• Section 1 - Key Information
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Key Decisions
• Section 5 - Policy Statement
• Section 6 - Procedures
• Part A - General Approval Requirements
• Academic Review
• Part B - Specific Approval Requirements
• Administrative Changes
• Minor Changes
• Major Changes in Courses
• New Courses and Changes Resulting in New Courses
• Part C - Out-of-Session Approval Processes
• Part D - Attainment of CRICOS Registration
• Part E - Professional Accreditation
• Part F - Student Communications
• Part G - Publication
• Part H - Quality Assurance of Course Data and Information
• Section 7 - Definitions
• Section 8 - Authority and Associated Information

Section 1 - Key Information

Section 2 - Purpose

(1) This Procedure sets out the key requirements for the approval of new, changed, suspended and closed courses and subjects.

(2) Where the professional accreditation of a course of study is required for graduates to be eligible to practise their profession, this Procedure sets out the requirements to ensure that such accreditation is gained and maintained.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This Procedure applies to:

1. governance of:
   1. undergraduate and postgraduate coursework award courses (including awards of the University that are not recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework [AQF] such as Professional Certificates);
   2. coursework subjects from award courses, including those undertaken by students admitted to graduate research courses; and
   3. non-award enabling courses;
2. publication and quality assurance of all course information.

(4) This Procedure does not apply to governance of:

1. graduate research courses (see Graduate Research Course Management Policy)
2. short courses (see Short Courses Policy)

Section 4 - Key Decisions

Section 5 - Policy Statement

(5) This Procedure forms part of the Course and Subject Management Policy which governs its application.

Section 6 - Procedures

Part A - General Approval Requirements

(6) All courses and subjects must be developed in accordance with the Course Design Policy and the current Course Architecture.

(7) Proposers of new or changed courses and subjects are responsible for timely and active consultation with all parties affected by the proposals. Proposals must document the consultation and be submitted in the approved format and systems. Forms, guidelines and critical submission dates are available on the Course and Subject Management intranet page.

(8) Subjects are constituent components of one or more courses and contribute collectively to the achievement of Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs). The relevant Course Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that cumulative changes to subjects are monitored and evaluated within the broader course context, that ongoing alignment between subjects and CILOs is maintained, and that changes do not materially affect course requirements.

(9) Where a minor change in one course constitutes a major change in another course, the highest relevant level approval process must be undertaken.

(10) All major changes with potential to impact student study planning or progression within a course must be accompanied by a Transition Plan. The Plan will outline teach-out arrangements, provision for impacted active pathways and in-progress course offers where appropriate.

(11) Approval requirements for proposals are determined by the impact of the proposal and, unless a change is deemed administrative, can consist of one or both of the following:

1. management approval – this approval is given by the Course Portfolio and Scholarships Committee (CPSC), or in designated cases the New Courses and Majors Sub-Committee (NCMSC), following an assessment of opportunities, needs, capabilities and financial implications of a proposal, and where appropriate a full business case; and or
2. academic approval – this approval is given by the Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching), Coursework Committee and/or Academic Board following an assessment of the academic quality of the course and confirmation of its alignment with the Higher Education Standards 2021.

(12) Where both management approval and academic approval are required, the relevant management approval must be secured before the proposal proceeds to the final academic approval body.

(13) Depending on the level of change in a proposal, endorsement or approval bodies may:

1. endorse or approve the proposal;
2. endorse or approve the proposal with requested amendments or clarifications which must be addressed prior to the proposal proceeding; or
3. reject the proposal.

(14) Course and subject changes must achieve the appropriate level of approval by the date in the published Annual Schedule of Changes (staff only).

Academic Review

(15) The Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) is responsible for approving all proposals within their authority and endorsing proposals for submission to the Coursework Committee. In doing so the Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) assures that:

1. appropriate levels of consultation have occurred, and any arising issues have been addressed;
2. robust peer review has occurred (unless a new course comprises existing approved subjects such as in the case of Professional Certificates);
3. requirements of University policy and the Higher Education Standards Framework (2021) are met, including that appropriate benchmarking with comparable domestic and international courses has been undertaken for all major changes and new course proposals;
4. any professional accreditation requirements, including input and/or notifications to professional bodies, have been addressed; and
5. any impacts at course level from changes to subjects have been considered and addressed.

(16) The Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) is responsible for ensuring that academic proposals are aligned with the relevant management approvals outlined in Part B. Significant variations arising from academic approvals are to be submitted for re-approval by the relevant management sub-committees.

(17) Coursework Committee will consider the quality of course and subject design, as well as compliance with University policies and external regulatory requirements of proposals.

(18) New courses are approved by Academic Board for a maximum period of seven years from the date of the relevant meeting. Courses may only be re-approved as an outcome of a Course Review as outlined in the Course and Subject Management Procedure - Monitoring and Review.

