• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Part A - Unit details
• Unit properties
• Unit offerings
• Types of units
• Part B - Unit administration
• Using undergraduate units in Master by coursework courses
• Using postgraduate units in undergraduate and Honours courses
• Unit coding convention
• Unit title convention
• Unit publication
• Part C - Credit points and study hours
• Higher education credit points
• Non-award credit points
• VET annual hours curriculum
• Higher education study hours and contact hours
• Part D - Course and award fundamentals
• Course categories
• Course properties
• Award course types and AQF levels
• Combined and double award courses
• Course learning outcomes framework
• Higher education course coherence
• Part E - Course and award coding, naming, and titling
• Course coding convention
• Course and award titles
• Part F - Course administration
• Teach-out periods (higher education and non-award)
• Course publication
• Certification and issuance
• Part G - Higher education course rules (award requirements) 
• Undergraduate Certificate
• Diploma – AQF 5
• 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
• Higher degrees by research
• Section 5 - Non-compliance

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) Charles Darwin University (‘the University’, ‘CDU’) places students at the heart of what we do and ensures learning is contextualised within real-world experiences, providing high-quality education that is both relevant and sustainable. The University seeks to create a student experience where every student can connect and succeed by developing a practical, agile, and engaging curriculum.

Section 2 - Purpose

(2) This policy defines standards for the naming, development, and accreditation/discontinuation and review of units and courses offered by the University.

(3) This policy sets out the University's framework for complying with its regulatory requirements and ensures that graduates will receive appropriate recognition nationally and internationally for their qualifications.

Section 3 - Scope

(4) This policy applies to units, award courses at all levels of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), and higher education non-award and Vocational Training Program (VTP) and Training Package skillset courses.

(5) This policy applies to all staff involved in the naming, development, and accreditation/discontinuation and review of such units and courses.

(6) This policy does not apply to short courses or microcredentials, which are managed under the CDU Express Offering Policy and Procedure.

Section 4 - Policy

(7) The University is committed to the delivery of high-quality educational courses. This is achieved through:

1. Provision of flexible methods of learning that enable student choice; 
2. Facilitation of student mobility between vocational education and higher education sectors and education and training providers nationally and internationally; 
3. Compliance with regulatory and best practice standards; 
4. Provision of efficient and rationalised unit and course offerings; and 
5. Consistency in educational offerings at the same level.

Part A - Unit details

(8) Units are a set of learning activities or opportunities with defined, assessed, and recorded learning outcomes. 

(9) Units are discrete entities that, when offered as part of an award course, complement other units to form a coherent program of study that leads to the learning outcomes of an award course. 

(10) Each unit has a distinct set of learning outcomes or performance criteria, the achievement of which is measured through appropriate assessment tasks and aligned to an appropriate AQF level or unit of competency for the course.

(11) A unit may, in some instances, be offered as a stand-alone credential, as is the case with VTPs and Skills Sets.

Unit properties

Higher education unit properties

(12) Higher education non-award units have the same unit properties as higher education units.

(13) Higher education units must have the following properties:

1. Level;
2. Alphanumeric code;
3. Title;
4. Field of education;
5. Credit points (CP) value;
6. Offering;
7. Aligned learning outcomes and assessment (and their enabling content and learning activities);
8. Learnline site/s; and
9. Result type (usually in the form of a Grade).

(14) Higher education units may have the following properties:

1. Pre-requisites;
2. Co-requisites;
3. Assumed knowledge; and/or
4. General elective unit indicator.

Vocational education and training unit properties.

(15) VTP and Training Package Skill Set units have the same unit properties as vocational education and training (VET) units.

(16) VET units must have the following properties:

1. Level;
2. Alphanumeric code;
3. Title;
4. Field of education (from the Australian Standard Classification of Education) (ASCED));
5. Annual hours curriculum (AHC) 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.

