AWARD STRUCTURES
The following information details the basic principles according to which degrees are structured. The University is moving to a system based on multiples of 3 unit subjects. This process is expected to be completed for the commencement of the 2004 academic year.
1. UNIT STRUCTURE
Each subject is based on a unit structure with three or six units per subject being acceptable. In exceptional cases especially at postgraduate level, Faculties may approve subjects with unit values in excess of three units.
2. THE MODEL
2.1 A three-year degree normally requires 72 units based on an 8/6/6 structure (ie eight subjects of three units at level 1, six subjects of four units at levels 2 and 3) or 8/8/8 structure or any configuration thereof. A four-year degree normally requires 96 units based on 8/6/6/6 or 8/8/8/8 structure or any configuration thereof. Faculties may allow students, with the approval of the appropriate officer, to graduate where the student is within one or two units of completing the prescribed requirements for the degree, including joint degrees.
2.2 Postgraduate degrees are based on a 24 unit year. Subjects are normally either three, four or six units.
2.3 A full-time student load is a minimum of 18 units per year.
2.4 The maximum enrolment normally permitted is 18 units per semester. The normal enrolment for a full-time candidate is 24 units in an academic year.
3. SUBJECTS
3.1 Subjects may not have different unit values for the same content at the same level.
3.2 Subjects that have substantial overlap in content must be listed as inadmissible combinations.
3.3 Level 1
The first year of an undergraduate degree requires eight 3-unit semester subjects at level 1.
3.4 Level 2, 3 or 4
The second, third and fourth years of the degree normally require eight 3-unit semester subjects, six 4-unit semester subjects, or combinations thereof which may include 6-unit subjects at levels 3 and 4. Year long subjects and subjects of a greater size are only accepted in the third and fourth years with the approval of the faculty. Honours and professional subjects can be any size in multiples of three or four units up to 24 units.
3.5 Postgraduate
Postgraduate subjects are normally three, four or six units.
4. CONTACT HOURS
4.1 Degrees should be designed with the expectation that the average student undertaking 24 units in a year can reasonably expect that the workload including contact and non-contact hours will be between 40 and 48 hours per week.
4.2 At the undergraduate level, each 3-unit subject is of one semester’s duration and requires up to six hours of contact time per week. Each 4-unit subject is of one semester’s duration and requires up to eight hours of contact time per week. The maximum contact for a 24 unit year should be 24 hours per week. Fieldwork and practicums can be conducted outside the designated teaching weeks.
5. PREREQUISITES
5.1 Definition — A prerequisite is a subject or subjects or a set of conditions which must be met before enrolment in a subject is approved.
5.2 Prerequisite subjects should be kept to a minimum and used only where sequential learning is involved. Prerequisite subjects may be implied in program structures.
6. COURSES AND MAJORS
The University has adopted the terms course and major as the terminology used to describe the content of its Awards (see description of course and major in Definitions on page 11).