Course Outlines Procedure

Document Number	000938
Date Approved	8 June 2011

This procedure has been superseded by Section 10. Course - Outlines of the Course Management and Assessment Procedures Manual [000996] and Appendix 4 from 1 January 2013.

1. Context

This procedure supports the implementation of the Course Outlines Policy 000937 and must be read in conjunction with that document.

2. Definitions

In the context of this document:

non-returnable assessment items means 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”;

placement means a clinical practicum, internship, or any other like form of professional or vocational experience included in a course;

returnable assessment items means those that are returned to the student;

term means a period of time for the delivery of a course in which students enrol and for which they are charged fees; this could be a semester, trimester, summer term etc.

3. Procedure

3.1. Content of Course Outline Preface

University identification (including CRICOS provider number)
Course Code
Course Title
Brief Course Description
Unit Value
Assumed Knowledge
Course Requisites
Year and Term of Offer
Campus(es) of Offer
Mode of Delivery (on campus, online, distance education etc)
Faculty
School
Location of School Office
Course Coordinator(s) contact details and availability (with division of responsibilities clearly identified if applicable)
Summary of contact hours, including method of delivery
Advice to students in multi-term sequence courses that the separate elements of the sequence must be completed in consecutive terms ie without an intervening term (if applicable)
A notice that students will be required to spend on average 120 – 140 hours of effort or total load (contact and non-contact including assessment) per term per 10 unit value, whatever the discipline or the mode of delivery of the Course
Attendance and/or Other Class Requirements
A notice that the course is a Compulsory Program Component for a specific program (if applicable)
A notice that no alteration to the approved course outline will be permitted without Head of School approval and that students will be notified of the change and the Course Outline will be provided to students in the same manner as the original.
Warning re student academic misconduct (with web address of the Student Academic Integrity Policy, Student Academic Integrity Procedure and Student Misconduct Rule).
In courses containing a placement, where a date after which withdrawal without academic penalty is possible only in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the Head of School, that date and its significance must be clearly specified (if applicable).

3.2. Content of Course Outline Body

Course Objectives
Course Content including indicative teaching program and sequence and a link to the timetable (For online and distance education this must include a list of modules/units to be studied)
List of required / recommended texts / readings and additional resources
Assessment Items

This field shall give precise details of:
1. methods of assessment;
2. the number of assessment items;
3. a description of each item;
4. the component weighting of each assessment item;
5. overview of assessment criteria for each (any additional information to be provided with the detailed assessment criteria, no less than two weeks prior to the due date);
6. the time of administering the task or the due dates;
7. whether a specified mark (other than any mark greater than 50%) for an assessment item is required for successful completion (as approved by Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee at the time the course or course revision is approved) or where a pass grade is required in any assessment item to obtain a passing grade in the course;
8. details of any compulsory course components (CCC) eg. National Police Certificate, Working with Children Check, (all compulsory course components must be approved by the relevant Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee) (previously known as Essential Criteria), including a rationale for inclusion, how it/they can be obtained/ completed if not successfully completed when first attempted, including a link to the further policy information about compulsory course components;
9. details of how assessment items are to be submitted and if the assessment item will be returned¹ to the student after marking.
10. whether applications for adverse circumstances are to be submitted via the electronic system for (i) all assessment items or (ii) only for those valued at 20% or greater (major assessment items), at the decision of the Course Coordinator. (Where all applications are to be submitted via the electronic system, the Course Coordinator must notify the Adverse Circumstances Systems Coordinator.)
Mapping of Course Objectives to Course assessment items
Occupational Health and Safety requirements, (if applicable) (Refer Health and Safety policies)
Placement requirements (if applicable) (Refer Student Placement Policy – 000768)
Course evaluation and development – inclusion of the following text and details provided by the Course Coordinator about feedback from previous deliveries of the course:

“Each year feedback is sought from students and other stakeholders about the courses offered in the University for the purposes of identifying areas of excellence and potential improvement. The key themes of previous feedback, and any major changes that were made as a consequence of this are outlined below.”

3.3. Additional Teaching Materials may be contained on the Course Blackboard site such as:

Teaching staff availability and contact details.
an outline of discussion group topics, if relevant;
details of educational design of course (how the course is taught and the pedagogical reasons for this);
study guides;
presentation guides;
bibliographies (a list of course readings must be given for online and distance education students);
an announcements page (within Blackboard) for news about the course or messages relating to the course;
additional resources; and
laboratory exercise sheets etc.

3.4. University level - generic information supplied on each Blackboard site:

the policy regarding late submission of assessable material [Rules Governing Administration of Assessment Items 000113];
reference to the Procedure for Re-marks and Moderations;
notice that students may have their assessment items submitted to a plagiarism detection software package;
a reminder that all students are to satisfactorily complete an academic integrity module within the first year of their enrolment;
information relating to support available to students with a disability, including contact details for the Student Support Service (Disability) and the Faculty/School Disability Advisor;
brief description of extensions, rescheduled examination, alternative assessment, replacement assessment or extension of time for assessment, and special consideration (with web address to University Policy and Application Form);
information on procedures for changing enrolment (HECS census date etc);
web address for Rules Governing Undergraduate Academic Awards or Rules Governing Postgraduate Coursework Awards;
information relating to grievances/appeals and complaints (including details of the Dean of Students and Complaints Manager); and
contact details for student support services (hyperlinks should be user-friendly, involving real words or short web addresses).

Note for Staff Only: this material must be consistent with the material on the CTS. Most of it can be automatically downloaded from the CTS.
Go to http://onlineservices.newcastle.edu.au/ctsreports/index.cfm and enter your course code and press enter. The material from the CTS for that course will be displayed. In the upper right hand of the screen you will see a toggle “save RTF”. Clicking on this will download an RTF copy of the material. This can then be presented as desired.

Note 1: “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”.

4. Essential Supporting Documents

Course Outlines Policy 000937

Online and Distance Education (Course Delivery) Policy 000629

Course Coordinator Role Guideline 000626

Rules Governing the Administration of Assessment Items 000113

Compulsory Course Component Procedure 000957

5. Related Documents

Attachment 1 - Checklist for Course Outlines

Attachment 2 – CTS Entry Proforma – WIL