Postgraduate academic programs:
Where more than one-third of the assessable components of the total academic program are based on performance in courses, the program is a coursework academic program.

Where two-thirds or more of the assessable components of the total academic program are based on research performance, the program is a higher degree by research (HDR) academic program. For further information on HDR programs, see the Adelaide Graduate Centre website.

SCOPE AND APPLICATION

This policy applies to the design and delivery of all coursework academic programs. Programs already approved at 1 January 2011, and which do not comply with this policy, may continue in their present format until the date of their next scheduled program review (see clause 20), but are expected to be fully compliant by January 2016.

All staff engaged in the design and delivery of coursework academic programs are required to comply with this policy.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

3. Program structure

a. Coursework academic programs comprise courses, or a combination of courses and research components, each of which is assigned a value in units.

b. All coursework academic programs require a specified total of units to be successfully completed to qualify for the conferment of the relevant award. This total must be consistent with Table 1.

Table 1

Level of award	Total units required for completion of the award	Standard program duration
*VET sector*
Certificate III	12-14 units	1 year
Certificate IV	24 units 12 units (following a prior post-secondary qualification)	1 year 1 semester (1/2 a year)
Diploma	24 units	1 year
*Higher education sector*
Undergraduate
Diploma	24 units (if taken in conjunction with a Bachelor-level program)	1 year plus the length of the concurrent Bachelor degree
Bachelor Degree	Minimum 72 units, with additional units in groups of 24 only, for all programs except those listed below.	3 years plus 1 year for each additional 24 units
Honours (when taken as an additional qualification to a 72-unit Bachelor degree)	24 units	1 year
Postgraduate
* Professional Certificate	6 units	1 semester
* Graduate Certificate	12 units	1 semester
* Graduate Diploma	24 units	1 year
* Coursework Masters Degree**	24 units, following a 96-unit Bachelor degree or a Bachelor Degree plus a Graduate Diploma 36 or 48 or 72 units, following a 72-unit Bachelor degree	1 semester (1/2 a year) for each 12 units

* These awards, if in the same discipline area, are often articulated (nested), forming a seamless pathway from one qualification to the next.

** Masters-level degrees may be styled as "Doctor of". See the Principles for Degree Nomenclature for more information and Table 1 above.

c. Where an external accreditation agency requires an award to include extramural activities (such as a professional or clinical placement) as a condition of the award's acceptability for professional practice, an academic program may include these activities as a requirement for completion of the award, in addition to the course unit values specified in Table 1.

d. Variations from the unit-length of Masters degrees specified in Table 1 may be approved, as per clause 15, on the recommendation of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic), where there are sound pedagogical reasons for the variation.

4. Academic Program Rules

All coursework academic programs must have Academic Program Rules, which must specify the total units required for completion of the program, and the University of Adelaide courses or research units which are required or may be counted towards the program. Admission eligibility criteria and credit arrangement provisions are not included in Academic Program Rules.

5. Workloads

For a program being undertaken in accord with the standard academic program duration listed in Table 1, the standard total student workload is 48 hours a week. Programs must be designed so that workloads do not exceed this. [See also clause 24 for more on student workloads in courses].

[The standard academic program duration listed in Table 1 does not of itself prevent students from choosing to accelerate their program completion by taking additional courses in any teaching period; or, subject to clause 18, extending their program completion by taking fewer courses in any teaching period.]

6. Unit requirements

a. The minimum number of University of Adelaide units which:

i. are required for an award and

ii. must be unique to that award

are set out in Table 2.

[Note: The effect of the 'uniqueness' requirement is to limit cross-counting/credit of completed University of Adelaide awards to other University of Adelaide awards. The maximum cross-counting permitted is two-thirds of a completed undergraduate award towards another undergraduate award; and one-half of a completed postgraduate award towards another postgraduate award.]

Table 2

Level of award	Total units required for award	Minimum number of units which must be unique to award
*VET sector*
Certificate III	12-14	9
Certificate IV	24	9
Diploma	24	9
*Higher education sector*
Undergraduate
Diploma	24	9, with at least 6 at highest level
Bachelor Degree	72	24, with at least 12 at highest level*
Bachelor Degree	96 or more	36, with at least 18 at highest level*
End-on Honours program	24	At least one-half of the coursework component and all the thesis component
Postgraduate
Professional Certificate	6	6 **
Graduate Certificate	12	9**
Graduate Diploma	24	12**
Masters Degree	24-72	one-half of total units required, plus all of any thesis component
* Where a Program Rule specifies that a Major must be completed at the University of Adelaide, that Rule must also be satisfied in addition to this requirement. ** A lesser University of Adelaide postgraduate award may be counted in full towards a higher award, where the lesser award is part of a formally articulated program (e.g. Graduate Certificate/Graduate Diploma/Masters degree). For information about credit for prior or concurrent learning undertaken outside the University of Adelaide, see the Academic Credit Arrangements Policy.

b. Programs must be designed so that they are capable of delivering the minimum number of units which must be unique to that award.

c. For Bachelor Degree programs, not more than 30 units of level I courses may be permitted to count towards the award.

