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Course and Subject Design (Coursework) Procedure

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This procedure supports the Course and Subject Policy by stating:

  1. principles and requirements for design of coursework courses and coursework subjects; and
  2. maximum times within which students must complete coursework courses.

(2) It ensures the University’s courses will meet the requirements in section 1.4 Learning Outcomes and Assessment and section 3.1 Course Design of the Higher Education Standards Framework.

Scope

(3) This procedure applies to:

  1. coursework courses;
  2. coursework subjects, including those for higher degree by research courses; and
  3. research component subjects for coursework courses.

(4) The Indigenous Australian Content in Courses and Subjects Policy states requirements for design of this type of content in both courses and subjects.

(5) The Higher Degree by Research Policy states course design requirements for higher degree by research courses.

References

(6) Where a supporting document is referenced in this procedure, it will be listed in the associated information tab.

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Section 2 - Glossary

(7) Most of the terms used in this procedure are defined in the glossary section of the Course and Subject Policy. For the purposes of this procedure, the following additional terms have the definitions stated:

  1. Articulated course - one course in an articulated set of courses.
  2. Articulated set of courses - a sequence of courses in which the subjects required for the earlier course(s) in the sequence are a subset of the subjects required for the later course(s).
  3. Articulated set of courses with a single entry point - an articulated set of courses in which students are admitted to the highest course in the sequence but may exit part-way through with a lower award in the sequence.
  4. Articulated set of courses with multiple entry points - an articulated set of courses that permit students to be admitted to, and complete separately, more than one course in the set if they meet the admission requirements of that course.
  5. Core subject – a subject that all students undertaking a course are required to pass, to complete a course.
  6. Disability – as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act (Cth).
  7. Duty to foster the wellbeing of staff and students:
    1. includes the duty to ensure that no member of staff and no student suffers unfair disadvantage or unfair adverse discrimination on any basis recognised at law including race, gender, sexuality, religion and political belief;
    2. includes the duty to ensure that no member of staff and no student is subject to threatening or intimidating behaviour by another person or persons on account of anything they have said or proposed to say in exercising their freedom of speech;
    3. supports reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent any person from using lawful speech which a reasonable person would regard, in the circumstances, as likely to humiliate or intimidate other persons and which is intended to have either or both of those effects;
    4. does not extend to a duty to protect any person from feeling offended or shocked or insulted by the lawful speech of another.
  8. Elective – a requirement of a course that a student can meet by completing a subject they can choose freely from any subject of the University; see also ‘restricted elective’.
  9. Full-time duration - the length of time it takes to complete a course if the student studies full time: i.e. is enrolled in 64 credit points each year.
  10. Inherent requirements – the academic and other requirements of a course that all students must meet to achieve the course learning outcomes, and the knowledge, abilities, skills and qualities students will need to have in order to achieve them. Reasonable adjustments for a student with a disability cannot remove the need to meet these requirements.
  11. Optional sequence – a major, specialisation or minor which students choose to undertake within a course but, to fulfil the requirements of the major, specialisation or minor, must complete its core subjects and/or restricted electives.
  12. Point – a measure of volume of learning, equivalent to between 17.5 and 20 learning hours.
  13. Prerequisite subject - a subject that a student must have completed before they can begin study in the subject for which it is specified as a prerequisite.
  14. Restricted elective – a course requirement whereby a student can choose a subject or a specified number of subjects from a list of subjects or from a specified discipline; that is, not an unrestricted elective choice. 
  15. WPL coordinator – as defined in the ‘WPL academic management and support roles’ section of the Course and Subject Delivery and Management Procedure.
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Section 3 - Policy

(8) This procedure supports the Course and Subject Policy and should be read alongside that policy.

