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  1. Academic
Authority Source: Academic Quality and Standards Committee
Approval Date: 17/05/2023
Publication Date: 26/05/2023
Review Date: 25/05/2026
Effective Date: 18/05/2023
Custodian: Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education
Contact: Director, Learning and Teaching
Accessibility: Public
Status: Published
In developing this procedure the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).
Course Procedure: Monitoring, Review and Improvement (MRI)
1. Purpose:
  1. This Procedure supports the Course Policy by stating requirements for the monitoring, review and improvement (MRI) for each course.
  2. This Procedure is designed to be read alongside the Course Policy and has the same scope as that Policy, and the Course Procedure: Courses and Course Components.
  3. MRI is a course-based quality assurance cycle that provides reporting points, called Interim Monitoring Course Reports (IMCR) that feed into the comprehensive review report (CRR) for a course. MRI utilises course-specific data to review and assess course performance, and unit-specific information such as student feedback and grade distribution in individual units. In undergraduate courses the focus for MRI is on the required units in a course of study. 
  4. If a course is professionally accredited and the most recent professional accreditation approval is within the last three years, the faculty may choose to use some or all of the evidence gathered for professional accreditation for the IMCR and/or a CRR.
  5. The purposes of this procedure are to ensure that:
    1. course quality is assured throughout the course lifecycle
    2. the University gathers evidence of course quality, viability and fitness for purpose, and strategic alignment, to inform decisions on how a course can be improved, whether to continue to offer a course, and to identify high performing courses.
  6. Course quality activities and data reviewed will demonstrate alignment with the requirements of the relevant legislation and standards.
2. Procedure:
SUSPENSION OF NEW ADMISSIONS AND CLOSURE OF COURSES
 
  1. If a faculty decides to suspend new admissions to a course, then it will follow the relevant procedure.
  2. When new admissions to a course are suspended the faculty will:
    1. continue to provide IMCRs for the course as scheduled, and
    2. ensure it remains internally accredited.
  3. If a faculty decides that a course will be closed on the basis of:
    1. an IMCR or CRR
    2. activities undertaken to develop the IMCR or CRR
    3. course viability or demand
      then the faculty will follow the relevant procedure. 
  4. Where a course will be closed the faculty will ensure that:
    1. course components unique to the course are also closed, subject to teach out obligations, and
    2. the course remains internally accredited during any teach out by:
      1. undertaking and recording regular interim monitoring activities, and
      2. providing IMCRs to Faculty Board, Curriculum Committee and Academic Board
    3. a course that is professionally accredited retains its professional accreditation until the last student has graduated from the course.
MRI SCHEDULE
  1. Each faculty will maintain a MRI schedule for each award course it offers.
  2. The MRI schedule must include reporting dates for the IMCRs, the CRR, and (if the course is offered through a partner) Annual Partner Reviews.
  3. The faculty will: 
    1. retain evidence of MRI activities undertaken for each course, and review the impact and success of improvement activities, and
    2. identify any risks to course quality and maintain a risk table to monitor management of those risks.
UNIT QUALITY
  1. The faculty that offers a unit will assure unit quality by monitoring unit-level data.
  2. A unit may be used as a component of a minor, core major, specialisation major, or breadth major, and may be part of course requirements for a course managed by another faculty. Accordingly, the faculty that offers a unit will consider revisions to units in the context of all courses for which the unit is required and will consult the stakeholders before seeking approval for the revisions.
  3. External referencing against comparable units, particularly capstone units and required units, will include the review of assessment methods and grading of students’ achievement of learning outcomes.

    Unit Outline 
  4. Before each teaching period:
    1. the unit convener will develop the unit outline for the unit, and
    2. the faculty delegate will review and approve the Unit Outline, 
      in accordance with the Unit Outline Procedures.
Moderation and feedback
  1. The unit convener will develop and document the unit’s moderation process in accordance with the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure.
  2. The unit convener and teaching team will implement the moderation process for each assessment item in a teaching period.
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøLearn (Canvas) teaching site
  1. The unit convener will develop the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøLearn (Canvas) teaching site in accordance with the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøLearn (Canvas) teaching site publishing procedures.
  2. The faculty will review and approve the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøLearn (Canvas) teaching site for publishing to students in accordance with the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøLearn (Canvas) teaching site publishing procedures.
