Responsible officer: Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Designated officer: Director, Teaching and Research Services

Council approval: Council C03/47, 12 August 2003

Last amended: Council C06/80, 15 August 2006

Related policies:

Overview

As a self-accrediting institution, the University accredits its award programs and approves its courses through the University Council. Accreditation of programs and approval of courses is a form of peer review that plays a major role in assuring the quality of learning and teaching in the University. The program accreditation and course approval system is supported by the information management system called the Curriculum Management System (CMS). The CMS provides document control for the accreditation and approval system.

Policy

1. International standards

1.1 The University of the Sunshine Coast pursues international standards of excellence in learning and teaching. In conformity with the University Act and to help achieve these standards, the Council and the Academic Board accredit the University’s award programs and the Academic Board approves courses.

2. Accreditation criteria

2.1 Accreditation of programs and approval of courses requires effective curriculum design, such as appropriate breadth, depth, coherence, relevance and currency of content and methods.

2.2 Accreditation also requires evidence of sufficient demand to warrant proposed programs and courses, evidence that the University has the necessary resources to sustain provision of proposed programs and courses, and evidence that they contribute to the University’s strategic aims in learning and teaching.

3. Expedited accreditation and approval

3.1 Under exceptional circumstances the accreditation of new programs and approval of new courses may be expedited.

3.2 Circumstances warranting expedited accreditation or approval may include, but not be limited to, the need for the University to respond rapidly to new opportunities.

3.3 Approval to seek expedited accreditation or approval must be sought in advance from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

3.4 Where expedited accreditation and approval are agreed to, instead of being presented to the Learning and Teaching Management Committee (in the case of undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program matters) or the Research Management Committee (in the case of higher degree by research matters), the proposed accreditation or approval item will be presented to the Chairperson of the relevant committee for endorsement. All other steps of the accreditation or approval process will be carried out as detailed elsewhere in this Policy.

4. Reaccreditation and discontinuation

4.1 Programs are accredited for five years. After five years, programs may be reaccredited on a five-yearly basis, or discontinued. In exceptional circumstances, programs may be subject to a reaccreditation process in less than five years.

4.2 Courses are approved indefinitely and may be discontinued at the request of the Deputy-Vice Chancellor or a Dean.

5. Program and course changes

5.1 Programs and courses can be changed during their period of accreditation or approval.

5.2 Changes to programs and courses are deemed by Deans, according to clear definitions, to be either major changes or minor changes.

5.3 The nature of major and minor changes to programs and courses are defined from time to time by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and these definitions are recorded in the approved procedures associated with this policy.

5.4 Proposals to make major changes to programs and courses may be approved by the Academic Board on the advice of the Learning and Teaching Management Committee.

5.5 Proposals to make minor changes to programs and courses may be approved by the Dean on the advice of the Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee.

6. Information to students

6.1 Program information is made available to prospective and current students in sufficient time to inform student enrolment decisions.

6.2 Course Outlines are made available to students from the week prior to the first teaching week of the relevant teaching period (usually Orientation Week).

7. Roles and responsibilities - The University Council, the Academic Board and Committees

7.1 The University Council 

7.1.1 The University Council determines the outcome of proposals to accredit programs that involve the entry of the University into a discipline not currently taught in the University and proposals for new programs in existing disciplines but at a higher academic level.

7.1.2 The University Council also determines the outcomes of proposals to discontinue programs.

7.2 The Academic Board

7.2.1 The Academic Board makes recommendations to the University Council on proposals to accredit programs that involve the entry of the University into a discipline not currently taught in the University and proposals for new programs in existing disciplines but at a higher academic level.

7.2.2 The Academic Board, under delegation from the University Council, determines the outcomes of proposals for the accreditation of programs that do not take the University into new disciplines or higher academic levels of existing disciplines.

7.2.3 The Academic Board, under delegation from the University Council, determines the outcomes of proposals for the reaccreditation of programs.

7.2.4 The Academic Board, under delegation from the University Council, determines the outcomes of proposals for the approval of courses.

7.2.5 The Academic Board determines the outcomes of proposals to make major changes to programs and courses.

7.2.6 The Academic Board makes recommendations to the University Council on proposals to discontinue programs.

7.2.7 The Academic Board, under delegation from the University Council, determines the outcomes of proposals to discontinue courses.

7.3 The Learning and Teaching Management Committee

7.3.1 The Learning and Teaching Management Committee makes recommendations to the Academic Board on proposals for the accreditation and reaccreditation of all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs, the approval of all courses, major changes to undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs and courses, and discontinuation of undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs and courses.

7.4 Research Management Committee

7.4.1 The Research Management Committee makes recommendations to the Academic Board on proposals for the accreditation of all research degree programs and approval of courses, major changes to research degree programs and courses, and discontinuation of research degree programs and courses.

7.5 Faculty Learning and Teaching Committees

7.5.1 On behalf of Deans, faculty learning and teaching committees develop accreditation and reaccreditation proposals for programs, approval proposals for courses, proposals for changes to programs and courses, and proposals for discontinuation of programs and courses.

7.5.2 Joint meetings of relevant faculty learning and teaching committees develop proposals for accreditation, reaccreditation and changes to combined degree programs.

7.6 Faculty Academic Advisory Committees

7.6.1 Faculty academic advisory committees provide advice to the Dean on proposals for the accreditation, reaccreditation and discontinuation of programs, and major changes to programs.

8. Management roles and responsibilities

8.1 Deputy Vice-Chancellor

8.1.1 The Deputy Vice-Chancellor is responsible for the leadership and management of program accreditation and course approval on behalf of the University.

8.2 Deans

8.2.1 Deans are responsible for the leadership and management of program accreditation and course approval at faculty level and for assisting the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in this at University level.

8.3 Deans Group

8.3.1 Deans Group is responsible for monitoring resource and provision matters (infrastructure and equipment; ability to support, duplication; gaps) in relation to program accreditation and course approval.

8.4 Teaching and Research Services

8.4.1 The Director, Teaching and Research Services is responsible for leading the program accreditation and course approval system.

8.4.2 The Manager, Office of Learning and Teaching is responsible for managing the program accreditation and course approval system.

8.4.3 The Curriculum and Evaluation Officer is responsible for administering the program accreditation and course approval system.