• Section 1 - Policy Statements
• Policy Principles
• Non-Award Unit Properties
• Unit Offerings (for HE, VET and Non-Award Units)
• Types of Units
• HE and Non-Award Unit Levels
• Using Undergraduate Units in Master by Coursework
• Volume of undergraduate units in Master by Coursework courses
• Using Postgraduate Units in Undergraduate Courses
• Using Postgraduate and Undergraduate Units in Honours Courses
• Unit Coding Convention
• Unit Title Convention
• Unit Publication
• Credit Points
• VET Annual Hours Curriculum
• HE Study Hours and Contact Hours
• Non-Award Study Hours and Contact Hours
• Course Categories
• Courses and Qualifications (other than Non-Enrolled Courses)
• Course Properties
• Award Course Types and AQF Levels
• Award Types, AQF Levels and Volume of Learning
• Dual and double award courses
• Combined award courses
• Joint Awards
• Course Nests and Exit Awards
• Course Learning Outcomes Framework
• AQF Generic Learning Outcomes
• CDU Graduate Attributes
• Course Learning Outcomes
• Unit Learning Outcomes
• Professional Accreditation Learning Outcomes
• HE Course Coherence
• Majors
• Minors
• Specialisations
• HE Course Coding Convention
• Course Coding for AQF Level/s
• VET Course Coding Convention
• Non-Award Course Coding Convention
• Course and Award Titles
• Principles for Determining HE Course Titles
• Naming Conventions for HE Courses
• Naming Conventions for HE Awards
• Post-nominals for HE Awards
• Course Type Abbreviation
• Field of Study Abbreviation
• Awarding Institution Abbreviation
• VET Course and Award Titles
• Non-Award Course Titles
• Teach-Out Periods (for HE and Non-Award Courses)
• Course Publication
• Certification and Issuance
• Official Certification Documents and Ceremonial Documents
• Types of Official Documentation by Course Type
• HE Graduation Testamur
• Academic Transcript
• Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS)
• Qualification Completion Certificate
• VET Graduation Testamur
• Statement of Attainment
• Certificate of Achievement
• Other Certificates
• Register of Qualifications
• Register of Graduations
• No Surrender for Integrated Courses
• Replacement and Return
• Withholding and Revocation
• Conferring of HE Awards Posthumously and in the event of Permanent Incapacity
• Coursework
• Higher Degree by Research
• Higher Education Course Rules (Award Requirements) 
• Undergraduate Certificate
• Associate Degree – AQF 6
• Bachelor Degree – AQF 7
• Bachelor Honours Degree – AQF 8
• Graduate Certificate – AQF 8
• Graduate Diploma – AQF 8
• Master Degree by Coursework – AQF 9
• Master Degree Extended – AQF 9
• Master Degree by Research – AQF 9 
• Doctor of Philosophy – AQF 10 
• Section 2 - Non-Compliance
• Explanatory Notes

Section 1 - Policy Statements

(1) The University is committed to the delivery of high quality educational courses. This is achieved through the provision of flexible methods of learning that enable student choice; facilitation of student mobility between tertiary sectors and education and training providers nationally and internationally; compliance with regulatory and best practice standards; the provision of efficient and rationalised unit and course offerings and consistency in educational offerings at the same level.

Policy Principles

Units

(2) Units are the component parts of accredited courses (this includes HE, VET and Non-Award Courses). Units are designed as discrete entities, but they should also be designed to complement other Units to form a coherent program of study that leads to the learning outcomes of an award course. Each Unit has a distinct set of learning outcomes, the achievement of which is measured through appropriate assessment tasks.

Higher Education Unit Properties

(3) Higher Education Units must have the following properties:

1. level;
2. alphanumeric code;
3. title;
4. field of education;
5. credit value;
6. offering;
7. aligned learning outcomes and assessment (and their enabling content and learning activities);
8. learnline site (in some cases, multiple Units may share one or more Learnline sites); and
9. result type (usually in the form of a Grade).

(4) Higher Education Units may have the following properties:

1. pre-requisites, Co-requisites and/or Assumed Knowledge.
2. vocational Education and Teaching Unit Properties.

(5) VET Units must have the following properties:

1. level;
2. alphanumeric code;
3. title;
4. field of education (from ASCED);
5. annual Hours Curriculum value;
6. offering;
7. learning outcomes, as elements and performance criteria;
8. assessment requirements (performance, evidence, knowledge evidence, assessment conditions);
9. foundation skills;
10. unit mapping information; and
11. result type.

(6) VET Units may have the following properties:

1. pre-requisites; and
2. learnline site and other resources.

Non-Award Unit Properties

(7) Non-Award Units must have the following properties:

1. level;
2. alphanumeric code;
3. title;
4. offering;
5. aligned learning outcomes and assessment (and their enabling content and learning activities); and
6. result type (usually in the form of a Grade).

(8) Non-Award Units may have the following properties:

1. credit value;
2. field of Education (from ASCED);
3. pre-requisites, Co-requisites and/or Assumed Knowledge; and
4. learnline site.

Unit Offerings (for HE, VET and Non-Award Units)

(9) Units may be provided in more than one Unit Offering in a calendar year. Unit Offerings have the following properties (in addition to the Unit properties):

1. teaching period (for HE this is usually a semester);
2. location (internal by specified site, or external);
3. intensive (no, or yes by specified site);
4. learnline usage (reliant, augmented, none);
5. print resources mailed (yes or no); and
6. WIL (yes or no).

Types of Units

HE Course Requirement Types of Units

(10) Common Units – those Units which embed select Graduate Attributes of the University, particularly in relation to academic literacy. Common Units are a core requirement for all undergraduate award courses unless specified otherwise in specific course rules. Common Units must be Units of CDU.

(11) Core Units – those Units that are compulsory for, and directly address, the field of study and concomitant Learning Outcomes of the award course. Core Units may be any Study Type of Unit. Core Units must be Units of the University, except in cases of a Joint Degree or a formal Articulation Arrangement.

(12) Specialist Elective Units – those Units that are, in addition to the Core Units, compulsory for, and directly address, the Course Learning Outcomes and the Major/s and/or Minor/s within an award course. They should also address the University's Graduate Attributes. Specialist Elective Units may be any Study Type of Unit. Normally Specialist Elective Units should be Units of the University, except in cases of a Joint Degree or a formal Articulation Arrangement.

(13) General Elective Units – those Units that are not compulsory for an award but which contribute to the credit point requirement for that award. They are designed to provide an opportunity for breadth of learning. General Elective Units may be Coursework, Independent Study, Research or WIL Study Types of Units but not Capstone Units.

(14) Microcredential Units – those Units that are non-award and not compulsory, but may contribute towards an award course where appropriately stacked with other microcredential units, or be used as recognition of prior learning. Refer to the Microcredential Policy and Procedure for more details.

VET Course Requirement Types of Units

(15) Core Units – those units that are compulsory for attaining the qualification as specified in the Training Package or Accredited Course documentation.

(16) Named Elective Units – those Units specified in the Training Package or Accredited Course from which a certain number need to be selected to complete the course or obtain a specific set of skills.

(17) Un-named Elective Units – those units not listed in Training Package. Came be from any currently endorsed Training Package qualification or accredited course, must be relevant to the work environment and the qualification, maintain the integrity of the AQF alignment and contribute to a valid, industry-supported vocational outcome.

Non-Award Course Requirement Types of Units

(18) Core Units – those Units that are compulsory for, and directly address, the field of study and concomitant Learning Outcomes of the Non-Award course. Core Units may be any Study Type of Unit. Core Units must be Units of the University, except in cases of a Joint Non-Award course or a formal Articulation Arrangement.

