James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2004

Undergraduate Study

UniGateway

University Requirements

Undergraduate Coursework
Awards

Faculty of Arts, Education
and Social Sciences
(incorporating the School of Indigenous Australian Studies)

Specific Information on Enrolment for Education Students

Specific Information on Enrolment for School of Indigenous Australian Studies Students

Award Requirements

Courses and Majors

Faculty of Law, Business
and the Creative Arts

Award Requirements

Courses and Majors

Faculty of Medicine, Health and Molecular Sciences

Award Requirements

Courses and Majors

Faculty of Science,
Engineering and
Information Technology

Award Requirements

Courses and Majors

Subject Descriptions

UniGateway

Pathways are offered into JCU degrees in the following areas through the UniGateway Program:

Arts, Education and Social Sciences

Business and Law

Creative Arts

Science, Engineering and Information Technology.

The UniGateway program is available to international students who do not meet the minimum entry requirement for a Bachelor degree. Students take pre-University subjects in combination with selected first year subjects. When students successfully complete the UniGateway program, they automatically gain entry into a JCU Bachelor degree and receive credit towards their degree for the first year subjects they completed, thus reducing the time required to finish the degree. Students indicate which Bachelor degree they wish to study before commencing UniGateway as the subjects studied in the program depend on this. UniGateway offers direct entry into all JCU undergraduate degrees except the Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS).

There are three types of UniGateway -

Academic Gateway - Intended for students who do not meet the academic entry requirement but do meet the English language proficiency entry requirement for a James Cook University undergraduate degree.

Gateway Plus 15 weeks - Intended for students who do not meet the academic entry requirement nor the English language proficiency entry requirement and require approximately 15 weeks of English language training for entry into a James Cook University undergraduate degree.

Gateway Plus 30 weeks - Intended for students who do not meet the academic entry requirement nor the English language proficiency entry requirement and require approximately 30 weeks of English language training for entry into a James Cook University undergraduate degree.

UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSEWORK AWARDS

Granting of an Award of the University

1. Candidates who have fulfilled the conditions of the Requirements for the Award in which they are enrolled and have complied with all Statutes and other Requirements applicable to them may be granted the Award.

Subject Enrolment

2. In each year of enrolment, each student is required to nominate a selection of subjects. The Executive Dean of the appropriate faculty may reject a student's enrolment and/or selection of subjects where the selection of subjects does not conform to the requirements of the award or where enrolment in a particular subject is restricted. At the direction of the Executive Dean some students will be required to attend an enrolment advisory session. However, it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the selection of subjects conforms to the requirements of the award in which the student is enrolled; and acceptance by the University of a student's enrolment and selection of subjects must not be taken as confirmation that the selection of subjects conforms to the requirements of the award in which the student is enrolled.

Concurrent Enrolment

3. A candidate shall not enrol concurrently for any other degree or diploma of this or any other institution of higher education without the written permission of the Executive Dean of the appropriate faculty or in the case of joint or interfaculty degrees, the Executive Deans of the appropriate Faculties.

Maximum Enrolment

4. The maximum enrolment for any candidate will normally be restricted to 15 units per semester without the special approval of the Executive Dean of the appropriate faculty. The normal enrolment for a full-time candidate is 24 units in an academic year.

Normal Period of Candidature

5. A three year degree requires 72 units and is normally completed in three years of full-time study or the part-time equivalent; a four year degree requires 96 units and is normally completed in four years of full-time study or the part-time equivalent.

Candidates' attention is drawn to the Re-enrolment Requirements which require that candidates progress with their studies in accordance with the conditions set down by those Requirements.

Candidates are not permitted to undertake more than the minimum number of units required to complete their degree without the approval of the Executive Dean.

Enrolment Status

6. A full-time candidate for any particular year is one who in that year enrols for subjects to the value of at least 18 units.

A part-time candidate for any particular year is one who in that year enrols for subjects to the value of less than 18 units.

Suspension or Termination of Enrolment

7. Where a student's enrolment is suspended or terminated, their attendance at the University, participation in on-line tuition or participation in a professional or clinical placement will cease, with effect from the date of suspension or termination.

Completion of a Subject

8. To complete a subject a candidate shall, in the one academic year, fulfil the requirements of the appropriate School as approved by the appropriate faculty for that subject in regard to attendance at lectures and classes, presentation of oral, written, practical and field work and satisfactory performance in examinations or in other forms of assessment. These conditions will be specified in each subject outline issued at the commencement of the subject.

