• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Curriculum Amendments and Removals
• Amendments requiring new curriculum to be created
• Courses
• Units
• Significant Curriculum Changes
• Amendment or Removal of a Unit
• Other Types of Curriculum Amendments
• Administrative amendments
• Consequential changes
• Section 4 -  Transition and Teach-Out
• Approach to Transition
• Development and Approval of Transition Plans
• Approach to Teach-Out
• Development and Approval of Teach-out Plans
• Implementation and Monitoring of Transition and Teach-out Plans
• Section 5 - Curriculum Equivalency
• Unit Substitution
• Section 6 - Communication and Publication of Changes
• Student Communication
• Section 7 - Associated Documents

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

Purpose

(1) These Procedures set out the process for amending or removing courses, specialisations, majors or units to ensure that:

1. Amended curriculum continues to meet the requirements of the Curriculum Policy and
2. Students impacted by the curriculum change or removal are not disadvantaged.

Scope

(2) These Procedure apply to all coursework award courses and pathway programs (including ELICOS) and associated specialisations, majors and units.

Section 2 - Definitions

(3) The Definitions (Academic) Policy applies to these Procedures.

Section 3 - Curriculum Amendments and Removals

(4) Changes to curriculum are made in accordance with the Curriculum Policy and approved in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities.

(5) The type of curriculum change determines the process to be followed. Refer to the Curriculum Amendment: Course Schedule. 

(6) Proposals to amend or remove curriculum must comply with the Curriculum Development Planning Timeline, published annually by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Innovation).

(7) If a Faculty/College proposes to remove or amend a course outside of the published timelines, they must first seek permission from the Vice President (Students) and Registrar by submitting an Exemption from Timeline Request. The request must include details of the consequential changes to any other courses or units across the University.

Amendments requiring new curriculum to be created

(8) New curriculum must be created where amendments to courses, specialisations, majors or units fundamentally change the expected outcomes, or representation of expected outcomes, for students or the broader community (academic and non-academic).

Courses

(9) The following types of amendment will require a new course to be created:

1. Changes to Award type at the same AQF level
2. AQF level
3. Change from coursework to research award
4. Volume of learning or the duration of course
5. Changes that would result in a loss of accreditation or recognition by a relevant external accrediting body (as determined by Academic Board)
6. Fundamental change to course structure when the majority of current students cannot transition without disadvantage and the current structure will not be taught-out.
7. Course titles

Units

(10) The following types of amendments require new units to be created:

1. Unit code
2. Credit point value
3. Unit type (for example, undergraduate/postgraduate/non-award/research)
4. Level of Learning
5. Capstone Unit Status
6. Field of Education where the HECS band is changed
7. Where the unit amendment is so significant that completion of the unit would not be recognised as meeting requirements of the previous version

Significant Curriculum Changes

(11) Proposals to make significant changes to curriculum cannot be progressed until a Significant Curriculum Change Proposal (SCCP) has been developed and approved in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities. 

(12) An amendment is considered 'significant' where it:

1. Represents a fundamental change of course structure, and new curriculum is not required, as per clause (9).
2. Represents a strategic change to the University's course offerings, including changes to approved delivery modes or locations.

(13) SCCP must be developed and submitted in accordance with the Curriculum Development Planning Timeline using the SCCP Template and provide sufficient information to allow evaluation of the:

1. rationale for the proposed removal or amendment and how this aligns with the University’s strategy and priorities;
2. potential impacts on external accreditation, if relevant;
3. proposed final teaching period into which the University will admit students into the existing (or existing version) course;
4. the likely impact on offered, admitted and enrolled student cohorts, including whether Teach-out or Transition will apply;
5. where the course is offered to international onshore students, how the University will meet its obligations for provider default under the Education for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cth); and 
6. the impact of the removal or amendment on other courses at the University, together with a list of courses which require a consequential amendment.

(14) For the proposed amendment to progress, the SCCP must be approved in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities.