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Section 4 - Procedure

Graduate attributes and graduate learning outcomes

(9) The University aims to produce graduates who:

  1. are well educated in the knowledge, capabilities, practices, attitudes, ethics and dispositions of their discipline or profession;
  2. are capable communicators with effective problem-solving, analytical and critical thinking skills and can work well both independently and with others;
  3. value diversity and the common good, and work constructively, respectfully and effectively with local and global communities and workplaces;
  4. engage meaningfully with the culture, experiences, histories and contemporary issues of Indigenous Australian communities;
  5. practise ethically and sustainably in ways that demonstrate ‘yindyamarra winhanganha’ – translated from the Wiradjuri language as ‘the wisdom of respectfully knowing how to live well in a world worth living in’;
  6. are digitally literate citizens, able to harness technologies for professional practice and participate independently in online learning communities; and
  7. critically appraise and continue to develop their own personal and professional capabilities.

(10) The course will enable students to demonstrate the University’s graduate attributes by providing:

  1. opportunities to develop skills in communication, problem-solving and analytical thinking;
  2. access to international experiences;
  3. opportunities to engage meaningfully with the culture, experiences, histories and contemporary issues of Indigenous communities;
  4. education based in practice;
  5. opportunities to gain a firm understanding of ethics;
  6. understandings of financial, social and environmental sustainability; and
  7. opportunities to develop online proficiency.

(11) To help course designers integrate the graduate attributes into course learning outcomes, the Division of Learning and Teaching publishes the University’s graduate learning outcomes. These are a statement of what a student is expected to know, do, or demonstrate in order to show that they have each graduate attribute.

Course learning outcomes

(12) All courses will have defined course learning outcomes.

(13) The course learning outcomes will address and integrate:

  1. Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) knowledge and skills descriptors for the qualification; and
  2. any relevant professional or discipline standards.
  3. In addition, in undergraduate courses of more than 64 points volume of learning, and master courses that prepare students for a specific profession, the course learning outcomes will address and integrate the University’s graduate learning outcomes, so that graduates of these courses can demonstrate the graduate attributes.

(14) Course learning outcomes will describe, in plain English, what students must know and be able to do to demonstrate that they have achieved these outcomes. 

(15) The course and subject documents will demonstrate how subjects required for the course are aligned to the course learning outcomes.

  1. Assessment in the course will be coherently sequenced and aligned to enable students to build their capabilities and skills progressively towards subject and course learning outcomes.
  2. Students’ performance in assessment tasks will thus demonstrate their progress towards meeting course learning outcomes by the time they complete the course.

(16) Where the course learning outcomes integrate the graduate learning outcomes:

  1. Individual subjects will typically be aligned only to some graduate learning outcomes, and in some cases may be aligned to none.
  2. Courses in some discipline areas may concentrate more effort on some graduate learning outcomes than on others.

(17) Postgraduate courses, other than master courses that prepare students for a specific profession, will address AQF knowledge and skills descriptors. They may address the University’s graduate learning outcomes and/or professional or discipline standards as appropriate. 

Indigenous Australian course content

(18) The Indigenous Australian Content in Courses and Subjects Policy states design requirements for this type of content in courses, to ensure students can demonstrate their achievement of the graduate attribute of meaningful engagement with the culture, experiences, histories and contemporary issues of Indigenous communities.

Early assessment tasks

(19) Courses will as far as possible ensure that some subjects in:

  1. the first session of study, for students who enter the course without credit; and
  2. at points where students are likely to enter from credit pathways,
set an assessment task with a low weighting in the first four weeks of session, to identify students who need academic skills support, English language support or other types of support.

Language, literacy and numeracy

(20) Courses that are required to integrate the graduate attributes into their learning outcomes will be structured to develop students’ English language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills towards, as follows.

(21) Throughout the course structure, core subjects and restricted electives for each course will include assessment tasks that focus on discipline-specific LLN skills.

(22) In the opening stages of the course it will require students to:

  1. gather ideas and information from critical reading, listening and observing, to ensure they can engage with the necessary variety of traditional and digital texts;
  2. build the conceptual and factual foundations of their discipline; and
  3. understand and develop proficiency in the basic mathematical knowledge and methods needed for the discipline/profession.