(19) Specialist Elective Units – those Units that are, in addition to the core Units, compulsory for, and directly address, the Course Learning Outcomes of the Non- Award course. Specialist Elective Units may be any Study Type of Unit. Normally Specialist Elective Units should be Units of the University, except in cases of a Joint Non-Award course or a formal Articulation Arrangement.

(20) Microcredential Units – those Units that are non-award and not compulsory, but may contribute towards an award course where appropriately stacked with other microcredential units, or be used as recognition of prior learning. Refer to the Microcredential Policy and Procedure for more details.

HE Study Types of Units

(21) Coursework Units – those Units in which a student undertakes a structured program of study facilitated by a Unit Coordinator.

(22) Independent Study Units – those Units in which a student negotiates an independent learning plan with a supervisor. These may only be at 300 level or above and the number of Independent Study Units is usually limited by the course rules.

(23) Research Units – those Units in which a student is supervised to undertake independent learning and research. These typically occur in Honours, Master and Doctoral courses.

(24) Capstone Units – final year Units that purposefully integrate, synthesise and apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the course in a consolidated assessment. This may be a work placement, project, thesis or portfolio. Normally, a degree course would culminate in a capstone Unit (for a Bachelor this would be at the 400 Unit level; for Master this would be at the 600 Unit level).

(25) Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Units – those Units that provide work experience set within a framework with specified learning outcomes and assessable activities. These may also be referred to as placements, work experience, internships or practicums.

Non-Award Study Types of Units

(26) Coursework Units – those Units in which a student undertakes a structured program of study facilitated by a Unit Coordinator.

(27) Independent Study Units – those Units in which a student negotiates an independent learning plan with a supervisor.

(28) Capstone Units – final year Units that purposefully integrate, synthesise and apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the course in a consolidated assessment. This may be a work placement, project, thesis or portfolio.

(29) Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Units – those Units that provide work experience set within a framework with specified learning outcomes and assessable activities. These may also be referred to as placements, work experience, internships or practicums.

HE Administrative Types of Units

(30) Specified Cross-institutional Units – those Units offered by another HEP but counted towards the student's total credit point's requirement for the Course as Credit Transfer for a specified CDU Unit (including Shell Units).

(31) Unspecified Cross-institutional Units – those Units offered by another HEP but counted towards the student's total credit points requirement for the Course as Credit Transfer towards unspecified Credit at a defined Unit Level.

(32) Shell Units – those Units offered by another HEP or RTO but counted towards the student's total credit points requirement for the Course as Credit Transfer with the Unit code and title listed on the transcript. Shell Units should only be Specialist Electives (under rare circumstances, as determined through the accreditation process, they may be used for Core Units).

(33) Extended Unit – a coherent unit of study that has been accredited to be delivered over a defined sequence of more than one unit offering. The credit points for each unit offering will count towards the degree and, once all the unit offerings have been completed, towards the student's GPA. Final grading occurs at the end of the last semester, and the final grade is applied to each of the constituent unit offerings, which in the interim utilise the Non-Examinable (NE) grade. A student who completes at least one but not all of the constituent unit offerings of an Extended Unit will not receive a final grade, as the learning outcomes of the unit have not yet been achieved. Extended Units are typically research (thesis) units, project units or independent study units, the Learning Outcomes of which cannot be achieved within a single Semester.

(34) Repeatable Unit – a unit into which a student may enrol and successfully complete more than once and have counted towards their Award Course. Repeatable units have broadly defined Learning Outcomes providing for a range of learning activities; there is no other particular relationship between multiple offerings of a Repeatable Unit.

Unit Relationship Types (for HE, VET and Non-Award Units)

(35) Pre-requisite Unit – a Unit that the student must successfully complete in order to enrol in a specified Unit. In the interests of student mobility and choice, Pre- requisite Units should be used only when it can be demonstrated that the pre- requisite is essential learning in order for the student to successfully participate in the specified Unit, for example where specific technical or health and safety knowledge and skills are required, or where the Pre-requisite Unit is identified in the Training Package or ASQA Accredited Course Documentation. In HE, where possible, pre-requisites should be replaced with statements of Assumed Knowledge, whereby students are advised of the desirable precursor knowledge and skills and thereby enabled to make an informed decision about their preparedness for the Unit.

(36) Co-requisite Units – two or more Units that the student must study concurrently. In the interests of student mobility and choice, Co-requisite Units should be used only when it can be demonstrated that there is a sound pedagogical argument for concurrent study.

(37) In HE, all prerequisites and co-requisites for core units will be core units; and all prerequisites and co-requisites for specialist elective units may be either core units or specialist elective units.

(38) Equivalent Units – a set of Units that are deemed to lead to equivalent learning outcomes. A student may only count the Credit Points of one of a set of equivalent Units towards the total number of Credit Points required for an award. Equivalent Units would normally be within the same Unit Level.

(39) Precluded Units – those Units that a student may not undertake towards a particular course by virtue of having passed a specified related Unit. Precluded Units may or may not be within the same Unit Level.

Dual-Level Unit Types Not Permitted

(40) The University does not permit dual-level (aka broad-banded) units, i.e. a Unit to have more than one Unit Level, e.g. ABC101/501. This is because a unit is defined (in part) by its learning outcomes and assessment, which are necessarily different for courses at different AQF Levels.

(41) That said, there are circumstances in which the subject matter of a Unit may be required for a HE undergraduate course and a graduate course. In such a case, two distinct Units are required, each with its own properties. While both Units are similar regarding their subject matter, for the graduate level unit the pedagogical expectation is that a student will approach their study of the Unit with the general academic capability of a graduate (albeit developed through a different field of study), and will be assessed accordingly.

(42) Where the undergraduate and postgraduate units are sufficiently comparable, they may be accredited such that a student who has successfully completed the undergraduate unit will be precluded from enrolling in the comparable graduate unit and may be granted exemption or Advanced Standing if specified in the Course Rules as an accredited pathway.

(43) Nothing in this policy is intended to restrict the combined teaching of two such Units provided that appropriate steps are taken to ensure that the respective learning outcomes can be achieved.

HE and Non-Award Unit Levels

Using Undergraduate Units in Master by Coursework

(44) Ordinarily, Master by Coursework courses are comprised of postgraduate level units only. In some cases, it is necessary for students in Master by Coursework courses to undertake introductory units. This should be limited to those instances in which students are entering into a new field of study. Any undergraduate units included in the Master course must be Core or Specialist Elective Units of the Master course.

Volume of undergraduate units in Master by Coursework courses

Using Postgraduate Units in Undergraduate Courses

(45) Ordinarily, Undergraduate courses are comprised of undergraduate level units only. In exceptional cases it may be desirable for an undergraduate student to undertake up to 20CP postgraduate level coursework units as General Electives. This is permissible subject to approval by the Unit Coordinator of that Unit, and the Course Coordinator of the student's undergraduate course.

(46) Upon completing the undergraduate course, if the student progresses to a postgraduate course they will be granted Advanced Standing for those units.

Using Postgraduate and Undergraduate Units in Honours Courses

(47) Bachelor Degree Honours courses may draw upon coursework units at 500 level, in addition to capstone units at 400 level and thesis units at 700 level.

(48) Bachelor Degree with embedded Honours courses may draw upon coursework units at 100, 200, 300 and 500 level, in addition to capstone units at 400 level and thesis units at 700 level.

Unit Coding Convention

(49) HE Units will use the following coding convention: ααα#1##2, where:

1. ααα = the three letter code derived from (but not necessarily the same as) the relevant ASCED field of education rather than the organisational entity (e.g. College or Discipline) providing the unit;
2. #1 = the first digit of the Unit level as per the HE and Non-Award Unit Levels table above;
3. ##2 = a unique Unit identifier for the ααα#1 set. Ordinarily, Units are ordered such that the fundamental disciplinary subject matter starts at 01 with the more specialised subject matter having higher numbers;
4. a Unit will only have one code, irrespective of the courses to which it contributes; and
5. where a Unit is provided by Open Universities Australia, then CDU will abide by the convention used by the OUA (usually ααα#1##2) preceded by "L-".

