PREFACE
2. NON-AWARD STUDIES
Two forms of study are available which do not require admission to an award course.
2.1 Miscellaneous Studies
FORM: Application for Enrolment - Miscellaneous Studies SOURCE: Student Administration
SUBMIT TO: Student Administration, Campus Office
Subject to approval by Course Coordinators and to the availability of places, miscellaneous studies may be undertaken by students who:
(i) (a) are enrolled in a course offered by another tertiary institution and have approval from that institution to include units offered by the College in the course concerned;
(b) have completed one half or more of a course at another tertiary institution, but who because of transfer or other valid reason cannot complete the course at that institution;
(ii) require further study in order to gain recognition by a professional association or body;
(iii) are required by the College to complete certain units in order to satisfy prerequisites for a particular course offered by the College;
(iv) wish to undertake tertiary-level study for a reason other than those specified above but satisfactory to the College.
A student who wishes to undertake miscellaneous study should normally satisfy entry requirements and prerequisites for admission to the course from which the unit or units are drawn, and must complete all assessment requirements. A statement of results will be issued for each semester of study.
Enrolment as a miscellaneous student is contingent upon payment of prescribed fees (see rules 1.1.1 and 1.2.1) unless the student has paid to another tertiary institution corresponding fees for the same period of enrolment.
Applications should be supported by documentary evidence from a tertiary institution or professional body indicating the units to be undertaken and the award or membership to which they may be credited. If the application is of the type described in (iv) above, a full statement of the reasons for the application should be attached.
Decisions on applications will be conveyed in writing by the Academic Registrar and will specify the unit or units for which approval is given.
Proposals to change the units approved must be submitted on the form Application for Enrolment Revision.
Students who complete units by miscellaneous study may, if subsequently admitted to a course offered by the College, apply for credit as provided in Rule 3, Transfer of Credit.
2.2 Continuing Education
FORM: Application to Enrol as a Visiting Student
SOURCE: Continuing Education, Kelvin Grove Campus or Student Administration, Campus Office
SUBMIT TO: Continuing Education, Kelvin Grove Campus or Student Administration, Campus Office
The College offers, in a variety of areas, studies which do not require admission to an award course or official enrolment in advanced education units. Students who undertake this form of study may be provided with a certificate of attendance or other recognition but will in no circumstances be eligible to apply for credit in an advanced education course.
3 . TRANSFER OF CREDIT FORM: Application for Credit SOURCE: Student Administration
SUBMIT TO: Student Administration, Campus Office 3.1 Policy
Recognition in the form of credit will be given for study, demonstrable expertise and relevant experience, to an extent that is consistent with the maintenance of established academic standards. It is considered to be in the interests of students to facilitate their movement between institutions and between courses of various types and levels. The College is prepared to engage in formal arrangements with other institutions leading to the transfer of students and the granting of agreed credit; where no such arrangement exists, applications will be considered on their individual merits and in the spirit of this policy.
In making a determination on an application for credit, consideration will be given to the following:
3.1.1 Total Credit Available
Credit will normally be given for up to one half of the credit points required for an award, but a higher proportion may be given with the approval of the appropriate Board of Studies. The amount of credit awarded will be determined by the extent to which the applicant's previous studies have met similar or acceptable alternative objectives and requirements to those set for the course towards which credit is sought.
3.1 .2 Recency of Previous Studies
Studies undertaken ten or more years previous to the date of application may not be accepted for credit purposes unless a special case is made or assessment is given to establish the currency of the applicant's knowledge.
3.2 Forms of Credit
Two alternatives are available:
3.2.1 Exemption
Exemption will be approved when prior studies, expertise or experience satisfy the objectives and requirements of the unit from which exemption is sought. Where course rules permit, exemption may also be given from an unspecified unit on the basis of prior completion of studies judged to be equally acceptable within the structure of the course.
3.2.2 Partial Exemption
Partial exemption will be awarded when prior studies, expertise or experience satisfy some but not all of the objectives and requirements of the unit from which exemption is sought. Where partial exemption is awarded it is necessary to enrol in the unit concerned and participate in sections of the work and assessment as directed. On satisfactory completion of these tasks either exemption or a grade will be awarded, depending upon the proportion of the unit's requirements actually undertaken.