(17) VET units may have the following properties:

1. Pre-requisites;
2. Licensing requirements; and
3. Learnline site and other resources.

Unit offerings

(18) 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 (e.g. semester);
2. Location (internal by specified site, or external);
3. Intensive (no, or yes by specified site);
4. Learning method; and
5. Work integrated learning (WIL) (yes or no).

Types of units

Higher education course requirement types of units

(19) Units in a higher education course may sit in one of the following categories according to course requirements:

1. Core units – 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.
2. Specialist elective units – 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.
3. General elective units – general elective units may be coursework, independent study, research or Work integrated learning (WIL) units but not capstone units.
4. Credit-bearing microcredentials – may contribute toward an award course where appropriately stacked with other microcredentials into a higher education unit. Refer to the CDU Express Offering Policy and Procedure for more details.

(20) HE non-award courses have the same course requirement type as higher education units.

VET course requirement types of units

(21) Units in a vocational education course may sit in one of the following categories as specified in the training package or accredited course documentation:

1. Core units.
2. Named elective units.
3. Un-named elective units – un-named elective units 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.

(22) VTP courses are not permitted to incorporate an un-named elective unit.

Higher education study types of units

(23) Higher education units may sit in one of the following categories according to the type of study in the unit:

1. Coursework units.
2. Independent study units.
3. Research units.
4. Capstone units.
5. Work integrated learning (WIL) units.

Higher education administrative types of units

(24) Higher education units may sit in the following categories for administrative purposes:

1. Shell units – these should only be specialist elective units (under rare circumstances, as determined through the accreditation process, they may be used for core units).
2. Extended units – 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 Not Examinable – Research (NE) grade for research units and Not Available (NA) grade for coursework units. See the Grading Policy. 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.

Unit relationship types

(25) Units, except higher degree by research units, may sit in the following categories according to their relationships with other units:

1. Pre-requisite 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.
2. Co-requisite units – 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.
3. Equivalent units – a student may only count the Credit points (CP) of one of a set of equivalent units towards the total number of CP required for an award. Equivalent units would normally be within the same unit level.
4. Precluded units.

(26) In higher education coursework courses, all pre-requisites and co-requisites for core units will be core units. All pre-requisites and co-requisites for specialist elective units may be either core units or specialist elective units.

Dual-level unit types not permitted

(27) The University does not permit dual-level or broad-banded units, (i.e. a unit that has more than one unit Level, e.g. ABC101/501). Units are defined by learning outcomes and assessment, which are necessarily different for courses at different AQF levels.

(28) Circumstances may require subject matter of a unit for a higher education undergraduate course and a postgraduate course. Such cases require two distinct units, each with its own properties.

(29) Where the undergraduate and postgraduate units are sufficiently comparable, the accreditation may prevent a student who has successfully completed the undergraduate unit from enrolling in the comparable postgraduate unit.

(30) The combined teaching of two such units is permitted if steps are taken to ensure that the respective learning outcomes can be achieved.

Table 1 – Higher education and non-award unit levels

Part B - Unit administration

Using undergraduate units in Master by coursework courses

(31) Master by coursework courses are generally comprised of postgraduate level units only. 

(32) 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. 

(33) Any undergraduate units included in the Master course must be core units or specialist elective units of the Master course.

Table 2 – Volume of undergraduate units in Master by coursework courses

Using postgraduate units in undergraduate and Honours courses

(34) Undergraduate course designs are comprised of undergraduate level units only. Undergraduate students may apply to enrol in postgraduate units in accordance with the Enrolment Policy.

Unit coding convention

(35) A unit will only have one code, regardless of the courses to which it contributes.

(36) Higher education 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. faculty or discipline) providing the unit;
2. #1 = the first digit of the unit level as per Table 1 – Higher education and non-award unit levels above; and
3. ##2 = a unique unit identifier for the ααα#1 set. Ordinarily, units delivering fundamental disciplinary subject matter starts at 01 and units with more specialised subject matter have higher numbers.

(37) All VET nationally recognised units will use the training package or accredited course unit codes.

(38) 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.