(23) In the middle stages of the course it will require students to:

  1. analyse, reason and produce well argued and carefully constructed accounts of complex thinking; and
  2. where appropriate, interpret and use mathematical information and concepts to solve problems and communicate results.

(24) In the final stages of the course it will require students to demonstrate the threshold LLN proficiencies required for their profession/discipline to a level appropriate to the AQF qualification.

Other course design requirements

(25) The course will be designed to enable, as far as practicable, a diversity of students, including students with a disability, to succeed.

(26) The course will equip students with current knowledge and skills in its discipline(s).

(27) The course will provide students with opportunities to develop and demonstrate their academic integrity skills as they progress through it.

Work integrated learning and workplace learning

(28) Work integrated learning (WIL) and workplace learning (WPL) are essential to providing the employability elements of the graduate attributes. Accordingly, each course, and each specialisation or major in a course, is expected to include a range of work integrated learning activities.

(29) Faculties have discretion whether to require students to undertake workplace learning (WPL) in a course. This will depend on:

  1. whether the course or a major or specialisation in the course needs WPL to prepare students for a specific career; and
  2. whether professional accreditation of the course or a major or specialisation in the course requires it to have WPL.

(30) Where a course, major or specialisation involves WPL, the course design will ensure that the course structure preceding the WPL, or the major/specialisation subjects preceding the WPL, include subjects that:

  1. prepare students to undertake the WPL successfully; and
  2. as far as possible, verify that students have the capabilities to meet the inherent requirements of workplace learning in the industry or profession.

(31) WIL, including any WPL, will be structured across the course. The subject design section below states detailed requirements for design of WPL in subjects.

Guidance on course design

(32) The Learning and Teaching Framework provides further guidance on course design to ensure:

  1. an engaging student learning experience at an appropriate level of intellectual challenge;
  2. learning activities and assessments are aligned with course integrated standards; and
  3. an optimal combination of online and/or face-to-face learning opportunities including residential schools.

Components in undergraduate course structures

Optional sequences

(33) An undergraduate course may include the following optional sequences:

  1. a specialisation – a sequence of subjects in a discipline or on an interdisciplinary theme that:
    1. totals 64 points in volume;
    2. requires students to complete at least 48 points above 100 level; and
    3. requires students to complete at least 16 points above 200 level; and
    4. if a graduate has fulfilled the specialisation requirements, the title of the specialisation, in parentheses, will be printed after the award title on the testamur; or
  2. a major – a sequence of subjects in a discipline or on an interdisciplinary theme that:
    1. totals 64 points in volume;
    2. requires students to complete at least 48 points above 100 level; and
    3. requires students to complete at least 16 points above 200 level; but
    4. will not be printed after the award title on the testamur; and/or
  3. a minor – a sequence of subjects in a discipline or on an interdisciplinary theme that: 
    1. totals 32 points in volume; and
    2. includes at least 16 points above 100 level.
  4. University Courses Committee may permit a major, specialisation or minor in an undergraduate course to total more than these numbers of points where this is necessary for students to achieve professional registration in the major or minor discipline.

(34) The Course and Subject Information Procedure states which components of courses can be described in award names.

Unrestricted electives

(35) Where possible, to ensure students achieve some breadth of study outside of the main discipline of their undergraduate course, each bachelor degree course or integrated bachelor (honours) course will require students to complete at least 16 points of unrestricted elective subjects.

  1. Where a double degree comprises component single degrees in two different disciplines, this requirement for breadth is met by the requirement that students undertake subjects in the two different disciplines, and the course does not have to permit unrestricted elective choices.
  2. University Courses Committee may waive the unrestricted electives requirement for a course where the faculty demonstrates that, to meet all professional accreditation requirements, the course must have so many subjects on topics in the primary course discipline that it cannot spare 16 points of subjects as unrestricted electives.