3.3 Application Procedure 3.3.1 Timing of applications
Applicants for admission to a College course who also wish to apply for credit should do so when applying for admission. While all applications will be considered promptly, processing may not be completed before the close of enrolments unless adequate time is allowed.
Students already enrolled in a College course may submit an application for credit at any time, but should do so well before the commencement of any semester in which the award of credit might affect their unit enrolment.
3.3.2 Documentation
Applicants are responsible for providing an official transcript of results and copies of the outline or syllabus of units completed. Before doing so, applicants are encouraged to contact the appropriate Course Coordinator to determine which of their former units are likely to be relevant. Undocumented applications will not be considered.
3.3.3 Other Requirements
Applicants for credit may be required to attend for interview or to undergo an appropriate form of assessment.
3.3.4 Notification
Decisions on applications for credit will be conveyed in writing by the Academic Registrar.
4. ASSESSMENT
4.1 The College's assessment policy is based on the principles of criterion- referencing and is stated in section 5 of this Handbook.
4.2 Grading
4.2.1 Students' performance in units will be graped on a scale from one to seven as defined below, unless use of the two point (S, U) scale (see 4.2.2) has been approved:
7. High Distinction: Achievement of all objectives which indicate mastery of the essential requirements of the unit, and of the maximum expected number of objectives which indicate higer- level performance. Achievement of such objectives requires and extremely high level of knowledge of the subject matter, mastery of relevant skills, demonstration of an extremely high level of intellectual initiative and interpretative and analyticalal ability.
6. Distinction: Achievement of all objectives which indicate mastery of the essential requirements of the unit, and of many objectives which indicate a higher-level performance. Achievement of such objectives requires a very high level of knowledge of the subject matter, development of relevant skills to a very high level, and demonstration of a very high level of intellectual initiative and interpretative and analytical ability.
5. Credit: Achievement of all objectives which indicate mastery of the essential requirements of the unit and of some objectives which indicat higher-level performance. Achievement of such objectives requires a high level of knowledge of the subject matter, development of relevant skills to a high level, and demonstration of a high level of intellectual initiative interpretative and analytical ability.
4. Pass: Achievement of all objectives which indicate indicate mastery of the essential requirements of the unit. Achievement of such objectives requires an adequate knowledge of the subject matter, adequate development of revelant skills and demonstration of adequate interpretative and analytical ability.
3. Pass Conceded: Achievement of most objectives which indicate mastery of the essential requirements of the unit. Achievement of such objectives requires some knowledge of the subject matter, partial development of relevant skills and some evidence of interpretative and analytical ability.
2. Failure: Failure to achieve several objectives which relate to mastery of the essential requirements of the unit. Failure to achieve such objectives is reflected in lack of knowledge of the subject matter, inadequate development of relevant skills and insufficient evidence of interpretative and analytical ability.
1. Gross Failure: Failure to achieve most or all objectives which relate to mastery of the essential requirements of the unit. Failure to achieve such objectives is reflected in lack of knowledge of the subject matter, minimal development of relevant skills, and insignificant evidence of interpretative and analytical ability.
4.2.2 Where approval has been given by the appropriate Board of Studies, units may be graded on the following scale:
S. Satisfactory: Achievement of all objectives which indicate mastery of the essential requirements of the unit. Achievement of such objectives requires an adequate knowledge of the subject matter, adequate development of relevant skills, and demonstration of adequate interpretative and analytic ability.
U. Unsatisfactory: Failure to achieve some objectives which relate to mastery of the essential requirements of the unit. Failure to achieve such objectives is reflected in inadequate knowledge of the subject matter, inadequate development of relevant skills and insufficient evidence of interpretative and analytic ability.
4.2.3 The following grade of failure may be used where use of the grades 1, 2 and U is not appropriate:
K. Ungraded failure: Awarded where insufficient work has been completed to merit a grade on either the 1-7 or U-S scales.
4.3 Administrative Codes
A Assessment temporarily incomplete
E Full exemption, awarded where prior studies in another course have been satisfactorily completed, or the required levels of experience or expertise demonstrated.
T Studies extending over more than one semester where the longer period is part of the accredited course requirements.
W Withdrawal without assessment, awarded where approval is given for cancellation of enrolment during weeks three to seven of a semester.