Unit title convention

Higher education units

(39) The unit title should be concise and descriptive. It should be meaningfully and fairly represent the learning outcomes of the unit. It should be readily understandable, particularly for students choosing their program of study and employers reviewing transcripts.

(40) 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.

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

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

VET units

(43) The unit title will be identical to that contained in the relevant training package or accredited course document.

Unit publication

(44) All higher education units and unit offering options will be published on the 1st of October each year for the following year.

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

(46) 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.

(47) The unit design and approval process is outlined in the Higher Education Course and Unit Accreditation Procedure.

Part C - Credit points and study hours

Higher education credit points

(48) 80 Credit points (CP) = 1 equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) or a maximum full time study load over two semesters.

(49) 1 EFTSL = 1200 study hours (includes contact time and study time).

(50) Therefore 10CP = 150 study hours (including contact hours and independent study time).

(51) Coursework units are normally 10CP.

(52) Work integrated learning (WIL) units or research units may be 10, 20, 30 or 40 CP.

(53) Only in exceptional circumstances will units of other CP values be permitted.

(54) 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.

(55) Higher education non-award units will follow the rules for higher education CP.

Non-award credit points

(56) Non-award unit study loads can be expressed in Credit points (CP) or study hours.

(57) Where CP are used for higher education non-award units they assist a student to determine the study load estimated to meet required learning outcomes.

VET annual hours curriculum

(58) The University and the NT State Training Authority use the Victorian Purchasing Guide as the determining authority on Annual hours curriculum (AHC) values.

(59) The University uses a fixed conversion rate of 720 AHC = 1 EFTSL, irrespective of AQF level (based upon National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) conversion rates).

Higher education study hours and contact hours

(60) A coursework unit of 10 Credit points (CP) typically requires approximately 150 study hours per semester, including assessment and exam time. A 10CP unit taught in a semester requires a student to study for approximately 10-12 hours per week, including contact hours and independent study time.

(61) The total number of study hours per 10CP unit unit should not be reduced below 150 hours per study period. This provides 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.

(62) Internal mode (on-campus) coursework units of 10CP will provide enrolled students a minimum of three and a maximum of six contact hours (on average) per week during a semester.

(63) Coursework units delivered via other enrolment modes will have an equivalent amount of guided learning. Such learning may include via synchronous and asynchronous learning technologies, correspondence, on-site intensives, or supervision.

(64) 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.

(65) For higher education non-award courses that utilise CP, the general provisions in the above higher education study hours and contact hours clauses apply.

Part D - Course and award fundamentals

(66) A course, other than a microcredential, is a formally approved/accredited program of learning.

Course categories

(67) The University recognises the following categories of course:

Higher education courses

(68) Most higher education courses are award courses. These are accredited HE courses into which a student enrols and, subject to successful completion of the requirements, graduates with a qualification recognised by the AQF.

(69) Higher education courses may also be non-award courses that do not lead to an award. These are accredited courses into which students enrol. They include enabling, foundation, preparatory, bridging, study abroad, international exchange and other types of non-award courses:

1. Successful completion is recognised with an academic record but no qualification is awarded;
2. The University may charge a fee for participation in higher education non-award courses, unless prohibited by government;
3. Higher education non-award courses shall be subject to an appropriate system of quality assurance;
4. Participants who register for, and undertake, higher education non-award courses will be enrolled as students of the University;
5. 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
6. 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 academic credit. Refer to the Academic Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy.

Vocational education and training courses 

(70) Most VET courses are award courses - these are nationally accredited VET courses into which a student enrols and, subject to successful completion of the requirements, graduates with a qualification recognised by the AQF.

(71) VTP and Training Package skillset courses – these are courses with a single unit of competency or a combination of units of competency from a training package which may link to a licensing or regulatory requirement, or a defined industry need. A VTP is a University approved course whereas a Training Package skillset is identified within a national training package.

Course properties

(72) All higher education courses including higher education non-award 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. Enrolment mode of study (internal, external, or mixed);
8. Post-nominal; and
9. Credit points (CP) value.