7. Undergraduate double and combined programs

a. No new programs may be developed with the designation 'Combined Degree'. A multi-disciplinary single degree program, drawing on elements of existing programs, may be developed, named and approved in accordance with this policy.

b. Planned pathways to double degrees (where two separate degrees are awarded on completion) may be established, provided they are consistent with Table 2.

8. Parallel teaching

a. Undergraduate courses may be included in any postgraduate program, provided the undergraduate courses are at least at Honours level, or at level IV in an undergraduate academic program that is 96 units or more in length.

b. Professional Certificate, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and conversion Masters programs (i.e. those where the primary purpose of the program is to 'convert' a student from their undergraduate discipline to another discipline) may include level II or III courses, provided the postgraduate students in the courses

i. are offered additional or separate delivery and/or tutorials and discussions, and

ii. undertake additional or separate assessment tasks with appropriate criteria that acknowledge the different expectations, learning styles, prior knowledge and life experiences of postgraduate students.

c. Extension Masters degree programs (i.e. those where the primary purpose is to deepen the student's knowledge in a field of study in which they have already earned a Bachelor's degree) may not include any undergraduate courses below level IV unless approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic), such approval to extend to the next scheduled review of the program.

9. Nested awards

Nested postgraduate programs leading to a Masters award, where the lower award may count in full towards the higher award (e.g. a Graduate Certificate / Graduate Diploma / Masters combination), must allow admission to and exit from any level of the nested programs.

10. Research pathways

Coursework Masters programs which are designed to provide a pathway into a Doctor of Philosophy research program must:

a. be at least 48 units in length; and

b. include at least 15 units of research, as follows:

i. Not less than 12 units must be assessed by dissertation and seminar. In areas of professional practice, these 12 units may include 3 units of reports/exegeses and presentations/performances/design.

ii. Up to 3 units may take the form of formal training in methodology or other research-related content.

11. Admission criteria

All admission eligibility criteria for all coursework academic programs are reviewed and approved periodically by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic), on recommendation of the Coursework Entry Committee acting on behalf of Academic Board, in accord with authorities in the Admissions to Coursework Programs Policy. For new academic programs, this approval is required in addition to the approvals specified in this policy.

12. Joint programs

a. Academic programs may be developed jointly with other Australian and international institutions and organisations, provided they are:

i. articulation arrangements, where credit is to be given for another institution's courses towards the University of Adelaide program (in accord with the Academic Credit Arrangements Policy) and/or the other institution's program is an admission requirement to a University of Adelaide program; or

ii. programs leading to joint academic awards or programs funded under the Erasmus Mundus program of the European Union, all of which must be developed in accord with the Jointly Conferred Academic Awards policy (acknowledging that variations to the application of that policy may be required for Erasmus Mundus where the award is dual or multiple rather than joint); or

iii. arrangements for shared teaching, where the award is conferred solely by the University of Adelaide

and the arrangements are the subject of a legally binding agreement.

b. No other joint academic program arrangements are permitted, including dual degrees (where mutual advanced standing is given between two institutions, resulting in the student receiving a separate award from each institution based on the workload of just one award), except with the approval of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic).

13. Program management

a. All programs must be allocated to a program management committee. This may be an existing Faculty or School committee, where appropriate.

b. An academic member of staff must be designated as Program Coordinator for each academic program.

c. The duties of Program Management Committees and Program Coordinators may be specified from time to time by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) and/or the relevant Executive Dean(s).

14. Nomenclature

Academic program names must accord with nomenclature principles specified from time to time by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic).

15. Approval

a. New academic programs and major changes to or deletion of existing academic programs, including new, changed and deleted Academic Program Rules, are approved by the Vice-Chancellor on the recommendation of Academic Board and must be submitted in accord with the Program Development and Approval processes, including definitions of major and minor changes, specified from time to time by the Program Approval Committee.

b. Minor changes to academic programs and consequential changes to Academic Program Rules may be approved by the relevant Executive Dean.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM COMPLETION

16. Requirements

a. Subject to the discharge of financial obligations to the University under Statute Chapter 89, a student who successfully completes the requirements of the Academic Program Rules for a particular academic program is entitled to be admitted to the award for that program.

b. When determining whether a program has been completed:

i. no course may be counted twice towards a single award;

ii. no course may be counted towards an award if it contains a substantial amount of the same material as another course counting towards the award;

iii. credit granted in accord with the Academic Credit Arrangements Policy may be counted.

[For further information on credit, including counting previously completed courses, exemptions, and recognition of prior learning, see the Academic Credit Arrangements Policy.]