(15) Following approval of the SCCP,

1. for amendments: Details of the proposed amendment are recorded in the UCMS together with the approved SCCP;
2. if required, a Transition or Teach-out Plan is developed in accordance with these Procedures and approved in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities; 
3. in the case of a proposed course removal, the status of the course is then changed in the Student Management System to "phasing out" to reflect that the course has gone into teach-out and no further students will be admitted.

(16) The significant amendment or removal must then be approved in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities (in the case of a proposed course removal, this cannot occur until no students remain admitted to the course).

(17) When a significant amendment to a course is approved:

1. the amendment is implemented in the Student Management System; and
2. creation of a new or deletion of an existing CRICOS code may be required, as determined by the Office of Business Intelligence and Quality.

(18) When a course removal is approved the course will be considered disaccredited and the status changed to "discontinued" in the Student Management System.

(19) Any amendments to a course that is in teach-out are still required to be developed in accordance with the Curriculum Policy and approved in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities. 

Amendment or Removal of a Unit

(20) Amendments to, or removal of, units are developed and approved in the UCMS in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities. 

(21) The impacts of a proposed amendment or removal of a unit must be determined in consultation with all relevant Course Coordinators, and the outcomes of such consultation and analysis documented in the UCMS.

(22) When an amendment to a unit is approved, the amendment will be implemented in the Student Management System.

Other Types of Curriculum Amendments

Administrative amendments

(23) Administrative amendments such as obvious clerical, typographical, grammatical and numbering errors are progressed using the process specified by Governance Services and approved in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities. 

Consequential changes

(24) Consequential changes to the curriculum, as defined in the Curriculum Policy, are developed, approved and implemented in accordance with the process set out in the Consequential Changes Schedule to the Curriculum Policy. 

Section 4 -  Transition and Teach-Out

(25) Transition applies in the following cases:

1. students are transitioned within the same course; or
2. students are transitioned into a new course

(26) Teach-out applies when a decision has been made to cease offering a course, specialisation or major.

Approach to Transition

(27) The Vice President (Students) and Registrar is authorised to determine if transition would result in student disadvantage and therefore where additional support or teach-out is required.

(28) Student disadvantage would be regarded as, that if due to the transition:

1. the equivalent full time or part study time load of students would increase;
2. the cost for students would increase;
3. students would be unable to complete their studies at the same location and in the same delivery mode;
4. international student visa holders were unable to maintain the study requirements to meet their visa conditions; or
5. students would be required to under or over-enrol in units in any teaching period.

(29) When a course is significantly amended to the extent that a new version of a course is created, or when a course is to be removed, the following applies:

1. All current students will normally be offered the option to transition to an equivalent course offered by the University, provided this does not disadvantage them.
2. If any current students choose not to transition to an equivalent course or units, specialisation or major at the University, cannot be transitioned without suffering a disadvantage, or there is a risk of provider default, the course must continue to be delivered ("taught out") in accordance with the Curriculum Availability Procedures until no students remain enrolled in the course, specialisations or major.
3. In exceptional circumstances, when a course or specialisation is being removed and neither the option to transition to an equivalent at the University nor teach-out the course or specialisation are feasible for a particular student or student cohort, the University may assist the affected student(s) to transfer into an equivalent course or specialisation at another institution.

(30) When a course, specialisation or major is subject to a significant amendment, current students may be required to either:

1. transition to the new version of the course or specialisations or majors, provided this does not disadvantage them; or
2. continue in the current version of the course or specialisations or majors, in which case it must be taught out in accordance with the Curriculum Availability Procedures until no students remain admitted.

(31) In the case of the arrangements specified in clause (29), the University may make different arrangements for different student cohorts and is not required to provide students with the choice to opt in or out of particular arrangements (although it may do so if desired), provided no students are disadvantaged.

(32) Transition Plans may include substitution of units in students' study plans to provide credit for previously completed units and prevent disadvantage to students, provided that all students will meet:

1. the course learning outcomes; and
2. any external accreditation requirements.

Development and Approval of Transition Plans

(33) A Transition Plan will be developed by Student Administration Services in consultation with the relevant Faculty/College, using a standard Transition Plan template. The Plan must be endorsed by the Associate Dean (Education) and approved by the Vice President (Students) and Registrar before a significant amendment to, or removal of, a course is submitted for approval in accordance with the Course and Unit Approval Authorities. 

