Faculty of Business and Law - 2012 Faculty Credit Guideline

1.      Context/Overview

This Guideline supports the Faculty’s commitment to complying with the Credit provisions listed in the Rules Governing Awards and Programs 000958 and the Program Management Policy and Procedure Manual - Coursework 000967. This Guideline will be reviewed annually to ensure it is consistent with the Program Management Policy and Procedure Manual - Coursework.

In the event of an inconsistency between lower level policy documents and a Rule(s) or Schedule to the Rule(s), the Rule(s) made by Council prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.

In the event of an inconsistency between an Academic Senate policy document and a Faculty policy, procedure or guideline, the policy document of Academic Senate prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.

2.      Definitions

In the context of this document:

Final year courses, in the context of undergraduate programs, means the final 80 units of highest level courses in a program according to the requirements for completion set out in the program information;

Credit means the formal acceptance of a student's prior learning or previous studies as being, in whole or in part, either identical to or the equivalent of studies contributing to a University of Newcastle award;

Specified credit means credit granted for the successful completion of a specific course or courses where there is substantial overlap of content, as determined by the Faculty, and where the level is deemed to be equivalent to a University of Newcastle course or courses.

Unspecified credit means credit granted for the successful completion of courses deemed to be at an appropriate level and in an appropriate field of study.

3.      Guidelines

3.1.    General Provisions

3.1.1.       In accordance with Clause 6.2.7 of the Program Management Policy and Procedure Manual - Coursework 000967, credit will not be granted for courses awarded:

i.    a terminating pass; or

ii.   a conceded pass; or

iii.  an equivalent pass; or

iv.  a fail grade.

3.1.2.       Credit will only be granted for studies undertaken at the Diploma level or above.

3.1.3.       The maximum credit is listed in the relevant Schedules to the Rules Governing Awards and Programs 000958, including the:

• Undergraduate Awards and Programs Schedule;
• Postgraduate Coursework Awards and Programs Schedule; and

3.1.4.       In accordance with Clause 12.4.3 of the Rules Governing Awards and Programs 000958, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) of the Faculty is authorised, in accordance with the policies and procedures approved by Academic Senate, to grant credit, exceeding the maximum credit listed in the relevant Award and Program Schedule, at his or her discretion for studies undertaken at the University of Newcastle not already counted towards a completed Award.

3.1.5.       In accordance with the Maximum Time for Completion of Programs Schedule 000962, the period refers to elapsed calendar years from admission, inclusive of periods of leave of absence, exclusion or academic suspension.

3.1.6.       A student will not be permitted to gain credit for any course that is substantially equivalent to one that the student has previously counted towards the same award.

3.1.7.       The completion of core courses, allow a student to demonstrate that they have acquired the learning outcomes required by the program. Credit for core courses will be assessed and will only be granted where it is deemed that the student has met the learning outcomes and at least 80% of the content was the same.

3.2.    Currency of Courses

3.2.1.       In accordance with Clause 12.4.2 of the Rules Governing Awards and Programs 000958, Pro Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) of the Faculty is authorised, in accordance with the policies and procedures approved by Academic Senate, to determine the currency of courses for which a student is seeking credit.

3.2.2.       Within the Faculty of Business and Law credit may only be granted for studies completed in the preceding eight (8) years for undergraduate programs and ten (10) years for postgraduate programs. Some exceptions apply at a program level, see Clause 3.5.  Currency may be varied on the recommendation of the Head of School.  In making credit determinations, the currency of course content will be considered and evidence of relevant work experience may also be taken into account.

3.3.    Maximum Credit

The maximum amount of credit available for programs is listed in the relevant Schedule to the Rules Governing Awards and Programs 000958, including the:

• Undergraduate Awards and Programs Schedule;
• Postgraduate Coursework Awards and Programs Schedule; and

3.3.1.       Credit will be granted for all undergraduate degree programs except for Graduate Law and Combined Law Degree programs for courses completed at Australian higher education institutions as follows:

i)         Maximum 120 units of credit in total for a completed degree;

ii)        For an incomplete Bachelor program in the Faculty of Business and Law, credit may be granted up to 160 units.  (Given that there is overlap between the Faculty programs.)

iii)       For any other incomplete Bachelor program, credit will be granted up to 120 units.

