribute to its growth
5. incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and pedagogies
6. incorporate authoritative and current scholarship and research from their relevant disciplines
7. provide opportunities for work integrated learning and experiential learning
8. incorporate principles of ethics, academic integrity, and research integrity
9. be developed in consultation and collaboration with Course Advisory Groups, students, professional accrediting bodies, and relevant employers, industry, and business.
Course characteristics
1. A course that leads to an award will be consistent with:
  1. the qualification specifications for that award in the Australian Qualifications Framework, and
  2. the standards that apply to courses in the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015.
2. Staff who teach in courses will have:
  1. the level of qualification required, or have been assessed as having a combination of qualification(s), achievements and experience equivalent to the required level of qualification, and
  2. maintain scholarly activity in their discipline and in learning and teaching.
3. Course structures will be consistent with UC’s course blueprints, unless Academic Board approves an exception for a reason, such as to meet professional accreditation requirements.
4. Course modes of delivery and ways of facilitating student learning will be appropriate to the discipline, professional area, course level and type, and characteristics of the student cohort.
5. Courses may include exit and subsumable awards at lower Australian Qualification Framework levels with their own course learning outcomes and course requirements.
6. Course requirements will be the same for all offerings of a course.
7. Courses will, where possible, provide opportunities for international internships and student exchange.
8. Courses will define and publish their inherent requirements so students can make informed choices, and as a basis for reasonable adjustments to accommodate disability.
Course learning design
1. Course learning design will:
  1. support the transition of students into their course
  2. use evidence-based approaches to student learning
  3. support student success and student retention, and
  4. facilitate students’ transition to professional practice and work.
  5. consider
    1. course structure and the sequence of learning activities
    2. content, pedagogical approaches, types and frequency of assessment tasks in the course, and
    3. learning technologies to be used.
  6. ensure that the content and learning activities of each course enable:
    1. advanced knowledge and inquiry consistent with AQF level of award to which the course leads, and
    2. stated course learning outcomes, and
    3. provide students with opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge and attributes stated in the course learning outcomes and in UC’s graduate attributes.
2. Assessment will be designed to provide evidence to demonstrate that students have attained the skills, knowledge and attributes stated in the course learning outcomes.
Course admissions
1. Admission into courses will be consistent with the University’s Admission Rules, policies and procedures.
Course completions
1. A student must complete all academic requirements of a course to be conferred the award to which the course leads, unless an exception is approved.
Course and unit quality
1. Requirements for demonstrating course quality will be set at university level by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic).
2. Each course will have a monitoring, review and improvement plan.
3. The Faculty:
  1. will provide an interim monitoring report for each course every two years to the Curriculum Committee (CC) and Academic Board
  2. will provide a Reaccreditation Case for a further period of accreditation of a course to CC and Academic Board before a course’s accreditation expiry date.
  3. may choose to review the suite of courses within a program, or courses that are related, together.
4. The course reaccreditation process includes a comprehensive review of a course, documented in the reaccreditation case.
5. The faculty will ensure each unit contributes to course quality by:
  1. ensuring a unit outline is reviewed and published by the required deadline
  2. ensuring each unit has a UCLearn (Canvas) teaching site reviewed and published by the required deadline
  3. monitoring students enrolled in the unit for risk and support needs and responding to these
  4. reviewing and responding to student feedback about the unit
  5. assuring the quality of the assessment in the unit by moderation and reviewing grades, grade distributions and student performance
  6. monitoring data on the unit’s quality.
Course suspensions to new admissions
1. The Faculty will manage the suspension of new admissions into a course to mitigate its effects on current and prospective students.
Course closures
1. The Faculty will manage the permanent closure of a course to mitigate its effects on current and prospective students.
Course revisions
1. When considering course revisions, the Faculty will:
  1. mitigate the effects on current and prospective students, and
  2. ensure the changes do not prevent continued professional accreditation.
2. A revised course will be considered a new course, and a new course code allocated, where:
  1. the name, award title, field of education, required credit points total or course level of a course is/are to be changed, or
  2. revisions to the course are so substantial that the Chair of the Course Advisory Panel considers the revised course will be a different course.
Student transitions
1. Where a permanent course closure or course revision requires student transition, the Faculty will develop and carry out a Student Transition Plan to ensure students are:
  1. supported to transition to the new course, or course requirements
  2. are advised of any arrangements to teach out the old course or course version, and
  3. provided with new or revised study plans.
Communication of changes to courses
1. The Faculty will:
  1. keep impacted students informed about course revisions, suspensions to new admissions, course closures, transition and teach out arrangements
  2. support students through such changes to courses and course availability, and
  3. keep university and, where relevant, third party stakeholders informed of course revisions, suspensions to new admissions, closures, transitions and teach out arrangements, and measures to support students through these.

