James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2004

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.

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 six units.

2.1 A three-year degree normally requires 72 units based on eight subjects of three units at levels 1, 2 and 3. A four-year degree normally requires 96 units. The minimum duration and required number of units for each level of Award offered by the University is shown below.

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 Award, including joint degrees.

2.2 The normal enrolment for a full-time student is 24 units in an academic year, or 12 units in each semester. Thus, a three unit subject should be planned to require a quarter of a full-time student's available time and effort in a semester. Further information on full- and part-time status is given at section 7, below.

2.3 The maximum enrolment normally permitted is 18 units per semester.

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 are 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, but 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 units up to 24 units.

3.5 Postgraduate

Postgraduate subjects are normally three or six units.

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. 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.

5.1 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.

7.1 Full-time study

A full-time student normally enrols for 12 units in each semester and 24 units in each academic year. It is important to note that a student must be enrolled in at least nine units in a semester to be regarded as full-time; those whose enrolment drops below nine units at any stage in the semester normally will no longer be eligible for Austudy or, if an overseas student, for a student visa.

7.2 Part-time study

A part-time student normally enrols for fewer than nine units in a semester and fewer than 18 units in an academic year. Part-time study in most courses is available, but classes during the evening can be offered in only a limited number of subjects. Students who foresee difficulty in attending classes during the day should therefore take note of published lecture times in planning their enrolment.

A part-time student is normally permitted to enrol in a workload that suits the student's requirements provided that any specifications within degree requirements concerning minimum enrolment and/or maximum period of candidature are complied with.

Persons who wish to enrol for Bachelor degrees and Diploma courses must satisfy the Admission Rules (see page 30) and/or the enrolment requirements specified in the course rules.

Applications for admission to courses shown under (a)-(d) below:

must be made on the appropriate form and submitted to: Applications for admission to Tertiary Access Courses for Aboriginal and Islander students must be made on the appropriate form and submitted to: Applications for higher degree courses by research must be made on the appropriate form and submitted to:

Applications for admission for other courses are made to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC), PO Box 1331, Milton, QLD 4064, telephone (07) 3368 1166. Current Year 12 students apply to QTAC by telephone or via the web. High Schools provide instruction and guidance on the procedures to Year 12 students. All other applicants for courses offered through QTAC (other than international students) apply by: QTAC's Apply by Web Service at http://www.qtac.edu.au ; or application form contained within the QTAC Guide that is available for purchase from QTAC and most newsagencies. International students should contact JCU's International Student Centre.

Prerequisites

Senior English (or its equivalent) is a general prerequisite for entry to all undergraduate courses. In addition, some courses have other prerequisites. Full details are given in the Admission Rules, Schedule II (pp. 31-34).

James Cook University Student Association

Association Services Fee - Cairns and Townsville - 2004

Students may not enrol at the University unless they:

The 2004 James Cook University Student Association Services Fees are as follows:

For students enrolling in full year or Semester 1 studies, payment must be made by Monday, 23 February 2004.

For students enrolling in Semester 2 only, payment must be made by no later than Monday, 9 August 2004.

Students may apply to the Student Association for a refund of their Association Services Fee if they formally cancel or vary their enrolment from full-time to part-time or full year to single semester by the dates shown:

31 March 2004 (Semester 1 HECS Census date):

31 August 2004 (Semester 2 HECS Census date):

Credit for Other Studies

Students may in certain circumstances be given credit towards awards of this University for studies successfully undertaken in other tertiary institutions. Students should refer to the appropriate section of the policy statement Credit Towards Degrees and Diplomas beginning on page 57 of this publication.

Any candidate for an award of this University who wishes to be considered for the granting of credit towards an award for subjects already successfully completed at another institution must apply in writing to the appropriate faculty office, enclosing a full official transcript from the institution concerned. No credit towards an award of this University can be considered to have been approved unless it has been formally granted by the Executive Dean of the relevant faculty.

Variation or Cancellation of Enrolment

Students who wish to vary their enrolment in any way or to cancel totally must complete the appropriate form, obtainable from the Faculty Student Offices (Townsville) and Student Administration (Cairns). A list of dates by which enrolments may be varied or cancelled without penalty of failure is printed in the Important Dates section inside the front cover of this publication.

Students who withdraw from subjects or cancel their enrolments after the appropriate date will normally be regarded as having failed unless at the time of withdrawal or cancellation they provide a statement which satisfies the appropriate officer of the faculty that failure should not be recorded.

Students should be careful not to confuse the dates for withdrawal from a subject on academic grounds and withdrawal to avoid financial liability under the Commonwealth Government's Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) or the University's tuition fee policies. A list of dates by which students must withdraw without HECS or tuition fee penalty is printed in the Important Dates section inside the front cover of this publication.

Cross-institutional Enrolment

FACULTY OF ARTS, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Postgraduate programs:

Undergraduate programs:

FACULTY OF MEDICINE, HEALTH AND MOLECULAR SCIENCES

Postgraduate programs:

Undergraduate program:

Partial studies by flexible delivery are also available in a number of other courses. Students should check the section of this Handbook where subjects are described in full to determine what is available.

To assist students in the Mackay area, a study centre has been established. Within Queensland, Learning Network Qld has been established to help develop and expand access to higher education for all individuals. Refer to your local telephone directory to see if there is one in your area.

An off-campus library service is available. A range of services is provided including book loans, a photocopy service, literature searches and inter-library loans. The library's catalogue may also be accessed electronically by external users. A printed guide is available to assist off-campus students in the use of library facilities and services.