• Section 1 - About this Manual
• Introduction
• Purpose
• Acknowledgements
• Scope
• Section 2 - Student Responsibilities
• Student Workload
• Student Communication
• Academic Integrity and Conduct
• Section 3 - Courses 
• Part A - Policy on Courses
• New Courses
• Course Availability List (CAL)
• Table 1 – Approval Authorities for Course Availability List
• Learning Management System
• Academic Subject Codes
• Course Content 
• Course Structure
• Multi-Term Sequence Courses
• Course Enrolment Requisites
• Table 2 – Course Enrolment Requisite Types 
• Course Enrolment Requirements
• Table 3  - Course Enrolment Requirements
• Assumed Knowledge
• Compulsory Course Requirements
• Compulsory Placements or WHS Requirements
• Table 4 – Compulsory Placement and WHS Types
• Compulsory Requirement – Assessment
• Table 5 – Compulsory Assessment Requirements and Descriptions
•  Learning activities - Compulsory Attendance
• Placements
• Course Delivery
• Appointment of Course Coordinators
• Course Materials
• Course Outlines
• Part B - Course Responsibilities
• Program and Course Approval Committee
• Head of School
• Course Coordinator
• Part C - Course Procedures
• Course Approval Procedure
• Placements 
• Reasonable Accommodation on Placement for Students with a Disability
• Review of Courses
• Requests to Audit Courses
• Section 4 - Assessments 
• Part D - Assessments Policy
• Assessment Items
• Word Limits
• Single Assessment Items
• Group Work
• Submission of Assessment Items
• Supplementary Assessments
• Examinations
• Permitted Items In An Examination Room
• Table 7 – Permitted Materials and Devices in Examinations
• Rescheduled Examinations
• Examination Papers
• Marking 
• Moderation
• Re-Marking Assessment Items
• Feedback
• School Assessment Body
• Record Management
• Part E - Assessment Responsibilities
• Part F - Assessment Procedures
• Attending Examinations
• Supervised Examination Procedure
• How to Request a Review of An Assessment Item Mark
• Requesting A Supplementary Assessment
• School Assessment Body Procedure
• Section 5 - Course Completion
• Part G - Course Completion Policy
• Final Results
• Table 8 Amendment to Final Results in a Course - Approval Authorities 
•  Appeals against a Final Result 
• Part H - Course Completion Procedures
• How to Request a review of final results
• Table 9 – Example of Assessment Types, Weightings and Results
• Appeal a Final Result Procedure
• Section 6 - Course Revision
• Part I - Course Revision Policy
• School Level Course Revisions 
• Table 10 – School Level Course Revisions
• College Level Course Revisions
• Table 11 – College Level Course Revisions
• University Level Course Revisions
• Table 8 – University Level Course Revisions  
• Part J - Course Revision Procedure
• Section 7 - Discontinuation
• Part K - Course Discontinuation Procedure
• Table 9 – Course Discontinuation – Approval Authorities
• Section 8 - Relaxing Provision
• Section 9 - Appendices

Section 1 - About this Manual

Introduction

(1) This Manual supports Schedule 2 – Delegation of Academic Matters of the Governance Rule. 

Purpose

(2) This Manual is designed to provide clear and concise directions for staff of the University of Newcastle (University) when designing, managing, and reviewing courses and assessments, and to provide information to students.

(3) This Manual will be revised annually and published in the University's policy library. 

(4) This manual remains in effect for the calendar year (January to December) and will usually only be changed in that year if there are changes to external legislation or urgent amendments are approved by the President Academic Senate.

Acknowledgements

(5) The content of this Manual has benefited from input from other universities. The content has been reviewed to ensure the University's academic policies comply with the relevant sections of the Higher Education Threshold Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021.

Scope

(6) This Manual applies to courses created and offered by the University to:

1. enabling students; and
2. undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students including those:
   1. enrolled in a program leading to an award;
   2. with single course enrolments for non-award and cross-institutional study; and
   3. studying in Australia and offshore, including those enrolled through a third-party provider.

(7) This Manual applies to the Joint Medical Program (JMP). In the event of an inconsistency between this manual and the policies and procedures specific to the JMP, the policies and procedures of the JMP will prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.

(8) This Manual does not apply to Higher Degrees by Research (please see Higher Degree by Research Policy). 

(9) This Manual makes references to College structures and positions. Equivalent structures and positions may exist in Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre and are referenced where relevant.

Section 2 - Student Responsibilities

(10) Students are required to: 

1. comply with the terms and conditions of enrolment; 
2. actively engage in all learning activities; 
3. read prescribed materials and submit assessment items by the due date; 
4. submit applications for consideration of adverse circumstances at the earliest opportunity; 
5. act ethically in the preparation and submission of all assessment items;
6. provide the Course Co-ordinator with any Reasonable Adjustments Plan in a timely manner;
7. comply with any instructions given by the course teaching staff, Head of School or other supervisor relating to an assessment item; 
8. attend all assessable activities prescribed for each course in which they are enrolled; 
9. comply with the University Work, Health and Safety Policy and related procedures, guidelines, and other health and safety documentation within the Policy Library and the University Health and Safety Management System; 
10. comply with the University's policy for formal examinations as outlined in this Manual; 
11. complete the University Academic Integrity Module (AIM) before the end of their first term of enrolment;
12. sit for all examinations prescribed for the courses in which they are enrolled;
13. sit all examinations at the site of their enrolment, except for: 
    1. a course offered at Newcastle City Precinct where the examination will be held at Callaghan campus; or 
    2. a course offered at Gosford Precinct where the examination will be held at Ourimbah campus; or
    3. where the student is enrolled at a campus, but is studying at a teaching location (e.g. Taree, Tamworth); or
    4. an online open book exam where the exam will be delivered via the Learning Management System (LMS); or
    5. online/distance courses where other provisions may be made; and
14. comply with all requirements and instructions relating to materials that can be taken into an examination room.

(11) Any student found to be involved in an activity which is deemed to be academic fraud, cheating, plagiarism or any other dishonest conduct will be dealt with under the Student Conduct Rule.

Student Workload

(12) A student should expect to spend, on average, 120–140 hours of effort or total load (including contact and non-contact course requirements) per 10 unit course. This applies to all courses, for all fields of study and modes of delivery, excluding placement courses.

Student Communication

(13) The University's primary method of communication with students is by email account.

(14) All students are required to check their University student email account frequently.

Academic Integrity and Conduct

(15) The requirements for academic integrity are set out in the Student Conduct Rule and Student Academic Integrity Policy, and these apply to all courses and programs offered. 

(16) Students must comply with the Code of Ethical Academic Conduct Policy.

Section 3 - Courses 

Part A - Policy on Courses

New Courses

(17) A new course may be created to: 

1. offer new content; 
2. replace an existing offering; or 
3. consolidate two or more existing courses under a new course code.

(18) A new course may only be offered where: 

1. the course meets at least one of the criteria (above) for creation of new courses; 
2. the new course proposal, has been submitted to the relevant College Board or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Board for approval of the academic content; and 
3. the Program and Course Approval Committee (PCAC) has approved the creation of the course. 

Course Availability List (CAL)

(19)  The annual CAL will be finalised in May for the subsequent year.

(20) The authority to approve the inclusion, amendment, or removal of a course from the CAL is outlined in Table 1 below:

Table 1 – Approval Authorities for Course Availability List

Learning Management System

(21) The University uses a Learning Management System (LMS), and every course offering, regardless of mode, has a site in that system. Combining of sites across locations and modes will be considered on a case by case basis on request to the Assistant Director, Learning Design and Teaching Innovation. 

(22) Each course site must comply with the Learning Management System Teaching Courses: Minimum Presence requirements. 

Academic Subject Codes

(23) An academic subject code for an undergraduate or postgraduate course is the four-letter prefix at the beginning of a course code, for example: EDUC or MATH. 

(24) For enabling courses, the academic subject code it is a six-letter prefix, for example: EPMATH.

(25) New academic subject codes should broadly cover one of the narrow Field of Education codes listed in the Australia Standard Classification of Education.

(26) New Academic Subject areas must be approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Vice President on the recommendation of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Experience and Academic Registrar.

(27) An academic subject code may be deleted by Student Central where the Academic Subject code is no longer required because it has been replaced by a more appropriate code or is no longer available at the University.

Course Content 

(28) Course content must: 

1. be appropriate for the field of study and the level at which it is being offered;
2. be current and of high quality; 
3. be distinctive and avoid unnecessary duplication with other course offerings; 
4. be delivered by those with appropriate expertise in the relevant field of study; 
5. be equivalent across modes and locations in terms of the academic content and the number, weighting, and types of assessment items within a course; 
6. comply with the provision of the Code for the Protection of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom;  
7. be clearly identified if the course is a re-badged course as both an undergraduate and postgraduate offering so that students are not able to claim credit for both units; and
8. have clearly defined learning outcomes and assessments that relate to the course content. 

(29) The course content must be included in, or be accessible from, the course site for blended or online delivery mode.

Course Structure

(30) The standard unit value for courses is 10, 20, 30 or 40 units. The Program and Course Approval Committee (PCAC) may consider courses proposed to have a unit value other than a standard unit value.