Student feedback
  1. The unit convener will review student performance in learning activities and assessment tasks and adjust their teaching strategies as needed to support student learning and student progress. 
  2. During each teaching period the unit convener and program director (or equivalent) will:
    1. review and respond to student feedback provided through the University approved student feedback survey, and any other student feedback, and
    2. ensure information about revisions to a unit, made in response to student feedback, is included in the unit outline for subsequent offerings of that unit, following approval of the unit revisions as required by the Delegations of Authority Policy.
Assessment and grading
  1. At the end of each teaching period the unit convener and the program director (or equivalent) will review grades, grade distribution, and student performance in the unit.
  2. The unit convener will submit a unit review report to GradeLink at the end of each teaching period.
  3. In accordance with the Faculty Assessment Board Charter, Faculty Assessment Boards will:
    1. quality assure the assessment for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework courses
    2. review the quality of assessment tasks
    3. ensure assessment, moderation, and grade allocation are undertaken in a timely fashion
    4. prepare annual quality assurance reports on relevant grade distribution summaries including: 
      1. student progression and achievement
      2. performance at the unit and course level
      3. reviewing the effectiveness of assessment practice with the faculty
      4. approval final grades and authorise the release of final grades. 
  4. The faculty must review assessment design in units in the following circumstances:
    1. where 20% or more of students in a unit are awarded a final grade of fail in a teaching period
    2. where more than 50% of students are awarded a final grade of high distinction in a teaching period
    3. where there is a difference in student performance when the same unit is offered:
      1. at more than one location
      2. in more than one mode of delivery
    4. where there is a withdrawal rate from a unit prior to census date of 10% or greater. 
  5. The faculty will report annually to Academic Quality and Standards Committee and Academic Board on action taken in response to any grade distribution or student satisfaction risks identified in a unit.
INTERIM MONITORING COURSE REPORTS (IMCR)
  1. The purpose of an IMCR is to identify risks to quality of a course through a review of the course and student data and take actions to mitigate those risks.
  2. Risks and the associated actions must be included in the IMCR Risk, Issues and Actions Plan.
  3. The faculty will: 
    1. retain evidence of the MRI activities undertaken for each course, and review the impact and success of improvement activities, and
    2. set dates for IMCRs when the course is approved or reaccredited by Academic Board.
  4. The IMCR schedule for an existing course must enable the review of, and reporting on, at least two years of course data since the preceding IMCR.
  5. The IMCR schedule for a new course must enable the review of, and reporting on, at least two years of data since the course first admitted students.
  6. The faculty may choose to align the IMCR schedule with professional accreditation reporting and/or Annual Partner Review reports.
  7. Faculty Boards must provide IMCRs to Curriculum Committee and Academic Board.

    MRI evidence and data
  8. The faculty’s MRI review of course and student performance data will consider:
    1. quality of teaching
    2. supervision of students undertaking research projects
    3. student progress
    4. overall delivery of units within each course of study
    5. external referencing of the success of student cohorts against comparable courses of study including: 
      1. progression rates and completion times broken down by locations of delivery
      2. assessment methods and grading of students’ for selected units required for the course.
    6. student feedback from, and rates of response to, the University approved student feedback survey, the unit convener’s response to that feedback, and details of revisions made to the unit and their effects.
    7. student feedback from the Student Experience Survey and the Graduate Outcomes Survey and the program director’s (or equivalent’s) response to that feedback, and details of changes made to the course and their effects.
    8. course design as described in , particularly demonstrating scholarship of teaching and learning informing course improvement, and design that demonstrates the progressive and coherent achievement of expected learning outcomes throughout the course
    9. course viability and student demand for the course
    10. meetings of and feedback from the Course Advisory Group
    11. professional accreditation or professional reaccreditation of the course
The University’s educational objectives
  1. An IMCR will include analysis and narrative about the course’s contribution towards the University’s educational objectives including:
    1. Indigenising the curriculum
    2. experiential learning, and
    3. graduate attributes.
