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Awards and Graduation Policy

Section 1 - About this Manual

Introduction

(1) This policy supports the Governance Rule and its associated Schedules. In the event of an inconsistency between lower-level policy documents and a Rule(s) or Schedule to the Rule(s), the Rule(s) made by Council prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.

Purpose

(2) This policy provides guidance on University requirements and responsibilities for:

the conferral of awards;
graduation ceremonies;
graduation documents;
academic dress; and
award abbreviations.

Scope

(3) This policy applies to all awards at the University of Newcastle (University).

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Section 2 - Awards

(4) The awards referred to in this policy and its schedules may be conferred and awarded to students who have satisfied the provisions of this policy and any relevant rules, schedules, and other requirements.

(5) The awards approved are listed in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of this policy.

Part A - Eligibility for conferral of an award

(6) A student will be qualified for the conferral of an award when they have satisfied the requirements of their program, unless:

an allegation of student misconduct has been made against the student and the matter remains under investigation in accordance with the Student Conduct Rule or any other relevant policy document; or
the student has not discharged any debt to the University or made appropriate arrangements acceptable to the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) or Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) for the discharge of any such indebtedness.

(7) For coursework programs, the Academic Division General Manager and Academic Registrar will ensure that qualification and conferral of an award is recorded in the student records system once the student has met the requirements of their program.

(8) For Higher Degree by Research programs, the Dean of Graduate Research will ensure that program completions and conferrals are recorded in the student records system for candidates who have met the requirements of their program.

(9) For the purposes of this policy, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) will inform the Academic Division General Manager and Academic Registrar of any students who are under investigation for an allegation of student misconduct and who have been qualified for conferral of an award.

(10) Upon conferral, the student becomes a graduate of the University.

Part B - Reporting of Conferrals

(11) The names of all graduates and the awards conferred will be approved under delegated authority by the Vice-Chancellor and reported annually to Academic Senate and the Council by the Academic Division General Manager and Academic Registrar.

Part C - Posthumous Awards

(12) Posthumous awards shall be considered on an individual basis following the submission of a formal request.

(13) The President Academic Senate holds delegated authority to approve the waiver of program requirements to grant a posthumous award.

(14) The College offering the program for which a deceased student was enrolled is responsible for confirming:

the student's completion of their final semester or component of the program;
their satisfaction, beyond doubt and on the basis of work completed during the year, that the student demonstrated capacity to complete the program and would have satisfactorily completed the requirements for their award.

Part D - Distinction and Honours

Awarding with Distinction

(15) The University will award relevant AQF level 7 Bachelor programs and AQF 9 Masters coursework and Masters Extended programs as ordinary degrees, except where students achieve a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 6.0 based on all studies undertaken in the program, when the degree may be awarded ‘with Distinction’.

Eligibility

(16) A student will be eligible to be awarded their degree ‘with Distinction’ when they:

have completed a program that is eligible to be awarded ‘with Distinction’;
meet all program requirements and are eligible to be awarded an ordinary degree;
have completed at least 50 per cent of their program at the University of Newcastle; and
achieve a minimum GPA of 6.0 based on all studies undertaken in the program.

(17) Students who complete a degree under an approved articulation agreement, where less than 50% of their units are completed at the University, may be eligible to be awarded their degree ‘with Distinction’, provided they achieve a minimum GPA of 6.0 based on all studies undertaken in the program.

(18) The below listed AQF compliant programs are not eligible to be awarded ‘with Distinction’:

all AQF level 5 Diploma programs;
all AQF level 8 Bachelor Honours programs;
all AQF level 8 Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma programs;
all AQF level 9 Masters by Research programs; and
all AQF level 10 Doctoral Degrees programs.

(19) The below pre-AQF programs are not eligible to be awarded ‘with Distinction’:

Bachelor of Engineering;

(20) Professional doctorate programs are not eligible to be awarded ‘with Distinction’.