(50) All VET nationally recognised training units will use the Training Package or Accredited Course unit codes.

(51) For a unit that is not nationally recognised, the unit code will match the accredited unit it is modelled upon, with "RA" (Re-Assessed) appended to the code. This reflects the major use of such units: to re-assess currency in a unit for which the student already has a competent grade.

(52) Non-Award Units will use the following coding convention: ααα0##, where:

1. ααα = the three letter code derived from (but not necessarily the same as) the relevant ASCED field of education rather than the organisational entity (e.g. College or Discipline) providing the unit;
2. 0 = the first digit of the Unit level as per the HE and Non-Award Unit Levels table above;
3. ## = a unique Unit identifier for the ααα0 set. Ordinarily, Units are ordered such that the fundamental disciplinary subject matter starts at 01 with the more specialised subject matter having higher numbers; and
4. a Unit will only have one code, irrespective of the courses to which it contributes.

Unit Title Convention

HE Units

(53) The Unit Title should be concise and descriptive. It should meaningfully and fairly represent the learning outcomes of the Unit. It should be readily understandable, particularly for students choosing their programme of study and employers reviewing transcripts.

(54) Terms such as "Introduction to…", "Foundations of…" or "Beginning…" will normally be restricted to 100 level Units: terms such as "Advanced…" will normally be restricted to 300 or 500 level Units.

(55) The length should be 2-5 words. The maximum length shall be 70 characters (including spaces).

(56) Abbreviations, acronyms and the ampersand (&) will not normally be used, and punctuation will be kept to the minimum necessary for grammatical correctness.

VET Units

(57) The Unit Title will be identical to that contained in the relevant Training Package or Accredited Course Document.

Non-Award Units

(58) The Unit Title should be concise and descriptive. It should meaningfully and fairly represent the learning outcomes of the Unit. It should be readily understandable, particularly for students choosing their programme of study and employers reviewing transcripts.

(59) The length should be 2-5 words. The maximum length shall be 70 characters (including spaces).

(60) Abbreviations, acronyms and the ampersand (&) will not normally be used, and punctuation will be kept to the minimum necessary for grammatical correctness.

Unit Publication

(61) All HE units and unit offering options will be published on the 1st October each year for the following year.

(62) Additional units and/or unit offering options may be approved by the Academic Programs Committee.

(63) Removal of units and/or unit offering options may be approved by the Academic Programs Committee after this date but before the opening of unit enrolments.

Credit Points

HE Credit Points

(64) Credit Points (CP) are a mechanism for determining the student HE study load estimated to meet required learning outcomes. They are a factor in determining a student's Grade Point Average (see Grading Policy). Unit study loads are measured by CP, as are total study loads for courses.

(65) 80CP = 1 EFTSL or a maximum full time study load over two semesters.

(66) 1 EFTSL = 1200 study hours (includes contact time and study time – section 2.3).

(67) Therefore 10CP = 150 study hours (including contact hours).

(68) Coursework Units are normally 10CP.

(69) WIL or Research Units may be 10, 20, 30 or 40 CP.

(70) Only in exceptional circumstances will Units of other CP values be permitted.

(71) Some Units, particularly some WIL Units, may have 0CP but still be a course requirement. The academic results of 0CP Units do not affect a student's GPA (which is restricted to a calculation of those Units in which the learning is directed or supported by CDU).

Non-Award Credit Points

(72) Credit Points (CP) are not necessarily required for Non-Award units (particularly for Short Courses). Where they are used, such as for Enabling Courses, they are a mechanism for determining the student study load estimated to meet required learning outcomes, and will follow the rules, as applicable, for HE Credit Points.

VET Annual Hours Curriculum

(73) Annual Hours Curriculum (AHC, aka Nominal Hours) means a measure of the time (in hours) required for a student with no previous exposure to the topic of the unit to become competent. It does not specify a modality, hence across different disciplines it has a loose relationship with Volume of Learning, study hours and contact hours. AHC's primary purpose is for determining funding. CDU and the NT State Training Authority use the "Victorian Purchasing Guide" as the determining authority on AHC values.

(74) CDU uses a fixed conversion rate of 720 AHC = 1 EFTSL, irrespective of AQF level (based upon NCVER conversion rates).

HE Study Hours and Contact Hours

(75) Study Hours are those hours of effort expected of a student to achieve the required learning outcomes. They include students' independent study time and formal Contact Hours. A Unit (of 10 Credit Points) typically requires approximately 150 Study Hours per semester (approximately 12.5 hours per week).

(76) Contact Hours are hours whereby a student may, individually or in groups, participate in guided learning sessions, usually facilitated by an academic staff member assigned to the Unit's teaching team (but also sometimes facilitated by student peers or external supervisors). HE students undertaking coursework units in the Internal Mode (aka on-campus mode) may expect a minimum of three and a maximum of six Contact Hours per week. This will vary between disciplines according to their specific requirements.

(77) Students undertaking units via other modes may expect an equivalent quantum of guided learning, typically enabled via methods utilising synchronous and asynchronous learning technologies, correspondence, on-site intensives or supervision.

(78) Contact Hours may, subject to a clear academic rationale, be structured in a number of ways, including being evenly spread throughout the weeks of a teaching period or concentrated into intensive blocks. However, the total number of Study Hours ought not be reduced below 150 per semester, as they provide for the minimum volume of time and effort expected of the student in researching and reading, thinking and reflecting, and undertaking activities (including assessment tasks) in order to meet the required learning outcomes.

Non-Award Study Hours and Contact Hours

(79) Non-Award courses have a high level of flexibility in their volume of learning. However, for those Non-Award courses that utilise CP, the general provisions in the HE Study Hours and Contact Hours section above apply.

Course Categories

(80) CDU recognises four categories of Course:

1. HE Award Course - This is an accredited HE course into which a student enrols and, subject to successful completion of the requirements, graduates with a Qualification recognised by the AQF;
2. VET Award Course - This is an accredited VET course into which a student enrols and, subject to successful completion of the requirements, graduates with a Qualification recognised by the AQF;
3. Non-Award Courses - These are accredited courses into which students enrol. They include Enabling, Bridging, Study Abroad, International Exchange and other types of Non-Award Courses:
   1. Successful completion is recognised with a Certificate of Achievement but no Qualification is awarded;
   2. The University may charge a fee for participation in CDU Non-Award Courses, unless prohibited by Government;
   3. CDU Non-Award Courses shall be subject to an appropriate system of quality assurance;
   4. Participants who register for, and undertake CDU Non-Award Courses will be enrolled as students of the University;
   5. Participants who successfully complete a CDU Non-Award Course may be presented with a Certificate of Achievement;
   6. Participants who do not wish to be admitted to a full course of study may enrol in one or more credit-bearing Units as a non-award student; and
   7. A Participant who has completed a credit-bearing Unit as a non-award course and subsequently enrols in Award Course is entitled to have their completed Unit considered for Advanced Standing.
4. Non-Enrolled Courses - This is a course that does not require formal enrolment. It may involve Non- Formal or Informal Learning:
   1. A CDU Non-enrolled Course should be approved through the CDU Non-Enrolled Course QA Procedure;
   2. The University may charge a fee for participation in CDU Non-Enrolled Courses; and
   3. Participants who successfully complete a CDU Non-Enrolled Course may be presented with a Certificate.

Courses and Qualifications (other than Non-Enrolled Courses)

(81) A Course is a formally approved/accredited program of learning.