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW REPORT (CRR)
  1. A CRR has three purposes:
    1. to inform the decision whether to continue to offer the course by reviewing its strategic fit and financial viability (course health check)
    2. to verify that the monitoring, review and improvement activities for the course meet the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, and the University Quality and Standards Framework, so that the course may be offered for a further 7-years, or for the time specified by the faculty, and
    3. to provide evidence to inform decisions whether the course or a course component needs to be revised, or to provide advice on revisions already undertaken or proposed to improve the course.
  2. The CRR will include a Course Risk, Issue and Action Plan to:
    1. capture risks or issues identified as impacting on the course quality, course viability or student experience over the past period of accreditation
    2. actions taken to mitigate those risks
    3. a review and evaluation of the impact of the action taken, and any future plans
    4. any course revisions resulting from the risks and issues identified.
  3. A faculty may choose to seek reaccreditation of related courses, such as a bachelors and masters in the same discipline, or a set of courses in the same program, at the same time. Where that is the case the Faculty will provide separate CRR for each course, or ensure that separate responses and data for each course is provided.
  4. Where a faculty is reviewing a set of nested courses, such as a masters, graduate diploma and graduate certificate, a single CRR can be provided. The faculty will provide data for each course, respond to risks to each course, and report on different course experiences for students in the nested courses.
  5. A faculty may choose to bring forward the comprehensive review and reaccreditation date for a course to align with timelines for professional accreditation, or to manage workload, or address course or unit quality issues.
  6. Gathering evidence for the comprehensive review of a course is an incremental process which includes collating evidence of: unit quality assurance activities; external referencing and benchmarking activities; meetings with the Course Advisory Group; and interim monitoring, review and improvement activities.
  7. The faculty will prepare the CRR for a course using the CRR template and the Course Assurance Summary template.
  8. The CRR will be considered by Faculty Board, a Course Advisory Panel and Curriculum Committee before review by Academic Board.
  9. Where a course is a higher degree by research (HDR) course, an honours course or has embedded honours, the University Research Committee will be requested to review the CRR and provide advice to Curriculum Committee on the research components of the course.
  10. Members of Faculty Board, the Course Advisory Panel, the University Research Committee, where relevant, Curriculum Committee or Academic Board, may request information about a course from a faculty or business unit in addition to that provided in the CRR.
  11. Where a course is professionally accredited, the faculty will provide the most recent approval by the professional accrediting body, and information about any conditions imposed on the professional accreditation and actions taken to address those conditions.
  12. Where a course is offered in more than one location, the faculty will provide information about the performance of the course, student progression and success, and student feedback about the course, from each location, and actions taken in response to any identified issues at the different locations.

    Strategic case and course health check
  13. The faculty will provide:
    1. a strategic case for seeking reaccreditation of a course, and
    2. evidence of actions taken to improve student outcomes in response to:
      1. enrolment and EFTSL data
      2. admissions data
      3. student performance reporting
      4. grade distributions
      5. student feedback received from the university approved student feedback survey, the Student Experience Survey, the Graduate Outcomes Survey, or any other student feedback
      6. stakeholder feedback including that of the Course Advisory Group
      7. feedback from professional accrediting bodies
      8. review of the course or course components by Faculty Board, Curriculum Committee, University Research Committee or Academic Board
      9. information from activities undertaken to assure academic and research integrity
      10. scholarly activities that inform course and unit improvement, and
      11. information about the quality assurance of work integrated learning and of courses offered through a partner.
  14. The faculty may provide the IMCRs and/or any other relevant evidence, such as that from a professional accrediting body, to support the comprehensive review and reaccreditation of a course. 

    Quality assurance
  15. A CRR will include evidence and records of monitoring, review and improvement activities to satisfy the relevant standards of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, in particular:
    1. Orientation and progression (Standard 1.3)
    2. Learning outcomes and assessment (Standard 1.4)
    3. Learning Environment (2) (all subsections)
    4. Teaching (3) (all subsections)
    5. Deliveries with Other Parties (5.4)

      The University’s educational objectives, professional accreditation and partnered offerings
  16. A CRR for a course will include analysis of and commentary on the course’s contribution towards the University’s educational objectives including:
    1. Indigenising the curriculum
    2. experiential learning, including Work Integrated Learning, and
    3. graduate attributes.
  17. Where a course is professionally accredited a CRR:
    1. will include evidence that the course, including any proposed revision to the course, will continue to be accredited by the relevant professional body, and
    2. evidence provided for the most recent professional accreditation submission.