(73) Higher education courses may have one or more of the following properties:

1. Majors;
2. Minors; and
3. Specialisations.

(74) All VET courses including VTP and Training Package Skill Set courses have, at least, the following properties:

1. AQF Level;
2. Alphanumeric code;
3. Title;
4. Field of education (from ASCED);
5. Component units; and
6. Enrolment mode of study (internal, external, or mixed).

(75) VET courses may have one or more of the following properties:

1. Streams; and
2. Specialisations.

Award course types and AQF levels

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

Table 3 – Award types, AQF levels and volume of learning

Combined and double award courses

(77) Combined and double award courses are combined accredited courses of study resulting in two higher education or one higher education and one VET qualifications.

(78) Combined and double award courses combine courses from related or different disciplines and allow for the broadening or deepening of knowledge and skills.

(79) Combined and double award courses may involve one or more AQF levels, e.g. two Master degrees (both Level 9), or a Bachelor degree (Level 7) combined with a Diploma (Level 5).

(80) Combined and double award courses must be designed such that the total volume of learning (measured by Credit points (CP) for higher education or Annual hours curriculum (AHC) for VET) is less than the volume of learning of the two component courses added together. The period of enrolment for combined and double awards must not exceed the maximum period of both awards combined as defined by the Enrolment Policy.

(81) The volume of learning from each course that is allocated in the course design will depend on:

1. the AQF level of each course;
2. whether the course is for deepening or broadening knowledge/skills; and
3. whether the qualification leads to professional outcomes or is a generalist qualification.

(82) Wherever possible, combined courses should be designed to take maximum advantage of academic credit provisions.

Combined award courses

(83) A combined award course combines two University award courses undertaken simultaneously. The course has one course code, one set of course rules, and graduates will receive one testamur. Naming convention for a combined award is that the qualification names are separated by ‘and’. 

Double award courses

(84) A double award course combines two University award courses undertaken simultaneously. The course has one course code, one set of course rules, and graduates will receive two testamurs. Naming convention for a double award is that the qualification names are separated by ‘/’.

(85) A double award course is completed in less time than the total time for each course because of reciprocity of credit for one award course for specified units.

(86) The single award course rules of the double award course must be met to receive two testamurs.

Table 4 – Combined and double course types involving higher education awards by coursework, and AQF Levels:

Joint awards

(87) 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.

(88) 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

(89) An integrated course and its nested courses form a course nest. Examples of course nests are shown below in Table 5 – Course nest possibilities.

(90) 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. 

(91) A nested course may be accredited as a standalone course or as an exit-only course. Student enrolment into an exit-only course is not permitted.

(92) Nested courses may be either VET or higher education, provided that the course nest has been specifically designed for such integration and accredited as such.

(93) A student enrolled in an integrated course may exit and graduate with an exit award prior to completing the integrated course if:

1. the exit award was accredited as a nested course as part of a course nest;
2. the student was enrolled in the integrated course; and
3. the student has satisfied the requirements of the nested course. 

(94) A student who graduates with an exit award and wishes to continue their studies in an integrated course must reapply for admission into a higher-level course within the course nest, in accordance with the Admissions Policy.

Table 5 – Course nest possibilities:

Course learning outcomes framework

(95) 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 and 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 the complexity of the qualification. Volume of learning is expressed as Credit points (CP) and as duration (see Table 3 - Award types, AQF levels and volume of learning above).

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

1. For qualifications designed to deepen existing knowledge and skills, a higher proportion of the units of the course will be at the final level of the qualification than for those qualifications designed to broaden existing knowledge and skills. See Table 1 – Higher education and non-award unit levels above.
2. For qualifications with a small volume of learning (e.g. Graduate Certificate), the units must be entirely at the level of the qualification type. 
3. For each higher education course type, these requirements are specified in the Higher education course rules (award requirements) section of this policy.

(97) Award courses are offered in accordance with a carefully designed suite of learning outcomes. These outcomes are in five categories as follows:

AQF generic learning outcomes

(98) 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.