Course Properties

(82) All HE courses have, at least, the following properties:

1. AQF Level;
2. alphanumeric code;
3. title;
4. field of education (from ASCED);
5. learning outcomes;
6. component units;
7. mode of study (Internal, External or Mixed);
8. post-nominal;
9. credit point value; and
10. maximum time for completion.

(83) HE Courses may have one or more of the following properties:

1. majors;
2. minors; and
3. specialisations.

(84) All VET courses have, at least, the following properties:

1. AQF Level;
2. alphanumeric code;
3. title;
4. field of education (from ASCED);
5. learning outcomes;
6. component units; and
7. mode of study (Internal, External or Mixed).

(85) VET Courses may have one or more of the following properties:

1. streams; and
2. specialisations.

(86) All Non-Award courses have, at least, the following properties:

1. alphanumeric code;
2. title;
3. learning outcomes;
4. component units; and
5. mode of study (Internal, External or Mixed).

(87) Non-Award Courses may have, at least, one or more of the following properties:

1. field of education (from ASCED);
2. streams; and
3. specialisations.

Award Course Types and AQF Levels

(88) The table below lists the course types currently used at the University. Other course types are permitted within the AQF, and may be introduced.

Award Types, AQF Levels and Volume of Learning

Dual and double award courses

(89) Dual Awards are those in which an accredited course of study results in two separate awards (and two separate Testamurs). The Awards may be two in HE or one in HE and one in VET. A dual award may involve one AQF or two AQF levels, e.g. two Master degrees (both Level 9), or a Bachelor degree (Level 7) combined with a Diploma (Level 5).

(90) Dual Awards may be offered solely by CDU or by CDU in collaboration with a partner Higher Education provider. In the latter case, CDU may confer one award and the partner may confer the other.

(91) Ordinarily, the student will be required to enrol in both courses comprising the Dual Award. Where the student is able to enrol in one course but will graduate with two awards the Dual Award is known as a Double Degree.

(92) Dual and Double Degree courses must be designed such that the total volume of learning (measured by Credit Points) is less than the volume of learning of the two component courses added together. The volume of learning allocated in the design of the qualification will depend on the level of the previous qualification, whether the qualification if for deepening (higher proportion at the final qualification) or broadening (greater volume of learning at the lower level) of knowledge/skills or if the qualification leads to professional outcomes or is a generalist qualification. The period of enrolment for dual and double awards will not exceed the maximum period of both awards combined as defined by the Enrolment Policy.

(93) The table below lists the Dual Course types currently permitted at CDU. Wherever possible, Dual Courses should be designed to take maximum advantage of Advanced Standing provisions.

(94) Dual and double course types involving HE awards by coursework, and AQF Levels:

Joint Awards

(96) A Joint Award (also known as co-tutelle) involves the awarding of a single qualification (and corresponding single Testamur) that is jointly conferred by two or more providers and recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework. Joint awards involve close cooperation among the providers in curriculum development, design, organisation, course delivery, and assessment of learning outcomes as well as requirements necessary for awarding the qualification.

(97) Joint Awards in which the University is a provider must be approved by the Academic Board on advice from the Academic Programs Committee.

Course Nests and Exit Awards

(98) An Award Course that has one (or more) lower AQF Level course entirely contained within it is known as an Integrated Course. The lower level course is known as a Nested Course.

(99) Collectively they are known as a Course Nest. Examples of Course Nests are shown in the Course Nest Possibilities table below.

(100) Each Award Course within a Course Nest must be accredited in its own right, and must be consistent as a stand-alone Course and in the context of the Course Nest. It may (but not necessarily) be accredited as an Exit-Only Course. A student may enrol into an Integrated Course or into a Nested Course, provided that the Nested Course is not an Exit-Only Course.

(101) Nested Courses may be either VET or Higher Education, provided that the Course Nest has been specifically designed for such integration.

(102) A student enrolled in an Integrated Course may exit prior to completion with the qualification of a Nested Course without having to enrol specifically into that Course, provided that the student has satisfactorily completed its requirements. This is known as an Exit Award.

(103) A student who graduates with an Exit Award will be required to reapply for admission into a higher level course within the Course Nest.

(104) Course Nest Possibilities:

Course Learning Outcomes Framework

(105) The AQF sets out broad learning outcome specifications by Award type. These specifications include:

1. knowledge, i.e. what a graduate knows and understands, described in terms of depth, breadth, kinds of knowledge and complexity;
2. skills, i.e. what a graduate can do, described in terms of the kinds and complexity of skills;
3. application of Knowledge Skills, i.e. how a graduate applies knowledge and skills within a context; and
4. volume of learning, i.e. the notional duration of study for the qualification, reflecting a dimension of the complexity of the qualification. Volume of Learning may be expressed as Credit Points or as Duration (see the Award Types, AQF Levels and Volume of Learning table above).

(106) Detailed specifications and descriptors for each qualification type are provided in the AQF and set the broad parameters guiding course development and accreditation.

(107) For qualifications designed to deepen existing knowledge and skills, it is expected that a higher proportion of the units of the programme would be at the final level of the qualification (see Higher Education and Non-Award Unit Levels table above) than for those qualifications designed to broaden existing knowledge and skills. For qualifications with a small volume of learning (e.g. Graduate Certificate), the units should be entirely at the level of the qualification type. For each HE Course Type, these requirements are specified in the Higher Education Course Rules section of this policy.

(108) Applying this framework, every CDU Award Course is offered in accordance with a carefully designed suite of learning outcomes. These outcomes are in five categories as follows.

AQF Generic Learning Outcomes

(109) Generic learning outcomes are the transferable, non-discipline-specific skills a graduate should achieve through their learning in the course and should have application to study, work and life contexts.

(110) All learning outcomes (knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills) listed in the AQF for a qualification type must be evident in each qualification accredited as this type.

CDU Graduate Attributes

(111) The Charles Darwin University has developed an overarching set of Graduate Attributes that will maximise the potential for Graduates to make valuable contributions to the future of Australia and other communities that they may serve.

(112) Wherever appropriate, generic and disciplinary interpretations of Graduate Attributes will be addressed through course units, including research projects and theses. This may be by way of aligned unit learning outcomes, content, learning activities and methods of learner engagement. In the case of VET courses, where the curriculum is largely determined through the national Training Packages, a larger emphasis may be placed upon using methods of training delivery to incorporate a focus on the Graduate Attributes.

(113) The Graduate Attributes may also be embedded within extracurricular activities facilitated by the University.

Course Learning Outcomes

(114) Course learning outcomes are the expression of the set of knowledge, skills and the application of the knowledge and skills the graduate should acquire from a course of study and is able to demonstrate as a result of learning. Course learning outcomes must be consistent with the AQF level of a particular course type specification.

Unit Learning Outcomes

(115) Each Unit will have a clear set of learning outcomes that direct the content, learning activities and assessment tasks for the Unit.

(116) Units are the building blocks of courses. The collection of learning outcomes for the core and specialist electives within a CDU Accredited Course should be sufficient to enable the student to attain the course learning outcomes.

Professional Accreditation Learning Outcomes

(117) Some courses may require or benefit from accreditation by a professional body. The University does not require professional accreditation for CDU accredited courses except in those instances where it is mandated by the profession or statute.

HE Course Coherence

(118) A course must provide a coherent learning experience in at least one field of study. There must be a rationale for the core Units and for the inclusion of majors and minors in a course, the relationship among Units and their contribution to achieving the overall course learning outcomes.

(119) A course must provide clear sequences of learning that embed the scaffolded development and application of academic and professional skills and knowledge, and where appropriate, provide foundation Units to support the transition of students into Higher Education and the discipline.

Majors

(120) Bachelor Degrees may have Majors. A Major is an approved series of Units which develops a coherent academic theme culminating in advanced level Units within a course leading to the qualification of Bachelor degree. A major area of study constitutes a substantive quantum of learning within the qualification. A Graduate's Major may appear on the Testamur in parentheses, e.g. Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing).