  18. When a course is offered with a third party provider, the CRR will include links to the Annual Partner Review reports.
  19. When external referencing or benchmarking of a course is undertaken the CRR will provide the outcomes of the external referencing and benchmarking activity, and the faculty response to recommendations.

    Reaccreditation for another seven-years
  20. A CRR is evidence over course quality and improvement to support internal reaccreditation of a course.
  21. The faculty will provide the CRR and Course Assurance Summary to the Course Advisory Panel for review.
  22. Where a faculty decides to close a course then a student transition plan will be included with the CRR.
  23. The Course Advisory Panel may recommend that the CRR be considered by Curriculum Committee, for endorsement to proceed to Academic Board for review to consider reaccreditation of the course.
  24. Academic Board approval triggers a new accreditation start date and the next seven-year period of the course’s internal accreditation, and its next monitoring, review and improvement cycle.
DOUBLE DEGREES
  1. A double degree has its own course code, and its structure comprises two constituent courses, or a course and a program.
  2. To support quality assurance of a double degree the faculty will provide IMCR and/or CRRs, whichever is most recent, for the constituent courses.
  3. If one or more constituent components of a double degree is made up of a program, then it is expected that the most recent IMCR and CRR for each course in the program will be provided. For example, in the Bachelor of Communication and Media, it would be expected that the IMCR and/or CRR for the four courses in the program would be provided.
  4. If a constituent course in a double degree has not had a CRR or IMCR completed in the last two years, then the faculty will provide an IMCR.  
  5. The faculty may provide a mix of IMCRs and CRRs if evidence of review of each constituent course is provided, and the reports were undertaken within the last three years.  
  6. These reports, along with any associated Course Assurance Summaries, can be provided as links from the double degree IMCR or CRRs.  
  7. Where a constituent course in the double degree is professionally accredited then evidence that this professional accreditation is maintained for that course in the double degree will be provided.
  8. The IMCRs and CRRs for double degrees will focus on student experience, specifically:
    1. the double degree study pattern for full time and part time students demonstrating unit availability, timely progression, and educational coherence and sequencing
    2. student completion data for the double degree
    3. Student Experience Survey and Graduate Outcomes Survey data where it is available for the double degree and where there are sufficient respondents (for example, >10) for it to be meaningful, and equivalent data for the constituent courses/program(s)
    4. risks to course quality and how those risks have been mitigated
    5. any risks specific to the provision and delivery of the double degree.
REPORTING
  1. The faculty will provide regular IMCRs to Curriculum Committee and Academic Board. The reports are typically prepared two years and four years after the start of the accreditation period or course commencement date, whichever is later, and will include a full two years of course data.
  2. A faculty will provide Annual Partner Review reports to Academic Quality and Standards Committee and Academic Board for award courses that are delivered with or through a partner.  
  3. The CRR and Course Assurance Summary to support reaccreditation of a course will be submitted to Academic Board in the calendar year of or before the accreditation expiry date.
  4. A faculty may choose to bring forward their submission of a CRR to support reaccreditation of a course to enable internal and professional accreditation of a course to be aligned, to manage workload, or to enable particular groups of courses to be considered together.
  5. Expected submission dates for CRRs supporting reaccreditation of a course will be added to the workplans of the appropriate governance committees.
  6. Faculties may provide reports on all courses in a program, or courses that are related, together.
  7. If Academic Board has concerns about the quality of a course it may request additional monitoring and reporting or earlier review for reaccreditation.

    Typical reporting schedules
  8. IMCRs must include two years of data and this requirement may mean that the IMCR dates vary from this typical reporting schedule (below), depending on when the course first admitted students.
  9. Where the accreditation/reaccreditation period starts at the beginning of a calendar year:
    1. Approved for seven years accreditation: AB meeting #/0010 
    2. First intake: Semester 1, 0011 
    3. Accredited for seven years: 1 January 0011 to 31 December 0017 
    4. Interim Monitoring Course Report: AB meeting #/0013 
    5. Interim Monitoring Course Report: AB meeting #/0015 
    6. Comprehensive review report supporting reaccreditation: AB meeting #/17 
  10. Where the accreditation/reaccreditation period starts at the middle of a calendar year:
    1. Approved for seven years accreditation: AB meeting #/0010
    2. First intake: Semester 2, 0011
    3. Accredited for seven years: 1 July 0011 to 30 June 0018
    4. Interim Monitoring Course Report: AB meeting #/0013 
    5. Interim Monitoring Course Report: AB meeting #/0015 
    6. Comprehensive review report supporting reaccreditation: AB meeting #/18 Supporting information. 
3. Roles and Responsibilities:
Role Responsibilities
Academic Board As described in the University of Canberra Academic Board Rules 2021.