(99) 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.

Graduate attributes

(100) The University has developed an overarching set of graduate attributes supported by the Graduate Attributes Policy that will maximise the potential for graduates to make valuable contributions to the future of Australia and other communities that they may serve.

(101) Generic and disciplinary interpretations of graduate attributes will be addressed through course units, including research projects and theses.

1. Unit learning outcomes, content, learning activities and methods of learner engagement will be aligned to graduate attributes.
2. VET course curricula are largely determined through the national Training Packages and a larger emphasis may be placed upon using methods of training delivery to incorporate a focus on the graduate attributes.

(102) Graduate attributes may also be embedded within extracurricular activities facilitated by the University.

Course learning outcomes

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

(104) Course learning outcomes relate directly to and are fulfilled by the successful completion of Unit learning outcomes.

(105) Course learning outcomes must align to and seek to fulfil the graduate attributes.

Unit learning outcomes

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

(107) Unit learning outcomes should align to and seek to fulfil the course learning outcomes.

(108) Units are the building blocks of courses. The collection of learning outcomes for the core and specialist elective units within an accredited course should be sufficient to enable the student to attain the course learning outcomes.

Professional accreditation

(109) Some courses may require or benefit from accreditation by a professional body. Professional accreditation is managed in accordance with the Course Professional Accreditation Procedure.

Higher education course coherence

(110) 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.

(111) A course must provide clear sequences of learning that embed the scaffolded development and application of academic and professional skills and knowledge.

(112) A course must provide foundational units to support the transition of students into higher education and the discipline.

Majors, minors, and specialisations

(113) Bachelor degree courses may have majors and/or minors.

(114) A major will have a value of at least 60 Credit points (CP) and a maximum value of 80CP.

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

(116) No more than 10CP may be counted towards more than one (1) major area of study.

(117) A minor will have a value of at least 40CP and a maximum value of 60CP.

(118) All types of award courses may have specialisations. A specialisation will have a value of at least 40CP.

(119) Bachelor award courses with specialisations will not have majors or minors.

(120) If the specialisation 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).

Part E - Course and award coding, naming, and titling

Course coding convention

Higher education courses

(121) Higher education courses (including combined and double awards and HE non-award) 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 Table 6 – Course coding 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. faculty or discipline) providing the course; and
3. # = the version.

(122) The course code is separate from the course abbreviation.

VET courses

(123) Course codes for ASQA approved courses will be those contained in the Training Package or ASQA accredited course documents.

(124) VTP course coding will each have their own unique identifying course code, using the coding convention: VTP###, where:

1. VTP = Vocational Training Program; and
2. ### = the next numerical available number.

(125) The course code is separate from the course abbreviation.

Table 6 – Course coding

Course and award titles

(126) 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 higher education course titles

(127) A University-accredited course title is selected with due consideration for:

1. consistency with the provisions of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF);
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 program;
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 higher education courses

(128) Approval of the course title forms part of the Higher Education Course and Unit Accreditation Procedure.

(129) Course titles shall normally commence with the name of the qualification type (e.g. Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor, Master).

(130) 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.

(131) 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…".

(132) Course titles do not include majors, which are included in the award title.

(133) Course titles may include parentheses. Where the course includes a major, the text in parentheses will typically be removed from the award title in favour of including the major in parentheses.

(134) The term “Honours” is part of a course title and should not be in parentheses.

(135) Minors will not be included in the course title.

(136) 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 higher education awards

(137) Approval of the award title forms part of the Higher Education Course and Unit Accreditation Procedure.

(138) Award titles are derived from the course title.

(139) Award titles shall normally commence with the name of the qualification type (e.g. Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor, Master).

(140) Award title used for the Undergraduate Certificate will be “Undergraduate Certificate (Field of study/discipline)”.

(141) 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.

(142) 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…".

(143) Where applicable, award titles include majors in parentheses.

(144) 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.

(145) The term “Honours” is part of an award title and should not be in parentheses.

