James Cook University Course and Subject Handbook - 2006

Persons who wish to enrol for degrees and other courses must satisfy the Admission Rules (see page 47) and/or the specified in the course rules.

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

• Certificate courses;

• Bachelor honours courses; and

• all postgraduate coursework courses,

must be made on the appropriate form and submitted to:

Student Administration
James Cook University
Townsville Qld 4811
Phone: (07) 4781 5255,
Fax: (07) 4781 4644,
Email: EnquiriesTownsville@jcu.edu.au

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

School of Indigenous Australian Studies
James Cook University
Townsville Qld 4811

Applications for higher degree courses by research must be made on the appropriate form and submitted to:

Graduate Research School
James Cook University
Townsville Qld 4811

Applications for admission for degrees 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 (pages 48-51).

• New students

  In order to secure their offer of a place in a course at the University, new students must complete the procedures outlined in the documentation included with their letter of offer. A late enrolment charge will be charged for forms submitted after the due date.

• Continuing students

  Students enrolled at the University in 2005 who wish to re-enrol in 2006 must complete the procedures outlined on JCU's Current Students webpages. The due date for submission of Application for Enrolment for 2006 is Monday 9 January 2006. A late enrolment charge will apply to applications submitted after the due date.

• Returning students

  Students previously enrolled at the University but not enrolled in 2005, who wish to return to the University in 2006 should obtain the appropriate forms from JCU's Student Administration and submit them by the due date. A late enrolment charge will apply to applications submitted after the due date.

JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSOCIATION

At the time of publication of the Handbook payment of the Association Services Fee or equivalent amount is a condition of enrolment at James Cook University. See Association Services Fee for further information.

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 79 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 Pro-Vice-Chancellor 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 Enquiries Centre (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.

A list of dates by which enrolment may be varied or cancelled:

• for Commonwealth supported students - without consumption of Student Learning Entitlement and without incurring a student contribution liability;

• for non-Commonwealth supported students - without incurring a tuition fee liability;

• for international students - without incurring an international student fee liability;

is printed on page 303 of this publication.

CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL ENROLMENT

• Cross-institutional students under­­taking subjects at James Cook University for credit towards an award of another university

  Students are required to satisfy the following criteria:

  • evidence must be provided by the home institution that James Cook University subjects will be accepted for credit towards the student's award;

  • an application for cross-institutional enrolment (obtained from the Student Enquiries Centre) and a certified copy of the student's academic record from the other university must be submitted to James Cook University at least two weeks prior to the commencement of the study period in which the subject is offered.

• Students enrolling for subjects at other universities for credit towards an award of James Cook University

  Students are required to satisfy the following criteria:

  • at least 50 percent of the award must have been completed at James Cook University;

  • prior approval must be obtained from the appropriate Head of School and appropriate Faculty Officer at James Cook University;

  • approval must be obtained from the appropriate officer at the host university and, where required, by that university's Registrar.

  Those seeking to enrol in 2005 should contact the host university to enquire about its admission requirements.

The University's subject structure is based on multiples of 3-unit subjects.

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.

Certificate	6 months part-time	6 units
Advanced Diploma and Diploma	2 years	48 units
Undergraduate Degree	3 years	72 units
Undergraduate Degree	4 years	96 units
Honours Degree final year	1 year	24 units
Graduate or Postgraduate Certificate	6 months	12 units
Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma	1 year	24 units
Masters Degree by Coursework	18 months or 2 years	36 units or  48 units
Masters Degree by Research	18 months	36 units equiv.
Doctor of Philosophy	3 years
Professional Doctorate	3 years

2.1 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 teaching period. Thus, a three unit subject should be planned to require a quarter of a full-time student's available time and effort in a teaching period. 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 teaching period.

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

3.3 The first year of an undergraduate degree requires eight 3-unit subjects at level 1.

3.4 LEVEL 2, 3 OR 4

3.4 The second, third and fourth years of the degree normally require eight 3-unit subjects, but may include 6-unit subjects at levels 3 and 4. Honours and professional subjects can be any size in multiples of three units up to 24 units.

3.5 POSTGRADUATE

3.5 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 requires up to the equivalent of six hours of contact time per week for thirteen weeks. 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

7.1 A full-time student normally enrols for 12 units in each teaching period 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 teaching period to be regarded as full-time; those whose enrolment drops below nine units at any stage in the teaching period normally will no longer be eligible for Austudy or, if an overseas student, for a student visa.