(21) The Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine – Joint Medical Program is not eligible to be awarded ‘with Distinction’.

(22) A cumulative GPA will be calculated for each graduating student to determine their eligibility to be awarded their degree ‘with Distinction’, as per the Grade Point Average Calculation Guideline.

Awarding Honours

(23) The University will award relevant AQF level 8 Bachelor (Honours) programs as either:

an ungraded Bachelor Honours degree; or
a graded Bachelor Honours degree.

(24) A graded Honours degree will be awarded with one of the following classes:

Honours Class I;
Honours Class II Division 1;
Honours Class II Division 2; or
Honours Class III (end-on Honours only)

(25) The attributes for each class of Honours are specified in Table 1.

Table 1 – Attributes of Bachelor Honours Classes

Class	Attributes
Honours Class I	Outstanding standard in research and reporting indicating comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the relevant field of study; demonstration of an outstanding level of academic ability; mastery of skills*; and achievement of all assessment objectives. In addition, if embedded Honours, an outstanding performance throughout the program.
Honours Class II Division 1	Excellent standard in research and reporting indicating a very high level of knowledge and understanding of the relevant field of study; demonstration of a very high level of academic ability; sound development of skills*; and achievement of all assessment objectives. In addition, if embedded Honours, an excellent or outstanding performance throughout the program.
Honours Class II Division 2	Very good standard in research and reporting indicating a high level of knowledge and understanding of the relevant field of study; demonstration of a high level of academic ability; reasonable development of skills*; and achievement of all assessment objectives. In addition, if embedded Honours, a very good to excellent performance throughout the program.
Honours Class III	Satisfactory standard in research and reporting indicating an adequate knowledge and understanding of the relevant materials; demonstration of an adequate level of academic ability; satisfactory development of skills*; and achievement of most assessment objectives.

*Skills are those identified as required to meet the AQF level 8 program learning outcomes.

Eligibility for Graded Honours

(26) For end-on Bachelor Honours programs (listed in Bachelor Honours Degree (80) – Awards and Programs Schedule), the class of Honours to be awarded to each student will be determined in accordance with Table 2.

Table 2 – Graded Honours Eligibility – End-on Honours

Overall Mark	Honours Class Awarded
85% or above	Honours Class I
75% to 84%	Honours Class II Division 1
65% to 74%	Honours Class II Division 2
50% to 64%	Honours Class III
0% to 49%	Fail

(27) For embedded Bachelor Honours programs (listed in Bachelor Honours Degree (320) – Awards and Programs Schedule), the class of Honours to be awarded to each student will be determined in accordance with Table 3.

Table 3 – Graded Honours Eligibility – Embedded Honours

Weighted Average Mark (WAM)	Honours Class Awarded
77 – 100	Class I
72 – 76	Class II Division 1
67 – 71	Class II Division 2
<67	Ungraded

Part E - Display of Abbreviated Qualifications (Post-nominals)

(28) It is recommended that staff and Alumni observe the Conventions and Protocols for Displaying Qualification Abbreviations.

(29) The approved post-nominal abbreviations for awards from the University are provided in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of this policy.

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Section 3 - Graduation

Part F - Graduation Ceremonies

(30) Graduates will be invited to attend a graduation ceremony.

(31) The Vice-Chancellor approves the dates and locations of each graduation ceremony on the recommendation of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

(32) The Chancellor, or another person appointed by the Council, is the Presiding Officer at the graduation ceremony. The Presiding Officer is authorised by the Council to present graduation documents to graduates at the ceremonies.

(33) Graduates may choose to attend the graduation ceremony, defer attendance to a future graduation ceremony, or request their graduation documents to be issued after the scheduled ceremony if they do not attend.

Recognition Ceremonies Conducted by Partner Institutions

(34) Partner institutions may hold recognition or prize giving ceremonies to celebrate the achievements of students based at those institutions. Prize giving or recognition ceremonies are not official graduation ceremonies.