3.3.2.       For Graduate Law and Combined Law Degree programs:

                Credit will not normally be granted in LAWS courses totalling more than 80 units. Normally credit will be granted in specified courses only and the Head of School must be satisfied that the course for which credit is sought is substantially the same as a course included in the list of Approved Courses for the LLB.

                Where the course or courses passed at another university or approved tertiary institution do not correspond in content with any course in the list of Approved Courses for the LLB, unspecified credit will not be granted in more than 40 units.

                Notwithstanding the above, intending Bachelor of Laws/Diploma of Legal Practice (Option B) candidates are advised that it would be to their advantage to complete the full LLB program. A candidate admitted to the LLB who accepts more than 20 units of credit for courses included in the core program will not be permitted to compete for a place in Option B because places are awarded solely on the basis of academic merit in the Newcastle Core Program.[1]

3.3.3.     

                Where the provisions of a postgraduate coursework program require, or allow, the completion of undergraduate courses as part of the program, a student may be granted credit for undergraduate courses previously undertaken under the following circumstances:

i)         no credit will be given for 1000 level courses;

ii)        credit, of up to twenty five percent (25%) of the units required to complete the program, may be granted for undergraduate courses at 2000 to 4000 level not already counted towards a completed award;

iii)       credit may be granted for Honours Program courses at 4000 level at the discretion of the Pro Vice-Chancellor.

                Exceptions to the withholding of credit stipulated in Clause 3.3.3 (ii) may be approved by the President of Academic Senate in those cases where the Faculty or School can demonstrate that in a postgraduate program in which there are no electives, a student may (unless credit is approved) be required to complete a course which has effectively already been completed in an undergraduate award.

3.4.    Use of Precedents

In accordance with Clause 6.2.8 of the Program Management Policy and Procedure Manual - Coursework 000967, where specified credit has been approved, such approval may be used as a precedent for the awarding of that credit in matching circumstances for three years, subject to any guidelines approved by the relevant Pro Vice-Chancellor.

3.5.    Programs with Credit Limitation or Conditions

3.6.    Exclusions

No credit is available within the following programs:

• Nil

3.7.    Cross Institutional Credit

Credit may be awarded for cross-institutional enrolment subject to the requirements set out in Clause 6.3 of the Program Management Policy and Procedure Manual - Coursework 000967.

3.7.1.       Cross Institutional enrolment will not be approved unless a student has completed at least 40 units in the program for which they are seeking credit.

3.7.2.       Credit may be awarded for cross-institutional enrolment with an overall maximum of 40 units.

3.7.3.       Credit may be awarded to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Laws, the Bachelor of Laws/Diploma of Legal Practice and combined law degrees up to a 40 units of cross-institutional studies at the 5000 level.

3.8.     Authority to Approve the Awarding of Individual Credit

In accordance with the Academic Governance and Support Delegation Schedule A7.4 the Pro-Vice Chancellor (or nominee) is authorised to grant credit.

The decision to grant credit to an individual applicant will be approved as follows:

3.8.1.       Specified Credit

3.8.2.       Unspecified Credit

1. The awarding of unspecified credit will be approved by the Program Convenor.

3.8.3.       Articulation and Block Credit Agreements

1. The awarding of specified and unspecified credit as part of articulation and block credit arrangements will be approved by the Pro-Vice Chancellor on the recommendation of the Program Convenor.

4.      Essential Supporting Documents

Rules Governing Awards and Programs 000958

Undergraduate Awards and Programs Schedule 000960

Postgraduate Coursework Awards and Programs Schedule 000961

Program Management Policy - Coursework 000964

Program Management Policy and Procedure Manual - Coursework 000967

Credit and Articulation Procedure 000862

5.      Related Documents

Maximum Time for Completion of Programs Schedule 000962