Academic Quality and Standards Committee As described in the AQSC Charter.
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, Curriculum Committee and Academic Quality and Standards Committee meetings.
  • Monitor and act on course and unit learning and teaching data analytics.
  • Chair the Course Advisory Panel meetings on a rotating basis as determined by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education)
Course Advisory Group As described in the Course Advisory Group Policy and the Course Advisory Group Procedure
Course Advisory Panel As described in the Course Advisory Panel Terms of Reference.
Curriculum Committee As described in the Curriculum Committee Charter
Data Analytics and Insights Provide data and reports to support course quality and procedures as required to support the University’s compliance with the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021, and as requested by Governance committees, faculties, or business units.
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) Determine the process by which advice is provided to Academic Board on course-related matters
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 Assessment Board
  • Quality assure the assessment process for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework courses, ensuring that anomalies in unit pass and fail rates are addressed
  • Review the quality of assessment tasks
  • Ensure assessment, moderation, and grade allocation are undertaken in a timely fashion
  • Prepare annual quality assurance reports on relevant grade distribution summaries including:
    • student progression and achievement
    • performance at the unit and course level
    • reviewing the effectiveness of assessment practice with the faculty;
    • approval final grades and authorise the release of final grades
Faculty Board As described in the Faculty Board Charter Terms of Reference
Finance Provide data and education to support course monitoring, review & improvement in line with quality, procedures and market demand.
Learning and Teaching
  • Provide advice on course lifecycle management
  • Provide advice on educational and course design
Pro Vice Chancellor (Education)
  • Chair the Curriculum Committee
  • Deputy Chair, Academic Quality and Standards Committee
  • Provide direction and advice on curriculum and course quality matters
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.
  • Coordinate accreditation and the quality assurance lifecycle of courses within a program of courses.
  • Lead design and delivery of programs
  • Represent the faculty’s course proposals at Course Advisory Panels and Curriculum Committee meetings.
  • Incorporate Course Advisory Group, student and external feedback into the MRI for each course
  • Monitor and act on course and unit learning and teaching data analytics.
  • Lead and mentor teaching team for courses in a program
  • Where required, collaborate with other program directors, or equivalent, where units are shared, or offered or used as service units, and on double degree course planning and quality assurance
  • Participate in Course Advisory Panels for courses from other faculties
Educational 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.
  • Oversee partnership agreements and corresponding compliance and governance requirements related to course procedures.
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.
  • Develop unit outlines
  • Develop ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøLearn (Canvas) teaching sites
  • Establish and communicate moderation procedures for each assessment item
  • Ensure moderation of marks and grades is undertaken
  • Finalise students’ marks and grades
  • Provide a unit review at the end of teach teaching period
  • Undertake interim monitoring for units.
  • Contribute to program and course reviews.
  • Lead unit reviews.
University Research Committee As described in the URC Charter
4. Supporting Information:
  1. Commonwealth and Territory governing framework and legislation
    7. 2000
    12. (AQF)
    15. (AQF)
  2. University statutes and rules
    1.   
    2. University of Canberra Admission Rules 2017  
    3.   