(35) Senior officers of the University, including the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor or any Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Pro Vice-Chancellor are encouraged to attend as invited guests at prize giving or recognition ceremonies, but do not officiate at such ceremonies.

(36) Certificates of Participation or Recognition Certificates may be presented at recognition ceremonies. Testamurs of the University must only be presented at formal graduation ceremonies of the University.

(37) Graduates must wear academic dress at recognition ceremonies, unless otherwise permitted by the partner institution. The hire of academic dress is arranged by the partner institution.

(38) Plans by a partner institution to hold a recognition ceremony, or requests for University involvement at such ceremonies, should be communicated to the Academic Division General Manager and Academic Registrar as soon as possible to ensure that the University's support and involvement is coordinated.

Part G - Graduation Documents

(39) Graduation documents must conform to the requirements specified in Standard 1.5 of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021.

(40) Graduation documents issued by the University include a testamur, academic transcript, and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).

(41) The University may issue graduation documents in printed and/or verified digital format.

(42) In accordance with clause 6 of this policy, graduation documents will not be released to a student if:

the student is indebted to the University or has not made arrangements to discharge such a debt; or
an allegation of student misconduct has been made against the student and the allegation remains under investigation in accordance with the Student Conduct Rule.

Testamurs

(43) The testamur is the official award certificate issued by the University.

(44) Graduates will be presented with a printed copy of their testamur at a graduation ceremony, unless:

the graduate has requested an early release of their testamur, in which case the graduate will receive their testamur prior to their graduation ceremony and will receive a certificate of participation at their graduation ceremony; or
the graduate has elected not to attend a graduation ceremony, in which case the graduate must nominate an alternative means to receive their printed testamur (eg via post).

(45) Graduates will also be provided with a verified digital copy of their testamur via the My eQuals platform.

(46) Multiple printed copies of a testamur will not be provided.

(47) A graduate may request a replacement testamur, subject to the original testamur being returned to the University, where:

the graduate has changed their name and has provided appropriate supporting documentation;
the original testamur is damaged; or
the original testamur contains an error or is otherwise flawed.

(48) A graduate may request a replacement testamur where the original testamur has been lost or destroyed, subject to provision of appropriate declarations and supporting documentation.

(49) A prescribed fee may be charged for replacement testamurs. This fee must be either paid or waived before a replacement testamur will be provided.

Academic Transcripts

(50) The academic transcript is an official record of studies undertaken at the University and will indicate the date on which the graduate was qualified and conferred in their program.

(51) Graduates will be provided with a verified digital copy of their academic transcript via the My eQuals platform.

(52) Graduates may request printed copies of their academic transcript for a prescribed fee, which must be either paid or waived before the copies are provided.

AHEGS

(53) AHEGS documents must conform with the Guidelines for the presentation of Australian Higher Education Graduation Statements as specified by the Department of Education.

(54) Graduates will be provided with a verified digital copy of their AHEGS document via the My eQuals platform.

(55) Graduates may request printed copies of their AHEGS document for a prescribed fee, which must be either paid or waived before the copies are provided.

Part H - Academic Dress

(56) Members of the University will appear in academic dress in accordance with this policy when attending public occasions convened for academic purposes and on such other occasions as the Council may appoint.

(57) The academic dress for the Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, members of the Council, staff and other authorised persons is as follows:

the Chancellor - the accustomed robes of that office, decorated in gold;
the Deputy Chancellor - the accustomed robes of that office, except that on a ceremonial occasion and in the absence of the Chancellor the Chancellor's robes may be worn by the Deputy Chancellor; and in the absence of both the Chancellor and the Deputy Chancellor such robes will be worn by the person appointed by the Council to preside at the occasion;
the Vice-Chancellor - similar to that worn by the Chancellor but decorated in silver;
members of the Council - the habit of their degree or, if any such member is not a graduate, a black Master's gown, with front panels and shoulder cover in cardinal red silk, and a cap as worn by Masters of Arts of the University of Cambridge;
staff of the University who are graduates - the habit of their degree;
any other person not being a graduate, authorised by the Council - a plain black Master's gown and cap as worn by Masters of Arts of the University of Cambridge.

