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Courses Lifecycle - Award Course Amendments (HE) Procedure

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Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure:

  1. Complies with the requirements of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015, Standard 5: Institutional Quality Assurance.
  2. Provides the basis for determining whether a change to a Higher Education (HE) Award course, major, minor or unit should be classified as a major amendment, a minor amendment, or a minor modification;
  3. Reduces risk to the University and minimises impact on students by providing applicable rules for managing change; and
  4. Provides the approval mechanism for proposing and implementing amendments.
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Section 2 - Accountability

Accountable / Responsible Officer

Role
Accountable Officer Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Students
Responsible Officer Director, Academic Quality and Standards
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Section 3 - Scope

(2) The Procedure covers major and minor amendments, as well as minor modifications, to all HE Award coursework courses and units.

(3) This Procedure does not cover amendments to:

  1. Higher Degrees by Research courses and units.
  2. Any Non-Award courses or units (Refer Courses Lifecycle - Non-Award Course Approval (HE) Procedure / Courses Lifecycle - Non-Award Course Approval (VET) Procedure).
  3. Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses and units.
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Section 4 - Definitions

(4) Major

(5) Minor

(6) Major Amendment – Curriculum-related change that will have significant impact on students. Academic Board (via its standing committees) must oversee and approve the changes.  Major amendments are generally changes made at the course level.

(7) Minor Amendment – Curriculum-related change that will alter particular elements of a course or unit's delivery without significantly affecting students or the course as a whole. These changes are noted by Academic Board.

(8) Minor Modification – Change which has  minimal effect on students and can be considered primarily administrative in nature.

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Section 5 - Policy

(9) Refer to Courses Lifecycle Policy.

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Section 6 - Procedures

Part A - Roles/Responsibilities

Roles Responsibility
Refer to Courses Lifecycle - Award Course Accreditation (HE) Procedure Part I (Endorsements and Approvals) Approval process for major amendments to Award courses and their components.
Dean of College Approves minor amendments to Award courses.
Director, Academic Quality and Standards Reviews minor amendments to ensure they meet the criteria to be classified as minor.

Forwards the amendment to the Deputy Vice Chancellor for signature.
Deputy Vice Chancellor Approves minor amendments to Award courses.
Academic Quality and Standards Finalise minor modifications to Award courses.

Part B - Principles of Course and Unit Amendment

(10) All changes to existing HE Award coursework courses, majors, minors or units at Victoria University must comply with:

  1. External and internal academic standards, policy and regulations (including, but not limited to, the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 and the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) framework).
  2. The requirements of relevant professional accrediting and disciplinary bodies.
  3. Institutional strategic directions and curriculum requirements at the time.
  4. Approved quality assurance arrangements with external partners.
  5. Internal capacity (including availability of specialist staff and resources as needed).

Part C - Types of Amendments

(11) Amendments to HE Award coursework courses, majors, minors or units are classified as one of the following:

  1. Major Amendment
  2. Minor Amendment
  3. Minor Modification

Major Amendments

(12) Major amendments include any changes which:

  1. Change admission requirements to a course;
  2. Change course learning outcomes ;
  3. Propose a new major or minor ;
  4. Remove a major or minor (to remove a major, refer Courses Lifecycle - Course Cessation and Student Transition (HE) Procedure for requirements);
  5. Propose a new unit;
  6. Change the structure of the course;
  7. Change the structure of a major or minor;
  8. Change the course completion rules;
  9. Change delivery locations for a course;
  10. Add or remove delivery partners (to remove delivery partners, refer Courses Lifecycle - Course Cessation and Student Transition (HE) Procedure for requirements);
  11. Change delivery mode of a course, major or minor;
  12. Change professional accreditation;
  13. Change Work Integrated Learning (WIL) requirements;
  14. Change of status from Exit to Active course;
  15. Involve other significant curriculum matters deemed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor to require Academic Board consideration.

Minor Amendments

(13) Minor amendments include amendments which:

  1. Change the delivery location of a unit;
  2. Change the delivery mode of a unit;
  3. Change the WIL requirements of a unit;
  4. Add or remove delivery partners for a unit;
  5. Change of status to a unit;
  6. Change the introduction to a course, major, minor or unit;
  7. Change or reconfigure unit learning outcomes;
  8. Change assessment;
  9. Change the grade set;
  10. Change required texts lists.

Minor Modifications

(14) Minor Modifications include amendments which:

  1. Change the details of the Course Chair or Unit Convenor.
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Section 7 - Guidelines

(15) Nil