(121) A major will have a value of at least 60 credit points.

(122) A major will include no more than 20 credit points at level 100 and a minimum of 30 credit points at level 300 or above.

(123) No more than 10 credit points may be counted towards more than one (1) major area of study.

Minors

(124) Bachelor Degrees may have Minors. A Minor is an approved series of Units, of lesser Credit Point value than a Major, which develop a coherent academic theme culminating in advanced level Units within a course leading to the qualification of Bachelor degree. A Minor area of study constitutes a reasonable quantum of learning within the qualification. A Graduate's Minor does not appear on the certification documentation.

(125) A minor will have a value of at least 40 credit points.

Specialisations

(126) Award courses other than Bachelor may have Specialisations. A Specialisation arises where there are different academic foci within a course that warrant separate recognition, but where the differences are still within the cognate Field of Study on which the Course Learning Outcomes are based (e.g. a Diploma of Languages). A Graduate's Specialisation does not appear on the Testamur but does appear on the Academic Transcript and AHEGS.

(127) If the differences are considered to be so significant as to warrant different Award Titles in the Testamur, then they should be accredited as separate award Courses (e.g. a Diploma of Chinese Language separate from a Diploma of Greek Language).

(128) A specialisation will have a value of at least 40 credit points.

HE Course Coding Convention

(129) HE Courses (including dual and double awards) will each have their own unique identifying Course Code, using the coding convention: α1αααα#, where:

1. α1 = The AQF level of the course/s, based upon the conversions in the table below;
2. αααα = the four letter Descriptor code describing the course/s. Ordinarily these four letters will be derived from the relevant ASCED field of education rather than the organisational entity (e.g. College or Discipline) providing the course; and
3. # = the version.

(130) It should be noted that the Course Code is separate from the Course Abbreviation.

Course Coding for AQF Level/s

(131) * The same α1 may be used to signify one course type or a dual/double award where both courses have the same course type.

VET Course Coding Convention

(132) Course codes for ASQA Approved courses will be those contained in the Training Package or ASQA Accredited course documents.

Non-Award Course Coding Convention

(133) Non-Award Courses will each have their own unique identifying Course Code, using the coding convention: Aαααα#, where:

1. A = The level of the course/s, (as per the Course Coding for AQF Level/s table above);
2. αααα = the four letter Descriptor code describing the course/s. Ordinarily these four letters will be derived from the relevant ASCED field of education rather than the organisational entity (e.g. College or Discipline) providing the course; and
3. # = the version.

(134) It should be noted that the Course Code is separate from the Course Abbreviation.

Course and Award Titles

(135) The Course Title is not necessarily the same as the Award Title shown on the Testamur. A Course Title is primarily for enrolment purposes; its corresponding Award Title is primarily for credentialing purposes.

Principles for Determining HE Course Titles

(136) A CDU Accredited course title is selected with due consideration for:

1. consistency with the provisions of the Australian Qualifications Framework;
2. accurate representation of course content;
3. facilitation of promotion and marketing;
4. requirements of professional bodies;
5. consistency with nomenclature of similar degrees in other Australian and international Universities;
6. whether the title is easily recognised by prospective students, employers and other stakeholders;
7. whether the title is unambiguously identifiable with the level, broad disciplinary content, and (where applicable) professional orientation of the programme;
8. sustainability in the long term;
9. the level and scope of graduate achievements;
10. alignment within a nested set of qualifications; and
11. clear differentiation between research and coursework awards.

Naming Conventions for HE Courses

(137) Approval of the Course Title forms part of the course approval and review processes.

(138) Course Titles shall normally commence with the name of the Qualification Type (e.g. Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor, Master).

(139) Adjectives such as "International" or "Executive" may be used as the first word of a Course Title when a sound case can be made that suggests the nature of the qualification itself merits the descriptor. Where the descriptor aligns with the field of study, rather than the qualification itself, it should come after the name of the qualification type.

(140) All qualification types in AQF levels 5 to 10 will use "of" between the qualification type and the field of education, e.g. "Diploma of…", "Bachelor of…" and "Master of…"; all qualifications in AQF levels 1 to 4 will use "in" between the qualification type and the field of education, e.g. "Certificate II in…".

(141) Course Titles do not include Majors, which are included in the Award Title.

(142) Course Titles may include parenthesis. Where the Course includes a Major, the text in parenthesis will typically be removed from the Award Title in favour of including the Major in parenthesis.

(143) The term Honours is part of a Course Title and should not be in parenthesis.

(144) Minors will not be included in the Course Title.

(145) Abbreviations, acronyms and the ampersand (&) will not normally be used, and punctuation will be kept to the minimum necessary for grammatical correctness.

Naming Conventions for HE Awards

(146) Approval of the Award Title forms part of the course approval and review processes.

(147) Award Titles are derived from the Course Title.

(148) Award Titles shall normally commence with the name of the Qualification Type (e.g. Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor, Master).

(149) Award title used for the Undergraduate Certificate will be ‘Undergraduate Certificate (Field of study/discipline)'.

(150) Adjectives such as "International" or "Executive" may be used as the first word of an Award Title when a sound case can be made that suggests the nature of the qualification itself merit the descriptor. Where the descriptor aligns with the field of study, rather than the qualification itself, it should come after the name of the qualification type.

(151) All qualification types in AQF levels 5 to 10 will use "of" between the qualification type and the field of education, e.g. "Diploma of…", "Bachelor of…" and "Master of…"; all qualifications in AQF levels 1 to 4 will use "in" between the qualification type and the field of education, e.g. "Certificate II in…".

(152) Where applicable, Award Titles include Majors in parentheses.

(153) Where the Course Title includes text in parentheses (e.g. "Graduate Entry", or a disciplinary focus) this will typically be removed from the Award Title.

(154) The term Honours is part of an Award Title and should not be in parenthesis.

(155) Minors will not be included in the Award Title.

(156) Abbreviations, acronyms and the ampersand (&) will not normally be used, and punctuation will be kept to the minimum necessary for grammatical correctness.

Post-nominals for HE Awards

(157) The Post-nominal is the abbreviated title of an award that a graduate is entitled to list after their name. The Post-nominal is not the same as the Course Code.

(158) Approval of the formal Post-nominal of an award forms part of the course approval and review processes.

(159) Post-nominals have three components:

1. course type abbreviation;
2. field of study abbreviation; and
3. awarding University.

(160) In circumstances where a person has graduated with multiple Awards within a Nest only the highest level award should be used as a Post-nominal.

Course Type Abbreviation

(161) The following abbreviations will be used for course types. For AQF Levels 1 to 9 the course type abbreviation is usually listed first (although there are a few exceptions, such as JD).

Abbreviations for Course Types

Field of Study Abbreviation

(162) Field of study abbreviations need to be considered for appropriateness, consistency and effectiveness of identification of the course. They should not be too complex or lead to possible misinterpretation. Abbreviations should, wherever possible, follow common national or international usage (guidance is available in the Association of Commonwealth Universities' yearbook).

(163) No spaces are used in the Post-nominal.

(164) A Major may be abbreviated in parentheses, e.g. a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science (Public Health) may be abbreviated as BExerSportSci(PubHlth).

(165) Minors are not included in the Post-nominal.

(166) The field of study of an award is not the same as the course's ASCED Field of Education, although sometimes they may by coincidence appear identical.

Awarding Institution Abbreviation

(167) Charles Darwin University abides by the Association of Commonwealth Universities' list of university abbreviations, in which CDU may be listed as C.Darwin.

(168) Use of this component in the Post-nominal is optional at the discretion of the Graduate.

