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Curriculum Approval Procedures

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Part A - Courses

Course Development and Approval

(1) The development of a new course requires consideration of the rationale for the course, employment opportunities for students and graduates, professional accreditation details if applicable, and anticipated student demand.

(2) A new course requires the development of a Course Concept Proposal (CCP) and, if approved, a Full Course Proposal (FCP).

(3) The development of new courses and units must include evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration where approriate and socialisation with the Deputy Deans or equivalent.

Course Concept Proposal

(4) The CCP is developed by the School/Division after approval from the School Executive or equivalent, and in consultation with other Schools, University Research Institutes and Western Sydney University - The College (The College) if required. It allows the University Executive Committee to consider how well the proposed course fits with the University's strategic plans and academic profile. The CCP must provide sufficient information for the relevant committees to assess financial viability and resources required to support delivery of the proposed course. 

(5) A CCP must include an evidence-based business case, including consultation with either an external advisory committee or other industry and community stakeholders, and consultation with the Office of Marketing and Communications for an assessment of anticipated employer demand for the course and graduate employability, including professional accreditation requirements if applicable. 

(6) A CCP must include student demand and market research from a minimum of two sources, e.g. the Office of Business Intelligence and Performance, Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor, International, Office of Marketing and Communication, External Advisory Committee, independent market analysis.

(7) A CCP review by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Academic is required to ensure that:

  1. any market demand data sources are appropriately referenced;
  2. any key differences in views on market demand and load projections are highlighted in the CCP; and
  3. the preliminary proposed structure adheres to the relevant Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) and University policies.

(8) A CCP must include evidence of interdisciplinary and cross-School collaboration where appropriate and socialisation of the course concept with the Deputy Deans or equivalent.

(9) A Review of the CCP by the relevant Management Accountant, School Manager and Dean is required prior to submission to the Business and Infrastructure Development Committee (BIDC).

(10) The CCP is submitted by the Dean or equivalent to BIDC for endorsement before submission to the Executive Committee for approval.

Full Course Proposal

(11) After approval of the CCP, a FCP is developed. The CCP will be attached to the FCP upon submission to the approving committees. The purpose of an FCP is to provide details of the delivery of the course and its components, and evidence of alignment with AQF requirements and the Higher Education Standards (HES).  

(12) The FCP should be developed by an appropriately qualified disciplinary lead/expert, who may be external to the University. The Multi-Disciplinary Teaching and Learning Committees (MTALC) should be consulted in the development of the FCP. 

(13) The School Academic Committee (SAC) will review the FCP and recommend proposals to Academic Planning and Courses Approvals Committee (APCAC) when it is satisfied with their academic quality. Following endorsement by APCAC, the FCP will be referred to Academic Senate for final consideration and approval.

New Curriculum Taught by The College

(14) The approval process for curriculum to be taught by The College, such as Foundation Studies, diplomas and associate degrees, is the same as for the approval of undergraduate curriculum as detailed in these procedures, with additional The College approvals.

(15) Approval to develop new courses as preparatory courses and/or pathways into bachelor degrees must be endorsed by The College Board.

(16) A CCP and FCP must be endorsed by The College Academic Pathway Programs (APP) Committee as well as by any relevant SAC and then APCAC. Following endorsement by those academic committees, the FCP will be referred to Academic Senate for final consideration and approval. Academic Senate or APCAC may seek further advice from The College's APP Committee or Board.

Major and Sub-Major Development and Approval

(17) New majors and sub-majors can be included in course documentation, or can be submitted via a Proposal Form. The Proposal Form includes details of the delivery of the major or sub-major and its components, and evidence of alignment with AQF requirements and the Higher Education Standards (HES).  

(18) Approval of a new major or sub-major is by APCAC, after endorsement by SAC.

Variations to a Course

(19) Where changes to an existing course result in one or more of the following changes, then it is considered a new course and a CCP must be submitted as above (see section Course Concept Proposal):

  1. Change to qualification awarded, e.g. change from Bachelor (Honours) degree to Graduate Diploma.
  2. Change from postgraduate Masters, Doctorate by coursework (predominantly coursework) to a research degree, i.e. including at least two-thirds research work.
  3. Change to expected learning outcomes that provide training for different (broadened or specialised) scope of professional practice, such as a new major or course focus, e.g. change to course focus on forensic accounting instead of management accounting. 
  4. Change in the duration of a course of study or the volume of learning.
  5. Changes to entry requirements where this would change the consequent type and level of learning experiences that flow from the change, e.g. change from undergraduate to graduate entry, or new and substantial requirements for prerequisite professional or workplace experiences.
  6. Change to design and delivery to fundamentally change the graduate capabilities and/or capacity to meet new community expectations, e.g. change to include an unprecedented predominance of ‘best-practice’ work-integrated learning (WIL).
  7. Change to include a capability not previously demonstrated, e.g. adding new field of education not previously taught.

(20) Course variations must be approved in accordance with the Course Approval Authorities and Delegations.