(146) Minors will not be included in the award title.

(147) 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 higher education awards

(148) 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.

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

(150) Post-nominals have three components:

1. Course type abbreviation;
2. Field of study abbreviation; and
3. Awarding University.

(151) 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

(152) 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).

Table 7 – Abbreviations for course types

Field of study abbreviation

(153) 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 follow common national or international usage (guidance is available in the Association of Commonwealth Universities' yearbook).

(154) No spaces are used in the post-nominal.

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

(156) Minors are not included in the post-nominal.

(157) The field of study of an award is not the same as the course's ASCED field of education, although sometimes they may appear identical.

Awarding institution abbreviation

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

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

VET course and award titles

(160) ASQA-accredited course titles, including those for national identified Training Package skillsets, are specified in the Training Package or accredited course documents. The award titles for ASQA-accredited courses are also outlined in the same documents, while national identified Training Package skillsets are non-award and have no award title.

VTP course titles

(161) Course titles for VTP courses are 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 program;
6. sustainability in the long term; and
7. the level and scope of completing student achievements.

(162) The maximum time in which a student may complete a higher education qualification or non-award course is specified in the Enrolment Policy.

Part F - Course administration

Teach-out periods (higher education and non-award)

(163) 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 approved for those courses.

(164) The teach-out period, during which a replaced course will continue to be delivered to remaining enrolled students, will be specified in the course transitional arrangements. The teach-out period may not exceed the standard duration of full-time learning required to complete that course.

(165) 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 discontinuation and shall not exceed twice the period required for standard duration of full-time learning to complete that course.

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

(167) Transition arrangements for existing students must be clearly documented and disseminated to all existing students in line with the Higher Education Student Transition Procedure.

(168) At the conclusion of the teach-out period, the course will be closed.

Course publication

(169) All higher education courses and course offerings for the following year will be published on the University website on or before 1 August.

Certification and issuance

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

(171) The Conferral and Certification Policy outlines course completion, conferral, graduation, certification documentation, and revocation at the University.

Part G - Higher education course rules (award requirements) 

(172) To receive a University award, a student must complete the units and satisfy any other requirements specified in the accredited course curriculum.

(173) A student must complete a minimum of one third or 80 Credit points (CP) of a course, whichever is the lesser, through enrolment in the University in order to receive the award that leads from that course.

1. A student may receive an exit award if they have completed one third or 80CP, whichever is the lesser, of the relevant nested course.

(174) All award courses must include at least one core unit and may include:

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

(175) If a course is approved as an exit-only award, an exception may be made to allow for the absence of core units.

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

Undergraduate Certificate

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

(178) 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.

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

(180) An Undergraduate Certificate qualification will have a value of 40 Credit points (CP).

(181) The total Credit points (CP) value for the core and specialist elective units of a course will be a minimum of half of the total CP value of the course.

Diploma – AQF 5

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

(183) A Diploma qualification will have a value of 80 Credit points (CP).

(184) The total Credit points (CP) value for the core and specialist elective units of a Diploma course will be a minimum of 40CP.

Associate Degree – AQF 6

(185) Courses leading to a qualification of Associate Degree must meet the requirements for AQF Level 6 qualifications.

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

Bachelor degree – AQF 7

(187) 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, double, or joint Bachelor Degrees.

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

(189) A Graduate Entry Bachelor degree will have 80 Credit points (CP) for a one (1) year course, 160CP for a two (2) year course, or 240CP for a three (3) year course.

(190) Table 8 – Credit points per unit level for Bachelor Degree – AQF 7 lists the maximum number of Credit points (CP) at the 100 level that may contribute to the award and the minimum number of CP at the 300 level required for the award.

Table 8 – Credit points per unit level for Bachelor Degree – AQF 7

(191) A minimum of 50 Credit points (CP) at 300 level must be derived from core units or specialist elective units.

Bachelor Honours degree – AQF 8

(192) Honours study 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. Honours entails an individual program of study, unique to, and tailored to suit, each student’s research project.