(34) The Transition Plan will detail:

1. all students currently enrolled in the course by cohort;
2. the proposed transition approach, including any proposed unit substitutions and the rationale for the proposed approach, for each student cohort;
3. consultation that has taken place with students to inform the recommended transition approach and development of the Transition Plan;
4. the proposed plan for communication with students in each student cohort once the curriculum amendment or removal has been approved;
5. the proposed plan for communication with relevant external stakeholders including TEQSA or other government departments, which also must be developed in consultation with Office of Business Intelligence and Quality;
6. the proposed plan to reflect the amendment/removal in marketing materials such as UAC and QTAC guides, and marketing materials for international students, which must also be developed in consultation with Marketing; and
7. the proposed date on which the course will be disaccredited.

Approach to Teach-Out

(35) A course, specialisation or major in teach-out must continue to be delivered to students for a duration equal to the minimum of:

1. the duration required for all remaining students to complete the course, specialisation or major, if the students were to enrol in their remaining units in the most expedient manner based on the recommended progression for their study mode (full-time or part-time) and successfully complete the remaining units on their first attempt, plus one year.
2. the published normal duration of the course, specialisation or major for a full-time student, plus one year.

(36) When teach-out is required due to the proposed removal of a course, specialisation or major, the course, specialisation or major in teach-out may continue to be amended in accordance with the normal requirements for curriculum amendments to facilitate timely student progress and completion and to meet the operational needs of the University.

(37) When a new version of a course, specialisation or major is approved and it is determined to teach-out one or more student cohorts in the existing version, no further amendments to the existing version are permissible. However, unit substitutions may be approved if required at any time until the teach-out process is complete, in accordance with clauses (37) to (39).

(38) Courses, specialisations or majors in teach-out must continue to comply with all relevant requirements of the University's policies relating to the taught curriculum, including (but not limited to) those set out in the relevant Rules Relating to Awards, the Academic Quality, Standards and Integrity Policy, the Assessment, Teaching and Learning Policy , the Curriculum Policy and associated Procedures.

Development and Approval of Teach-out Plans

(39) Teach-out plans are developed by Student Administration Services in consultation with Faculty, using the Teach-Out Plan template.

(40) Following recommendation from the Associate Dean (Education), teach-out plans for each discontinued course where they are currently applied, offered or admitted students are submitted to the Vice President (Students) and Registrar for approval.

(41) The Teach-Out plan must include:  

1. A cohort impact assessment per the Student Cohort Impact Assessment Guidelines
2. A final expected date for the completion of teach-out, based on the maximum completion time for the course beginning from the year students were last admitted to the course
3. A projection of the anticipated number of admitted students from the current year until the year teach-out is expected to be completed
4. Detail the units that will be offered over the period of teach-out, including indicating where unit substitutes will be used, and final offerings of each unit;
5. Detail how the integrity of the course will be maintained, and its course learning outcomes met during the teach-out process, and or by mapping equivalence of unit any substituted units (including indicating where course amendment will be required for course in teach-out);
6. Plan for students’ study load based on current student course enrolments;
7. Identify alternative pathways/courses, accelerate study periods and subject streaming to ensure class size viability and student course completion within completion dates;
8. Include completion dates for current intakes and last intake and should be made in conjunction with Office of Business Intelligence and Quality and Student Administration Services;
9. Detail the implications for student progress in the course; and
10. Include a teach-out timetable, with a maximum period of x

Implementation and Monitoring of Transition and Teach-out Plans

(42) A report will be provided by the Associate Dean (Education) of the relevant Faculty or College to each meeting of the Student Academic Experience Committeedetailing progress on implementation of all Transition Plans, including:

1. impediments, or anticipated impediments, to implementation of the approved plan and timely student completion.
2. unit substitutions approved under clause (39), and the rationale for such approvals.
3. concerns raised by students, staff, or external accrediting bodies, and how those concerns have been (or are proposed to be) addressed.
4. impacts, or anticipated impacts, on student progress or retention.
5. proposed changes to the plan required to enable students to successfully progress or complete their studies, developed in consultation with Student Administration Services.
6. substantive changes to a Transition Plan must be approved by the Vice President (Students) and Registrar and reported to the next meeting of the Student Academic Experience Committee for ratification.