4.4 Supplementary Assessment
FORM: Application for Supplementary Assessment SOURCE: Student Administration, Campus Office SUBMIT TO: Student Administration, Campus Office 4.4.1 Eligibility
Supplementary assessment in a maximum of two units may be available to a final-semester student if satisfactory completion of the unit(s) would enable the student to graduate from the course. Under special circumstances, including failure in a compulsory unit offered only in the second last semester of a course, the Chairperson of a Student Assessment Review Committee may approve supplementary assessment, in order to allow the student to graduate without extension of the course. Supplementary assessment should normally be completed before the commencement of the subsequent semester.
Such assessment may take the form of an assignment, examination or other assessment procedure as determined by the appropriate Head of School.
4.4.2 Application Procedure
Students eligible for supplementary assessment will normally be advised prior to or at the time of the release of results. However, any student who believes he or she may be eligible, whether or not notification has been given, should apply to the Academic Registrar within seven days of the release of results.
4.4.3 Notification
Students will receive written notification of the outcome of their application, including, where appropriate, the date, time, location and format of the supplementary assessment which would normally take place in January and August of each year.
4.5 Deferred Examinations
FORM: Application for Deferred Examination SOURCE: Student Administration, Campus Office SUBMIT TO: Student Administration, Campus Office 4.5.1 Eligibility
Students who through illness or other circumstances beyond their control are unable to attend an examination at the prescribed time or complete an examination, may subsequently be eligible for a deferred examination.
4.5.2 Application Procedure
Applications for deferred examinations should normally be submitted prior to or within three days of the examination date, depending on the circumstances.
In cases where a student is unable to submit such an application, a telephone message explaining the circumstances should be relayed to the appropriate Student Administration Officer. A formal application should be submitted as soon as possible.
Full details of the circumstances leading to the application must be given, and a medical certificate or other appropriate documentary evidence must be attached.
4.5.3 Notification
Students will receive written notification of the outcome of their application including, where appropriate, the date, time, location and format of the deferred examination.
4.6 Cheating
4.6.1 In undertaking assessment requirements in a unit, students are expected to exhibit honesty and ethical behavior.
4.6.2 Cheating is defined as any fraudulent response whatsoever by students to any item of assessment including any instance where: students deliberately copy or attempt to copy the work of other students;
students use or attempt to use information or materials that are prohibited from use in that form of assessment; students submit the work of another as their own; students consciously commit acts of plagiarism i.e. those actions which comprise taking and using as their own the thoughts or writings of another with the intent to deceive, which occurs when; paragraphs, sentences, a single sentence or significant parts of a sentence which are copied directly, are not enclosed in quotation marks and appropriately footnoted; direct quotations are not used, but text is paraphrased or summarised, and the source of the material is not acknowledged either by footnoting or other simple reference within the text.
4.6.3 Students found cheating in any item of assessment will have that item cancelled, receive no marks for it, and will not be permitted to repeat it during that semester of enrolment.
4.6.4 Students found cheating on more than one occasion may be liable under College By-law 8 to penalties applicable to a breach of discipline.
4. 7 Progression and Exclusion
Students' academic performance is evaluated at the conclusion of each semester. Students whose results for a semester include one or more failures may be permitted to proceed with their courses under contitions imposed in regard to repetition or substitution of the unit(s) failed; or if the degree of failure in that semester or over a number of semesters is sufficiently serious, may be excluded from the course concerned.
Rules on repetition of units and on progression generally are established and applied at the discretion of Board of Studies and vary from course to course. However, provisions regarding exclusion are common to all courses.
One or more of the following grounds may be specified in an individual case:
(i) failure on two occasions in the same unit;
(ii) failure in more than a specified proportion of studies undertaken in a particular semester;
(iii) accumulation of failures to levels specified for particular courses;
(iv) failure to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in any mandatory studies taken as part of a particular course;
(v) failure to complete a course within a specified maximum period of time.
Criteria for implementation of exclusion provisions are given in Appendix 2.
Students will be advised in writing of any actions required or conditions imposed consequent upon failure, and in the case of exclusion, of the specific ground or grounds involved and the period of exclusion.
4.8 Graduation
Students are eligible to graduate upon completion of course requirements and certification of such completion by Boards of Studies.
In determining students' eligibility Boards of Studies will have regard to limits on the number of grades of '3' which may be credited towards awards. These limits are stated in Appendix 2.