VET Course and Award Titles

(169) ASQA accredited course titles are specified in the Training Package or Accredited Course documents.

Non-Award Course Titles

(170) A CDU Accredited Non-Award course title is selected with due consideration for:

1. accurate representation of course content;
2. facilitation of promotion and marketing;
3. consistency with nomenclature of similar Non-Award courses in other Australian and international Universities;
4. whether the title is easily recognised by prospective students, employers and other stakeholders;
5. whether the title is unambiguously identifiable with the level, broad disciplinary content, and (where applicable) professional orientation of the programme;
6. sustainability in the long term; and
7. the level and scope of completing student achievements.

Teach-Out Periods (for HE and Non-Award Courses)

(171) The maximum time in which a student may complete a HE qualification or Non-Award course is specified in the Enrolment Policy.

(172) The University is therefore committed to providing the course for that duration while it is still offered. However, the University may from time to time terminate a course and replace it with a new version or a new course. In that case, all enrolled students will be eligible to transfer into the new version or course in accordance with the Course Transitional Arrangements accredited for those courses.

(173) Where a student is able to transition without Credit Disadvantage, they must do so at the next available enrolment period.

(174) The period for which a replaced course will continue to be delivered (the "Teach-Out" period) to remaining enrolled students will be specified in the Course Transitional Arrangements and may not exceed the period required for a student undertaking a standard load to complete that course.

(175) Where the University terminates a course and does not replace it with a new version or course, then the Teach-Out period, will be specified in the approved Course Termination and shall not exceed twice the period required for a student undertaking a standard load to complete that course.

(176) New students may not be enrolled, and lapsed students may not re-enrol, into a course during its Teach-Out period.

(177) Transition/completion arrangements for existing students must be clearly documented and disseminated to all existing students.

(178) At the conclusion of the period for which the course is offered for re-enrolment only, the course will be closed.

Course Publication

(179) All HE and Non-Award courses and course offering options for the following year will be published on or before the date set in accordance with Australian Government reporting requirements. Currently this is 1 August.

Certification and Issuance

(180) In accordance with Section 26 of the Charles Darwin University Act 2003, Council is authorised to confer degrees and grant certificates, diplomas and other awards of the University.

Official Certification Documents and Ceremonial Documents

(181) The University will comply with the requirements of the Australian Government, including the AQF, TEQSA and ASQA, in the issuance of certification documentation. These requirements are in addition to, and take precedence over, the provisions below, and include provisions for:

1. appropriate content and formatting;
2. prevention of fraudulent documentation; and
3. replacement documents.

Types of Official Documentation by Course Type

HE Graduation Testamur

(182) Normally referred to simply as "Testamur", this is an Official Certification Document certifying that the requirements of a qualification have been met. It is the document presented at or after the Graduation Ceremony once the graduand has been admitted to the award. Testamurs are printed on secure paper and bear, inter alia, the University seal and logo and the AQF logo.

Academic Transcript

(183) Also known as Academic Record and normally referred to simply as the "Transcript", this is an Official Certification Document made available to students after completion of their Award (and at other times by application). It is the record of all Courses in which the student has been enrolled at the University, the enrolment status for each course, Credit awarded (for HE), and the grade obtained for each Unit. For HE courses, it will also list their cumulative GPA, while for ASQA Accredited courses it will list the total AHC value.

(184) In the case where a course has been taught solely in a language other than English or the majority of courses have been conducted in a language other than English, the language of instruction is recorded on the transcript.

(185) Academic Transcripts are printed on secure paper and bear, inter alia the University logo.

Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS)

(186) The AHEGS is an Official Certification Document provided to graduates by the awarding institution. AHEGS are available for students who have graduated since Semester 2, 2010. AHEGS are printed on secure paper and bear, inter alia the University logo.

(187) An AHEGS is issued in addition to other certification documentation such as testamurs and academic transcripts. Its purpose is to describe a higher education qualification in an easily understandable way, providing greater transparency by including descriptions of the nature, level, context and status of the studies undertaken as well as information about the education system to which the qualification belongs. It assists students seeking employment or further studies both in Australia and abroad. The AHEGS is the Australian equivalent of the European Diploma Supplement.

Qualification Completion Certificate

(188) Also known nationally as a Testamur, the National Qualification Certificate is an Official Certification Document provided to students who have completed a VET qualification. National Qualification Certificates are printed on secure paper and bear, inter alia the University logo and the logo of the VET Accrediting Authority.

VET Graduation Testamur

(189) The VET Graduation Testamur is a Ceremonial Document, which acknowledges that the requirements of the qualification have been met. It is presented at Graduation after the graduand has been admitted to the award. Testamurs are printed on secure paper and bear, inter alia, the University seal and logo but not the logo of the VET Accrediting Authority.

Statement of Attainment

(190) The Statement of Attainment is an Official Certification Document available to a student who has not completed a VET qualification but has completed one or more units within the qualification or an accredited VET short course, or a Training Package identified skill set. Statements of Attainment only show units or skill sets with competent grades. Statements of Attainment are printed on secure paper and bear, inter alia, the University logo.

Certificate of Achievement

(191) A Certificate of Achievement is a Ceremonial Document. Participants who have successfully completed a CDU Non-Award Course may receive a Certificate of Achievement, printed on secure paper and bearing the University logo but not bearing the AQF logo. A Certificate of Achievement does not indicate the attainment of credit-bearing learning outcomes.

Other Certificates

(192) There are a range of other certificates which may be used as Ceremonial Documents. Participants who have successfully completed a CDU Non-Enrolled Course, or are otherwise being recognised, may receive a Certificate bearing the University logo but neither printed on secure paper nor bearing the AQF logo. A Certificate does not indicate the attainment of credit- bearing learning outcomes. Certificates may have more detailed titles (e.g. Certificate of Participation) provided that these titles are not the same as, or similar to the extent that they could be mistaken for, those used in other sections.

Register of Qualifications

(193) The University will maintain a Register of all Qualifications that it has accredited, in accordance with the AQF Qualifications Register Policy. This Register includes at least:

1. name (and AQF Level) of qualification;
2. period during which the qualification was accredited; and
3. period during which teach-out was permitted.

Register of Graduations

(194) The Student Management System maintains the authoritative details of all graduates.

(195) Graduation Programmes are an official record of all graduates (including recipients of all award types), but this record may be amended from time to time with the approval of the Chancellor.

No Surrender for Integrated Courses

(196) The University does not require a student to surrender a Testamur in the event that the student continues in an Integrated Course at a higher AQF level.

Replacement and Return

(197) The University will, subject to the appropriate information being supplied and verified, replace a Testamur as follows:

1. In the event that the graduate returns a defective Testamur, the University will replace it at no charge; or
2. In the event that the graduate is unable to return a copy, or that the Testamur has been damaged, the University will charge a fee for replacement.

Withholding and Revocation

(198) The University may withhold or revoke an Award made to a student and demand that the student surrender the associated Official Documents in the event that the student:

1. did not complete the necessary requirements for the qualification; or
2. is found to have committed a serious breach of the University's Code of Conduct - Students or Charles Darwin University Student Conduct By-laws.

Conferring of HE Awards Posthumously and in the event of Permanent Incapacity

(199) There are circumstances in which the University may confer an Award or Certificate of Achievement on a student before completion of the requirements of that award. These include:

1. the death of the student; or
2. the student being rendered permanently incapacitated through sustaining an injury or contracting an illness and is thereby precluded from completing their studies.

(200) Awards or Certificates may be conferred by Council at its sole discretion in these circumstances, provided that:

1. the student was a currently enrolled student of the University at the time of their permanent incapacity or death; or
2. the recommendation for conferral of the Award or Certificate is made with the consent of either the individual or their family or person holding power of attorney.