(193) Honours courses 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 between Honours courses.

(194) 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 course’).

(195) Courses leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours degree must meet the requirements for AQF Level 8 Bachelor Honours degrees.

(196) An add-on course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours degree will have a value of 80 Credit points (CP) for a one (1) year course.

(197) An embedded course leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours degree will have a value of at least 320 Credit points (CP) for a four (4) year course with the Honours component totalling 80CP. The units which comprise the Honours component in an embedded course must be specified in the accredited curriculum.

(198) Courses leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours degree must include an honours thesis or an honours research project component of at least 40 Credit points (CP) and a maximum of 60CP.

(199) Research must be evident in all Bachelor Honours degrees. The type of research and the balance between research and coursework may vary depending on the field of study.

(200) Knowledge and skills in research principles and methods to undertake a thesis or research-based project will be embedded within the units or offered as a standalone unit.

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

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

(203) Embedded courses leading to the qualification of Bachelor Honours degree may include majors and/or minors.

(204) Bachelor degree with embedded Honours and Bachelor Honours degree courses may draw upon coursework units at 500 level, in addition to capstone units at 400 level and thesis units at 700 level in the final year.

Graduate Certificate – AQF 8

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

(206) A Graduate Certificate qualification will have a value of 40 Credit points (CP).

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

Graduate Diploma – AQF 8

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

(209) A Graduate Diploma qualification will have a value of 80 Credit points (CP).

(210) All units in a course leading to the qualification of Graduate Diploma must be designated at the 500 level.

Master Degree by Coursework – AQF 9

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

(212) A course leading to a qualification of Master Degree by Coursework must include a research-based project, capstone experience, and/or piece of scholarship unit/s.

(213) Knowledge and skills in research principles and methods applicable to a field of work and/or learning to undertake a research-based project, capstone experience, and/or piece of scholarship will be embedded within the units or offered as a standalone unit.

(214) The research-based project, capstone experience, and/or piece of scholarship will comprise a minimum of 20 Credit points (CP) and a maximum of one half the total CP value of a course leading to a qualification of Master Degree by Coursework.

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

(216) 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 the ‘Using undergraduate units in Master by coursework courses’ section in this policy.

Master Degree Extended – AQF 9

(217) The Master Degree (Extended) is comprised of structured learning program 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.

(218) A course leading to a qualification of Master Degree (Extended) must include a research-based project, capstone experience, and/or professionally focused project unit/s.

(219) Knowledge and skills in research principles and methods applicable to the discipline and its professional practice will be embedded within the research-based project, capstone experience, and/or professionally focused project units or offered as a standalone unit.

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

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

(222) The research component, capstone experience, and/or professionally focused project unit will comprise at least 40 Credit points (CP).

Higher degrees by research

(223) Higher degree by research courses must meet the relevant AQF requirements.

1. Courses leading to the qualification of Master by Research must meet the requirements for AQF Level 9 Master Degree (Research).
2. Courses leading to the qualification of Doctor of Philosophy must meet the requirements for AQF Level 10 Doctoral Degree.

(224) Unless otherwise specified in the accredited course curriculum, a higher degree by research course 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. Refer to the Higher Degree by Research - Preparation, Submission and Examinations Procedure.

(225) Master by Research and Doctor of Philosophy courses are managed in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research Policy and its related policies and procedures.

Collaborative higher degree by research courses

(226) In the case of a collaborative higher degree by research course, a collaborative higher degree by research course agreement will be drawn up between the participating institutions. The establishment and management of a collaborative higher degree by research course will be in accordance with the Higher Degree by Research - Collaborative Course Policy.

(227) Except in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the Research Committee, a candidate is not permitted to transfer into a collaborative higher degree by research course if they have been enrolled in their current course for more than 12 months.

Section 5 - Non-compliance

(228) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct - Employees 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.

(229) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Complaints and Grievance Policy and Procedure - Employees and Complaints Policy - Students.

(230) 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.