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Course Lifecycle - Course Revision Procedure (Expires 31/10/18)

This is not a current document. It has been repealed and is no longer in force.

Section 1 - Background and Purpose

(1) These Procedures outline an orderly approach to the revision of existing courses. They distinguish between College matters and revisions requiring reporting or approval through the University’s central governance structure, and reinforce the importance of delivering to students the course for which they enrol. 

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Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to all courses, excluding doctoral level courses.

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Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) Refer to the Course Lifecycle Policy (Expires 31/10/18).

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Section 4 - Procedures

General 

(4) The University has a legal obligation to deliver its courses in the form described in its published information materials, including the University Handbook. Where a course must be changed while students are enrolled in it, there must be appropriate notice to, and/or consultation with, the students.

(5) All course revisions must be approved by at least the College Academic Committee.

(6) Major revisions must be approved also by the University’s Coursework Committee and the Academic Board. 

(7) Under circumstances described in clause 36 below, a completed Business Case Calculator and Product Summary Form must also be presented to the Course Portfolio and Scholarships Committee (CPSC).

Identification of Proposing College

(8) In circumstances where more than one School and/or College are preparing the proposal together, one College and one School should be identified as the Proposing College and Proposing School. This needs to be indicated on each form, and references in this document are to the Proposing College/School/ etc. Both College Academic Committees need to endorse the proposal. 

College Assurance of Quality and Compliance

(9) Each College must appoint a senior staff member to be responsible for:

  1. ensuring that any amendments to existing courses are in accordance with University policy and guidelines
  2. ensuring that changes are made within deadlines set periodically by the Academic Board's Coursework Committee to enable inclusion of the course information in University publications 
  3. reporting formally to the Coursework Committee on course changes that the College Academic Committee has approved.

(10) This person will usually be the College Academic Coordinator (Coursework). The College Curriculum Project Leader will also be involved in this work.

Timing of Course Revisions

(11) In general, proposals to revise courses should be processed by the College Academic Committee of the College responsible for the course no later than 30 June of the year prior to the year in which the revision is to take effect.

(12) The timing of course revisions should also take account of publication schedules. All courses are subject to the publication deadlines. Courses handled through the state Tertiary Admissions Centres are subject to the dates advertised by the TACs each year as the last date for cancellation of courses. Some of the relevant deadlines* follow:

Early May
Deadline for inclusion in the hard copy state TAC Guides for the following year
Deadline for International Prospectus
August Deadline for inclusion in the University Handbook

(13) *These are approximate and subject to annual adjustment.

Revisions Affecting Multiple Awards 

(14) When the course to be revised is offered not only as a single award but also jointly with one or more other awards, the requirements set out in this policy apply to each of the award combinations, as relevant.

Multiple Changes and Level of Approval

(15) Changes to courses attract various levels of scrutiny, depending on the component of the course that has changed. Where multiple revisions are combined, the change will require the highest level of approval of any change for all proposed changes. For example: changing the AHEGS, adding two new core or core-choice subjects and adding a new major to the course must be approved by the Academic Board on the recommendation of the Coursework Committee; changing the AHEGS alone may be accomplished by a memorandum to Student Administration.

Determining the Baseline for Deciding How Much of a Course is Being Changed?

(16) For the purposes of change control, the starting point for cumulative change will be the original course proposal or the course outline at the most recent formal course review, whichever is more recent.

Forms to Use for Course Revisions

(17) The Revised Coursework Program Proposal Form is to be used in all instances, except those identified in Part C.

Completion of the Revised Coursework Proposal Form

(18) All fields in the course revision documentation must be completed. Committees may decline to accept any proposal that is not complete.

(19) Where more than 30 credit points of subjects within a course are being replaced a transition or teach-out plan must accompany a proposal for revision.

