• Section 1 - Summary
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Section 5 - Procedures
• Part A - Roles and Responsibilities
• Part B - Principles of HE Non-Award Courses
• Part C - Non-Award Course Design
• Bridging Course for Overseas-Trained Professionals
• Enabling Course
• English Language Intensive Courses of Study (ELICOS)
• Non-Award Course (Assessed)
• Non-Award Course (Non-assessed)
• Part D - Before Non-Award Course Approval
• Part E - New Non-Award Course Approval
• Preparing the Non-Award Course Curriculum Proposal
• Part F - Non-Award Course Amendments
• Part G - Types of Amendments
• Major Amendments
• Minor Amendments
• Minor Modifications
• Part H - Non-Award Course Re-approval
• Section 6 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Summary

(1) This Procedure defines the requirements for the approval and amendment of Higher Education (HE) Non-Award courses.

(2) The Procedure enables the University to maintain a clear distinction between Award and Non-Award courses.

Section 2 - Scope

(6) Bridging courses for overseas-training professionals

(7) Enabling Courses

(8) 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.

(9) 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.

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

(11) New Non-Award Course

(12) Non-Award Course

(13) Non-Award Unit

Section 4 - Policy

(14) Refer to Courses and Pathways Lifecycle Policy.

Section 5 - Procedures

Part A - Roles and Responsibilities

Part B - Principles of HE Non-Award Courses

(15) A Non-Award course is a course offered and/or developed by the University for educational, personal, or professional development purposes, which does not result in issuing of a Victoria University (VU) testamur.

(16) VU clearly distinguishes Non-Award courses from Award courses through assigning specific codes and titles.

(17) VU is transparent with applicants and students about the status of the course they wish to study, ensuring that Non-Award students understand that their studies will not lead to an Award of the University.

(18) Design of Non-Award courses is based on:

1. Proposed student cohort (ie. Domestic, international on-shore or international off-shore); and
2. Proposed course outcomes, specifically if they will be assessed (and therefore potentially credit-bearing) or not.

(19) Non-Award courses may not contain any accredited Award units.

Part C - Non-Award Course Design

Bridging Course for Overseas-Trained Professionals

(20) Bridging courses are:

1. Provided via specific Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) funding;
2. Assessed;
3. May be CRICOS-registered.

Enabling Course

(21) Enabling courses are:

1. Available to domestic and international students;
2. Provided via specific CSP funding (for domestic students) and on a fee for service basis (for international students);
3. Assessed;
4. May be CRICOS-registered.

English Language Intensive Courses of Study (ELICOS)

(22) ELICOS courses are:

1. Available to international students only;
2. Provided on a fee for service basis;
3. Assessed;
4. Must be CRICOS-registered.

Non-Award Course (Assessed)

(23) Assessed Non-Award courses are:

1. Available to all students;
2. Provided on a fee for service basis;
3. Assessed;
4. May be CRICOS-registered.

Non-Award Course (Non-assessed)

(24) Non-assessed Non-Award courses are:

1. Available to all students;
2. Provided on a fee for service basis;
3. Not assessed;
4. Not able to be CRICOS-registered.
    

Part D - Before Non-Award Course Approval

(25) Prior to course development, a Non-Award Course Proposal and Business Case must be prepared for all proposed new Non-Award courses (Refer to Courses Lifecycle - Concept Proposal and Business Case (HE) Procedure).

(26) Course development cannot commence until the Non-Award Course Proposal and Business Case is endorsed by the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer.

Part E - New Non-Award Course Approval

Preparing the Non-Award Course Curriculum Proposal

(27) The College must develop a Non-Award Course Curriculum Proposal. This documentation is prepared within the template provided.

(28) All Non-Award Course Curriculum Proposals must include detailed learning and teaching information, including:

1. Course learning outcomes;
2. Admission requirements by cohort;
3. Educational rationale for the course;
4. Course structure, including course completion rules;
5. Work-Integrated Learning components.

(29)  Where a Non-Award course will be offered to international students and CRICOS registration is available, CRICOS details must also be included (Refer Courses Lifecycle - CRICOS Registration and Management Procedure [pending]).

(30) If the Non-Award course requires Professional Accreditation, details must be provided regarding this matter. Evidence of consultation with relevant Professional Accreditation bodies is required. (Refer to Courses Lifecycle – Professional Accreditation Procedure [pending]).

(31) Where a Non-Award course is to be offered interstate or offshore, key quality assurance details as directed by the template must also be provided regarding the particular delivery location and / or partner arrangement. Evidence of consultation with relevant partners is also required.

Part F - Non-Award Course Amendments

(32) All changes to existing Non-Award courses must comply with:

1. External and internal academic standards, policy and regulations (including, but not limited to, the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (Cth) 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 G - Types of Amendments

(33) Amendments to Non-Award courses are classified as one of the following:

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

Major Amendments

(34) Major amendments include any changes which:

1. Change admission requirements to a course;
2. Change course learning outcomes; 
3. Propose a new unit;
4. Change the structure of the course;
5. Change the course completion rules;
6. Change delivery locations for a course;
7. Add or remove delivery partners for a course;
8. Change delivery mode of a course;
9. Change professional accreditation;
10. Change Work Integrated Learning (WIL) requirements;
11. Involve other significant curriculum matters deemed by the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer to require Academic Board consideration.

Minor Amendments

(35) 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 the introduction to a course or unit;
6. Change or reconfigure unit learning outcomes;
7. Change assessment; 
8. Change the grade set;
9. Change required texts lists.

Minor Modifications

(36) Minor Modifications include amendments which:

1. Change the details of the Course Chair or Unit Convenor.

Part H - Non-Award Course Re-approval

(37) Non-Award Courses must be re-approved on a periodic basis.

(38) Re-approval of a Non-Award Course takes place following the Non-Award Comprehensive Course Review process.

(39) When a Non-Award course is submitted for re-approval, the findings of the Comprehensive Course Review must be included in the documentation.

(40) The re-approval process involves the same endorsement and approval steps as for approval of a new Non-Award course (see Roles and Responsibilities table above).

Section 6 - Guidelines

(41) Nil