17. Change to Academic Program Rules

Where Academic Program Rules for a program change, the rules which applied at the time a student first commenced studies in that program will apply to that student throughout the student's period of study in that program, except that:

a. an Executive Dean may approve variations to the application of Academic Program Rules for a student:

i. to accommodate changes to specific courses and/or their availability, or

ii. in circumstances which, in the opinion of the Executive Dean, are exceptional.

Any such variation must not require a student to complete more units to meet the requirements of their academic program than were required under the rules which applied when the student first commenced studies.

b. subject to 17.a., a student may choose to have a later set of Academic Program Rules for the program in which they are enrolled apply to them, provided the chosen rules are applied in full.

18. Time limits

a. The time limit for completion of any single academic program is as follows:

Table 3

	Time limit
Where the standard duration of the academic program is 1 year or less	4 years
For all other programs	3 times the standard duration of that program (see Table 1)

Time limit

Where the standard duration of the academic program is 1 year or less

4 years

For all other programs

3 times the standard duration of that program

(see Table 1)

b. Exceptions may be approved by the relevant Executive Dean if, in the Executive Dean's opinion, there are special circumstances.

c. There may be a presumption that a University of Adelaide course completed more than 10 years ago no longer meets the prior knowledge requirement for a current course.

i. Executive Deans, or their delegates, may approve processes for the assessment of currency of University of Adelaide courses completed more than 10 years ago. Where appropriate, a student may be required to re-enrol in and successfully complete a course previously completed, before being permitted to enrol in a later course or to have an award conferred.

ii. There is no time limit on counting a course as an unrestricted elective in an academic program, provided it otherwise meets the relevant program requirements.

[Clause 18 does not prevent the University implementing specific re-admission and/or re-enrolment procedures for students who do not enrol in consecutive semesters in the program/s in which they are admitted.]

19. Surrender of a lesser award

Where a student has completed a lesser award which articulates directly with a higher award there is no requirement for the student to surrender the lesser award before the higher award is conferred.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW

20. Review process

All academic programs must be reviewed in accord with the Program Review Process and schedule, usually every 5 years, specified from time to time by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Quality).

21. Program closure

If an academic program at any time appears to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) not to be viable because of low enrolments, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) may close the program unless the relevant Executive Dean is able to justify its continuation. Closure on other grounds is determined by the Vice-Chancellor and President on recommendation of the Academic Board.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

This section applies to undergraduate (including honours) and postgraduate courses, but not to courses offered as part of VET sector programs.

22. Unit value

All courses, and research-only components of coursework academic programs, must have a unit value which is a multiple of 3.

[Courses in the Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Oral Health programs are exempt from this requirement.]

23. Minimum structured learning activities

a. All courses must be structured to guarantee students the minimum hours of structured learning activities specified in Table 4:

Table 4

Unit value of course	Hours required
3-unit course	36 hours
6-unit course	72 hours
9-unit course	108 hours
12-unit course	144 hours

b. Structured learning activities include lectures, tutorials, demonstrations, practicals, laboratory activities and directed research or other academic activities. These may be given online or delivered or supervised by a member of academic staff.

Examples: A minimum of 36 hours per 3-unit course equates to the following:

i. When the teaching period is 12 weeks long: 3 hours of structured learning activities per week

ii. When the teaching period is 6 weeks long: 6 hours of structured learning activities per week

iii. When the teaching period is in intensive mode over a period of less than 5 weeks: a minimum of 36 hours of structured learning activities is required in total.

c. Exemptions from the requirements of Table 4 may be approved by the Executive Dean, in writing, provided they are satisfied there are sound pedagogical reasons for the exemption, and the exemption is reported to the University Learning and Teaching Committee.

24. Designated student workloads

a. Courses must be designed on the basis that the total student workload specified in Table 5 is the standard expectation for students to engage appropriately with the course requirements.

Table 5

Unit value of course	Expected total student workload
3-unit course	156 hours
6-unit course	312 hours
9-unit course	468 hours
12-unit course	624 hours

b. These workloads apply regardless of the length of the course (semester, trimester, intensive teaching period) or the mode of delivery (online, direct contact or a mixture).

c. Workload includes a range of learning activities, such as lectures, tutorials, supervised practicals, laboratory activities, independent study, assessment tasks, exams, research and other academic activities.

d. Exemptions from the workload requirement may be approved by the relevant Executive Dean, provided they are satisfied there are sound pedagogical reasons for the exemption, and the exemption is reported to the University Learning and Teaching Committee.

Example:

A 3-unit course requires a total designated workload of 156 hours.
If spread over a 12 or 13-week semester, this equates to 12-13 hours per week.
If spread over a 6-week Summer School, this equates to 26 hours per week.