International study

(36) Undergraduate courses will as far as possible provide an opportunity for students to undertake study in another country. This international study may be:

  1. study at an institution outside Australia that is equivalent to subjects required for the course, or that fulfils elective requirements for the course; or
  2. an elective subject that provides an international study or workplace learning experience.

(37) International study should normally occur later than the first full-time year of the course structure.

Double degrees

(38) A double degree course will:

  1. combine two existing courses that each lead to a single qualification into one set of course requirements that enables students to achieve all learning outcomes of both component courses; and
  2. require a reduced volume of learning compared to the total volume of the two component single degree courses, by giving cross-credit for subjects required for either component course, that can fulfil the requirements of the other component course.
  3. A double degree will provide the maximum cross-credit to students, up to the following limit. The minimum volume of learning for a double degree course will be the volume of the component single degree course with the greater volume of learning, plus 64 points. This requirement is consistent with the limits on cross-credits between Charles Sturt courses stated in the Credit Policy.
  4. To maximise cross-credit between its component single degrees, a double degree may:
    1. offer students a more constricted choice of majors, minors and/or restricted elective subjects than does a component single degree;
    2. list restricted elective subjects in a component single degree as core subjects;
    3. give cross-credit towards restricted electives that are only required to be in a specified discipline, where the other component single degree includes subjects of that discipline that are not used for cross-credit to meet another requirement; and
    4. remove points allocated to unrestricted elective requirements in a component single degree, since these are met by any subject in the other component single degree that is not used for cross-credit to meet another requirement.
    5. Cross-credit cannot be given towards a core workplace learning subject unless the subject in the other component single degree, for which the cross-credit is given, is a core workplace learning subject at the same level and of the same point that meets the same learning outcomes.
  5. Provided its two component single degrees are also offered individually, a double degree’s graduates will be conferred with an individual testamur for each of the two component single degrees.

(39) University Courses Committee may also approve a double degree in which one or both of the component single degrees is not offered as a separate course leading to a single award. In such cases:

  1. The component single degree(s) must be designed so that:
    1. it complies with Australian Qualifications Framework specifications for such a qualification; and
    2. students can achieve a substantial discipline specialisation and learning outcomes as they would for any single degree award of the University at that level.
  2. The faculty must provide committees which are to endorse and/or approve the double degree course with a map of the subjects that would be required for the two component single degrees if they were offered separately, so the committees can:
    1. verify that a component single degree would meet all requirements of such courses if it were offered separately; and
    2. understand the extent of cross-credit between the two degrees.

Articulated sets of courses

(40) Courses in an articulated set must meet the Australian Qualifications Framework qualification specification for each award in the set.

(41) Articulated sets of courses will normally comprise courses at different course levels, but may comprise two courses at the same level.

(42) The subjects students complete while enrolled in a lower-level award in the set will be credited towards a higher-level award if the student undertakes the higher award.

(43) The subjects students complete while enrolled in a higher-level award in the set will also be credited towards a lower-level award if the student chooses to exit with the lower-level award.

(44) The Credit Policy states exceptions to normal credit limits for credit between courses in an articulated set.

(45) The Conferral and Graduation Policy states conditions on which students may exit from an articulated set of courses and graduate with any of the awards.

Combined degrees

(46) A bachelor degree course and a one-year bachelor (honours) degree course may be integrated in a single honours course that meets the requirements of both.

  1. Where necessary for professional accreditation reasons, the bachelor degree and one-year honours degree courses can continue to be offered as separate courses alongside the integrated course.
  2. Students may be enrolled in a bachelor degree course, with the option of entering the integrated bachelor (honours) course if they achieve a required grade point average and/or level of performance in specific subjects.

(47) An undergraduate degree and a postgraduate coursework degree may be integrated into a single course that meets the requirements of both.

Sharing subjects and shared classes between courses leading to different levels of qualification

(48) The Course and Subject Information Procedure states that the numerical part of a subject code denotes the level of the subject (from level 000 for subjects in bridging or enabling courses, to level 700 for subjects in doctoral courses).