(31) The total workload required must correspond to the unit value of the course.

(32) The University utilises the below course types: 

1. core course; 
2. compulsory course; 
3. a course chosen from a course list; and 
4. elective.

(33) Each course must align learning outcomes, assessment items, course content, learning activities and teaching methods.

(34) Advice on principles for blended and online course offerings is provided in the Quality Standards for Technology Enhanced Learning Blended and Online.

(35) A course taught at multiple locations within the same academic term, must have equivalent weightings and coverage of the learning outcomes across the assessment items. The assessment items should be consistent in the Course Handbook. Subject to Head of School approval local assessment instances may be indicated in the Course Outline to enable flexibility for courses run across sites or with different modes of delivery (blended or online).

(36) The learning outcomes, knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills for each course level will vary depending on the field of study. When approving the course content the relevant College Board or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Board will be guided by the following: 

1. 100 - 900 level – enabling;
2. 1000 level - introductory; 
3. 2000 level - mid program; 
4. 3000 level - senior; 
5. 4000 and 5000 levels – advanced; 
6. 6000 levels - postgraduate courses.

(37) Courses at higher levels require assessment tasks that demonstrate a greater depth and breadth of knowledge and greater complexity in skills.

(38) An undergraduate course cannot be re-badged as a higher-level undergraduate course.

(39) Undergraduate courses may be re-badged as postgraduate courses and offered jointly to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

(40)  Where an undergraduate course has been re-badged as a postgraduate course, the postgraduate course will require students to: 

1. access additional extension material needed to contribute to meeting the relevant learning outcomes (at least 20% of the postgraduate course must be different from the undergraduate course); 
2. complete different and more challenging assessment items; and
3. complete targeted learning activities such as tutorials, workshops, or laboratories either face to face or online, and additional contact hours may be necessary. This is essential to provide the necessary depth of analysis or treatment of the course content for postgraduate students.

(41) Postgraduate students may attend the same lectures as undergraduate students.

Multi-Term Sequence Courses

(42) Single semester courses are the norm and the preferred option. Multi-term sequence courses are the exception.

(43) Multi-term sequence courses will be identified by an A and B suffix following the alphanumeric course code e.g. MATH1234A and MATH1234B.

(44) Multi-term sequence courses will usually have a unit value of 20, 30 or 40 units only. The unit value of a multi-term sequence course is the total value of the sequence and is not divisible.

(45) Multi-term sequence courses may only be offered in standard terms (semester or trimester).

(46) If a course is supervised (for example, a project, a thesis, fieldwork, or a practicum), it may be a multi-term sequence course. Justification must be provided for the creation of a multi-term supervised sequence course.

(47) Multi-term sequence courses must have clearly identifiable components which align with the term of offer (semester or trimester).

(48) The preferred option for the offering of multi-term sequence courses is Part A in Semester 1 and Part B in Semester 2 of any particular year. Multi-term courses need to be studied sequentially, with Part B studied in the semester immediately after Part A. Part A and Part B cannot be taken concurrently. Variations to this preferred option may be justified for end-on honours.

Course Enrolment Requisites

(49) Course Enrolment Requisites are listed under the Course Enrolment Rules header in the curriculum management system.

(50) A course will not usually have more than two Course Enrolment Requisites.

(51) All Course Enrolment Requisites will be systematised.

(52) The PCAC must approve all Course Enrolment Requisites.

(53) The Course Enrolment Requisites types are codified in Table 2 Course Enrolment Requisite Types.

Table 2 – Course Enrolment Requisite Types 

(54) Course Enrolment Requisites will only be approved where they are pedagogically based or required to ensure the health and safety of students or the community.  

Course Enrolment Requirements

(55) Guidance such as assumed knowledge and other recommendations or advice will be captured within the Course Enrolment Requirements section of the Curriculum Management System and will be published to the online course handbook. See types of Course Enrolment Requirements in Table 3. 

Table 3  - Course Enrolment Requirements

Assumed Knowledge

(56) The inclusion of assumed knowledge in a course indicates that the course will be taught on the understanding that students will already have a prescribed level of knowledge. 

(57) It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they are academically prepared to meet the assumed knowledge specified for the course.

Compulsory Course Requirements

(58) A Compulsory Course Requirement is an assessment item or other element in a course which: 

1. is listed as compulsory and approved for inclusion in the curriculum management system entry for the course; 
2. is specifically linked to course learning outcomes; 
3. is listed in the Course Outline; 
4. may or may not be awarded marks; and 
5. must be satisfactorily completed before a pass mark (or greater) can be awarded for the course.

(59) Compulsory Course Requirements, including Compulsory Placement, WHS requirements, assessments set as a compulsory requirement, and compulsory attendance should not, wherever possible, cause the student workload for the course to exceed the 120-140 hours of effort per 10 unit course. This requirement may be relaxed for WIL or placement courses.

Compulsory Placements or WHS Requirements

(60) Compulsory placement and WHS requirements must be met in order for students to proceed with a placement or other activity(s). 

(61) Compulsory placement and WHS requirements will not be awarded marks.

(62) Failure to undertake or successfully complete any Compulsory placement or WHS requirement will result in a CF grade.

Table 4 – Compulsory Placement and WHS Types

Compulsory Requirement – Assessment

(63) Assessments set as compulsory requirements may have pass requirements of between 40% and 100%, which must be achieved to pass the course.

(64) Table 5 outlines other possible compulsory assessment requirements.

Table 5 – Compulsory Assessment Requirements and Descriptions

 Learning activities - Compulsory Attendance

(65) Compulsory attendance may be set for specific learning activities. When attendance is compulsory: 

1. attendance records must be maintained for all sessions included in the assessment, for example, tutorials, seminars, workshops; 
2. the attendance record must be retained in either the Course Assessment Return or the myUON app; 
3. students must be advised in the Course Outline that attendance records will be recorded and are being kept, and the means by which they are being kept, for example, myUON app or a sign-in sheet; 
4. a student unable to attend due to approved adverse circumstances must be provided with an appropriate option to complete the activity;
5. the course entry in the curriculum management system will include the compulsory attendance requirement; 
6. opportunities may be provided to students to re-attempt the Compulsory Course Requirement if unsuccessful in only this component of the course (including provisions for cases where Adverse Circumstances are granted). If it is not possible to re-attempt the Compulsory Course Requirement the rationale explaining this must be provided; and
7. regardless of the overall mark obtained for assessments within the course, where a compulsory attendance requirement is not met a CF grade will be awarded for the course.

(66) Adverse circumstances applications are permissible for compulsory attendance.

Placements

(67) The documentation for placements will provide a clear statement regarding: 

1. the explicit procedures for allocation of placements; 
2. criteria regarding eligibility for placement (e.g. completion of required courses or program requirements); 
3. the completion of Compulsory Course Requirements, Compulsory Program Requirements and/or enrolment requisites (e.g. vaccinations, first aid certificate, course prerequisites) by students; 
4. provision of required documentation by students (e.g. criminal record check, Commissioner for Children and Young People Working with Children Check, student declaration or health checks); 
5. risk assessments undertaken by the Course Co-ordinator, School and/or placement agency; 
6. procedures for students with a disability seeking adjustments; 
7. how the placement fits the course and program learning outcomes; 
8. placement compliance with relevant professional accreditation; 
9. specific learning outcomes of the placement;
10. assessment, including how the assessment will measure learning outcomes; 
11. requirements regarding compliance with privacy legislation within the placement agency; 
12. procedures for dealing with absences, conflicts or other difficulties, including breakdown of the placement due to student performance and/or other circumstances; 
13. the cost involved in the placement and clear advice that the cost is borne by the student; and 
14. the process for obtaining Head of School approval to withdraw from a placement course after the placement has commenced.

(68) Agreements with host organisations must be approved by:

1. the Head of School, where the agreement is the standard University legal template; or
2. the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Vice President if the agreement is not the University legal template.

(69) Placements for individual students must be approved by either the Head of School or Deputy Head of School.

(70) The University is required to provide reasonable adjustments for students with a disability to complete placement requirements for programs in which they are enrolled.

(71) Placement agencies, where appropriate, must be required to provide the student with an induction prior to the student commencing at the placement agency.

(72) Placement agencies, placement agency supervisors and students must be advised of their responsibilities under Anti-Discrimination, Work Health and Safety (WHS) and Privacy Legislation and the University's Risk Management Policy.

(73) Placement supervisors, placement agency supervisors and students will be provided with appropriate preparation regarding their role and responsibilities before, during and after the placement.

(74) Students on placement will:

1. be supervised by a professional in the field preferably with at least two years professional experience, or a designated individual supervisor of equivalent clinical / professional / industrial experience;
2. actively participate in safety training or instruction provided by the placement agency until deemed competent by the agency to perform tasks in a safe manner; 
3. be in regular communication with the agency and/or University supervisors; and 
4. be provided with feedback during the placement regarding their progress towards the learning outcomes of the placement.

(75) Where a student has failed a course which includes a placement they may be required to complete a pre-placement support and training session, before being permitted to re-enrol in the course. This requirement will be listed in the Course Outline.

