Bachelor of Medicine - JMP Course/Unit Outlines Policy

Document Number	000876
Date Approved	3 December 2008
Date Last Amended	21 August 2009

1. Application of Policy

1.1. This policy applies to all MEDI Course/Units offered by the Schools of Medicine and Public Health (University of Newcastle (UoN)) and Rural Medicine (University of New England (UNE)) in the delivery of the Bachelor of Medicine – Joint Medical Program (BMed – JMP).

1.2. Assessment Rules for elective (non-MEDI) Course/Units undertaken by BMed – JMP students will be in accordance with the following policies:

at UoN:

Appeal Against a Final Result – Procedure 000261
Remarks and Moderations – Procedure 000769
Essential Criteria in Course Assessment - Policy 000648
Rules Governing the Administration of Assessment Items – Rule 000113
Group, Self, and Peer Assessment - Policy 000650

at UNE

General Rules
Assessment Policy
Special Assessment Policy
Student Appeal Policy

2. Interpretation

2.1. In this document, unless the context or subject matter otherwise indicates or requires:

BMed means the Bachelor of Medicine program which is delivered as a Joint Medical Program (JMP) by the Universities of Newcastle and New England. Management of the program is vested in the JMP Governance Committee as approved by each University.

course at UoN means any part of a program for which a result may be recorded;

Dean means the Dean of Medicine – Joint Medical Program who is Chair of the JMP Committee. The Chair of the JMP Committee is responsible to the JMP Governance Committee and the universities, for academic management of the program. In the first instance, for a period of five years (2008-2012), this will be the Dean of Medicine at Newcastle.

Head of the School means the Head of the School of Medicine and Public Health at UoN and/or the Head of the School of Rural Medicine at UNE who is/are responsible for delivery of JMP Committee-approved MEDI Course/Units;

Joint Medical Program (JMP) means the delivery of the Bachelor of Medicine by UoN and UNE in partnership;

JMP Committee means the joint UoN / UNE committee responsible for the planning, implementation and management of the JMP including curriculum, assessment and standards. The Committee is chaired by the Dean of Medicine – JMP;

UoN means the University of Newcastle;

Unit at UNE means any part of a Course for which a result may be recorded;

UNE means the University of New England.

3. Course Outlines

Course/Unit Co-ordinators are required to provide the students in each Course/Unit undertaken in the BMed – JMP with a Course/Unit Outline. Course/Unit Outlines are to be provided free of charge to the students.

4. Approval

4.1. The Course/Unit Outline must be approved by the JMP Committee in consultation with Heads of the School[1], before being given to BMed – JMP students at the commencement of each semester. A single BMed – JMP curriculum is delivered across the Universities of New England and Newcastle. UNE and UoN Course/Unit/Course Coordinators and Heads of School cooperate in relation to the preparation of Course/Unit/Course Outlines which are approved by the JMP Committee.

5. Delivery of MEDI Course/Unit Outlines

5.1. The Course/Unit Outline shall be in hard copy and students are required to sign as having received the Outline. Electronic versions may also be made available via Blackboard. The Course/Unit Coordinator must provide for those students with print disabilities who request a Course/Unit Outline in an appropriate format and timeframe.

5.2. The Course/Unit Outline shall be available and confirmed by the end of the second week of semester. Only in extenuating circumstances can the content of a Course/Unit Outline be changed after the second week of semester and only with Dean of Medicine – JMP[2] and joint Heads of School approval. If any revisions are made, a revised Course/Unit Outline shall be provided to students in the same manner as the original was distributed.

6. Contents of Course/Unit Outline

The Course/Unit Outline shall contain the following:

University identification
Course/Unit Code
Course/Unit Title
Course/Unit Value
Assumed Knowledge
Course/Unit Requisites
Brief Course/Unit Description
Course/Unit Objectives
Course/Unit Content
Semester of offer
Faculty
School
Location of School Office
Teaching Staff – with the Course/Unit Coordinator clearly identified
Teaching Methods
Mode of Delivery
Contact Hours and Locations
Attendance and/or Other Class Requirements
Teaching Staff availability and Locations – particularly the availability of the Course/Unit Coordinator
Assessment Items
This field shall give precise details of:
1. methods of assessment;
2. the number of assessment items;
3. a brief description of each;
4. the component weighting of each (any proposed change in weightings to assessment items from the previous offer of a Course/Unit must be approved by the Heads of School);
5. assessment criteria for each;
6. the time of administering the task or the due dates;
7. whether a passing grade is required in any item to obtain a passing grade in the Course/Unit;
8. details of any essential criteria, including a rationale for inclusion, how they can be attained, and cleared if not achieved initially;
9. the policy regarding late submission of assessable material
10. details of any “returnable” and “non-returnable”[3] assessment items; and
11. reference to the BMed - JMP Procedure for Re-marks and moderations.
A notice that no alternation to the Outline will be allowed after the second week of the semester except under extenuating circumstances with Dean of Medicine – JMP and joint Heads of School approval and that students will be notified in advance of the change.
The Course/Unit Outline shall contain a notice that a student may or will be required to provide written assessment items in electronic form as well as hard copy.
A brief warning regarding plagiarism and cheating with web addresses to relevant University Academic Integrity and Student Misconduct Rule.
A notice that students may have their assessment items submitted to a plagiarism detection software package.
Reference to an announcements page (on Blackboard) for news about the Course/Unit or messages relating to the Course/Unit.
Information relating to support available to students with a disability, including contact details for the student support services.
A brief description of provisions relating to extensions, rescheduled examinations and special consideration with web addresses to relevant University policies and application forms.
Information on procedures for changing enrolment (Census dates etc).
Web address for BMed – JMP Schedule/Rules.