25. Course approval

All courses and course changes must be approved in accordance with the process specified by the relevant Executive Dean and/or Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic).

25.1 Prior Knowledge

a. Courses may be structured on the basis of assumed knowledge or prerequisites or co-requisites or all three, provided these are approved as part of the Course Approval process, and stated in the Course Profile. The University's preference is that assumed knowledge rather than prerequisites be specified, where possible.

b. Approval of pre-requisites for level I courses in undergraduate programs must be obtained in accordance with the authorities in the Admissions to Coursework Programs Policy.

26. Assessment

Course assessment must be designed and implemented in accord with the Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy.

27. Course Results

All final results for all courses must follow the University's approved Mark / Grade Schemes.

28. Course offerings

a. While some courses may not be offered every year, Executive Deans must ensure sufficient courses are offered to enable a student to complete a program in which they are enrolled within the standard program duration (see Table 1 in clause 3).

b. Subject to 28.a., once a course has been approved and publicised in University promotional material (including the online Course Planner, or in any other web-based or print-based material accessible from or distributed outside the University), it may only be cancelled with the approval of the Executive Dean after consultation with all other Executive Deans (unless that course is without doubt not relevant to any program outside the Executive Dean's Faculty) and in accord with any government requirements that apply at the time. The Executive Dean must ensure that alternative arrangements are communicated to all students who have enrolled in the cancelled course.

*Key*	*Authority Category*	*Authority*	*Delegation holder*	*Limit*	*Reference in Policy*
Academic	Programs	Approve new academic programs, major changes to existing academic programs, deletion of existing academic programs. Approve new, changed and deleted Academic Program Rules.	Vice-Chancellor and President (authority to change rules pursuant to delegation from Council)	On recommendation of Academic Board, following Program Approval Committee recommendation	15.a.
Academic	Programs	Approve minor changes to existing academic programs, and consequential changes to Academic Program Rules	Executive Deans (Authority to change rules pursuant to delegation from Council)		15.b.
Academic	Programs	Approve nomenclature principles for academic programs	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)	On recommendation of Academic Board, following Program Approval Committee recommendation	14
Academic	Programs	Approve abbreviations for academic program names, in accord with nomenclature principles	Chair, Program Approval Committee	On recommendation of Program Approval Committee
Academic	Programs	Specify the duties of program management committees and Program Coordinators	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) and/or Executive Deans		14
Academic	Programs	Approve variations to the applicable Academic Program Rules for an individual student	Executive Deans	As set out in clause 17.a of the Coursework Academic Programs Policy	17.a.
Academic	Programs	Approve exceptions to the program completion time limit requirements of clause 18 of the Coursework Academic Programs Policy	Executive Deans		18
Academic	Programs	Approve processes for the assessment of currency of University of Adelaide courses completed more than 10 years ago, as per clause 18.c.1.	Executive Deans		18
Academic	Programs	Specify the program and schedule for academic program reviews	Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Quality)		20
Academic	Programs	Close an academic program due to low enrolments	Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic)		21
Academic	Programs	Approve exemptions from the minimum structured learning requirements of clause 23 of the Coursework Academic Programs Academic Policy	Executive Deans	Provided there are sound pedagogical reasons, and exemptions reported to ULTC	23.c
Academic	Programs	Approve exemptions from the student work load requirements of clause 24 of the Coursework Academic Programs Policy	Executive Deans	Provided there are sound pedagogical reasons, and exemptions reported to ULTC	24
Academic	Programs	Approve processes for approval of new courses and course changes	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) and Executive Deans		25
Academic	Programs	Approve cancellation of a course that has approved and publicised in University promotional material, as specified in clause 28 of the Coursework Academic Programs Policy	Executive Deans	As specified in clause 28b of the Coursework Academic Programs Policy	28.b
Academic	Programs	Specify the duties of Course Coordinators	Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic) and/or Executive Deans		29
Academic	Programs	Approve the Course Profile template and completion timelines	Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic)		30
Academic	Programs	Approve nomenclature principles for courses	Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Academic)		31
Academic	Programs	Approve a process for review of courses	Executive Deans		32

Date uploaded 29 July 2011

This document is a component of Coursework Academic Programs Policy

To link to this policy:

Please use the following URL instead of linking to individual documents:
https://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/669

Policy Control Information

RMO File No.	2020/13496
Policy custodian	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Responsible policy officer	Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Learning)
Endorsed by	Academic Board
Approved by	Vice-Chancellor and President
Related Policies	Schedule A: Workplace-based Learning Schedule B: Learning Management Systems Schedule C: Recording of Teaching Activities Schedule D: Program Management Schedule E: Course Coordinator Responsibilities
Effective from	1 January 2023
Review Date	31 March 2026
Contact for queries about the policy	Educational Compliance: eqcompliance@adelaide.edu.au

Please refer to the Policy Directory for the latest version.