Coursework

(201) A student who had completed at least two thirds of the Award Course, and was likely to have satisfied the requirements for the Award had they been in a position to continue their work, may be considered for the Award.

(202) Where a student does not meet the criteria above, a student who has completed some credit towards the Award, and was otherwise in good standing with the University, may be considered for a Certificate of Achievement.

(203) In either case, the application will be made by the relevant Associate Dean Learning and Teaching to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, as chair of the Academic Programs Committee, who will make a recommendation to the Council.

Higher Degree by Research

(204) A candidate who had completed sufficient documentation in the form of data and publications that in the view of the Research Committee the requirements of the degree would have been satisfied if the candidate had been in a position to continue their work, may be considered for the Award; or

(205) Where a student does not meet the criteria above, but has made progress towards their research studies and was otherwise in good standing with the University, may be considered for a Certificate of Achievement.

(206) In either case, the application will be made by the relevant Associate Dean Research and Research Training to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, as chair of the Research Committee, who will make a recommendation to the Council.

Higher Education Course Rules (Award Requirements) 

(207) To receive a University award, a student must complete a minimum of one-third of the award or a minimum of one (1) year full-time equivalent, whichever is the lesser, through enrolment in the University course leading to the awarding of that qualification unless the course leads to an approved integrated qualification.

(208) To be eligible for the qualification, a student must complete units to a specified value outlined in the curriculum course rules and meet any other requirements that may be specified in the accredited course curriculum. 

(209) Where a student successfully completes the requirements of a course leading to the qualification, Council will award that qualification.

Undergraduate Certificate

(210) Each qualification accredited as an Undergraduate Certificate will include documented pathways consistent with the AQF Qualifications Pathways Policy.

(211) The Undergraduate Certificate is a higher education qualification of six months duration that is not located at a particular AQF level but is covered by AQF levels 5, 6 or 7. It qualifies individuals with knowledge and skills for further study, professional upskilling, employment and participation in lifelong learning.

(212) Courses leading to a qualification of Undergraduate Certificate must meet the requirements for AQF Undergraduate Certificate qualification.

(213) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Undergraduate Certificate will include:

1. Common units;
2. Core units;
3. Specialist elective units; and/or
4. General elective units.

(214) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. common, specialist elective and/or general elective.

(215) An Undergraduate Certificate qualification will have a value of 40 credit points.

(216) The total credit point value for the core and specialist elective units of a course will be a minimum of half of the total credit point value of the course.

Diploma – AQF 5

(217) Courses leading to a qualification of Diploma must meet the requirements for AQF Level 5 qualifications.

(218) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Diploma will include:

1. Common units;
2. Core units;
3. Specialist elective units; and/or
4. General elective units.

(219) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. common, specialist elective and/or general elective.

(220) A Diploma qualification will have a value of 80 credit points.

(221) The total credit point value for the core and specialist elective units of a course will be a minimum of 40 credit points.

Associate Degree – AQF 6

(222) Courses leading to a qualification of Diploma must meet the requirements for AQF Level 6 qualifications.

(223) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Associate Degree will include:

1. Common units;
2. Core units;
3. Specialist elective units; and/or
4. General elective units.

(224) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. common, specialist elective and/or general elective.

(225) An Associate Degree qualification will have a value of 160 credit points with a minimum of 60 credit points at level 200 or above.

Bachelor Degree – AQF 7

(226) Courses leading to the qualification of Bachelor Degree must meet the requirements for AQF Level 7 Bachelor Degrees. The following rules apply to courses leading to the qualification of Bachelor Degree including combined and/or joint Bachelor Degrees.

(227) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Bachelor Degree will include:

1. Common units;
2. Core units;
3. Specialist elective units; and/or
4. General elective units.

(228) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. common, specialist elective and/or general elective.

(229) A Bachelor Degree qualification will have a value of 240 credit points for a three (3) year course, and 320 credit points for a four (4) year course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Degree.

(230) For a course with a total credit points value of 240, no more than 100 credit points at the 100 level and, for longer courses, no more than 20 additional credit points at the 100 level for each additional 80 credit points.

(231) A minimum of one quarter of the total credit points must be at level 300 or above.

Bachelor Honours Degree – AQF 8

(232) The distinctive feature of Honours study is that it provides training in research and the development of higher-level skills. This includes the development of organisational, writing, oral, analytical and problem solving skills to an advanced level, and the ability to work independently. For this reason, Honours entails an individual program of study, unique to, and tailored to suit, each student's research project.

(233) Many Honours courses also aim to provide some advanced theory and breadth of advanced level training in the discipline. This objective is met by Honours level coursework. The amount of coursework varies considerably between Honours courses.

(234) There are two (2) types of courses leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree:

1. A course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree which follows a three (3) year course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Degree (‘add-on course’); and
2. A course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree within a Bachelor Degree course of at least four (4) years’ duration (‘embedded’).

(235) Courses leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree must meet the requirements for AQF Level 8 Bachelor Honours Degrees.

(236) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree will include:

1. Common units;
2. Core units;
3. Specialist elective units;
4. General elective units; and
5. A research component.

(237) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. common, specialist elective and/or general elective.

(238) An add-on course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree will have a value of 80 credit points for a one (1) year course and an embedded course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree will have a value of at least 320 credit points for a four (4) year course.

(239) The Bachelor Honours research component will comprise at least 40 credit points including research preparation and a Bachelor Honours research project.

(240) The Bachelor Honours research project will comprise at least 20 credit points and no more than 60 credit points.

(241) All research component units in a course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree must be designated at the 400 level or above.

(242) All units in an add-on course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree must be designated at the 400 level or above.

(243) Embedded courses leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours Degree may include major areas of study.

Supervision of Research Project 

(244) A supervisor will be appointed by the relevant College Dean to supervise the research project.

Examination

(245) A report of the results of the Bachelor Honours research project will be presented in the manner as prescribed by the relevant committee of the College.

(246) Where the Bachelor Honours thesis includes a production or performance component involving collaboration with others, the student's role/responsibility must be clearly specified for the purposes of examination.

(247) The College Dean will appoint at least one (1) appropriately qualified examiner depending on disciplinary requirements. No examiner will have participated in the supervision of the candidate and at least one (1) examiner will be external to the College. In exceptional circumstances where a case can be made that it is not possible to obtain an external examiner and that an examiner internal to the College should be appointed; this case may be presented in writing to the College Dean for approval.

Classes of Honours

(248) A candidate for a Bachelor Honours Degree who has reached the required standard of proficiency may, on the recommendation of the College Research Committee, be awarded a Bachelor Honours Degree class as per the Grading Policy.

Graduate Certificate – AQF 8

(249) Courses leading to the qualification of Graduate Certificate must meet the requirements for AQF Level 8 Graduate Certificate.

(250) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Graduate Certificate Degree will include:

1. Core units;
2. Specialist elective units; and/or
3. General elective units.

(251) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. specialist elective and/or general elective.

(252) A Graduate Certificate qualification will have a value of 40 credit points.

(253) All units in a course leading to the qualification of Graduate Certificate must be designated at the 500 level or above.

Graduate Diploma – AQF 8

(254) Courses leading to the qualification of Graduate Diploma must meet the requirements for AQF Level 8 Graduate Diploma.

(255) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Graduate Diploma Degree will include:

1. Core units;
2. Specialist elective units; and/or
3. General elective units.

(256) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. specialist elective and/or elective.

(257) A Graduate Diploma qualification will have a value of 80 credit points.

(258) All units in a course leading to the qualification of Graduate Certificate must be designated at the 500 level or above.

Master Degree by Coursework – AQF 9

(259) Courses leading to the qualification of Master Degree by Coursework must meet the requirements for AQF Level 9 Master Degree (Coursework).