Section 5 - Curriculum Equivalency

(43) For the new (or new version of the) course, specialisation or major to be considered equivalent to the existing course, specialisation or major it must:

1. develop cognate skills and knowledge with the original course or specialisation or major;
2. provide the opportunity for students to complete any specialisations or majors that they have already commenced, if applicable;
3. have sufficiently similar learning outcomes that a transitioning student can meet the new learning outcomes based on units already completed, regardless of whether the units in the new course or specialisation or major are different; and
4. enable a student to obtain the same external accreditation outcomes.

(44) Equivalence between new and existing versions of a course or specialisation or major does not require that students have:

1. the same hours of community engaged learning or other course opportunities such as mobility, unless this would result in significant student disadvantage; or
2. the same choice of minors or electives.

Unit Substitution

(45) When students are to be transitioned into a new course, specialisation or major, or where a new version of the course, specialisation or major is to be created due to an amendment, Accreditation Committee may approve substitution of individual units or groups of units for specified student cohorts may occur provided that the proposed substitution demonstrably ensures that all affected students will still meet:

1. all learning outcomes of the course or specialisation or major.
2. any external accreditation requirements.

(46) When amendment of a course or specialisation is proposed to enable teach-out, unit substitution may be additionally facilitated by creating a choice of unit groups in the course structure to provide students with flexibility in the combination of units they are required to complete. In this case, all possible combinations of choice in the amended curriculum structure must individually satisfy the requirements of the Curriculum Policy and Curriculum Design and Development Procedures, and the Course and Unit Approval Authorities.

(47) Unit substitution for individual students may additionally occur:

1. through recognition of previously completed units in accordance with the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and  Recognition of Prior Learning Assessment of Applications Procedures. 
2. in accordance with clause (76) of Rules Relating to Awards – Rule 2 – Coursework Awards – General Provisions. 

Section 6 - Communication and Publication of Changes

(48) A Communication Plan must be developed as part of the Transition or Teach-out plan, to ensure stakeholders are advised of changes by the appropriate delegate, in a timely, transparent and stakeholder focussed manner. Stakeholder groups include:

1. All impacted student cohorts per Student Cohort Impact Assessment Guidelines;
2. Relevant academic and professional staff;
3. External partners;
4. Educational agents; and
5. Any other community stakeholders as identified in the Communication Plan

Student Communication

(49) Once a Transition Plan or Teach-out Plan have been approved, all impacted students will be advised by Client Services, in consultation with the relevant Course Coordinator(s), of:

1. the approved changes to the curriculum;
2. the approved approach to transition / teach-out;
3. the date by which they must have completed, or transitioned out of, the existing version of the course, specialisation or major;
4. any further action they are required to take; and
5. who they can contact with questions, to seek assistance, or for further advice.

(50) The content and distribution of all communications with students concerning significant amendments to, or removal of, courses must be approved by the Vice President (Students) and Registrar.

(51) Once a curriculum amendment is approved, details will be updated on the University's public webpages as soon as practicable. So that students can easily locate the curriculum requirements relevant to their studies, when the amendment involves creation of a new version of a course or specialisation or major:

(52) Details of any previous versions of the course or unit that are in teach-out must remain accessible on the University's public webpages and will normally be associated with a particular year of student admission.

(53) Details of any unit substitutions for specific student cohorts approved in accordance with clause (37) will be listed on the University's public webpages for the relevant course or specialisation or major.

(54) Students will be notified individually by Student Administration Servicesof any unit substitutions approved and their study plans updated accordingly.

Section 7 - Associated Documents

(55) Curriculum Amendments Table

(56) Student Cohort Impact Assessment Guidelines

(57) Significant Curriculum Change Proposal Template