Course Delivery

(76) A course may be offered:

1. at single or multiple locations in the same term;
2. using different modes of delivery during the same term, including blended or online modes.

(77) When delivering a course, teaching staff must comply with:

1. the University's Ethical Framework, and other relevant ethics requirements; 
2. the Work, Health and Safety Policy and related procedures, guidelines, and documentation; and 
3. the University Health and Safety Management System.

(78) Regular communication with students must be provided, irrespective of the mode of delivery. Course Co-ordinators must document in the Course Outlines the communication/interaction mechanisms to be used. This may include group emails, discussion boards, and meetings, phone, or face-to-face meetings.

(79) Learning activities and teaching methods must be appropriate to the content, field of study, level offered, and mode of delivery. Assistance and advice are available from Learning Design and Teaching Innovation.

(80) Staff must advise students of their availability for consultations in the Course Outline. Regular interaction is strongly encouraged.

(81) Student's queries should be addressed within an appropriate timeframe (usually three University working days).

(82) The guidelines for teaching qualifications for course delivery and course coordination are outlined in the Appendices.

Appointment of Course Coordinators

(83) Each course is required to have a Course Co-ordinator who is appointed by the Head of School to oversee the course, including offerings on different sites, in different modes (blended and online) and terms.

(84) A Head of School may appoint joint Course Co-ordinators for a course with multiple offerings or where there is need to have a Course Coordination Team.

(85) The Course Co-ordinator will usually be a Level B academic or above but may be a Level A academic or a conjoint academic member of the University if suitably qualified and experienced.

(86) The Course Co-ordinator should be appointed at least four weeks prior to the start of a term in which the course is offered.

Course Materials

(87) Course materials must contribute to the achievement of the course learning outcomes. 

(88) Course materials should:

1. be current and/or appropriate, 
2. appropriately referenced;  
3. offer a variety of perspectives on the course content; and
4. use a considered mix of media, appropriate to the mode of delivery.

(89)  All course materials and information are to be provided via the LMS course site. The course site inclusions must comply with the standard format and structure LMS course site for the mode of delivery (See the Learning Management System Teaching Courses: Minimum Presence).

(90) The purpose of course materials, their use in learning activities and the distinction between required and optional material should be explained to students.

(91) Accessible course materials must be provided for students with disability where they are advised there is a need. Click here for information on how to provide accessible resources. Course materials must be made available to the AccessAbility support service upon request. When appropriate, the Adaptive Technology Centre will adapt these materials.

(92) Students will be provided with all additional details and information about formal examinations and assessments (further to what is provided in the Course Outline) at least three weeks before the due date of an assessment item.

Course Outlines

(93) An approved Course Outline must be made available at least two weeks before the commencement of each term in which the course is offered. 

(94) The Course Co-ordinator must arrange for a Course Outline to be provided in an appropriate format and timeframe to students where this is required in a Reasonable Adjustments Plan.

(95) The Course Outline must be produced from the curriculum management system.

(96) Course Outlines must include: 

1. course title, name, unit value, location of offer and term of offer; 
2. overview - course description; 
3. contact hours; 
4. contact details of the Course Co-ordinator, teaching staff and school details, including details of availability for consultations; 
5. summary of course content; 
6. course learning outcomes; 
7. a list of course materials; 
8. assessment item summary, including assessment name, due date and time, involvement (individual, group); 
9. assessment item details, type of assessment, assessment criteria, word limit or duration, weighting, alignment to learning outcomes, how feedback will be provided, if and how assessment items are returned or collected; 
10. any additional assessment details such as the requirement that students must pass a particular assessment to pass the course, or that marks will be deducted for not including a coversheet on hardcopy submissions;  
11. assessment item submission method, including any requirement that the assessment items must be submitted via text-matching system (e.g. Turnitin), or hand delivery of the assessment is required (e.g. a creative work submission on a weekday); and
12. grading scale (pre-populated in template); and
13. relevant policy information (pre-populated in template).

(97) The approved Course Outline will be stored as a ‘read only’ document at the conclusion of the teaching period. Archived Course Outlines will be available to the Course Co-ordinator and the students who were enrolled.

(98) All students in a course must be notified of any changes to the Course Outline approved by the Head of School after the first week of term. The updated version will be provided via the Learning Management System.

Part B - Course Responsibilities

Program and Course Approval Committee

(99) The Program and Course Approval Committee (PCAC) is responsible for ensuring that: 

1. new courses comply with the criteria listed in this Policy; 
2. courses, other than enabling courses, with zero enrolments for the most recent three years of offerings are discontinued following consultation with the Head of School and College Pro Vice-Chancellor;
3. for enabling courses with zero enrolments for the most recent three years of offerings are discontinued following consultation with the Head of Domestic Programs, and the Director, Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre; 
4. courses that have not been offered for three consecutive years are discontinued following consultation with the Head of School and College Pro Vice-Chancellor; and
5. for enabling courses that have not been offered for three consecutive years, are discontinued following consultation with the Head of Domestic Programs and Director, Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre.

Head of School

(100) The Head of School is responsible for:

1. appointment of Course Co-ordinators;
2. appointment of Honours supervisors;
3. provision of support to Course Co-ordinators;
4. approval of Course Outlines.

Course Coordinator

(101) In addition to the Course Co-ordinator responsibilities codified in the University's Educator Presence Statement, Course Co-ordinators are responsible for:

1. the delivery and management of a course with support from the relevant Head of School;
2. the planning of the course, assessing student learning outcomes in the course, ensuring students are given constructive and timely feedback, designing, and managing the course site, and managing course quality;
3. evaluating and making necessary adjustments to a course, considering staff and student feedback and student outcomes (pass and fail rates, withdrawals, and achievement levels) (see Teaching Staff Reflection on Course Offering);
4. waiving course requisites for students on a case-by-case basis;
5. approving requests to audit their course;
6. ensuring that their course site and the course material provided complies with copyright legislation;
7. ensuring they understand relevant academic policies and procedures; 
8. the preparation and provision of course materials including assessment items and assessment criteria; 
9. planning teaching activities including lectures, tutorials, and online options; 
10. designing and managing the course site; 
11. developing the Course Outline; 
12. planning course assessments that are consistent with the course learning outcomes, course content, learning activities, teaching methods, and delivery mode; 
13. organising resources including textbooks and reference materials, online materials and support, the availability of facilities or equipment, and inviting and scheduling any visiting lecturers; 
14. ensuring student access to staff for regular consultations, either online or by direct meetings throughout the term. Responses to student enquiries should usually be provided within three University working days. Assessment feedback should be provided within fourteen calendar days from date of submission of the assessment item, or earlier if students need to incorporate this feedback for subsequent assessment items;
15. being available to consult with students and/or respond to requests to review their results during the three University working days following the publication of the final result in ‘MyHub’; 
16. obtaining approval, from the appropriate body, for any proposed course changes;  
17. actively working with those delivering the course, including placement supervisors, by: 
    1. communicating effectively with all teaching/tutoring staff to review notes for teaching sessions; 
    2. discussing course details including learning outcomes, assessment, marking and student feedback; 
    3. supporting new and casual teaching staff in their teaching roles; and 
    4. working with joint Course Co-ordinators or Course Coordination team members; 
18. coordinating responses to requests from students related to the course including: 
    1. developing options for students who provide a reasonable adjustment plan obtained from AccessAbility support service; and 
    2. approval of adverse circumstances applications; 
19. evaluating each offering of the course after considering formal and informal student feedback and Student academic outcomes, including: 
    1. the course evaluation to assist schools, College Boards and Academic Senate with monitoring continuous improvement and the quality assurance of courses; 
    2. liaising with all relevant Program Convenors to ensure that the needs of all participating student cohorts are considered when altering a course; and 
    3. obtaining approvals for any necessary adjustments to the course learning outcomes, course content, learning activities, teaching methods, assessment tasks and delivery modes in response to the outcomes of post offering follow-ups; and 
20. all other activities related to the course, as directed by the Head of School, or as required by the policies of the University.

(102) To assist Course Co-ordinators, a checklist has been developed (see Course Co-ordinator Checklist).

Part C - Course Procedures

Course Approval Procedure

(103) At least one of the following criteria must be demonstrated to justify the creation of new courses: 

1. Criterion 1 - online, and available as an elective to all students; 
2. Criterion 2 - a course: 
   1. proposed as part of a revised program, balanced by the deletion of another course; 
   2. proposed as part of a new program, balanced by the deletion of another course; or 
   3. proposed as part of a new program, where Portfolio Strategy Group (PSG) has approved a net increase in course numbers; 
3. Criterion 3 - a course required for a revised program following an external program review, developed in response to an approved College Response and Action Plan; 
4. Criterion 4 – a course replacing another course with similar content; or 
5. Criterion 5 - a course which does not comply with Criteria 1-4, where appropriately justified.

(104) New course proposals will be considered by the PCAC via the curriculum management system, and must also include the: 

1. criteria under which the new course is proposed (see above); 
2. assessment item weightings; and 
3. formal examination duration (where appropriate).