Prerequisite Subjects

9. Except with faculty permission, granted on advice from the Head of the appropriate School, a candidate may not enrol for any subject until a passing grade has been obtained for any prerequisite subject or subjects or other conditions have been met as detailed in the Master Schedule of subjects.

Inadmissible Subjects

10. Where two subjects are listed in the Master Schedule of subjects as an inadmissible subject combination, credit may be gained for only one of the subjects.

Professional Experience

11.1 Where a course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements, students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled at their own expense.

11.2 Students may be required to be interviewed, in accordance with the relevant procedures, to assess their suitability to undertake, or to continue in, a professional or clinical placement.

Withdrawal from Subjects by Candidates

12. A candidate who withdraws from a subject after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty shall be deemed to have failed in the subject unless the faculty is satisfied that there are special reasons for waiving this provision.

Grades Awarded

13. A candidate's performance in a subject shall be classified as satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U) or graded within the following range:

High Distinction (HD); Distinction (D); Credit (C); Pass (P); Pass Conceded (PC) or Fail (N or X).

Schools will inform students of the criteria for each grade in each subject.

Honours

14.1 The degree with honours may be taken with honours in a single discipline or with combined honours in two disciplines.

14.2 The examination for the degree with honours shall be as designated by the Head of the appropriate School and shall be by:

14.2.1 passing or by being granted credit for passes in such assignments, exercises and written papers as may be prescribed; and

14.2.2 completing such other requirements, as may be approved and prescribed by the appropriate School responsible for examining the various subjects in which the candidate is enrolled; and

14.2.3 the presentation of a thesis, in manner and at a standard satisfactory to the appropriate Head of School.

14.3 The Bachelor Degree with Honours may be awarded in the following classes:

Class I1

Class II Division A

Class II Division B

Class III2.

Credit for Previous Studies

15. An Executive Dean may give a candidate credit towards an award of this University for subjects completed at this or another University within the limits indicated in the policy statement on credit transfer approved by each faculty.

Faculty of Arts, Education and Social Sciences incorporating the School of Indigenous Australian Studies

Information for the
Faculty of Arts, Education
and Social Sciences

Specific Information on
Enrolment for
School of Education Students

Specific Information on
Enrolment for School of
Indigenous Australian
Studies Students

Undergraduate Award Requirements

Undergraduate Courses and Majors

Information for FACULTY OF ARTS, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES incorporating the School of Indigenous Australian Studies

The Faculty comprises the
following schoools:

School of Anthropology, Archaeology and Sociology

which also includes the discipline of Cultural Heritage Studies

School of Education

School of Humanities

which includes the disciplines of English, French, History, Japanese, Journalism, Political Science and Public Policy

School of Indigenous Australian Studies

School of Psychology

School of Social Work and Community Welfare

which includes the Centre for Women's Studies.

The Arts and Social Sciences involve the study of how individuals, societies, cultures and political systems operate, in the present and the past. Its disciplines consider the essence of what it means to be human and provide vital knowledge for increasing our understanding of the peoples of the world and how they interact.

A wide choice of careers is possible by combining study in various disciplines -- Community Welfare, Sociology and Anthropology to prepare for a career in community aid abroad, Archaeology and History to work in cultural heritage and environmental management, History and English are classic combinations for teachers, Political Science and Journalism are a popular combination, as are Sociology and Education, Political Science and Psychology for a career in public life. Other combinations open career opportunities in the public and private sectors such as health and welfare services, public policy, management, native title, conservation, museums and national parks, libraries, foreign affairs, counselling and many more.

The key to knowledge and life-long learning is acquiring the skills to collect, analyse, interpret and communicate information. An education in the Arts and Social Sciences provides students with the expertise to conduct this kind of independent examination of important world issues. The goal of the Faculty is to train well educated and highly skilled graduates who have a strong sense of professional ethics and social justice.

Study in the Arts and Social Sciences can be combined readily with the study of other disciplines. Consider some of these possible combinations: a combination of Social Policy and Public Health provides excellent training for work in health planning. Consider the career options of combining Maritime Archaeology and Environmental Studies or Psychology and Environmental Science. Students are encouraged to discuss proposed program of studies with the Faculty's Academic Advisers who will assist with the choice of subjects.

Studies in Education are listed in the following pages.


1. The award of Class I Honours is acknowledged on the Testamur which is conferred at a Graduation Ceremony or Council meeting.

2. Class III Honours is not awarded in Engineering and Law.