4. Responsibilities:

Who	Responsibilities
Executive Dean	Assure the quality of courses offered by the faculty. Ensure courses are designed, delivered, developed, monitored, reviewed and closed in accordance with relevant legislation and university policy and procedures. Ensure the faculty follows administrative processes to support the course lifecycle for each course. Ensure recordkeeping of the course lifecycle for each course. Ensure faculty staff are aware of their responsibilities in supporting course lifecycle management. Ensure students have the opportunity to provide feedback about courses. Monitor and review student feedback. Implement improvements to courses and to their delivery.
Faculty Board	Monitor existing courses and recommend new courses and course components to Academic Board (via the Curriculum Committee) for approval. Monitor the activities of Faculty Assessment Board. Monitor student outcomes in courses.
Associate Deans (Education)	Ensure courses are designed, delivered, developed, monitored, reviewed and closed in accordance with relevant legislation and university policy and procedures. Oversee accreditation of courses. Oversee course quality procedures. Represent the faculty’s course proposals at Course Advisory Panels and Curriculum Committee meetings. Monitor and act on course and unit learning and teaching data analytics.
Unit conveners	Ensure that procedures related to course quality are applied appropriately at the unit level. Assure the quality of the units in which they have the role of unit conveners. Ensure units in courses are designed, delivered, developed, monitored, reviewed and closed in accordance with relevant legislation and university policy and procedures. Manage and implement unit quality procedures with a focus on continuous improvement. Review and respond to student feedback. Review and respond to data on unit performance. Undertake interim monitoring for units. Contribute to program and course reviews. Lead unit reviews.
Program Directors (or equivalent*)	Ensure courses within a program are designed, delivered, developed, monitored, reviewed and closed in accordance with relevant legislation and university policy and procedures. Oversee accreditation of courses within a program of courses. Oversee course quality procedures within a program of courses. Represent the faculty’s course proposals at Course Advisory Panels and Curriculum Committee meetings. Monitor and act on course and unit learning and teaching data analytics.
Learning and Teaching	Provide advice on course lifecycle management. Provide advice on educational and course design.
Course Advisory Panel	Apply academic scrutiny to new courses proposals, reaccreditation cases, and major course revisions, and recommend to faculties whether a proposal or case should proceed for approval.
University Education Committee	Quality assure the teaching, learning and scholarly activities of faculties, disciplines, and third party providers for all courses and units through the development and monitoring of appropriate procedures and practices. Make recommendations to Academic Board on policies relating to the quality of courses and teaching and learning, including the learning environment (both physical and virtual). Advise Academic Board on the approval, monitoring, revision and reaccreditation of courses.
Academic Board	All academic matters including the content and structure of courses.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)	Determine the process by which advice is provided to Academic Board on course-related matters.
Associate Dean (Education) as determined by the PVCE	Chair the Course Advisory Panel.
Planning and Analytics	Provide data and reports to support course quality.
UC Partnerships	Support faculties in quality assurance of course offerings delivered through partner organisations. Support faculties in arranging improvements to quality of course offerings that involve action by partner organisations. Ensure consultation and communication with partner organisations over course revisions, suspensions to new admissions, course closures and student transition arrangements for courses with offerings delivered through partners.

*An equivalent role may be Course Convener or Head of School

5. Legislation:

Commonwealth and Territory governing framework and legislation

6. Supporting Information:

University statutes and rules
Supporting Policies and Frameworks
1. Admissions (for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Coursework Courses) Policy
2. Assessment Policy
3. Course Advisory Groups Policy
4. Course and Unit Revision and Closure Policy
5. Course Lifecycle Quality Framework
6. Course Reaccreditation Policy
7. Course Procedure: Monitoring, Review and Improvement
8. Delegations of Authority Policy
9. Graduate Attributes Policy
10. Indigenisation of the Curriculum Framework
11. New Course Development Policy
12. Course Delivery by Third Party Provider Policy
13. UC Quality Framework

7. Definitions:

Terms	Definitions
Accreditation	Approval of a course as meeting the University’s course quality requirements and thus able to be offered; see also Professional Accreditation.
Award	An award means a degree, associate degree, diploma or certificate that may be awarded by the University under the University of Canberra (Courses and Awards) Statute 2010. where a student has satisfactorily completed a course.
Course and Course of Study	A structured sequence of learning, leading to an award, provided under Rule 5 of the University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2013. The term does not include non-award courses unless the full term ‘non-award’ course is used.
Course Blueprint	A statement of UC’s requirements for design of a type of course.
Coursework	Coursework is a method of teaching and learning that leads to the acquisition of skills and knowledge that does not include a major research component.
Course Learning Design	As described in section 3.3.
Course Lifecycle	The sequence of activities from initial development and design of a course, through approval, delivery, quality assurance, improvement and changes, review, reaccreditation and eventual suspensions to new admissions and permanent closure.
Course Suspension to New Admissions	When new admissions to a course (or course offering) are suspended for a given academic year or teaching period. A suspended course can be reopened to new admissions.
Course Closure	When a course is formally closed through Academic Board, subject to any teach-out required for existing students within the course. No new admissions are permitted and the course cannot be reopened with the existing course code. A new course proposal would be required with a new course code proposed to reopen a formally closed course.
Exit Award	A lower award with which a student may choose to exit early from a course of study leading to a higher award.
Graduate Attributes	As defined in the Graduate Attributes Policy.
Inherent Requirements	The abilities a student will need to have to achieve the course learning outcomes of a course.
Non-award Course	A course of study that does not lead to an award of the University, such as a short course.
Professional Accreditation	Accreditation of a course by a professional body as meeting the body’s standards for courses to prepare students for entry to the profession and, where relevant, registration as a member of the profession.
Student Transition	For the purposes of this policy, the process whereby, when a course is revised or closed, students enrolled in it must finish the course within a specified period or transfer to a different version of the course or to a different course entirely.
Subsumable award	A lower award that requires a subset of the units required for a higher award which a student may surrender (subsume) on being admitted to study towards the higher award, whereupon the student receives credit for those units towards the higher award.
Unit	A unit of learning. Courses require completion of units.