(49) Subjects at 000 level cannot be listed as a core or restricted elective subject, or chosen as an unrestricted elective, for any course other than a bridging course or enabling course.

(50) Subjects at 100, 200 or 300 level:

  1. can be listed as a core or restricted elective subject, or chosen as an unrestricted elective, for:
    1. an undergraduate certificate course;
    2. an undergraduate diploma course;
    3. an associate degree course;
    4. a bachelor degree course; or
    5. the components, other than the honours stream, in an integrated four-year bachelor (honours) course; but
  2. cannot be listed in the subject requirements for, or chosen as an unrestricted elective, for:
    1. the honours stream of an integrated four-year bachelor (honours) course;
    2. a one-year bachelor (honours) course; or
    3. any postgraduate course. 

(51) Subjects at 400 level:

  1. can be listed as a core or restricted elective subject, or chosen as an unrestricted elective, for an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework course, provided that the subject learning outcomes are indeed at Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level 8; but
  2. cannot be listed for the most advanced 64 points of a master by coursework course (as those 64 points must be at AQF level 9).

(52) Subjects at 500 level can be listed as a core or restricted elective subject, or chosen as an unrestricted elective, for a one-year bachelor (honours) course or for the honours stream of an integrated bachelor (honours) course.

(53) Other than the exceptions stated in clauses (49-51) above, where two courses at different levels teach students the same subject topics in the same class:

  1. the two groups of students will be enrolled in different subject codes at permissible levels; and
  2. the assessment tasks and learning experiences of each subject will be differentiated to construct learning outcomes appropriate to the level indicated by the subject code.

Bachelor (honours) degrees

(54) A bachelor (honours) degree course, whether it is an integrated honours course or a one-year honours course, must include:

  1. 64 points of subjects at 400 level (or 500 level); including
  2. a research component with a weight of at least 16 points, and a coursework subject covering one or more of the following topics:
    1. research methods;
    2. statistical analysis;
    3. readings in advanced theory;
    4. professional issues and practice;
    5. readings in current issues; and/or
    6. an equivalent topic approved by the Honours (or Dissertation) Advisor.
  3. See also the section on levels of subject that can and cannot be shared between different levels of course above.

(55) In a four-year integrated bachelor (honours) course:

  1. the duration of the honours stream will typically be either two years or one year. Where a course approval document proposes a three-year honours stream it must provide a rationale; and
  2. the online course brochure and University Handbook entry must specify the requirements and process for selecting students to enter the honours stream.

(56) The integrated honours component may require students who enter the honours stream to complete a different points total to complete the course, with a different course load and in some cases different duration. Where this is the case, the online course brochure and University Handbook entry must state this.

Master by coursework courses

(57) A master by coursework course:

  1. must include 64 points of 500 level subjects; and
  2. may include, as an optional sequence, a specialisation totalling 32 points of subjects in a specified discipline or on an interdisciplinary theme.
  3. See also the section on levels of subject that can and cannot be shared between different levels of course above.
  4. Where a master by coursework is intended as a pathway to doctoral research, it must enable students to demonstrate research preparedness by having an opportunity to undertake a research component weighted at 16 points or more.

(58) University Courses Committee may permit a specialisation in a master by coursework course to total more than 32 points where this is necessary for students to achieve professional registration in the major discipline.

Course design process

(59) Course design will be informed by:

  1. a collaborative approach with review of design documentation by staff of relevant specialist units;
  2. input from the external advisory committee;
  3. analysis of the market and its trends, as part of a faculty planning process informed by other relevant divisions of the University; and
  4. student feedback and, if possible, involvement of student representatives in course design work.

(60) A set of common learning outcomes has been written to assist course design teams in aligning standards, course and subject outcomes, and assessment, to the graduate attributes. These are called the University’s graduate learning outcomes.