(105) The following reporting indicators within the new course proposal should be indicated as ‘yes’ where the listed criteria are met:

(106) During the course approval process, there will be a quality assurance check for new courses, which must consider: 

1. the content of the course in relation to existing bodies of knowledge and research; 
2. the proposed academic level of the course; 
3. the alignment of learning activities, teaching methods, assessment requirements and learning outcomes; 
4. the appropriateness of the timing, level, and weighting of assessment items; 
5. if the learning outcomes of the new course are valid, achievable, and at the appropriate level; and 
6. the existence and clarity of the proposed curriculum management system entry.

(107) To seek approval for a new academic subject code, a College or Division must complete the required New Academic Subject Area form. The form is available at Forms, Guides and Templates.

Placements 

(108) Placement agencies and placement agency supervisors will be provided with the necessary information, training, and support to fulfil their role and responsibilities to the satisfaction of the University, placement agency and students.

(109) University Placement Supervisors and/or Course Co-ordinators will ensure that in addition to meeting the requirements outlined in clause 67 that:

1. mechanisms are in place to enable, where appropriate, individualised learning goals for each student; 
2. student progress is systematically monitored during the placement and that University staff and support systems are available to students during the placement; 
3. students keep a log of the work undertaken in the placement;  
4. placement agency supervisors are professionals in the field preferably with at least two years professional experience, or an appropriate level of equivalent clinical/professional/industrial experience, and:  
   1. have been provided with information regarding their roles and responsibilities; 
   2. conduct an induction with the student including information relating to any WHS and privacy legislation requirements for the placement agency; 
   3. provide the student with an appropriate work environment; and 
   4. are insured, with appropriate contracts in place to cover any legal and safety related liabilities associated with working as a placement agency supervisor.

Reasonable Accommodation on Placement for Students with a Disability

(110) The University Placement Supervisor and/or the Course Co-ordinator will: 

1. liaise with the University's AccessAbility support services to ensure that an accurate assessment of the student's needs and the requirements of the placement are conducted; 
2. liaise with the Program Convenor to identify the essential requirements of the placement in relation to the course and program; 
3. liaise with the University's AccessAbility support services and the Program Convenor to determine how the essential requirements of the course might be achieved while accommodating the needs of the student; 
4. take into account the particular needs of the student in the selection of the placement agency and the arrangements made (e.g. access, furniture, communication, flexibility of attendance, assessment changes/exemptions as appropriate); 
5. ensure that implications for WHS, duty of care and legal liability are assessed, particularly in the context of anti-discrimination, WHS, and privacy legislation. The University and the placement agency have the right to refuse a placement if either considers that there is a danger to the student, fellow workers, or clients of the agency; and 
6. ensure that any additional support mechanisms or review/monitoring processes that may be required are in place.

Review of Courses

(111) All courses are subject to regular interim monitoring that is overseen by academic governance as prescribed by the Education Quality Assurance Policy and its procedures.

(112) Academic Senate and the PCAC may request periodic reviews to ensure that all courses continue to offer distinct content and appropriate learning outcomes.

Requests to Audit Courses

(113) A student may request or be advised to audit a course in which they will not formally enrol.

(114) Students auditing a course are:

1. permitted to attend, or access online, the lectures, tutorials, and course materials without enrolling in the course;
2. not required to submit assessment items and will not receive a mark or grade.

(115) University staff may audit any courses that do not require the completion of an enrolment requisite such as practicums, laboratories, placements, or have any other restrictions on enrolment and attendance, including work health and safety (WHS) requirements.

Section 4 - Assessments 

Part D - Assessments Policy

(116) The purpose and focus of assessment is to encourage, challenge, stimulate and support student learning, to identify high achieving students and those in need of additional academic support, and to ensure the following are met:

1. the educational standards of courses and programs meet the relevant AQF level and any other requirements e.g. professional accreditation; 
2. the course learning outcomes; and 
3. the specific program requirements.

(117) Clear assessment requirements and criteria are essential components of quality course design. This applies equally to formative assessment and summative assessment.

(118) Students have differing levels of experience and expertise in learning and assessment, and therefore, require full explanations of the methods and types of assessment used in the field of study prior to major or summative assessments.

(119) Assessment must be considered part of and embedded within student's learning. Assessments must provide reliable indicators of student learning and achievement and be appropriate for the mode of delivery.

(120) Marks cannot be awarded for attendance or participation alone, except within a placement course. Attendance and participation may contribute up to 100% of the marks for a placement course and may be either graded or ungraded.

(121) The requirements for assessments are:

1. the method and focus of each assessment item must align with the learning outcomes, course content, learning activities, teaching methods and delivery mode of the course;
2. quality assurance processes, including the peer review of the content, design of assessment materials and the moderation of course marking, must be embedded to provide evidence of the validity and quality of assessment practices;
3. assessments in core and compulsory courses within a program should be mapped to enable student assessment workload planning and the coordinated embedding of graduate outcomes across courses;
4. assessment weightings should reflect the demands and relative importance of an assessment item, and the overall assessment load in a course should reflect the unit value of that course;
5. courses should use an appropriate number and variety of assessment items; 
6. assessment documentation must clearly identify what is required of students for each assessment item;
7. where possible, assessment methods should be considered holistically across the program; 
8. the assessment load within a course, including examinations, must align with the advice on student workload in this manual; and
9. assessment items should: 
   1. be scheduled to allow the spread of assessment items across the term (date due); and 
   2. wherever possible, be scheduled to facilitate individualised feedback to students in the first half of the term to enable them to identify their level of progress to date.

(122) Student performance is to be measured against pre-advised criteria. This assists with consistency in marking and feedback, by clarifying the requirements for all students and the markers for a course. 

(123) Students must be familiarised with the course assessment expectations, requirements, and criteria early in a course. Such instruction should help students to develop their own ability to evaluate the quality, completeness, and accuracy of their work.

(124) Assessment criteria must:

1. inform students of the knowledge, skills, and other outcomes they are required to demonstrate in an assessment task;
2. describe the level or standard of achievement a student must demonstrate to achieve a specific grade;
3. align with the learning outcomes of the course;
4. be consistent with the course level; and
5. be written in clear and simple language.    

(125) The results of individual assessment items and final results, including those provided via the LMS, are “unofficial results” prior to their confirmation by the School Assessment Body and Head of School. 

Assessment Items

(126) Major assessment items are any assessment items weighted as 30% or more of the overall value of the course (e.g. formal examinations, quizzes, in-class tests etc.).

(127) Minor assessment items are any assessment items weighted at less than 30% of the overall value of the course.

(128) The assessment items should be consistent in the Course Handbook, but local assessment instances may be indicated in the Course Outline to enable flexibility for courses run across sites or with different modes of delivery (blended or online).

(129) Where assessment items utilise self and/or peer assessment as part of the marking:

1. students must be provided with guidance and materials in advance of the marking exercise to ensure: 
   1. the outcomes of the assessment are equitable; and 
   2. clear guidelines and criteria are used to determine the marks; and
2. the Course Co-ordinator must ensure there are mechanisms for moderating the results or ensuring fair assessment.

(130) Assessment items marked by students or student peers within the course must not contribute to more than 10% of the final grade. Where the course also includes a 50% weighted group work component both group work and the peer marking components should not exceed 50% of the final grade.

Word Limits

(131) Written assessment items will usually have a word limit. Word limits will include headings, sub-heading, in-text citations, quotes and referencing, but will not include the list of references, appendices, and footnotes. The Course Co-ordinator will allow a tolerance of at least 10% of the word limit.

(132) No penalties for exceeding the word limit may be applied. Students should be made aware that any work after the maximum word limit may not be included within the allocation of marks.

Single Assessment Items

(133) Single assessment items must contribute to at least 10% of a final course result. Exceptions to this requirement may be approved by the Head of School who must be satisfied that a group of assessment items are linked, for example: 

1. small multiple-choice quizzes i.e. end of class tests; 
2. weekly lab reports or other progress statements.

(134) Single assessment items, including formal examinations, must not contribute to more than 50% to a final course result. Exceptions to this requirement may be approved by the Head of School, where: 

1. the assessment requires the creation or completion of a significant body of work, e.g. creative project, capstone project or thesis; 
2. individual feedback is provided to students to inform the creation or completion of the assessment in advance of submission; and 
3. it can be established that the assessment links to all course learning outcomes.

Group Work

(135) Students undertaking group work within a course will have an induction into group work processes at the commencement of the course or at least 3 weeks prior to the item being due.

(136) Within the course site the following details will be provided: 

1. purpose and function of the group work and how it will be assessed; 
2. process for allocating students to groups; 
3. roles, responsibilities, and expectations of group members; 
4. conduct of group meetings; 
5. processes for managing any conflict; 
6. evaluation of individual performances within the group; 
7. feedback stages; and 
8. strategies used to: 
   1. promote equitable workload within and across groups; 
   2. ensure each student is accountable for their personal contribution to the group work; and 
   3. maintain regular communication with each group.

(137) Group assessment items should be highly structured and managed by staff experienced in group work, specific to the mode of delivery. Where staff have not previously managed a group work assessment in a particular mode of delivery, or where other experienced staff would like additional support, they should contact the Learning Design and Teaching Innovation.