7. Additional material

Course/Unit Outlines may also contain teaching material, such as:

study guides;
presentation guides;
bibliographies;
readings;
laboratory exercise sheets etc.

Note: if any of these are to be handed back to the teaching staff, they must be detachable so the student can retain the Course/Unit Outline. If they are attached they must also be provided free of charge.

The following Check List is also available as a word document here:

Word Version of Check List

[1] A single BMed-JMP curriculum is delivered across the Universities of New England and Newcastle. UNE and UoN Course/Unit/Course Coordinators and Heads of School cooperate in relation to the preparation of Course/Unit/Course Outlines which are approved by the JMP Committee.

[2] The Bachelor of Medicine program is delivered as a Joint Medical Program (JMP) by the Universities of Newcastle and New England. Management of the program is vested in the JMP Governance Committee as approved by each University.

The Chair of the JMP Committee is responsible to the JMP Governance Committee and the Universities, for academic management of the program. In the first instance, for a period of five years (2008-2012), this will be the Dean of Medicine at Newcastle.

[3] "Returnable" assessment items are those that are returned to the student, and "non-returnable" assessment items are those which are not returnable to the student. There may be reasons, other than the practical impossibility of returning assessment items, for deeming an assessment item "non-returnable".

____________________________________________________________________________

CHECK LIST FOR JMP COURSE/UNIT OUTLINES For approval of Heads of School: Rural Medicine, UNE Medicine and Public Health, UoN
COURSE/UNIT CODE:	COURSE/UNIT CO-ORDINATOR:
Printed copy of the Course/Unit Outline shall be distributed to students and confirmed by the end of the second week of term. Only in extenuating circumstances can the content of a Course/Unit outline be changed after the second week of term and only with Dean of Medicine – JMP and joint Heads of School approval. If any revisions are made, a revised Course/Unit Outline shall be provided to students in the same manner as the original was distributed.
Please tick or mark not appropriate (N/A) →		Please tick or mark not appropriate (N/A) →
Corporate & Course/Unit identification
University		Faculty
Course/Unit Identification		School
Course/Unit Code		Course/Unit Title
Campus		Mode of delivery
Unit/Credit Point Value		Semester of offer
Staffing / contact / availability
Course/Unit Co-ordinator		Availability & Location
Teaching staff		Availability & Location
Location of Student HUB, UoN		Location of School Office, UoN, UNE
Course/Unit
Brief Course/Unit Description		Assumed Knowledge
Course/Unit Objectives		Course/Unit Requisites
Course/Unit Content		Teaching methods
Contact Hours / Locations and/or Timetable		Special Attendance and/or Other Class Requirements
Blackboard site		Information on placements as required by the BMed – JMP Student Placement Policy
Blackboard site		Information on placements as required by the Placement Policy
Detailed Assessment Item Information
A precise description of each assessment item including		Reference to relevant policy information including the following:
methods of assessment;		BMed – JMP Re-marks and Moderations Procedure
weightings of each assessment item;		policy regarding late submission of assessable material
the time of administering the task or the due dates		Group work / peer assessment / self assessment
whether a passing grade is required in any item to obtain a passing grade in the Course/Unit;		Details of return of assessment items after marking, noting ‘returnable’ and ‘non returnable’ items.
details of any essential criteria; including any rationale for inclusion and how they can be attained		TURNITIN details on Blackboard
Refer Policies for Teaching & Learning: JMP Course/Unit Outline Policy 000876 http://www.newcastle.edu.au/policy/000876.html JMP Course/Unit Coordinator Role Guideline 000885 http://www.newcastle.edu.au/policy/000885.html
Course Co-ordinator, UoN (Signature) Unit Co-ordinator, UNE (Signature) Head of School, Medicine and Public Health UoN (Signature) Date: Head of School, Rural Medicine UNE Date:
Additional student information to be attached or provided in the BMed Survival Guides and other JMP student guides detailing: Important dates, changing enrolment, written assessment items, academic honesty, plagiarism, adverse circumstances, extension of time for assessment items, rescheduling examinations, Blackboard, Faculty information, students with a disability or chronic illness, alteration to Course/Unit outline and link to BMed – JMP rules and schedule.