(21) Change proposals, including transition arrangements for continuing students, must be submitted as a course variation to SAC and approved by APCAC. 

(22) Any changes to courses that are the responsibility of one or more school/divisional unit must be considered by all relevant School Academic Committees before proceeding to APCAC.

(23) Any proposals to change a course must address any potential effects on professional accreditation and special requirements of the course.

Variations to a Course also Taught by The College or Other Third Parties

(24) The School, which is the custodian of the course, must consult The College or other third-party organisation during the development of the variation if the change is likely to affect delivery of an equivalent or related course.

Transition Arrangements

(25) A new course replacing another course and all variations to courses must be accompanied by a transition plan for continuing students and approved by APCAC.

(26) Transition arrangements must ensure students are able to continue their studies without disruption to their duration of study.

(27) Course owners are responsible for communicating transition details to affected students.

Course Suspension, Discontinuation, Retirement or Termination

(28) The Dean or Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Academic, after discussion with the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Senior DVC), can propose suspension or discontinuation of a course to the Vice-Chancellor and President. 

Suspension of Intake to a Course

(29) A course owner may propose the suspension of an intake of students to a course for a period of up to two years.  

(30) The proposal to suspend a course must be made at least six months prior to the next planned intake.

(31) The proposed suspension of a course must be discussed with The College or other third-party provider if delivered by them.

(32) The Dean or Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Academic, after discussion with the Senior DVC, can propose a suspension of a intake to a course to the Vice-Chancellor and President, with  the SAC, APCAC and Academic Senate to then be notified.

(33) The proposal for suspension should provide the rationale for suspension, the arrangements to accommodate students currently enrolled in the course and those with offers to an approved pathway to that course, including international offers, and the effect of suspension on other courses with shared units. The SAC must provide details of proposed transition arrangements to APCAC for consideration and, if endorsed, will be recommended to Academic Senate for approval.

(34) A School may request approval of the suspension of a course for a third year.

(35) If a request for extension is not made, the course will automatically be made available for the next planned intake.

(36) If the suspension is to be removed early, APCAC is to be advised of the intention to lift a suspension at least six months before the next planned intake.

Discontinuation of a Course

(37) A School may wish to discontinue all future intakes of students to a course.

(38) The proposal to discontinue a course must be made at least six months prior to the next planned intake.

(39) Prior to notification to the SAC, APCAC and Academic Senate, the Dean will discuss with the Senior DVC before seeking endorsement from the Vice-Chancellor and President. Where there is a third-party provider, the Dean will also discuss the proposed discontinuation with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Academic.

(40) Proposals for the discontinuation of a course must take into account the students currently enrolled in the course and include a summary of the transition arrangements.

(41) The SAC will provide details of proposed transition arrangements, including the timeframe for student completion, to APCAC for consideration and if endorsed, will be recommended to Academic Senate for approval.

Retirement of a Course

(42) Where there has been a variation to a course , the previous version  will no longer be available for admission.  

(43) The SAC must provide details of proposed transition arrangements, including the timeframe for student completion, to APCAC for consideration and if endorsed, will be recommended to Academic Senate for approval.

Termination of a Course

(44) A course will be administratively terminated by the Student Experience Office (SEO) when there are no students enrolled in the retired course. Any former student presenting for completion of the course after termination has taken effect will be advised to seek admission to a current course and seek advanced standing for previous study.

Timing of Course Approvals

(45) The timeframe required for approval of a new course will vary dependent on the schedule of committee meetings. 

(46) When developing a timeline for course approval, the following should be taken into consideration:

  1. Administration – following approval, up to four weeks is required to allow for administrative processes to open a course for applications.
  2. Student experience – the shorter the timeframe between a course being approved and being offered, the greater the risk to the student experience, including misinformation (or no information) provided because course details are not available, and/or students need to be transferred from one course to another or to new units. Late approvals will require additional communication and increase the potential of confusion for the student, along with operational cost and reputational risk to the University.
  3. Marketing – in order to generate interest in a course, sufficient time is required for a marketing plan to be implemented in order to fully inform potential applicants and conversion to applications.
  4. International students – following approval, Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) approval of the course must be sought from Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) prior to marketing. Consideration should be made for students who may need to undertake academic pathways, including English language pathways, to meet conditions for entry. An indicative timeframe for International students offshore is 6 to 18 months. A shorter period may be feasible for international students who are onshore.
  5. The course approval process should take no longer than 12 months to ensure it remains relevant.

(47) New units associated with a new course are approved at APCAC and should be approved at the same time as the new course. If the units are not ready at that time, a timeline must be included to ensure approval of all units in an acceptable timeframe.

Part B - Units

(48) The Unit Proposal outline includes information such as:

  1. the learning outcomes for the unit;
  2. unit content;
  3. assessment tasks;
  4. delivery mode;
  5. campus location;
  6. WIL and/or placement details;
  7. special requirements, legislative requirements and professional accreditation requirements;
  8. facility requirements, e.g. laboratory space, tutorial rooms.