(138) Group assessment items should not contribute to more than 50% of the total marks for a course.

Submission of Assessment Items

(139) Where possible the University requires electronic submission of assessment items. 

(140) The mark for an assessment item submitted after the designated time on the due date, without an approved extension of time, will be reduced by 10% of the possible maximum mark for that assessment item for each day or part day that the assessment item is late. Note: this applies equally to week days and weekend days.

(141) With the approval of the Head of School, a Course Co-ordinator may determine that an assessment item cannot be submitted after its due date (if, for example, an online quiz or a laboratory test may only be available for a set period of time). The course outline must advise that failure to complete such an item within the set period of time will result in a zero mark for the assessment item. A student may lodge an adverse circumstances application to seek an exception to any requirement that an assessment item cannot be submitted after its due date, see the Adverse Circumstances Policy and Adverse Circumstances Procedure.

Supplementary Assessments

(142) A student may lodge an application for a Supplementary Assessment in a course when a fail grade in that course prevents them from being eligible to graduate.

(143) A request for a supplementary assessment must meet ALL of the following criteria:  

1. the course must be a 10- or 20-unit course. If the course is part of a multi-term sequence, the total value of the multi-term sequence must not exceed 20 units; 
2. the final result achieved for the course is greater than 40% and less than 50% of the total marks for the course for students in their last year of study;
3. the student must not have already undertaken a supplementary assessment (other than on the basis of Adverse Circumstances) in the course;
4. the student must have submitted all required assessment items throughout the relevant term on time (subject to any applications under the Adverse Circumstances Affecting Assessment Items Procedure where applicable); and 
5. the grade must not have been awarded as a consequence of academic misconduct under the provisions of the Student Conduct Rule.

Examinations

(144) Courses will have a maximum of one University supervised examination with that examination component not contributing to more than 50% of a course result.

(145) The Head of School cannot approve an examination to contribute to more than 50% of a final course result as individual feedback may not be provided to inform completion of the examination.

(146) All examinations undertaken on behalf of the University must comply with the provisions for Formal Examinations within this document.

(147) Examinations undertaken at all venues and organised on behalf of the University must comply with all University approved policies and procedures.

(148) All formal examinations must: 

1. be identified as such by the relevant School staff on the timeline set by the Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Experience and Academic Registrar; 
2. contribute to between 30% and 50% of the final result in the course; and 
3. be conducted as online open book examination; or 
4. be conducted as a face to face supervised examination where endorsed by the College Assistant Dean (Education) where accreditation requirements exist; and
5. be of two hours duration or 3 hours duration if approved by PCAC. 

(149) As part of the evaluation process of any assessment item an oral examination may be conducted. The purpose of the oral examination is to verify the authorship of the material submitted in response to the assessment task and provide a quality assurance measure. The oral examination will be conducted in accordance with the principles set out in the Oral Examination (Viva) Procedure. In cases where the oral examination reveals the assessment item may not be the student's own work the case will be dealt with under the Student Conduct Rule.

(150) All formal examinations held in the scheduled examination and rescheduled examination periods for standard terms will be administered by Student Administration.

(151) The responsible officer will publish timetables showing when and where examinations will be held prior to the examination period. Students will not usually be expected to sit more than three formal examinations within a 48-hour period.

(152) The arrangements for examinations conducted outside of the scheduled examination and rescheduled examination periods are the responsibility of the relevant Head of School (or nominee).

(153) Students are required to be available during the scheduled examination and rescheduled examination periods each term. This includes being available for examinations scheduled on Saturdays and in the evenings.

(154) Unless an examination is rescheduled under the Adverse Circumstances policy, students who fail to attend an examination scheduled on the examination timetable will be awarded a mark of zero for that examination.

(155)  Reasonable Adjustments Plans may specify changes to examinations processes or conditions as appropriate to the needs of a student.

Permitted Items In An Examination Room

(156) Students may bring the following into an examination room:

1. water in a transparent bottle, 
2. pens, and pencils; 
3. a memory aid, unless otherwise notified in the Course Outline and noted on the front cover of their examination paper. (Note, a memory aid is one A4 double sided sheet of handwritten or typed notes. Memory aids must be left on the examination table and cannot be removed from the examination venue.);
4. mobile phones or other electronic devices provided they are switched off and placed under the student's chair for the duration of the examination; 
5. watches, other than smart watches, provided they are removed and placed on the desk in view of the Invigilators; and
6. any additional support items such as calculators or log tables, as explicitly listed in the relevant Course Outline.

(157) Where students are permitted to bring additional support items into an examination the following will apply: 

1. the relevant School staff will specify in advance, via the examination portal, the support items which may be used; 
2. the opportunity to have additional support items will be detailed in the Course Outline; and 
3. it is the responsibility of the School offering the course to scrutinise the support items to be used in the examination at the request of an Exam Invigilator. 

(158) Calculators, except calculators within mobile phones and similar devices, may be used by students in an examination if approved by the appropriate Course Co-ordinator. The Course Co-ordinator must: 

1. advise students in the Course Outline the type of calculator permitted, such as programmable or non-programmable calculators, and that instruction booklets or cards (e.g. reference cards) on the operation of calculators are not permitted in the examination room as students are expected to familiarise themselves with the calculator's operations beforehand; 
2. include a detailed description on the Examination Cover Sheet of the types of calculator permitted, providing sufficient information for Exam Invigilators without technical knowledge to assess the appropriateness of calculators taken into an examination room. If no description is provided by the Course Co-ordinator the Examinations Office will refer to the NSW Education Standards Authority list of approved scientific calculators; and 
3. consider specifying calculators listed as approved scientific calculators by the NSW Education Standards Authority.

(159) Taking material into an examination room that breaches the above requirements will be deemed as student misconduct in accordance with the Student Conduct Rule. For closed or otherwise exempted examinations this includes notes written on one's person. Evidence of material that breaches the above requirements may be photographed and used to determine an outcome under the provisions of the Student Conduct Rule. Should a student refuse to be photographed, the lack of cooperation by the student may be considered as evidence against the student.

(160) Students who fail to switch off their phone or device and place it under their chair, access the phone or device during the examination, or are found to have a phone or device on their person following a visit to the bathroom, will be reported for academic misconduct in accordance with the Student Conduct Rule. 

(161) The permitted materials and devices for the relevant examination are outlined in Table 7.

Table 7 – Permitted Materials and Devices in Examinations

Rescheduled Examinations

(162)  Rescheduled examinations may only be granted in accordance with the Adverse Circumstances Affecting Assessment Items Policy.

(163) Rescheduled examinations will only be supervised by Examinations if they are held within the formal examination period.

(164) All arrangements for rescheduled examinations held outside the rescheduled examination period are the responsibility of the School.

(165)  All rescheduled examinations must be conducted in the same manner as formal examinations.

(166) A rescheduled examination will, except in exceptional circumstances, be scheduled:

1. once only; and 
2. after the originally scheduled examination.

(167) A rescheduled examination will not offer advantage to the student who has:

1. been unable to sit the original examination;  
2. attended but been unable to complete the scheduled examination; or 
3. completed the examination but been affected by adverse circumstances.

(168) Students undertaking a rescheduled examination will complete a different paper to that completed by students who sat the original examination.

(169) A rescheduled examination paper, except for a wholly multiple-choice paper, must be at least 20% different to the paper that was prepared and used for the original scheduled formal examination.

Examination Papers

(170) Course Co-ordinators are responsible for the preparation of examination papers, including alternate examination papers, for each of their courses in accordance with any requirements and timelines specified by Examinations, Student Administration.

(171) The examination paper for a course with multiple offerings in the same term must be the same, irrespective of location of offer or mode of delivery. The content may be contextualised for specific offshore requirements with approval from the relevant Head of School.

(172) The Head of School must ensure, through the submission of the relevant completed Hardcopy Examination Paper Creation and Review Checklist to Student Central, that the master examination papers, including any alternate master examination papers, are quality reviewed (see Examination Paper Creation and Review Checklist). This review must ensure that the: 

1. review is conducted by an individual from the appropriate discipline area; 
2. scripts are reviewed for clarity, spelling, grammar, format and content, and all mark allocations are checked; and 
3. the examination scripts are corrected and transmitted to Examinations if required.

Marking 

(173) Norm based marking is not utilised.

(174) Assessment marking must be based on the assessment criteria that is made available to the students in the Course Outline and/or other materials. 

(175) All markers must have received identical information to ensure marking consistency.

(176) Staff who are marking assessment items must be familiar with the criteria for all assessment items as early as possible in the delivery of a course.

(177) When an assessment item is being conducted at multiple locations the same marking criteria must be used in each location.

(178) Markers must ensure the marking process produces feedback that will contribute to student learning.

(179) Quality assurance of marking is important to safeguard the academic integrity of a course and ensure fairness for students through processes of formal or informal moderation. This is primarily the responsibility of the Course Co-ordinator, as is the design of the assessment for a course.

(180) All marking related quality assurance outcomes and processes are to be documented and made available if required by the Head of School or School Assessment Body.

(181) All marks for individual assessment item results must be recorded in the Learning Management System.