7.2 PART-TIME STUDY

7.2 A part-time student normally enrols for fewer than nine units in a teaching period 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.

7.2 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.

7.3 STUDY OVERLOADS

7.3 Without approval from the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor, students are not permitted to undertake more than:

• the normal full-time study load of 24 units in a year; or

• the number of units required to complete their course.

7.3 Commonwealth supported students taking subjects in excess of course requirements will not receive Commonwealth support for these subjects; instead they will be required to pay tuition fees for any subjects beyond course requirements.

At the time of publication of the Handbook it is a condition of enrolment at James Cook University that students:

• become and continue to be a member of the James Cook University Student Association by payment of the appropriate fee; or

• seek exemption from such fee through a bona fide conscientious or religious objection. In such a case, the student must make a payment equivalent to the prescribed Association Services Fee to the “Building Development Fund”.

The 2006 James Cook University Student Association Services Fees are as follows:

Full-time students	$275.00
Part-time students	$137.00
Flexible delivery students	$137.00
Flexible delivery (remote residence) students	$77.00

Full-time students: students who are enrolled in 18 units or more.

Part-time students: students who are enrolled in fewer than 18 units.

Flexible delivery students: students who are not enrolled in any internal (I) mode subjects at JCU Townsville or JCU Cairns and whose term residential address is inside a radius of 100km of the GPO in Townsville or Cairns.

Flexible delivery (remote residence) students: students who are not enrolled in any internal (I) mode subjects at JCU Townsville or JCU Cairns and whose term residential address is outside a radius of 100km of the GPO in Townsville or Cairns.

For students enrolled in any Teaching Period 1 subjects (ie in subjects with a census date prior to 1 July 2006), payment must be made by Monday, 20 February 2006.

For students enrolling in Teaching Period 2 subjects ONLY (ie only in subjects with a census date on or after the 1 July 2006), payment must be made by no later than Monday, 7 August 2006.

If payment has not been received by the due dates, the University may impose the following sanctions:

• official notification of the final result in any subject may be withheld; and/or

• the University may refuse to graduate the student; and/or

• the University may refuse enrolment for a student for a subsequent academic year.

Students may apply to the Student Association for a refund of all or part of their Association Services Fee if, after formally cancelling or varying their enrolment prior to the relevant census date, their enrolment status in relation to the Association Services Fee payment categories (shown above) has changed. Students should consult the Student Association's Association Services Fee Refund Policy - see www.jcu.edu.au/studentassoc/

TOWNSVILLE

The enquiry counter is located on the ground floor of the Student Association Building, telephone (07) 4781 4400, internal extension numbers 4478/4400 or Freecall 1800 330  021.

The address for all correspondence is:

James Cook University Student Association
PO Box 1
James Cook University
Townsville QLD 4811.

CAIRNS

The Student Association offices are located next to the Refectory on the ground floor of Building A2, Smithfield Campus, telephone (07) 4042 1160 or internal 1160, facsimile (07) 4042 1161 or internal 1161.

The address for all correspondence is:

James Cook University
Cairns Campus Student Association
PO Box 6811
Cairns QLD 4870.

1. FEE PAYING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

All international students are safeguarded by Australian Consumer Protection Laws, as set out in the ESOS Act 2000 and the National Code of Practice. These documents are available at the website http://www.dest.gov.au/esos

The current JCU Tuition Fee Policy for Onshore and Distance International students is available at http://www.isc.jcu.edu.au/publications/TuitionFeePolicy.pdf All onshore and distance international students should read this policy carefully.

The annual international student tuition fees for JCU degree programs are listed on the fee schedules available at http://www.isc.jcu.edu.au/applyingtostudy/fees.cfm

Some key points of the policy are summarised below.

• For commencing students, all fees including the Commencement deposit (equivalent to one-half of the annual tuition fee), overseas health cover (OSHC) and Student Association Membership Fees, are payable at the time of acceptance of the Offer of Enrolment. Subscription to an OSHC provider is a requirement for obtaining a student visa to study in Australia.

• The date on which payment of fees is due for Continuing students whose campus of study is Townsville or Cairns is:

  – for Teaching Period 1 subjects, the census date for Study Period 1; and

  – for Teaching Period 2 subjects, the census date for Study Period 2.

  Where a student whose campus of study is Townsville or Cairns enrols in a subject after the relevant Payment Due Date, payment of fees must be made within 14 days of the start date of the Study Period of the subject(s).

  The date on which payment of fees is due for Continuing students whose campus of study is other than Townsville or Cairns is 14 days after the start date of the Study Period of the subject(s).

