Approval of research courses and units for research degrees

Reporting major and minor amendments to existing postgraduate research courses/degrees/units

and

disestablishment of existing postgraduate research courses/degrees and units

B1 Major amendments to existing courses/degrees

Definition

A major amendment to an existing postgraduate research course includes:

• change to campus (including proposals to extend an existing course/degree to an offshore location);

• mode of enrolment (on-campus/external);

• admission requirements;

• >25% change to existing postgraduate research course/degree structure, major sequence of core component;

• disestablishment (in which case use standard disestablishment memo);

• any changes that have legislative consequences (including proposed changes to award titles);

• changes that impact on course progressions or teaching/research supervision loads of other faculties;

• any change to research component of course/degree.

Reporting requirement to Research Graduate School Committee

• Major amendments to existing postgraduate research courses/degrees are included in a faculty report for approval by Research Graduate School Committee.

• Normally a major change in a postgraduate research course can be reported in a memorandum from the faculty setting out:

  • course name/code/abbreviation;

  • the current and proposed details of course/degree structure;

  • transition arrangements;

  • rationale for the proposed changes;

  • implications- structure, research content, viability, professional bodies, academic staffing and financial implications;

  • revised handbook entry

A standard form is also available for this purpose.

• The memorandum should include confirmation that the amendment has been approved by faculty board, or where regulations permit, a faculty executive committee; and any departments/schools/centres/faculties affected by the change.

• For substantive changes, a new course proposal and coversheet may be submitted.

Reporting requirement to Academic Board

• Research Graduate School Committee normally reports in Proceedings contained in Research Graduate School Committee’s Report to Academic Board. Where changes are deemed to be significant university-wide, it will be reported in the Committee’s Recommendations to Academic Board.

B2 Minor amendments to existing postgraduate research courses/degrees

Definition

A minor amendment to existing postgraduate research course/degree includes:

• changes to sequences;

• new ‘non-core’ units/components;

• alterations to sequencing of sets of units that do not alter course requirements, regulations;

• changes not affecting course title;

• amendments to prerequisites.

Reporting Requirement to Research Graduate School Committee

• Minor amendments to existing research masters are included in the standard memo for noting by the Research Graduate School Committee.

• Minor amendments to existing doctoral and MPhil courses/degrees are submitted in the standard memo for approval by the Research Graduate School Committee.

Reporting Requirement to Academic Board

• Research Graduate School Committee normally notes in Proceedings.

B3 Major Amendments to Existing Postgraduate Research Units

Definition

A major amendment to an existing unit includes:

• change to year level of offering;

• extension of an existing unit to a new location;

• offer of an existing unit in a new enrolment mode;

• change in credit points;

• any change in the research content/structure/assessment of the unit.

Note: Note that an amendment to credit points or additional year level associated with a unit constitutes the establishment of a new postgraduate research unit. In these cases the reporting requirements are the same as for any major amendment of a unit, rather than requiring a full unit proposal.

Reporting Requirement to Research Graduate School Committee

• Major amendments to existing postgraduate research units are submitted in the standard memo for approval by the Research Graduate School Committee.

• A statement describing the change is required, including:

• unit name and course/code/formal abbreviation;

• explanation of change;

• implications and transition arrangements;

• revised handbook entry.

The memorandum should include confirmation that the amendment has been approved by faculty board, or where regulations permit, a faculty executive committee and any departments/centres/faculties affected by the changes.

A standard form is available for this purpose.

Reporting Requirement to Academic Board

• Research Graduate School Committee normally reports in Proceedings contained in the Research Graduate School Committee’s Report to Academic Board.

B4 Minor Amendments to existing postgraduate research units

Definition

A minor amendment to an existing postgraduate research unit includes a change:

• to unit title;

• to unit code where the level is not altered;

• of content, objectives or assessment in conformity with existing individual faculty guidelines on minor amendments;

• unit prerequisites, unit title or code flowing from sequence change.

Reporting Requirement to Research Graduate School Committee

• Minor amendments to existing research masters units are included in the standard memo for noting by the Research Graduate School Committee.

• Mino r amendments to existing doctoral and MPhil units are submitted in the standard memo for approval by the Research Graduate School Committee.

Reporting Requirement to Academic Board

• Research Graduate School Committee notes in Proceedings.

B5 Postgraduate research unit disestablishments

Definition

A postgraduate research unit disestablishment may;

• constitute a major or minor amendment of course, or

• be a mere deletion.

Reporting Requirement to Research Graduate School Committee

• A memorandum from the relevant dean is required. (Refer to reporting requirements for major and minor amendments of course, above.) It is then submitted for noting/approval by the Research Graduate School Committee.

A standard form is available.

Reporting Requirement to Academic Board

• Research Graduate School Committee normally notes in Proceedings.

B6 Postgraduate research course/degree disestablishment

• A memorandum from the relevant dean is required. It is then submitted for approval by the research Graduate School Committee.

Reporting requirement to Academic Board

• Research Graduate School Committee normally notes in proceedings