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STUDY PERIODS AND GUIDELINES FOR OFFERING UNITS IN 2009

Approved by Academic Board 20 February 2008

1. Study periods

Study periods will operate in accordance with the tables below and units must be administered within those study periods.

Within this document:

• “Standard study period” means Semester 1 and Semester 2;
• “Non-standard study period” means Summer A, Summer B, Autumn, Winter, Spring A, Spring B, Research A, Research B, Research C and Research D Terms;
• “International trimesters” are also classed as non-standard study periods and are only used for off-shore programs.
  
  1.1 Domestic non-research study periods

* See also Section 8.4 below.

** Section 169-25 (2) of the Higher Education Support Act states that a unit of study's census date must be "...not less than 20% of the way through the period during which the unit is undertaken". DEST has advised that "...period during which the unit is undertaken" means not just the actual teaching period, but the full period of the Term/Semester, ie including the mid term break, study week and examination period.

1.2 Research higher degree terms

1.3 International (offshore) trimesters

2. Admission cycles

2.1 The principal admission cycle for courses offered through the Tertiary Admission Centres (principally undergraduate courses) and via direct application to ACU (principally postgraduate courses) will be for admission for study from the commencement of the relevant academic year; a secondary admission cycle (through UAC and QTAC and by direct application) will be conducted for mid-year admission, for commencement of study in second semester each year. Supplementary admission processes will be conducted for direct application for admission to relevant courses for commencement of study in the non-standard study periods.

2.2 Student Administration will circulate to Deans, at least six weeks before the commencement of the principal and secondary admission cycles, timelines applicable to that cycle.

2.3 The on-time and late closing dates for applications, together with any late fees or conditions relating to late applications, will be published on the University website and be accessible via Student Connect - Apply for Admission. In the case of any course for which a closing date earlier than the standard closing date is required, the Dean must notify the Manager, Admissions, within the timelines specified by the Manager, Admissions, in order to enable such requirements to be published to prospective applicants from the opening of the admissions process.

2.4 Where applications are received after the published closing date for applications for a particular study period, they may be considered for the next available study period for the course(s) for which the person has applied.

3. Provision of details of unit offerings

3.1 Each year, Schools will provide to Student Administration, in the requested format and within the required timeline, details of all units, across all study periods, to be offered in the following year.

3.2 Information related to units offered in Research Higher Degree Terms, International Trimesters, Summer A Term, Summer B Term, Semester 1, Autumn Term and Winter Term must be complete and final by the due date for submission.

3.3 Information for units offered in Semester 2, Spring Term A and Spring Term B (only) may be updated by Schools if the amended details, including a complete set of unit data, are provided to Student Administration by the required due date for the relevant study period.

3.4 Where the proposed offering of a unit does not fit the dates, as outlined in Section 1 above, advice should be sought from Student Administration prior to the provision of the data. This is to ensure that offerings are compliant with the Higher Education Support Act.

3.5 Units will not be established to accommodate the situation where a student(s) has failed a unit(s) (including a final unit[s]).

4. Units offered in intensive mode

4.1 Units may be offered in intensive mode (in whole or part) in both standard and non-standard study periods.

4.2 When providing details of units to be offered in intensive mode, in accordance with Section 2 above, the School should notify Student Administration of the intended start and end dates of the actual teaching period.

4.3 The School must also specify in the Unit Outline, the commencing and finishing dates, and due dates for submission of assessment tasks for units offered in intensive mode.

4.4 The census date, specified in Section 1 above, applies to units offered in intensive mode and must be adhered to, irrespective of when the actual teaching occurs.

5. Units offered in non-standard study periods

5.1 Units offered in non-standard study periods will normally consist of preparatory work, class contact (which may be presented in intensive mode), private study time and assessment. Units offered in a non-standard study period will have the same educational outcomes as when the given unit is offered in a standard study period.

5.2 When providing details of units to be offered in non-standard study periods, in accordance with Section 2 above, the School will notify Student Administration of the intended start and end dates of the actual teaching and the due dates for submission of assessment tasks.

5.3 The School must also specify, in the Unit Outline, the commencing and finish dates, and dates for submission of assessment tasks for units offered in non-standard study periods.

5.4 The census date, specified in Section 1 above, applies to units offered in non-standard study periods and must be adhered to, irrespective of when the actual teaching occurs.

5.5 Students must enrol for the entire year at the time of enrolment/re-enrolment for the relevant year and must enrol for non-standard as well as standard study periods in accordance with normal enrolment practices. Timelines for enrolment/re-enrolment and payment of fees for both standard and non-standard study periods will be published on the web.

6. Fee and associated issues

6.1 Any student enrolled in a Commonwealth-supported place must be able to undertake all units of study in that course, whether in standard or non-standard study periods, as a Commonwealth-supported student.

6.2 Any student in a Commonwealth-supported place who undertakes a unit of study beyond the requirements of their course will enrol in that unit on a fee-paying basis and be charged the standard unit tuition fee.

6.3 For all categories of fee-paying students, the (relevant) standard unit tuition fee will apply, regardless of whether the unit/s are taken in standard or non-standard study periods.

7. Timetabling

Timetabling of classes for units offered in standard and non-standard study periods, in accordance with Section 2 above, will be undertaken centrally by Student Administration.

8. Assessment

8.1 All assessment tasks will normally be completed within the timeframe of the relevant study period. However, for non-standard study periods, the date for finalisation of assessment may be extended to the end of the next standard study period.

8.2 Examinations for units which are taught in standard study periods, and which are notified to Student Administration within the required timelines, will be arranged and conducted by Student Administration within the approved central examination period/s.

8.3 Examinations for units offered in non-standard study periods will be arranged and conducted by the relevant School.

8.4 If the unit structure or presentation necessitates later completion of assessment, the School must notify Student Administration accordingly when defining unit parameters in accordance with Section 2 above.

9. Results

9.1 Results for all units taught in standard study periods must be submitted no later than two weeks after the relevant unit’s nominated examination date in the current study period.

9.2 Results for units taught in non-standard study periods are normally submitted within two weeks of the finishing date of the unit, or alternatively can be submitted not later than two weeks after the relevant unit’s nominated examination date in the next standard study period.

9.3 If the unit structure or presentation necessitates later finalisation of results, the School must notify Student Administration accordingly when defining unit parameters in accordance with Section 2 above.

9.4 Except as otherwise provided in the Academic Regulations, any result which is incomplete at the end of the third week of the next standard study period will be converted to Fail (NN).

Associated regulations, policies and procedures

Academic Regulations
Admissions Policy
Admission Rules
Policy on Development and Application of the Admission Model
Assessment Policy and Procedures
Timetabling Principles and Procedures
Examination Policy and Procedures – Staff
Examination Policy and Procedures - Students