(49) Unit Proposals require a detailed resource assessment, and proposers must consult with supporting service areas such as the Library, Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning Futures, Course Data Management and Timetabling, to ensure that the unit can be supported.

(50) All units must adhere to the provisions of the Assessment Policy.

New Units

(51) For the purposes of this policy, a new unit:

  1. introduces curriculum content and related learning outcomes that are not currently offered by the University; and/or
  2. replaces one or more existing units and substantially changes their curriculum content and/or learning outcomes; and/or
  3. results from a change to the credit point value; and/or
  4. results from a change to the level of a unit; and/or
  5. results from a change to the discipline code to a new Field of Education.

(52) A new unit requires the completion of a Unit Proposal and Variation Form. Schools/Divisional units will be responsible for the academic content and quality of the unit including learning outcomes.

(53) New units developed in association with a new course or specialisation require endorsement by SAC and approval by APCAC.

(54) All new elective units require endorsement by SAC and approval by APCAC.

(55) All other new units require endorsement by SAC and reporting to the next APCAC meeting. This provides opportunity for APCAC members to consider the fit of the unit in the academic profile and to ensure there is no duplication of content already offered by another School. The report to APCAC will include the following details:

  1. name and code of the unit;
  2. rationale for introduction of the new unit;
  3. discipline code;
  4. unit level;
  5. credit points;
  6. Handbook summary. 

(56) Coursework units in research courses must be considered by Research Studies Committee prior to submission to SAC.

(57) A quarterly review of SAC approvals will be undertaken, with samples initially identified by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Academic in conjunction with the Course Data Management team and endorsed or supplemented by APCAC.

New Units Taught by The College

(58) New units developed in association with a new course or specialisation to be delivered by The College must be first endorsed by The College APP Committee, then endorsed by the Academic Committee of the School that teaches the equivalent University unit where applicable, before approval by APCAC.

(59) New elective units to be delivered by The College must be first endorsed by The College APP Committee, then endorsed by the SAC of the School that teaches the equivalent University unit where applicable, before approval by APCAC.

(60) The College APP Committee will approve all other new units (following endorsement by the SAC of the School that teaches the equivalent University unit where applicable) and report them to the next APCAC meeting. This will provide opportunity for APCAC members to consider the fit of the unit in the academic profile and to ensure there is no duplication of content already offered by another School. The report to APCAC will include the following details:

  1. name and code of the unit;
  2. rationale for introduction of the new unit;
  3. discipline code;
  4. unit level;
  5. credit points;
  6. Handbook summary;
  7. evidence of endorsement of relevant SAC, where applicable. 

(61) A quarterly review of SAC approvals will be undertaken with samples initially identified by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Academic in conjunction with the Course Data Management team and endorsed or supplemented by APCAC. This review must include special requirements, legislative requirements and accredidation requirements.

Variations to a Unit

(62) Unit variations must be approved in accordance with the Unit Approval Authorities and Delegations.

Variations to a Unit also Taught by The College or Other Third-Party Provider

(63) The School/divisional unit that owns the unit must consult The College or other third--party provider during the development of the variation, if the unit or equivalent unit is delivered by them.

Retirement or Deletion of a Unit

(64) Proposals to retire or replace a unit must take into consideration students in all courses where the unit is offered and the impact on the learning outcomes of any courses where the unit is a core unit. The School/divisional unit which owns the unit must consult with all providers of the related course(s).

(65) The SAC must be notified at least six months prior to the implementation of the decision to retire a unit. The notification should provide the arrangements to accommodate students who are affected by the retirement of the unit.

(66) Where a unit will be replaced by a new unit, the request for retirement will form part of the proposal documentation of the new replacement unit.

(67) Any continuing students affected by the decision to retire a core unit should be given notice at least six months prior to the change, communicated by the Schools' Dean or nominee, and including options or alternative arrangements.

Timing of Approvals for Units

(68) New units associated with a new course are approved at APCAC and should be approved at the same time as the new course.

(69) When developing a timeline for unit approval, the following items should be taken into consideration:

  1. Administration – following approval, up to four weeks is required to allow for administrative processes to open a unit for applications.
  2. Student experience – the shorter the timeframe between a unit being approved and being offered, the greater the risk to the student experience, including misinformation (or no information) provided because unit details are not available, and/or students need to be transferred from one unit to another or to new units. Late approvals will require additional communication and increase the potential of confusion for the student, along with operational cost and reputational risk to the University.
  3. The unit approval process should take no longer than 12 months to ensure it remains relevant.

Part C - Delegations and Associated Documents

(70) Refer to the Delegations documents in the Associated Information.

(71) Changes to any delegations within these procedures must be approved by Academic Senate.

(72) Other changes to this document must be approved by APCAC.

(73) Refer to the Curriculum Approvals Work Flow and forms available in the Associated Documents to these procedures.