(182) To finalise the marking of a research component in Bachelor Honours Degrees:

1. the mark will be the average of the two examiner marks, where two examiners conduct the marking;
2. if the difference between examiner’s marks is more than ten marks (from 100 total marks, a third examiner is to be appointed (not the supervisor);
3. where three examiners are used, the final mark shall normally be an average of the two closest marks with consideration being given to the written reports of the examiners; and
4. if the mark from a third examiner is more than 10 from either original marker, the final mark will be as decided by the relevant Head of School on the advice of the relevant Program Convenor.

Moderation

(183) Moderation is the process to independently review the marks of all, or a randomly selected set, of students for one or more assessment items in a course. Informal moderation should occur routinely to ensure consistency across multiple markers and must occur when significant anomalies are identified.

(184) Formal moderation may be used when a Course Co-ordinator, Head of School, Pro Vice-Chancellor, or the University requires a formal investigation of marking in a course. If initiated by a Course Co-ordinator a formal moderation requires the prior approval of the Head of School.

(185) A formal moderation might be initiated in response to the identification of major discrepancies or other issues to address uncertainty about the validity of an assessment outcome, or to confirm equivalence of the University's expectations with national or international benchmarks.

(186) If a single marker is responsible for marking 75% or more of all assessment items of a course, a sample of 10% or 10 assessments, whichever is greater, should be moderated by another examiner to examine for consistency and reliability. If significant consistency or reliability issues are identified within the sample, all assessments should be re-marked (see ‘Re-marking’) and further moderation processes conducted for all remaining assessment items for that course.

(187) Where two markers are responsible for marking an individual assessment item, they can either provide a jointly agreed mark or separate individual marks. If the latter, the process for establishing the final result must be agreed between the two markers in advance. Double marking is usually used only for marking Honours theses (see section on marking the Honours research component, clause 187).

(188) Where more than one marker is marking assessment items within a course, a calibration process should be adopted to promote consistency of judgment between markers. The process should involve each marker reviewing the marks of other markers of the same set of assignments or examination papers. The assessment items chosen should represent a range of marks obtained in the assessment item. Calibration meetings should be held prior to the commencement of formal marking to confirm this process.

(189) For a research component that is 40 units or more in the Bachelor Honours Program: 

1. there will be a minimum of two examiners of the research component, who will be selected following advice from the supervisor(s); 
2. at least one of the two examiners are to be external to the School unless an external moderator is appointed by the relevant Head of School to monitor the quality of research dissertations in the field of study; 
3. the examiner must not be a supervisor of their student's research component. The supervisor may provide a report to the Program Convenor for consideration by the markers when the research component is submitted for examination; and 
4. the College will provide the student and examiners, including the moderators, with the assessment criteria for the research component.

(190) For a research component that is less than 40 units in the Bachelor Honours program: 

1. all individual research components larger than 10 units must have at least two markers. The students research supervisor may be one of those markers. When the research component is submitted, the supervisor should provide a report to the Program Convenor (or nominee), for consideration by all markers; 
2. where the research component is aggregated across multiple 10 unit courses, or elements thereof; a single marker is sufficient for any 10 unit course providing that no single marker contributes to marks for more than 10 units of the overall research component of the degree program; 
3. the College will have a regular process of moderating the quality and grading of the research component with an external moderator appointed by the relevant Head of School (or nominee); and 
4. the College will provide the student and examiners, including the moderators, with the assessment criteria for the research component.

Re-Marking Assessment Items

(191) A single assessment item, or part of an assessment item, may be re-marked. This may follow the identification of concerns about the mark(s) awarded or where consistency or reliability issues are identified during moderation.

(192) A re-mark of an assessment item may be initiated at the request of the Course Co-ordinator, the Program Convenor, the Head of School, the School Assessment Body, the relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee, or the relevant College Pro Vice-Chancellor.

(193) Re-marking arrangements must be communicated to the student in advance of the re-marking. Where the assessment item is being re-marked by an independent marker or markers, the final assessment result will be either the: 

1. re-mark results;
2. average of the original and re-mark results; 
3. average of the two re-mark results (where there are two independent re-markers); or 
4. average of the original and the two re-mark results (where there are two independent re-markers).

(194) If the Course Co-ordinator is the initial marker of an assessment item: 

1. they will usually ask an independent marker to do the re-marking; 
2. they must provide the independent marker with the assessment criteria for marking the assessment item, the course details, and a copy of the student's answer(s) with all initial marks, comments and annotations removed; and 
3. the independent marker is not to be provided with the original mark prior to marking the assessment item.

(195) Where a re-mark is undertaken the resultant mark may remain the same or be higher or lower than the original mark.

(196) The Course Co-ordinator must provide the new/revised mark and a recommendation to the initiator of the re-mark and advise the initial marker of the outcome of the re-mark. If the Course Co-ordinator initiated the re-mark, they must be able to justify the final mark to the Head of School or Pro Vice-Chancellor, if requested.

Feedback

(197) Effective feedback is integral to the learning process and can enhance student engagement and success.

(198) At least one form of individualised feedback, which identifies strengths and weaknesses in relation to the specific assessment criteria, should be provided to students per course.

(199) All feedback must: 

1. refer to the assessment requirements and criteria provided to the student prior to their commencing the assessment; 
2. be in constructive and supportive language;  
3. inform students of those areas where they performed well and where improvements can be made; 
4. when possible advise what students may be able to do to improve (formative) and/or provide a statement of how the student performed against the assignment criteria (summative); and
5. be provided in accordance with this manual.

(200) Formative feedback should be provided to students when possible. Depending on the type of assessment item, this may be individualised or given to the group of students enrolled in a course. 

(201) Feedback should be provided to students within 15 University working days of submission of an assessment item so that they can incorporate it into their learning and future assessment items.

(202) Feedback can be provided to individuals, or to a group of students in a variety of ways. It may be: 

1. provided verbally by the teaching staff; 
2. by peer interaction and self-reflection, provided appropriate prior preparation of students has occurred;  or
3. written and provided online, or in hard copy, on the item or in a separate report.

(203) Where feedback is not able to be provided in accordance with clause 200, such as for very large classes or due to staff illness, students should be informed as soon as possible as to when the feedback will be provided.

School Assessment Body

(204) A School Assessment Body must be established in accordance with the School Assessment Body Generic Terms of Reference.

Record Management

(205) Except for exam papers, assessment items should be returned to the student following marking.

(206) Electronic return of assessment items is recommended.

(207) Items not returned to students (e.g. exam papers) will be made available for review by the student, upon request, in a controlled and monitored setting.

(208) Assessment items will be retained for six months after the fully graded date for the term and may then be destroyed.

(209) Examination papers will be retained by the relevant School for six months after the final result is published. After this period the examination scripts may be destroyed.

Part E - Assessment Responsibilities

(210) Student Central is responsible for: 

1. coordinating examinations held during the formal and rescheduled examination periods for standard terms (semesters and trimesters);
2. organising alternative examination arrangements for students with a disability or other adverse circumstances within the formal and designated rescheduled examination periods for standard terms; 
3. managing all arrangements for the administration of supervised examinations conducted in the formal examination period and designated rescheduled examination periods for standard terms; 
4. ensuring adherence to procedures for formal examinations as set out in this Manual;
5. reporting final results and maintaining student academic records; 
6. publication of final results on myHub; and 
7. undertaking a review of examination processes for supervised examinations held during the formal examination period and designated rescheduled examination periods for standard terms.

(211) The Pro Vice-Chancellor Student Experience and Academic Registrar is responsible for administering formal examinations held within the scheduled examination and rescheduled examination periods for standard terms.

(212) The Head of School / Head of Domestic Programs is responsible for:

1. appointing a School Assessment Body to act as their advisory in accordance with the School Assessment Body Terms of Reference (see Appendix – School Assessment Body Generic Terms of Reference); 
2. confirmation of final results and grades for all courses within the relevant School; and
3. ensuring final results and grades are posted in the student administration system for official publication in accordance with the fully graded date.

(213) The Course Co-ordinator is responsible for:

1. managing the re-marking process and recording the outcome;
2. ensuring that feedback is provided to students;
3. finalising and collating the marks of all assessment items and for ensuring that the final results are available for publication on myHub;
4. validating the grades ensuring consistency across markers, location and modes of offer; 
5. identifying and addressing any areas of concern;
6. recording the analysis and action (if any) undertaken to validate the grades in accordance with School practice;
7. ensuring that the relevant templates are completed in accordance with School practice (see the Course Co-ordinator Checklist);
8. coordinating the collation of all marks, cross-checking to ensure all marks have been included in the final grade, arranging assessment moderation when required;
9. supplying the School Assessment Body with relevant course assessment information in accordance with School practice, including the following components:
   1. providing all students’ results in accordance with the School Assessment Body Responsibilities Guideline;
   2. breakdown of the distribution of grades for the course for the current and last three offerings of the course (if available);
   3. a list of final results achieved by students for the course;
   4. Instructor evaluation of course outcomes (Course Evaluation);
   5. Student Feedback on Course Results (SEC);
   6. results and weightings across each of the assessment components;
   7. a link to the official the course outline;
   8. a list of students with either I or S grades at the end of term including the details of when and how these will be resolved; and
   9. outcomes of any applications made under the Adverse Circumstances Affecting Assessment Items Procedure;
10. making recommendations to the School Assessment Body on the final results and grades, including:
    1. details of any scaling procedures or any moderations undertaken, and a rationale for their use; and
    2. providing an assurance that the assessment components and their weightings accurately reflect the information made available to the students through the course outline; and
11. ensuring the timely delivery of student feedback after each assessment in accordance with the relevant section of this Manual.