Inherent requirements

(61) As part of designing a new course, or designing changes to a course arising from course review, the course design team must define the inherent requirements of the course. In defining the inherent requirements, the team will refer to the guidelines on inherent requirements.

Key subjects

(62) Course design will identify key subjects in the course which, if students fail repeatedly, indicate that their academic progress is unsatisfactory.

(63) When listing key subjects, the course designers should consider distributing these across stages of the course, mainly in the first and second years of full-time study.

(64) A course will not normally have more than six key subjects.

(65) The Assessment Policy and Assessment - Academic Progress Procedure state the academic progress requirements in relation to key subjects.

Guidance on course design

(66) The Learning and Teaching Framework provides further detailed guidance on:

  1. the course design process; and
  2. designing courses to ensure they will develop students’ English language, literacy and numeracy skills specific to their discipline or profession.

Maximum times for completion

(67) The Course and Subject Policy states the University’s responsibility to set maximum times for completion of courses, to require students to complete their awards within a reasonable period and ensure currency of graduates’ knowledge and skills.

(68) Students must complete their coursework course within the maximum period listed:

  1. For a 32-point course leading to a certificate or graduate certificate award: three years.
  2. For a 64-point course leading to a diploma, graduate diploma, one-year bachelor (honours) or master by coursework award: five years.
  3. For a 96-point course leading to a master by coursework award: seven years.
  4. For a 128-point course leading to an associate degree or master by coursework award: eight years.
  5. For any course, double degree course or combined course of a volume of 160 points up to 256 points: 10 years.
  6. For any course, double degree course or combined course of a volume of 320 points: 12 years.

(69) To calculate whether students will have been enrolled for the periods stated in the previous clause, sessions of approved leave of absence will be included in the calculation.

(70) University Courses Committee may approve a shorter maximum period for completion of a specific course than the period stated in clause (68), where this is a condition of professional accreditation of the course.

  1. To be used as a criterion to assess students’ academic progress, such a shorter maximum period must be stated in the University Handbook entry for the course at the time a student begins their study in the course.

(71) The Assessment Policy and Assessment - Academic Progress Procedure state academic progress requirements in relation to maximum times for completion.

(72) The Higher Degrees by Research Policy states minimum and maximum periods of candidature for higher degrees by research, and the consequences where a candidate exceeds the relevant maximum period of candidature.

Subject design requirements

(73) A standard subject is weighted at eight points or a multiple of eight points. Subjects may, however, be weighted at any even number of points.

  1. A standard subject weighted at eight points will have learning and assessment activities requiring students to engage in them for 140 to 160 hours. Subjects with other weightings will require proportionally more or fewer hours of student engagement.
  2. For a subject other than a workplace learning subject to vary from this standard workload, the subject documents must provide a rationale that is satisfactory to the approving authority.
  3. In workplace learning subjects, however, the relationship between hours the student spends in the workplace and subject points may vary, as:
    1. hours spent working in the workplace are not considered to be learning and assessment activities, although they may include these; and
    2. professional accreditation and/or professional registration requirements may require large numbers of workplace learning hours.

(74) Subjects will be designed so that:

  1. their learning activities and assessment tasks are aligned to construct their learning outcomes; 
  2. the subject learning outcomes are aligned with and construct the learning outcomes of any course for which the subject is listed as a core subject or restricted elective subject; and
  3. the subject as far as possible enables a diversity of students, including students with a disability, to succeed.

Guidance on subject design

(75) The Learning and Teaching Framework provides detailed guidance on designing subjects to ensure:

  1. assessment criteria and performance standards;
  2. alignment between assessment tasks and learning modules in subject, subject learning outcomes and integrated course standards; and
  3. optimal use of face-to-face and online learning activities.

Prerequisite subjects and assumed knowledge

(76) A subject may have prerequisite subjects, for reasons of safety or safe professional practice and/or to meet professional accreditation requirements. Prerequisite subjects will be enforced as a requirement for enrolment in the subject that specifies them.