Part B - Specific Approval Requirements

(19) Approval requirements in the following sections and tables apply to all courses within the scope of this Policy, except where the academic item in question does not form part of a course: for example not all courses contain majors, minors or specialisations.

Administrative Changes

(20) Administrative changes consist of changes to the administrative components of subjects or courses that do not affect course or subject intent, learning outcomes, course structure or student progression.

(21) Administrative changes are processed directly by the Course Management Team, in consultation with the Senior Manager, Course Management and the Office of the Provost where required.

Table One – Administrative Changes

Minor Changes

(22) Minor Changes to a course or subject are changes that do not impact course or subject intent, and that do not impact overall learning outcomes or course structures.

(23)  Management endorsement and/or approvals are granted by the New Courses and Majors Sub-Committee (NCMSC) and the Course Portfolio and Scholarships Committee (CPSC).

(24) The academic approval of this category of change is given at school level by the Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching).

Table Two – Minor Changes

Major Changes in Courses

(25) A major change is one that has a significant impact on course content, learning outcomes or course delivery.

(26) The academic approval of this category of change is given by Coursework Committee or Academic Board. Many proposals for change also require management approval as outlined in the table below.

(27) A closure proposal can be initiated by: 

1. a Dean or the Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching)
2. a Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
3. the Provost

Table Three – Major Changes

New Courses and Changes Resulting in New Courses

(28) Tables Four and Five outline approval requirements for all new courses and for changes that are deemed to lead to the creation of a new course.

(29) For changes to arrangements with external partners there are additional approval requirements under the Educational Partnerships Policy.

Table Four – New Courses 

Table Five – Changes Resulting in New Courses

Part C - Out-of-Session Approval Processes

(30) In exceptional circumstances, management approval and the first required academic governance approval or endorsement processes can be undertaken out of session, as follows:

1. management approval: the Dean should present the submission, with a memo explaining the circumstances of the request, to the Office of the Provost, Strategy and Planning who will engage with the Chair of CPSC; and
2. academic approval: the Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) should present the submission to the relevant committee Chair with a memo explaining the exceptional circumstances that justify the request. 

Part D - Attainment of CRICOS Registration

(31) Recruitment & International Operations is responsible for obtaining CRICOS Registration for a new course or course instance, as applicable.

(32) Where a course is delivered as part of a third-party teaching arrangement, CRICOS registration will not be sought until a formal agreement with the external provider has been executed.

(33) A course cannot be advertised to international students who are to be onshore for its delivery prior to attainment of its CRICOS registration.

Part E - Professional Accreditation

(34) Where professional accreditation of a course is required and/or attained, Deans are responsible for ensuring that:

1. the applicable form of professional accreditation for the course in question is gained and maintained;
2. where revisions or closure of a course are approved, either:
   1. the course continues to be accredited by the relevant body until the current cohort of students have completed; or
   2. arrangements have been made and approved for students to transition into an accredited course.

(35) Deans are responsible for ensuring that all relevant documentation relating to professional accreditation (including copies of all submissions, reports, action plans, and correspondence with the professional body) is submitted to Quality and Standards.

(36) Schools will assume the costs associated with professional accreditation processes relevant to their courses.

(37) Unless otherwise required by the professional body, the signatory to all submissions is the relevant Dean.

(38) Quality and Standards maintains a central record of all confirmed course professional accreditation, including expiry dates and approved text for publication. Deans are responsible for ensuring that all details of their school’s courses are accurate.

(39) Requests for changes to approved professional accreditation text can be sought when required by the professional body. Any variation from the standard formats listed in the Schedule - Professional Recognition Approved Wording, must be provided to the Director, Higher Education Standards for review and approval prior to any publication.

(40) Quality and Standards will liaise with each school prior to the expiry of the current accreditation of affected courses to ensure that any necessary changes in published claims are applied before they come into effect.

Part F - Student Communications

(41) All students have a right to timely notice of all major changes to courses. This includes students who:

1. have been made an offer for a course;
2. have been admitted to a course; and
3. are on Leave of Absence or who have been suspended from their course.

(42) For major revisions to courses, majors, minors or specialisations, analysis must be undertaken by Quality and Standards and the Course Coordinator to determine the approach to teach-out and student transition without detrimental effect to students’ educational experience or outcomes. 

(43) Student consultation activities and outcomes must be documented in the academic proposal, prior to submission to Coursework Committee.

(44) Where it is proposed to close or suspend intakes for a course for which there is a formal articulation agreement, the University is bound to apply the agreed pathway credit of the Agreement through teach-out or a viable alternative, and to notify pathway partners and students of the change.

(45) In the case of onshore international students, failure to provide a full teach-out or alternative in these circumstances will result in the University being in Provider Default – having made an offer to students that is no longer being honoured. Where this occurs, these students are entitled to compensation, and additional financial penalties apply under ESOS legislation. Schools are responsible for the payment of any such financial penalties.