(214) Student Administration staff are responsible for liaising with the Head of School regarding courses which do not have posted final results and grades prior to the fully graded date.

Part F - Assessment Procedures

Attending Examinations

(215) All students undertaking a face to face examination are required to present their current University Student Card or other current photo identification (such as proof of age card, driver's licence, or passport) to the Exam Invigilators upon entry into an examination room. Students who fail to present suitable photo identification at the time of the examination: 

1. will have their name recorded by Student Central on a register of students who fail to present suitable identification at a formal examination. Students who appear on the register more than once may be reported for student misconduct in accordance with the Student Conduct Rule;  
2. will have their photograph taken at the end of their examination and will be required to present their identification for verification at a Student Central location within 48 hours of the examination. The Course Co-ordinator will be advised that the student attended the examination without suitable identification and whether the student has/has not had their identification subsequently verified. Students who do not appear at a Student Central location within the required timeframe may be reported for student misconduct in accordance with the Student Conduct Rule; and 
3. may be refused entry into an examination venue and will not be eligible to request a rescheduled examination where they decline to have their photograph taken to enable verification of their identity.

Supervised Examination Procedure

(216) Supervised examinations will be conducted in accordance with the following procedures.

(217) Students must: 

1. comply with all instructions given by an Exam Invigilator. This may include one-on-one directives and/or room wide announcements made before, during and at the conclusion of the examination; 
2. enter the examination room within the first thirty minutes of writing time; 
3. only bring items into the examination room that are specified as allowable; 
4. provide suitable photo identification (e.g. student card, current driver’s licence, current passport) per clause 213; and 
5. comply with any other requirements specified by the University.

(218) Students must not: 

1. bring any books or other permitted printed materials that contain additional markings, e.g.notes; 
2. bring unapproved materials/devices/property into the examination room; such materials may be confiscated; 
3. bring any food or drink into the examination except for water in a transparent bottle; 
4. re-enter the examination room after leaving unless they have had appropriate supervision throughout the full period of their absence; 
5. leave the examination room during the first thirty minutes of writing time or the last ten minutes of an examination, unless the examination supervisor determines that exceptional circumstance exists; 
6. remove any examination answer book, examination paper, graph paper, drawing paper or other material issued during the examination from the examination room unless the Course Co-ordinator has expressly permitted the removal as part of the submission via the Examination portal; or 
7. begin reading their examination paper before being granted permission by the Exam Invigilator.

(219) Unless otherwise noted on the examination paper or by the Exam Invigilator, reading time during a formal examination is to be used for reading only. Students doing anything other than reading during the reading time may be reported for suspected academic misconduct.

(220) Exam Invigilators will record and report student absences from examination rooms.

(221) The procedures for supervised examinations may be relaxed by the supervising Exam Invigilator in the event of an emergency.

(222) All instances in which procedures are relaxed during an examination must be reported in writing to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Vice President, Head of School and the Course Co-ordinator immediately following the examination.

How to Request a Review of An Assessment Item Mark

(223) The following clauses do not apply to review of final results in a course.

(224) A student who believes that an error has been made in the determination of their mark of an assessment item should email the Course Co-ordinator no later than three University working days after their mark has been made available.

(225) The student must clearly specify the error that they believe has been made in the determination of their mark and how they reached this conclusion, providing evidence and specific examples wherever possible.

(226) The Course Co-ordinator may elect to seek a recommendation from the original marker.

(227) The Course Co-ordinator will respond to the review request within three working days, and may determine to: 

1. leave the original mark unchanged; 
2. amend the mark; or
3. ask an independent marker to undertake a re-mark of the assessment items.

(228) The Course Co-ordinator will email the student and marker(s) once a determination has been made.

(229) Students unable to contact the Course Co-ordinator within three University working days after their mark has been made available should contact the Head of School. The student must provide evidence of their attempts to contact the Course Co-ordinator, and the details outlined in clause 223 that supports their request.

Requesting A Supplementary Assessment

(230) An application for a supplementary assessment must be submitted within 10 University working days of the publication of the final result on myHub via the online portal Appeal Against a Final Result.

(231) If all conditions set out in Clause 143 are met, the student will automatically be granted a supplementary assessment. 

(232) Where a supplementary assessment is granted the Course Co-ordinator is responsible for determining the nature, timing and content of a supplementary assessment item.

(233) Where the student passes the supplementary assessment they will be awarded a final mark of 50% (a minimum pass) in the course, irrespective of the marks awarded for the supplementary assessment item.

(234) Where the student is not awarded a minimum pass in the supplementary assessment item, the original fail grade will remain and the student will not be eligible to graduate.

School Assessment Body Procedure

(235) The School Assessment Body will undertake the responsibilities documented in the School Assessment Body Generic Terms of Reference, or an approved amended Terms of Reference.

(236) The School Assessment Body will:

1. reach consensus on all decisions regarding students results and grades. If consensus cannot be reached a secret ballot will be undertaken and all members will indicate the result or grade they consider appropriate. The outcome of the secret ballot will be that agreed by the majority and must recorded in the minutes;
2. accept the recommendations of the Course Co-ordinator, unless specific concerns are identified. Where concerns are identified, the School Assessment Body may:
   1. seek clarification from the Course Co-ordinator;
   2. request moderation of the results assigned to all students or to a group of students for a particular major assessment item or the final results and grades;
   3. request details of any inaccuracies or anomalies between the recorded final result or grade and those recommended to the Assessment Body, together with any reasons for the differences;
3. provide written recommendation to the Head of School for a variation of the results and grades when any one of the following occurs:
   1. inaccuracies have been identified;
   2. non-compliance with a University policy or the approved course outline;
   3. a moderation has revealed discrepancies in the results awarded;
   4. the Course Co-ordinator has confirmed that there is no requirement for a supplementary assessment.

(237) The Head of School will approve the final results using the deliberations of the School Assessment Body as a guide.

(238) Following the Head of School's approval of the final results, the College Pro Vice-Chancellor may view the Quality Enhancement Framework Course Dashboard to monitor student retention, success and feedback.

(239) If the College Pro Vice-Chancellor has concerns about the course outcomes, the Head of School and Course Co-ordinator will be asked to explain, and, where necessary, adopt strategies for improvement.

(240) Where there are significant improvements or trends are identified, these should be reported by the College Pro Vice-Chancellor to the College Board.

(241) The College Pro Vice-Chancellor will facilitate regular interim course performance montioring by the College Board in accordance with the University's Education Quality Assurance Policy and its procedures.

Section 5 - Course Completion

Part G - Course Completion Policy

(242) The final result for a specified course will be based only on studies completed by the student in that course. Performance in another course cannot contribute to the final result.

(243) A student will be deemed to have successfully completed a course where the student has: 

1. enrolled and accepted all enrolment terms and conditions; 
2. satisfactorily completed all Compulsory Course Requirements; and 
3. obtained a passing mark, being either:
   1. a mark of 50% or greater; or 
   2. an ungraded pass.

(244)  A student will be deemed to have not successfully completed a course where they withdraw after the census date has passed or receive a fail grade.

Final Results

(245) Final results will be provided as a mark and a grade for each course (see Grading Scales and Administrative Codes) except when the course is: 

1. awarded an ungraded pass, in which case the student will receive a UP; or 
2. the first part of a multi-term sequence, in which case the student will be awarded an N/A. 

(246) Following approval by the Head of School or Head of Domestic Programs (PALSC)the course results become the official course results. They will be available on the fully graded date for the term.

(247) Irrespective of a student's mark, if a student has achieved overall marks greater than 50% in a course but has failed to satisfactorily complete a Compulsory Course Requirement then the relevant School or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre will enter a component fail (CF) mark and grade against the course and a fail grade (FF) will be recorded on their official transcript.

(248)  Results pending finalisation may be recorded using an administrative code (see Grading Scales and Administrative Codes).

(249) Final results for Bachelor Honours will be as shown in Grading Scales and Administrative Codes, for End-On-Honours programs and Embedded Honours Programs respectively. 

(250) The Course Co-ordinator (or their nominee) must be available to consult with students during the three University working days following the publication of the final result. In the absence of the Course Co-ordinator, the relevant Head of School is responsible for ensuring that appropriate assistance is available to students during this period.

(251) The authority to approve an amendment to a final result in a course is described in Table 8 below:

Table 8 Amendment to Final Results in a Course - Approval Authorities 

 Appeals against a Final Result 

(252) An appeal against a final result must be in accordance with the Academic Appeals Policy.