Consultation With Other Areas of the University

(20) Throughout the process of preparing the Revised Coursework Program Proposal, other areas of the University may need to be consulted. This includes discussions with:

  1. TAFE Partnerships Coordinator and/or International Relationships Coordinator– articulations and other educational partnerships matters
  2. ICT – availability (or inclusion in budget) of adequate ICT resources 
  3. Library – availability (or inclusion in budget) of adequate library resources 
  4. Infrastructure and Operations – availability of teaching space
  5. Student Services and Administration – assistance with Academic Services policy interpretation and compliance (Academic Services Policy staff) and administrative matters including ASCED codes and disciplines, course nomenclature, SIS questions etc.
  6. La Trobe International – the proposal must be endorsed by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) for its compliance with the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2007
  7. Other College/Schools as necessary – for cross-disciplinary courses, service teaching matters etc.
  8. Pro Vice-Chancellor (Regional) – impact on regions of the proposed new course, including method of delivery

Consultation with Students

(21) Students should be consulted on course revision proposals, normally through the relevant College committees or course networks.

Rights of Students When Courses are Changed

(22) All students admitted to a course, including any students who have deferred a place in the course , or who are on Leave of Absence, have a right to timely notice of all changes to courses.

(23) The notice normally should be provided at least one semester prior to the semester in which the change is to take effect. Notification may be by whatever form or forms are most appropriate in light of the timing of the changes.

(24) Where the change involved is major or significant, students must be given the option of completing their degree under either the original conditions up to the period of time an approved teach out plan expires.

(25) Students may be offered the opportunity to transfer into the changed version of the course provided it does not adversely impact on course progression. For students transferring, the decision needs to be recorded:

  1. in writing via email or an online expression of interest;
  2. by voluntary informed consent; and
  3. registered with the relevant College, which will ensure that they form the basis for assessment of the students’ progress and completion.

(26) Students who do not respond to the notification will remain in the original course until the expiry of the approved teach-out period.

Service Teaching

(27) Where the proposed changes to the course involve subjects that are Service Taught, all parties need to be involved in decisions regarding new subject proposals, revisions and subject suspension and closure, as detailed in the Service Teaching Policy and Procedures.

Part A - Minor Revisions

Process for Approvals of Minor Revisions

(28) Minor Course revisions are approved by the College Academic Committee and may be actioned following the Committee’s recommendation. A list of these changes should then be provided to the University’s Coursework Committee for noting, using the College Academic Committee's Report. All minor revisions will be forwarded to the Academic Board for its information.

Minor Course Revisions- Definitions

(29) Any of the following course changes are minor revisions::

  1. change of core and/or core-choice (compulsory) subject names, where there is no significant curriculum change
  2. change of up to 2 subjects (normally 30 credit points total) of the compulsory coursework (core and/or core-choice subjects) specified in the course outline in effect at the date of the last course review or the original course proposal, whichever is more recent.

Part B - Major Revisions

Process for Approvals of Major Revisions

(30) Major revisions require the approval of the Academic Board, after recommendation from the Coursework Committee.

(31) Unless listed in clause 36 below, course revisions do not require a Business Case Calculator or Product Summary Form to be prepared and submitted to CPSC.

Major Course Revisions - Definitions

(32) The course changes listed below are major revisions: 

  1. change of disciplines, majors, minors or specialisations available within the course (indication of whether the new program is to be included on testamurs is requested) 
  2. addition of an existing course as a Nested Course within the course structure (providing an additional exit point)
  3. change of more than 2 subjects of the compulsory coursework (core and/or core-choice subjects) specified in the course outline in effect at the date of the last course review or the original course proposal, whichever is more recent.
  4. changes to academic admission criteria
  5. change to thesis requirements
  6. change to delivery arrangements (eg College, mode or campus)
  7. change that will have an impact on the other College of the University, particularly those being Service Taught. Such changes must be discussed with affected College/School before being forwarded to the Coursework Committee for recommendation to the Academic Board

Change to Academic Admissions Requirements

(33) Changes to the course academic admissions requirements of a course must be progressed through the University’s Coursework Committee using the Revised Coursework Program Proposal form.

(34) In situations where there may be policy implications, the Coursework Committee will refer the matter to the Admissions Committee of the Academic Board.

