View Document

Course and Subject Management Procedure - Professional Recognition (To be removed 24 August 2020)

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 It has been repealed and is no longer in force.

This Procedure is to be removed on 24 August 2020.

Section 1 - Background and Purpose

(1) The University offers a number of courses that are recognised by professional bodies. Where the professional recognition of a course of study is required for graduates to be eligible to practise their profession, the University must ensure that such recognition is gained and maintained. In all cases, information presented on professional recognition must be updated in a timely manner.

(2) The purpose of this Procedure is to ensure the effective management of professional recognition, including the publication of information regarding eligibility.

Top of Page

Section 2 - Scope

(3) Refer to the Course and Subject Management Policy.

Top of Page

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(4) Refer to the Course and Subject Management Policy.

Top of Page

Section 4 - Procedures

Part A - Types of Professional Recognition

(5) For the purposes of this Procedure, the term ‘professional recognition’ may include any of the following:

  1. external accreditation by a professional body that is required for graduates to practice and/or access specific career outcomes
  2. external accreditation by a professional body that is voluntary
  3. any other type of course approval and/or endorsement by a professional body
  4. graduates’ eligibility for membership and/or registration with the relevant professional body/s, including eligibility to use a specific professional title.

Part B - Attainment of Professional Recognition

(6) Where recognition by a professional body is required for graduates to be able to practise and/or access specific career outcomes, Heads of School are responsible for ensuring that:

  1. the applicable form of professional recognition 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 recognised 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 a recognised course.

(7) The attainment of non-required forms of professional recognition is at the discretion of the Head of School. Heads of School must ensure that the current cohort of students is not disadvantaged if an attained form of recognition lapses before they complete their course.

(8) Heads of School are responsible for ensuring that all relevant documentation relating to professional recognition, including copies of all submissions, reports, action plans, and correspondence, is submitted to the Quality and Standards Office as soon as practicable for each submission to the professional body.

(9) Schools or Colleges will assume the costs associated with professional recognition processes relevant to their courses.

(10) Unless otherwise required by the professional body, the signatory to all submissions will be the relevant College Pro Vice-Chancellor.

Part C - Management of Professional Recognition Information

(11) The Quality and Standards Office maintains a central record of all confirmed course professional recognitions, including expiry dates and approved text for publication. Heads of School are responsible for ensuring that all details of their School’s courses are accurate.

(12) Published professional recognition information will normally take one of the following formats:

Recognition type Standard Text
Course Accreditation The [Name of Course] [is accredited/conditionally accredited/recognised/approved by / has provisional accreditation from] [Name of Relevant Body]. Professional [registration/membership] may require an application to the professional body and may have additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.
Accreditation of Majors The [Name of Major] in the [Name of Course] [is accredited/conditionally accredited/recognised/approved by / has provisional accreditation from] [Name of Relevant Body]. Professional [registration/membership] may require an application to the professional body and may have additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.
Professional Memberships
Graduates of the [Name of Course] may apply for membership with [Name or List of Membership Body/Bodies].
Membership may be subject to additional or ongoing requirements beyond completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.
OR
Depending on major or subject choice, graduates of the [Name of Course] may apply for membership with [Name or List of Membership Body/Bodies]. Membership may be subject to additional or ongoing requirements beyond completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.
Professional Registration
Graduates of the [Name of Course] may be eligible to apply for registration with [Name of Registering Body]. Professional registration may be subject to additional or ongoing requirements beyond completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.
OR
Graduates of the [Name of Course] may be eligible to apply for registration with [Name of Registering Body] as a [Name of Profession]. Professional registration may be subject to additional or ongoing requirements beyond completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.

(13) Requests for changes to the approved text for professional recognition, including any variation from the standard formats listed in clause 12, must be provided to the Quality and Standards Office prior to any publication. The Executive Director, Quality and Standards is responsible for approving changes to professional recognition text, and does so in consultation with the relevant Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Coursework).

(14) Professional recognition claims may not be altered by any member of the University outside of these processes.

(15) The Quality and Standards Office will liaise with each School prior to the expiry of the current recognition of affected courses to ensure that any necessary changes in published claims are applied prior to these coming into effect.

(16) All staff are responsible for ensuring that accurate information is provided to students about the professional recognition status of a course.

Top of Page

Section 5 - Definitions

(17) For the purposes of this Procedure:

  1. External accreditation: the process by which professional bodies external to the University formally recognise that a course meets requirements for graduates to practice in a particular area.
  2. Professional recognition: all types of formal acknowledgement by a professional body that a course and/or graduate of a course meet its requirements.
Top of Page

Section 6 - Related Resources

(18) Information about professional accreditation and recognition is maintained on the Quality and Standards Unite Site.