    4. University of Canberra Conferring of Awards Rules 2022
    5. University of Canberra (Courses of Study) Rules 2023
  3. University policy and procedures
  4. Admission (for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Coursework Courses) Policy
  5. Admissions (for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Coursework Courses) Procedure
  6. Course Advisory Groups Policy
  7. Course Advisory Groups Procedure
  8. Course Delivery by Third Party Providers Policy
  9. Course Delivery by Third Party Providers Procedure
  10. Course Policy
  11. Course and Unit Revision and Closure Policy
  12. Course and Unit Revision and Closure Procedure
  13. Credit for Non-award Studies Policy
  14. Credit Procedures
  15. Graduate Attributes Policy
  16. Guideline – Course structures and study patterns
  17. Guideline – Professional Practice Core
  18. Indigenising the Curriculum Framework
  19. Inherent requirements
  20. Joint Award Courses Policy
  21. Joint Award Courses Procedure
  22. New Course Development Policy
  23. New Course Development Procedure
  24. Unit Outline Procedure
  25. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøLearn (Canvas) teaching site publishing procedures
  26. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Quality and Standards Framework
  27. Variation of Course Requirements Policy
  28. Variation of Course Requirements Procedure
5. Definitions:
TERM DEFINITION
Academic Board Academic Board means the Academic Board of the University established by section 19 of the University of Canberra Act 1989 (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 ot be undertaken; and b) the course components entered in the Register that a student admitted into 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 student is required to complete successfully’ from the University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2023
Accreditation Approval of a course as meeting the University’s course quality requirements and thus able to be offered; see also Professional Accreditation
AQF The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national policy for regulated qualifications in Australian education and training.
AQF levels AQF levels and the AQF levels criteria are an indication of the relative complexity and/or achievement and their autonomy required to demonstrate that achievement. AQF level 1 has the lowest complexity and AQF level 10 has the highest complexity.
AQF qualification type An AQF qualification is the result of an accredited complete program of learning that leads to formal certification that a graduate has achieved learning outcomes as described in the AQF.
ASCED field of education code The is a statistical classification for use in the collection and analysis of data on educational activity and attainment. The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes the ASCED fields of education .
Breadth major A major that a student may choose to take from outside the primary discipline of a course, but is not required to complete to fulfil the course requirements.
Assumed knowledge Knowledge that students are assumed to have in a particular subject area prior to enrolling in a unit or course. Where prior knowledge is assumed, and it is not an explicit admission requirement, faculties must consider how this assumed knowledge will be tested with students, and provide appropriate bridging or academic support where students are lacking this knowledge.  
Award An award means the qualification that may be awarded by the University under the University of Canberra (Courses and Awards) Statute 2010. where a student has satisfactorily completed the course requirements for a course of study.
Breadth major A major that a student may choose to take from outside the primary discipline of a course, but is not required to complete to fulfil the course requirements.
Core major A major in all courses in a program that a student must complete to meet the course requirements for the award.
Course
 		 A course of study leading to an award, provided under Rule 5 of the University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2023.
Course Assurance Pack The Course Assurance Pack brings together data and information associated with the creation, design, implementation and reporting on a course.
Course Assurance Summary The Course Assurance Summary assembles the academic requirements, course components and educational information about a course for entry into course-related systems and to inform governance committees overseeing course quality. 
Course lifecycle The sequence of activities for the management and quality assurance of a course of study including: initiation, design, development, approval, monitoring, review and improvement, comprehensive review, revision, and re/accreditation. It may also include suspension to new admissions, and permanent closure.
Course closure When a course is formally closed by 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.
Course component  A course component, in relation to a course means a major, minor or unit that must or may be taken as part of the course to meet the academic requirements of the course. (University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2023).
Course structure A statement of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s requirements for the design of a type of course.
Course suspension to new admissions When Academic Board approves the suspension of new admissions to a course (or course offering) for a given calendar year or teaching period(s). A course suspended to new admissions will be reopened to new admissions at the end of the suspension period, unless it has also been approved for closure.
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.
Coursework course A coursework course is one the following Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) 2013 qualification types, that has been approved by the University’s Academic Board: 
a.            diploma 
b.            advanced diploma 
c.            associate degree 
d.            undergraduate certificate 
e.            bachelor degree 
f.            bachelor honour’s degree
g.            graduate certificate
h.            graduate diploma
i.             masters degree (coursework), and
j.             masters degree (extended).
Coursework unit A unit that is designed to include a sequence of structured learning that leads to the acquisition of knowledge and skills. This may be a unit that includes a Major Research Component.
EFTSL Equivalent full-time student load. It is the measure of a full time student’s annual study load (HESA section 169-27)
ELICOS English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students
Exit A lower level qualification where student may choose to exit from a higher level course if they do not wish to continue in the higher level course into which they were admitted.
Experiential learning Learning activities that simulate or include work experience or professional practice. 