(35) Approvals for changes to course entry scores, WAMS and GPAS, are outlined in the Admissions- Application and Selections Procedures.

Revisions Requiring a Business Case Calculator and Product Summary Form 

(36) A completed Business Case Calculator and Product Summary Form must be submitted to the Course Portfolio and Scholarships Committee in the following circumstances:

  1. Proposals to offer a course through an additional campus, location or mode 
  2. Proposals that involve a partner institution (addition or deletion)
  3. Proposals to change more than two-thirds (measured in credit points) of the compulsory coursework (core and/or core-choice subjects)or to add a new major.

Part C - Revisions Not Requiring a Revised Coursework Program Proposal Form

Revisions that Will Require New Coursework Program Proposal and a Suspension and Closure Forms

(37) The following Course “Revisions” are considered to be the creation of a new course and require a New Coursework Program Proposal, and a Suspension and Closure form (for the old version of the course), but do not require a Product Summary Form or a Business Case Calculator:

  1. Change to course name in conjunction with any other change to the course
  2. Change to length or credit point requirements of a course

Change to Course Name or Name of a Major Only

(38) If ONLY the name of the course is to be changed, a memorandum indicating the change and its rationale should be provided via the College Academic Committee to the Coursework Committee, which will in turn recommend the change for approval by Academic Board. Likewise, a change to the name of a major ONLY should also be covered by a memorandum referred by the College Academic Committee outlining the rationale for the change.

Change to AHEGS

(39) Changes to the Australian Higher Education Graduate Statement (AHEGS) which do not arise from a change of the course may be advised directly to Student Administration using a memorandum. Examples of this type of change include rewording to clarify the AHEGS.

(40) If the change to AHEGS arises from other changes to the course, the advice must be progressed through the University’s Coursework Committee using the Revised Coursework Program Proposal form.

Deletions of Nested Qualifications or Delivery Arrangements

(41) These changes will require completion of a Coursework Program Suspension or Closure form.

  1. deletion of a Nested course exit option if the Nested Course exit option is to be closed 
  2. deletion of a delivery arrangement (eg, mode, campus, location)
  3. deletion of an Honours Year

Change to Elective Subjects

(42) The following changes to elective subjects may be actioned entirely within the College by referring the changes to the relevant School Advisory Group, College Coursework Committee and College Academic Committee:

  1. addition, substitution or removal of elective subjects where no other changes to the course are proposed
  2. change of elective subject names, where there is no significant curriculum change and the subject is not a Service-taught subject
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Section 5 - Definitions

(43) For the purpose of this Procedure:

  1. Compulsory Subject: Also described as a ‘Core’ subject. A subject that is required to be taken by all students as part of the degree course. Core or compulsory subjects may also be found in Majors and Specialisations.
  2. Core-Choice subjects: a subject that is part of a group from which at least one must be chosen. For example: XYZ111, XZY111 and XBC111 are all core-choice subjects, of which 2 out of the three must be completed.
  3. Course: A program of study leading to one or more qualifications and in which a student may study one or more Majors. 
  4. Elective Subject: A subject which is not core or compulsory. Often there are many different options available to study as an elective subject and completing a certain number of elective subjects may be a requirement of a course. 
  5. Graduate Capabilities (GCs) or attributes: High level learning outcomes that are described in discipline-specific terms.
  6. Graduate Capability Standard: Component criteria against which a student’s achievement of a GC is evaluated.
  7. Major: Where the subjects taken in a particular college defined sequence: 
    1. constitute 120 of the credit points required for the degree in which they are taken; 
    2. form a coherent grouping of learning outcomes not necessarily drawn from a single discipline area; and 
    3. satisfy any relevant design requirements prescribed by the Education Committee
  8. Specialisation: Major within a specialist Bachelor course. Student: means both students who have an active enrolment and students who are on an approved leave of absence.
  9. Subject: A unit of study within a course. 
  10. Service Teaching: Development and/or teaching of subject(s) or parts of subjects by discipline experts into courses located in schools outside their own. Service teaching may be within a college or between colleges. The definition does not include electives or guest lectures.