(77) A subject may also identify as ‘assumed knowledge’ other subjects, learning or experience that a student should have completed, to have a reasonable likelihood of success in the subject. Assumed knowledge will not be enforced as a requirement for enrolment in the subject that specifies it.

(78) The Enrolment Procedure describes the University’s processes for managing students’ enrolment in relation to prerequisite subjects.

Indigenous Australian content in subjects

(79) The Indigenous Australian Content in Courses and Subjects Policy states requirements for:

  1. subjects, if they are to be classified as Indigenous Australian studies subjects; and
  2. modules of Indigenous Australian content within subjects.

Workplace learning

(80) To meet Commonwealth Government definitions of work integrated learning, and so be eligible for Higher Education Contribution Scheme funding, workplace learning (WPL) must:

  1. be all or part of a formal unit with credit points and assessment attached;
  2. involve an industry or community partner;
  3. have planned activities that are authentic work activities; and
  4. have the student learning and performance either directed or supported by the University.

(81) To this end, all of the following must be performed by the University or by a person engaged by the University through a WPL agreement with the placement provider:

  1. definition and management of:
    1. the implementation of educational content and objectives of the unit;
    2. the standard of learning and performance to be achieved by the student during the placement;
    3. assessment of student learning and performance during the placement;
  2. organisation and/or approval of student placements;
  3. ongoing and regular input and contact with students;
  4. oversight and direction of a student’s work during a placement, not just the progress of a student's work;
  5. ongoing monitoring of students’ work and progress; and
  6. assessment of student learning and performance during the placement.

(82) Other than in professionally accredited courses where the University relies on a professionally accredited staff member of the placement provider to supervise students on placement, the Charles Sturt WPL coordinator will interact with the student while they are on placement. This interaction may include site visits.

(83) WPL in subjects will be a structured learning activity that enables students to:

  1. undertake workplace tasks which enable them to integrate academic theory into authentic discipline practice;
  2. develop professional and employability skills and knowledge related to the industry or profession;
  3. apply theoretical knowledge and creative problem solving to workplace-related issues/needs;
  4. participate productively and meaningfully in the workplace;
  5. develop the ability to reflect on work experience and self-assess work capabilities;
  6. demonstrate achievement of professional standards (where relevant);
  7. demonstrate behaviours consistent with professional values (where relevant), social justice and cultural sensitivity;
  8. demonstrate teamwork and proficient communication in a professional setting; and
  9. debrief and reflect critically on their placement experience.

(84) WPL placements will:

  1. be developed in collaboration between staff of the University and of the placement provider to link academic theory and work practice;
  2. be structured, with formal (both academic and workplace) direction, supervision and monitoring; and
  3. ensure the student has enough time in the workplace and enough work tasks, and is exposed to industry/professional practitioners with a sufficient range and depth of experience, for the student to achieve minimum standards of professional entry competence in their discipline.

(85) The University’s Professional and Practice-based Education Standards provide detailed guidance on design of workplace learning subjects.

Residential schools

(86) Subjects that are delivered online may require students to attend residential schools or online intensives as part of the subject assessment or as an attendance requirement stated in the subject outline.

(87) Courses may also offer a residential school or online intensive that is not part of assessment for a specific subject.

Third party content in subjects

(88) A subject may contain content developed by a third party.

Administrative subjects

(89) Where necessary for administrative reasons, a subject may be created with no credit points value.

Subject design process

(90) Subjects will often be designed as part of a course design project or as an action from an annual course health check or comprehensive course review. The section on the ‘Course design process’ above states requirements for course design teams and their work.

(91) Subjects that are part of course requirements contribute to students’ learning journey through the course.

  1. The mapping of subjects to course learning outcomes and integrated learning outcomes confirms the subject’s effectiveness for this purpose.
  2. Subject redesign must maintain this alignment with the course or courses to which the subject contributes.
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Section 5 - Guidelines

(92) The Learning and Teaching Framework [in development] provides guidance on designing courses and subjects.