GradeLink An application that enables review, approval, and transfer of marks and grades from the Canvas gradebook to Callista.  
Graduate Graduate: The AQF defines a graduate as a person who has been awarded a qualification by an authorised issuing organisation. The AQF recognises the terms graduate and postgraduate are synonymous and both connote a stage after graduation, but has adopted the term graduate in favour of postgraduate (AQF, 2012).
Graduate attributes As defined in the Graduate Attributes Policy.
Graduate course A course leading to the award of a degree of master, a degree of doctor, a graduate diploma, a graduate certificate or a post graduate degree of bachelor as specified in the Register of Courses kept under the Courses and Awards Statute
Honours component This is the set of units and/or unit learning outcomes for an embedded honours in an undergraduate course. The honours component must meet the academic requirements for bachelor honours degree specified in the AQF. (see Course component)
Higher degree by research course A structured sequence of learning that includes a major research component, and is one of the following Australian Qualification Framework 2013 qualification types that is approved by Academic Board: 
  • masters degree (research) 
  • doctoral degree (professional)
  • doctoral degree (research)
Inherent requirements The inherent requirements determined by the University as applicable for a course, as in force at the relevant time
InterFace InterFace is a web dashboard for unit conveners and students. For unit conveners it displays student demographic and engagement information. For students it provides information about their progress in their units and towards completion of their course. 
Interim monitoring Regular interim monitoring is a term used in the (see 5.3). It describes a range of activities a university is expected to undertake to inform and support comprehensive review of a course. The requirements for interim monitoring, for the purposes of this procedure, incorporates ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø-specific activities and data. 
Major An approved set of sequential or related units of 24 credit points. (see Course component)
Minor An approved set of units totalling 12 credit points. (see Course component)
Nesting A set of courses of study that are offered sequentially and can lead to qualifications at different AQF levels. For further detail, see
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.
Program A program consists of one or more courses that share the same core major, designed as a coherent student learning journey eg the Program for the Bachelor of Arts
Research “Research comprises the systematic experimental and theoretical work, application and/or development that results in an increase in the dimensions of knowledge.”
“In the AQF the term ‘research’ is intended to cover all types of research including original, exploratory, experimental, applied, clinically or work-based, and other forms of creative work undertaken systematically to increase knowledge and understanding deploying a range of research principles and methodologies”. (AQF Research: An Explanation)
Research training “‘Research training’ is a formal course of graduate study leading to the acquisition of advanced skills, techniques, and knowledge in the conduct of research. Research training also builds towards the production of a contribution to the field of research or creative or professional practice”. (TEQSA Guidance Note: Research and Research training version 2.0)
Specialist major An approved set of sequential or related units typically 24 credit points or more that must be completed for a student to meet the academic requirements of a course.
Study pattern The typical sequencing of units across successive teaching periods to enable students to complete their course within the standard duration. A study pattern may be for full time or part time study, or may support accelerated completion.
Study plan An individual plan for a student or group of students which lists the units and their sequence to enable the student or group of students to complete a course within the standard duration.
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.
TEQSA The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia’s independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education.
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøLearn (Canvas) The university’s virtual learning environment.
Undergraduate course A course leading to the award of a degree of bachelor or an undergraduate diploma or an associate diploma or undergraduate certificate as specified in the Register of Courses kept under the Courses and Awards Statute and includes a course that has been declared by the Academic Board under section 5 of the University of Canberra Courses and Awards Statute 2010 to be an undergraduate course of study.
Unit of study A unit of learning. Courses require completion of units. (see Course component)
University approved student feedback survey The University’s mechanism for feedback from students on their unit experience.
Volume of learning The AQF (2013) states ‘A volume of learning is included as an integral part of the descript0r for each qualification type. It is a dimension of the complexity of a qualification type. It identifies the notional duration of all activities required for the achievement of the learning outcomes specified for a particular qualification type. It is expressed in equivalent full time years.’ The states ‘ The teaching, learning and assessment activities are usually measured in equivalent full time years. The generally accepted length of a full time year, used for educational participation is 1200 hours’
For ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Courses:
EFTSL = 24 credit points
1 credit point = 50 hours
24 credit point = 1200 hours
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) A form of experiential learning where theoretical knowledge and disciplinary skills are integrated with authentic work experiences and practices within relevant professional contexts.