(260) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Master Degree by Coursework will include:

1. Core units;
2. Specialist elective units;
3. General elective units; and/or
4. Project units.

(261) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. specialist elective, general.

(262) A Master Degree by Coursework qualification will have a value of 80 credit points for a one (1) year course, 120 credit points for a one and half (1.5) year course, 160 credit points for a two (2) year course or 240 credit points for a three (3) year course. The duration of the course i.e. volume of learning, will be justified in the basis of admission.

(263) All units in a course leading to the qualification of Master Degree by Coursework must be designated at the 500 level or above with the exception of clause 42 of this policy.

(264) A project will comprise a maximum of one half the total credit point value of a course leading to a qualification of Master Degree by Coursework. 

Master Degree Extended – AQF 9

(265) The Master Degree (Extended) is comprised of structured learning programme with independent research and practice-related learning components. It is designed to prepare graduates with an advanced body of knowledge in a range of contexts for professional practice and as a pathway to further learning.

(266) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to a qualification of Master Degree (Extended) will include:

1. Core units;
2. Specialist elective units;
3. General elective units;
4. Work-Integrated Learning; and
5. Research units.

(267) Some courses may not include all unit classifications i.e. specialist elective, general.

(268) A Master Degree (Extended) qualification will have a value of between 240 credit points for a three (3) year course 320 credit points for a four (4) year course.

(269) All units in a course leading to the qualification of Master Degree (Extended) must be designated at the 500 level or above.

(270) The research component will comprise at least 40 credit points.

Master Degree by Research – AQF 9 

(271) Courses leading to the qualification of Master by Research must meet the requirements for AQF Level 9 Master Degree (Research).

(272) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to the qualification of Master by Research will comprise a program of advanced study and research, which has been approved by the Research Committee and which will include:

1. Meeting a series of progress milestones as described in the Higher Degree by Research Policy and the Higher Degree by Research - Progression Procedure;
2. An individual program of supervised study that applies an advanced and integrated understanding of a complex body of knowledge in one or more disciplines or areas of practice; and
3. The presentation of a thesis and/or other approved work, embodying the results of the candidate’s study and research.

Provision of Resources

(273) The University will allocate a home College to provide support for and exercise control over the Candidature. The home College may be changed according to the Higher Degree by Research Policy.

(274) The Dean (or delegate) will specify to the Research Committee what resources in addition to those specified in the Higher Degree by Research - Minimum Resources Procedure, will be available for the research program.

Provision of Supervision

(275) Selection of a supervisory panel will be in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research - Admission and Enrolment Procedure and the Higher Degree by Research - Supervision Procedure.

Conditions of Candidature 

(276) Candidates are required to adhere to the conditions specified in the Higher Degree by Research Policy and associated procedures.

Periods of Candidature 

(277) Periods of candidature will apply as follows:

1. The minimum period of candidature is one (1) year from the date of commencement for a full-time candidate and two (2) years from the date of commencement for a part-time candidate.
2. The maximum period of candidature is two (2) years from the date of commencement for a full-time candidate and four (4) years from the date of commencement for a part-time candidate.

(278) In exceptional circumstances, the period of candidature may be extended in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research Policy.

Examination

(279) The thesis will be submitted as a requirement for the qualification of Master by Research in the manner prescribed in the Higher Degree by Research - Preparation, Submission and Examinations Procedure.

(280) The thesis will be examined in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research - Preparation, Submission and Examinations Procedure. 

(281) Examiners for a Master by Research will have international standing in the field of research, be independent of the conduct of the research and the University, be competent to undertake the assessment and not have a conflict of interest.

Doctor of Philosophy – AQF 10 

(282) Courses leading to the qualification of Doctor of Philosophy must meet the requirements for AQF Level 10 Doctoral Degree.

(283) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a course leading to the qualification of Doctor of Philosophy will comprise a program of advanced study and research which has been approved by the Research Committee and which will include:

1. Meeting a series of progress milestones as described in the Higher Degree by Research Policy and the Higher Degree by Research - Progression Procedure;
2. An individual program of supervised study in a field of work or learning, that leads to the development of an original contribution to knowledge; and
3. The presentation of a thesis and/or other approved work, embodying the results of the candidate’s study and research.

Joint PhD Program

(284) In the case of a joint PhD program, a joint PhD program agreement will be drawn up between the participating institutions. The establishment and management of a Joint PhD Program will be in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research - Collaborative Course Policy.

(285) Except in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the Research Committee, a candidate is not permitted to transfer into a joint PhD program if they have been enrolled in their current course for more than half of the maximum period of candidature.

(286) A candidate undertaking a joint PhD program is normally required to be actively enrolled at this University for at least one-third of the total maximum time limit for the PhD program as set out in the Higher Degree by Research - Collaborative Course Policy.

Provision of Resources

(287) The University will allocate a home College to provide support for and exercise control over the Candidature. The home College may be changed according to the Higher Degree by Research Policy.

(288) The Dean (or delegate) will specify to the Research Committee what resources in addition to those specified in the Higher Degree by Research - Minimum Resources Procedure, will be available for the research program.

Provision of Supervision

(289) Selection of a Supervisory Panel will be in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research - Admission and Enrolment Procedure and the Higher Degree by Research - Supervision Procedure.

Conditions of Candidature 

(290) Candidates are required to adhere to the conditions specified in the Higher Degree by Research Policy and associated procedures.

Periods of Candidature 

(291) Periods of candidature will apply as follows:

1. The minimum period of candidature is two (2) years from the date of commencement for a full-time candidate and four (4) years from the date of commencement for a part-time candidate.
2. The maximum period of candidature is four (4) years from the date of commencement for a full-time candidate and eight (8) years from the date of commencement for a part-time candidate.

(292) Where the candidate has received approval to transfer from the course of Master by Research to Doctor of Philosophy as per the Higher Degree by Research Policy, the Research Committee will take the date of commencement of the course leading to the qualification of Master by Research as the date of commencement for the course leading to the qualification of Doctor of Philosophy. Similarly, periods of consumed candidature will be taken into account when a candidate transfers their Doctor of Philosophy enrolment from another higher education provider.

(293) In exceptional circumstances, the period of candidature may be extended in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research Policy.

Examination

(294) The thesis will be submitted as a requirement for the qualification of Doctor of Philosophy in the manner prescribed in the Higher Degree by Research - Preparation, Submission and Examinations Procedure.

(295) The thesis will be examined in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research - Preparation, Submission and Examinations Procedure.

(296) Examiners for a Doctor of Philosophy will have international standing in the field of research, be independent of the conduct of the research and the University, be competent to undertake the assessment and not have a conflict of interest.

Section 2 - Non-Compliance

(297) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct – Staff or the Code of Conduct – Students, as applicable, and is treated seriously by the University. Reports of concerns about non-compliance will be managed in accordance with the applicable disciplinary procedures outlined in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2022 and the Code of Conduct – Students.

(298) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Code of Conduct – Staff and Code of Conduct - Students.

(299) All staff members have an individual responsibility to raise any suspicion, allegation or report of fraud or corruption in accordance with the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy and Whistleblower Reporting (Improper Conduct) Procedure.

Explanatory Notes

(300) This policy sets out the University's framework for complying with the regulatory requirements within an overarching pedagogical and quality perspective. It provides direction and standards for the naming, development and accreditation/discontinuation and review of CDU Units and Award Courses at all levels of the AQF and for Non-Award and Non-Enrolled courses. It ensures that graduates will receive appropriate recognition nationally and internationally for their qualification.

(301) These requirements include compliance with the Higher Education Provider Standards and the Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations (RTO), which reference the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The AQF stipulates the policy requirements for qualification levels and types, issuance, pathways and registers. CDU self-accredits courses in the Higher Education Sector, and is authorised to deliver externally accredited courses and courses from National Training Packages in the VET sector.