(253) A valid appeal against a final result is one which addresses one or more of the following appeal criteria and includes relevant supporting evidence in writing: 

1. due regard was not paid to an allowable adverse circumstance; 
2. the student was disadvantaged due to a disruption during the conduct of the assessment; 
3. the mark for an assessment item(s) (including the final examination) is inconsistent with the stated marking criteria; 
4. the type or weighting of an assessment item(s) differs from information in the Course Outline;
5. the content or topic of an assessment item(s) does not reflect the content of the course; or 
6. the student's performance in the course was adversely affected by circumstances which were not apparent at the appropriate time.

(254) The following are not valid grounds to appeal a final result:

1. a study overload; 
2. personal or medical problems other than those permitted under the Adverse Circumstances Policy and its associated procedure; 
3. financial implications of not passing the course;
4. marks or grades received by other students in the course; 
5. marks or grades received by the student in other courses; 
6. lack of language proficiency; 
7. the amount of effort the student has contributed; 
8. a penalty imposed on a student for academic misconduct or plagiarism in accordance with a University policy;
9. the need for additional marks to achieve a higher grade; or 
10. general unspecified grievances.

(255) Where a mark or grade has been awarded as a consequence of academic misconduct, any review of the final result must be made in accordance with the Student Conduct Rule.

(256) A late appeal of a final result: 

1. may be accepted provided that the student has not already lodged an appeal against the final result in that course; 
2. must be lodged within two months after the publication of the final result; and 
3. must be submitted using the online portal and provide: 
   1. evidence of having contacted the Course Co-ordinator; and 
   2. supporting documentation including information that precipitated the late submission.

(257) The acceptance of a late appeal of a final result may be at the discretion of the relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee.

(258) Students submitting an appeal after two months after publication of the final result can only apply for a Withdrawal (W).

(259) In exceptional circumstances, students may be eligible to apply for a Remission of Tuition fees – refer to Refunds and Remission of Debt for details.

(260) Determinations made by the relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee relating to appeals against final results in a course are final and there is no further avenue for appeals within the University. The student may have rights of appeal outside the University. Please refer to the Academic Appeals Policy.

Part H - Course Completion Procedures

How to Request a review of final results

(261) A student who wishes to seek advice or clarification of their final results in a course must email the Course Co-ordinator for that course within three University working days of their final result being published on myHub.

(262) The student must clearly specify why they believe an error has been made in the determination of their final grade and how they reached this conclusion, providing evidence and specific examples wherever possible.

(263)  Where the student indicates that they believe not all assessment items have been included in the calculation of the final result, the Course Co-ordinator will provide the mark breakdown to the student, refer to Table 9 – Example of Assessment Types, Weightings and Results.

Table 9 – Example of Assessment Types, Weightings and Results

(264) The Course Co-ordinator (or their nominee) will respond to a request from a student within three University working days of receipt, and after reviewing the result will either: 

1. leave the original mark unchanged; or 
2. recommend an adjusted mark to the Head of School; and 
3. submit an Amendment to Final Result Form if required (see Forms, Guides and Templates).

(265) The Course Co-ordinator will email the student with the outcome once a determination has been made.

(266) If an administrative error is identified in a final result, an Amendment to Result Form will be completed by the Course Co-ordinator (e.g. where not all required items of assessment were included in the final determination of the result), and approved in accordance with Table 8 Amendment to Final Results Approval Authority.

(267) After seeking a review by the Course Co-ordinator a student may lodge an appeal against their final result for a course in accordance with this Manual.

Appeal a Final Result Procedure

(268) To lodge an appeal a student must submit an application within 10 University working days of the publication of the final result via the online portal Appeal Against a Final Result.

(269) The relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee will consider all valid appeals against a final result. Where the outcome of the appeal is to amend a final result, the CPAC will make a recommendation to the relevant delegate (see Table 8).

(270) Appeals that do not provide evidence of the following criteria will be rejected by the Secretary to the relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee: 

1. contact or attempted contact with the Course Co-ordinator (or nominee); and 
2. addressing at least one of the above valid appeal criteria listed in this Manual and including relevant supporting evidence in writing.

(271) Where an appeal is rejected the original final result for the course will stand.

(272) The relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee may request any additional information required to determine the outcome of an appeal.

(273) The College Progress and Appeals Committee may determine that: 

1. no amendment to the final result is required;  
2. an amendment to the final result is required;  
3. an amendment to the final result may be required due to a significant error in the assessment processes, and will then determine what remedial action (such as moderation of marking) may be required. When a moderation process is initiated all students who may be affected will be informed by the relevant Head of School or Head of Domestic Programs (or their nominee) that the process is being undertaken and warned that their marks may be varied upwards or downwards; or 
4. an amendment to the final result may be required, subject to the student completing a supplementary assessment item to be set by the relevant Course Co-ordinator. This determination will be used only when exceptional circumstances have prevented the student from applying for Adverse Circumstances, in accordance with the Adverse Circumstances Affecting Assessment Items Policy. 

(274) The Chair of the relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee is authorised to undertake urgent business between scheduled committee meetings. Actions taken under this delegation must be ratified by the relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee at the next meeting.

(275) The outcome of an Appeal Against a Final Result request will be actioned by the Secretary to the relevant College Progress and Appeals Committee or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee, including notifying the student of the outcome, usually within twenty-five University working days after publication of the final result. The notification should identify which appeal criteria formed the basis of the appeal decision.

(276) Each College Progress and Appeals Committee will report to their College Board annually on the activities initiated under this section. The Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Progress and Appeals Committee will report to the Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Board annually on the activities under this section. These reports must be available for compliance and monitoring if requested by Academic Senate.

Section 6 - Course Revision

Part I - Course Revision Policy

(277) Course revisions should not affect students currently enrolled in that course unless the revision is to correct an identified error.

(278) Corrections to typographical errors may be made at any point and do not require approval, providing the correction does not change the context.

School Level Course Revisions 

(279) School level course revisions are approved by the Head of School or Deputy Dean (Education) (PALSC).

(280) The types of course revisions that constitute a School Level Course Revision are outlined in Table 10 below:

Table 10 – School Level Course Revisions

College Level Course Revisions

(281) College level course revisions are approved by the College Board or the Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Board.

(282) The types of course revisions that constitute a College Level Course Revision are outlined in Table 11 below:

Table 11 – College Level Course Revisions

University Level Course Revisions

(283) University level course revisions are approved by the Program and Course Approval Committee.

(284) The types of course revisions that constitute a University Level Course Revision are outlined in Table 8 below:

Table 8 – University Level Course Revisions  

Part J - Course Revision Procedure

(285) Where a course is core, compulsory or part of an accredited program, and there is a proposed change the School will ensure that all relevant College Education and Innovation Officer or equivalent staff are notified of the change. Following appropriate consultation, the College Education and Innovation Officer will provide confirmation to the School that there will be no adverse impact upon the program and the proposed change may proceed or, alternatively, identify the need for further consultation involving the Assistant Dean (Education).

(286) When amending the term of offer of a course that is core or compulsory in a program or programs, the Head of School offering the course will ensure that all relevant College Education and Innovation Officers are notified of the change. Following appropriate consultation, the College Education and Innovation Officer will provide the School confirmation that there will be no adverse impact upon the program and the proposed change may proceed, or, alternatively identify a need for further consultation involving the Assistant Dean (Education).

Section 7 - Discontinuation

Part K - Course Discontinuation Procedure

(287) The approval authority for course discontinuation is outlined in Table 9 below:

Table 9 – Course Discontinuation – Approval Authorities

(288) If the discontinued course is a core or compulsory course within a program, the Head of School will ensure consultation with the Assistant Dean (Education) of the College offering the program. For enabling courses, if the discontinued course is a core or compulsory course within an enabling program, the Head of Domestic Programs will ensure consultation with the Deputy Dean (Education). The resultant major program revision must be submitted to the PCAC according to timelines so that students are not disadvantaged. If multiple Colleges and/or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre are involved all stakeholders need to be consulted on the change. Refer to the Program Management Manual - Coursework.

(289) If the course is contained in a course list for a program(s), the relevant Head of School will ensure that a notice of the intention to discontinue the course is provided to the Assistant Dean (Education) of the College which offers the program. The resultant minor program revision must be submitted to the relevant College Board or Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre Board according to timelines that will ensure students are not disadvantaged. Refer to the Program Management Manual - Coursework.

Section 8 - Relaxing Provision

(290) To provide for exceptional circumstances arising in any particular case (for an individual student or student cohort), the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Vice President and President Academic Senate in a joint capacity and on the recommendation of a Pro Vice-Chancellor, may relax any provision of this procedure manual except for clauses relating to the determination of appeals against final results.

Section 9 - Appendices

(291) Grading Scales and Administrative Codes

(292) Teaching Staff Reflection on Course Offering

(293) Learning Management System Teaching Courses: Minimum Presence

(294) Assessment Types and Combinations

(295) Course Coordinator Checklist

(296) School Assessment Body Generic Terms of Reference

(297) Coursework Program Teaching Qualification Guidelines

(298) Formal Examination Paper Creation and Review Checklist – Online Open Book Exams

(299) Formal Examination Paper Creation and Review Checklist - On Campus Exams

(300) Modes of Delivery for Courses