Part G - Publication

(46) Publication occurs after the record has received final approval and been finalised in the Course Management System and the University Handbook for the relevant academic year has been published.

(47) Content for standard publications is drawn directly from the Course Management System. Additional descriptive materials, approved by the school owning the course, may be developed for publication purposes, both in digital and print channels. Such materials must reflect the approved course and/or subject. 

(48) In exceptional circumstances, and normally following Coursework Committee endorsement, the University’s intent to offer a new course(s) may be advertised with approval in writing from the Director, Higher Education Standards. Advertising implying that a course is open for applications may not be undertaken for any course prior to its approval by Academic Board.

Part H - Quality Assurance of Course Data and Information

(49) Quality and Standards is responsible for quality assuring proposals for courses and their components within the Course Management System, including subjects, majors, minors and specialisations. This includes:

1. ensuring data accuracy, quality and compliance, and confirming that each proposal has the appropriate evidence and documentation to support consideration by the relevant academic committee; and
2. the provision of quarterly and annual reports to the Coursework Committee and Education Committee respectively.

(50) The Course Management Advisor, in consultation with the Senior Manager, Course Management and the School, will coordinate remediation of any identified issues for action by the responsible area prior to the proposal either progressing or being completed.

(51) Quality and Standards undertakes periodic audits of approved data held within the Course Management System to ensure consistency and ongoing compliance. 

(52) To maintain accuracy of other course material the Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for ensuring that biannual scheduled checks are undertaken before each application period opens.

(53) Where issues are identified within the approved information published to students from the Course Management System remediation may include one or more of the following measures:

1. editorial issues are immediately rectified within the system by the Course Management Team, with oversight from the Senior Manager, Course Management; and
2. all other issues are initially investigated by the Senior Manager, Course Management prior to being referred to the Director, Higher Education Standards, who may consult the relevant Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) or other relevant Directors, as part of remediation.

(54) Any amendments approved in the Course Management System flow straight through to the Find a Course site on the La Trobe website.

(55) The remediation of any issues identified with course information not arising directly from the Course Management System is the responsibility of the manager of the relevant school or division.

(56) Following any update or remediation of course information:

1. students are provided with advice about any updated information where required; and
2. actions are taken to rectify any enrolment or other impacts experienced by affected students.

Section 7 - Definitions

(57) For the purposes of this Procedure:

1. business case: a collation of specific documents that provide a rationale for a new course, subject, major, or specialisation proposal submitted by a school. It provides an analysis of the opportunities, needs, capabilities, and financial implications, ensuring alignment with the University's strategic objectives and feasibility for implementation. The specific documents included in the Business Case may vary depending on the type of proposal.
2. class requirements: a change to class requirements is any change to a class type, such as a change from a lecture to a workshop, or any change that impacts the volume of learning in a subject, including changes in class duration and/or frequency that result in a change to the overall number of hours in a subject.
3. course instance: an offering of a given course on a specific campus of the University. A course with the same name may be offered at multiple campuses and each must be registered separately with CRICOS.
4. Course Management System: the University’s official database for all course and subject information (currently CourseLoop).
5. CRICOS: the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. The CRICOS website provides details of those education institutions approved to recruit, enrol and deliver education and training services to overseas students in Australia, and details of their courses.
6. full teach-out conditions: the teaching of a course until such time as no students are actively enrolled.
7. Market Assessment: an analysis completed for new courses that includes a full market analysis and projections for business case development.
8. Market Scan: an analysis that assesses labour market demand, skills growth, employability outcomes, portfolio alignment, and cross-degree impact of changes to courses. For a minor, a Market Scan does not include financial projections.
9. professional accreditation: formal acknowledgement by a professional body that a course and/or graduate of a course meets their requirements and may include the following:
   1. external accreditation by a professional body that is required for graduates to practice and/or access specific career outcomes; and
   2. graduates’ eligibility for membership and/or registration with the relevant professional body/s, including eligibility to use a specific professional title.
10. suspended (course): the temporary cessation of new intakes to a course.
11. suspended (students): the temporary prohibition of a student from participating in University activities and accessing University facilities and services. A temporary prohibition may be for a specific period or until a condition or conditions have been met. A student’s rights will be restored, including the ability to re-enrol in the original or equivalent course or subject, at the conclusion of the suspension.
12. third-party teaching arrangement: a formal agreement between La Trobe and an external provider that involves the delivery of a La Trobe course to La Trobe students who are taught in whole or part at the external provider’s premises and/or by the external provider’s staff.

Section 8 - Authority and Associated Information

(58) This Procedure is made under the La Trobe University Act 2009.

(59) Associated information includes:

1. Schedule - Professional Recognition Approved Wording