(58) The academic dress for graduates of the University are outlined in Table 4.

Table 4 – Academic Dress

Award	Academic Dress
Higher Doctoral Degree	A festal gown of cardinal red cloth, with a hood of garnet cloth lined with silk cloth of the appropriate colour, and a black velvet bonnet with a gold cord.
Doctors of Philosophy	A gown of garnet cloth faced with silver grey to a width of 10 cm, with a hood of garnet lined with silver grey and a black velvet bonnet with a silver cord.
Professional Doctoral Degrees	A festal masters style gown of dark blue faced with silver grey, with a hood of garnet cloth lined with silver grey and a black velvet bonnet with a silver cord.
Masters	A gown of black cloth, a hood as worn by Masters of Arts of the University of Cambridge lined with the appropriate colour, and a black cap as worn by Masters of Arts of the University of Cambridge.
Master of Philosophy	A gown of black cloth and a black cap as worn by Masters of Arts of the University of Cambridge, and a hood of garnet lined with silver grey.
Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate	The habit of their degree. Postgraduates who hold no former degree will wear a gown of black cloth and a cap of the style worn by Bachelors of Arts of the University of Cambridge.
Bachelors	A gown of black cloth, a black cap and hood of the style worn by Bachelors of Arts of the University of Cambridge lined (unless otherwise indicated) to a depth of 15 cm with the appropriate colour.
Associate Degree	Graduates who hold no former degree will wear a gown of black cloth and a cap of the style worn by Bachelor of Arts of the University of Cambridge.
Advanced Diploma and Diploma	Graduates who hold no former degree will wear a gown of black cloth and a cap of the style worn by Bachelor of Arts of the University of Cambridge.
Enabling programs and other non-award programs	Graduates who hold no former degree will wear a gown of black cloth in the Cambridge style as worn by graduates holding the degree of Bachelor.

Part I - Colours

(59) The colours of hoods will reflect the discipline content of the award, not the particular program or organisational unit.

(60) Academic dress colours for disciplines specified below in Table 5 have been approved by the University. For information on a specific award, refer to Schedules 1 and Schedule 2.

Table 5 – Academic Dress Colours

Discipline	Colour
Natural and Physical Sciences	Topaz
Information Technology	Violet
Engineering and related Technologies	Lapis Lazuli
Architecture and Building	Garnet
Medicine and Health Sciences	Rhodochrosite
Nursing	International Orange
Education	Shamrock
Management, Commerce and Economics	Turquoise
Arts, Psychology, Social Science and Social Work	Pearl
Law	Waratah
Indigenous Studies	Wattle and Waratah
Music	Lilac
Visual Arts, Design and Communication Studies	Wattle

(61) The colours mentioned in this policy, Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 are defined by:

the British Colour Council Dictionary of Standard Colours, 2nd Edition, 1951 (B.C.C.), or
the Australian Standard 2700S - 2011, Colour Standards for General Purposes (A.S.C.),

(62) The numbers which follow are those by which the dictionary or colour standard identifies the colours approved for the purpose of academic dress.

Table 6 – Definitions of Academic Dress Colours

Colour	Definition
Cardinal Red	B.C.C. 186
Claret	A.S.C. R55
Garnet	B.C.C 160
International Orange	A.S.C. R11
Lapis Lazuli	B.C.C. 150
Lilac	A.S.C. P23
Pearl	B.C.C. 151
Rhodochrosite	B.C.C. 14
Shamrock	A.S.C. G23
Silver Grey	B.C.C. 153
Topaz	B.C.C. 4
Turquoise	B.C.C. 118
Violet	B.C.C. 179 / A.S.C. P13
Waratah	A.S.C. R14
Wattle	A.S.C. Y12