  Exceptions to these Payment Due Dates are listed in APPENDIX II of the Tuition Fee Policy for Onshore and Distance International Students.

• A student's enrolment may be cancelled if all tuition fees for which the student is liable have not been paid by the Payment Due Date.

  Note: Sponsored students will not be affected by this date.

• Withdrawal from subjects after the census date does not diminish a student's fee liability.

• Refunds to students, either cancelling or withdrawing from their studies at JCU, will be delivered in accordance with the Conditions and Terms of Agreement as specified in the student's Letter of Offer.

2. DOMESTIC TUITION FEE STUDENTS

Domestic students liable for tuition fees should refer to the Domestic Tuition Fee Policy on page 52. A summary of the rules relating to domestic tuition fees is provided below.

• Tuition fees shall be payable by:

  • domestic students enrolled in postgraduate coursework awards as tuition fee-liable students;

  • domestic students enrolled in undergraduate awards as tuition fee-liable students;

  • domestic students enrolled as miscellaneous students;

  • domestic students enrolled in non-Award courses.

• Tuition fees are quoted and charged on a per unit basis according to the discipline of the subjects in which the student is enrolled.

• Students are required to pay the fees prescribed for the year in which they are studying.

• Tuition fees for continuing students will not be increased by more than 10% from one year to the next.

• The 2006 Schedules of tuition fees are shown at http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/entry/cost/postgradfee2006.html

• The census dates for domestic tuition fees are listed on page 282.

• Students are required by the census date for each subject to:

  • have paid their fee liability in full; or

  • if eligible for FEE-HELP, have undertaken the appropriate steps to defer payment of tuition fees through the Government's FEE-HELP scheme.

    Failure to do so will result in cancellation of the student's enrolment in that subject. In order for an enrolment to be reinstated the student must pay the fees in full plus an enrolment Reinstatement Fee of $100 within 21 days of the date of the issuing of the cancellation notice.

    Students who are eligible for FEE-HELP and have completed the appropriate steps to defer payment of tuition fees through the government's FEE-HELP scheme and who have not made a full upfront payment of their tuition fees by the census date, will incur a FEE-HELP debt if enrolled in a subject after the census date.

    If a student is permitted to enrol in a subject after the census date for that subject, the student will be liable for the fee for that subject plus a Late Subject Enrolment Fee of $100 payable at the time of enrolment in that subject.

• If a student has paid tuition fees for which the student is liable in accordance with these Requirements and gives written notice of cancellation of enrolment by the relevant census date, the tuition fees shall be refunded to the student.

• If a student has paid tuition fees for which the student is liable in accordance with these Requirements and gives notice of cancellation of enrolment after the relevant census date the tuition fees will not be refunded, other than in instances where a student is unable to continue study due to serious illness or death of a close family member (parent, sibling, spouse, partner or child).

• All applications for a refund of fees after the relevant census date must be submitted on the appropriate application form and must be accompanied by the required documentary evidence. Applications for refund must be received by the Director, Student Affairs or nominee by the last day of teaching of the subject.

• The University may consider special cases for refund of fees where this policy does not adequately encompass individual circumstances. Applications for special consideration are to be directed to the Director, Student Affairs in writing and include supporting documentation. Final decision on applications for special consideration in the refund of fees will be made by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or nominee.

• A student who:

  • transfers from one course of study to another is liable to pay fees for the new course of study as prescribed in that year;

  • defers their commencement of a course of study will be subject to the fees prescribed in the year of commencement;

  • recommences a course of study following an unapproved absence will be subject to the fees prescribed in the year of recommencement.

The Director, Student Affairs shall have power to determine any matter necessary to be determined in order to permit the application of these Requirements to a particular case not clearly covered by these Requirements.

NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION TO GRADUATE

Students who have completed the requirements for their course and wish to graduate, should complete a ‘Finalisation of an Award' form. This form is available at Examinations and Ceremonies (contact details on page 31), at each Faculty office or at http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/exams/forms/

GRADUATION CEREMONIES

Information regarding Graduation Ceremonies will be forwarded to graduands no later than three weeks before the date of their ceremony. Graduands may attend the relevant ceremony in either Townsville or Cairns.

Graduation dates are shown in Important Dates inside the front cover.

Students with outstanding debts or students who have not shown Photo ID in examinations are not permitted to graduate.

Any student who does not wish to attend a Graduation Ceremony can have their award conferred in absentia at a University Council meeting.