REVIEW OF Postgraduate curriculum
MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY
REVIEW & RENEWAL OF POSTGRADUATE
CURRICULUM
WHITE PAPER
December 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. CONTEXT 3
2. GRADUATE CAPABILITIES 4
3. ETHICS 6
4. ACADEMIC PROGRAM MODELS 8
4.1 TERMINOLOGY: GRADUATE & POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS 8
4.2 STRUCTURE AND SHAPE 9
4.3 UNITCODES 11
4.4 NESTED QUALIFICATIONS 11
4.5 CREDIT POINTS 12
4.6 NAMED VS GENERIC DEGREES 13
4.7 MODES OF DELIVERY 14
5. ARTICULATION INTO GRADUATE/POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS 16
6. THE RESEARCH-TEACHING NEXUS and ARTICULATION FROM GRADUATE/POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS 18
7. PLANNING, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING and QUALITY ASSURANCE: A STUDENT CENTRED APPROACH 20
7.1 PLANNING, MANAGEMENT and QUALITY ASSURANCE 20
7.2 MARKETING 22
8. STUDENT SUPPORT AND THE FACULTY GRADUATE SCHOOL CONCEPT 23
8.1 TRANSITION: ACADEMIC ORIENTATION AND MENTORING 25
8.2 ACADEMIC LITERACY, ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, and INFORMATION ETHICS and SKILLS 26
9. OPPORTUNITIES 28
9.1 NEW OFFERINGS 28
9.2 DELETIONS 28
10 CURRICULUM RENEWAL PROCESS 30
10.1 GOVERNANCE 30
10.2 PROCESS and TIMETABLE 31
10.3 PRINCIPLES 38
APPENDIX 1 40
APPENDIX 2 42
APPENDIX 3 43
APPENDIX 4 44
APPENDIX 5 52
APPENDIX 6 55
1. CONTEXT
At the time of the project to review and renew the undergraduate curriculum, it was foreshadowed that a review of the postgraduate coursework curriculum would follow, to complete the process. The aim of the present review is to ensure that our curriculum at all levels serves to position us to achieve the goals for excellence in teaching and research as set out in Macquarie@50, in the Strategic Directions Document, and in our Learning and Teaching Plan and Research Strategic Plan. Our quality enhancement framework requires a systematic assessment of curriculum.
We are working in a highly competitive environment locally, nationally and internationally. Yet graduate coursework students, who already make up some 28.8% of the total Macquarie student numbers (or 22% of the total student load), are known to be a highly diverse body of students with specific needs to which universities in general have been slow to pay attention, despite the fact that they are a major fee-paying cohort. Undergraduate and research students have been the focus of most developments. Considerable opportunities exist to strengthen our offerings, strengthen our support services and increase student numbers.
As with the undergraduate curriculum, postgraduate coursework programs have developed since 1964 largely by adding and only occasionally by subtracting programs, to reach the present number of over 400 programs. We need to identify and remove units or programs for which there is little demand, and to examine inter-disciplinary opportunities and areas of growing interest.
Although there has been significant growth in postgraduate coursework enrolments in recent years, there is no agreed strategy in place to oversee the overall standards required and consistency in, for example, entry requirements, credit points, and workload. While Macquarie can still claim to be more flexible than many other universities, increased flexibility in structure and modes of delivery may well make coursework study even more attractive to a variety of students.
Also in recent years, the coursework Masters degree in many fields has increasingly become a conduit into postgraduate research degrees. Macquarie is continuing to make significant progress as a research intensive university. We need to ensure the research-teaching nexus is systematically addressed within the curriculum, and that articulation requirements and pathways are clearly identified and understood.
This White Paper represents a significant step in a continuing process of assessment and renewal. We have arrived at this step following a process of consultation which has been underway since August 2009. Views of staff and students have been sought via an online questionnaire and staff forums. Employers’ views and those of professional bodies have been sought via telephone interviews. Our Working Party has developed two drafts of a Green Paper for comment by the university community. An Administrative Working Party has considered administrative implications.
The White paper does not attempt to cover all the matters canvassed in the more discursive Green papers. It draws conclusions and makes recommendations, based on work to date, on the framework for our academic programs that will shape the next stage – the renewal stage – of the process. It also outlines the Governance, Principles and Process to be used by faculties in carrying out the next stage, and provides a timeline for developments. The Principles which can be found at Section 10.3 provide the broad framework which should be applied in implementing recommendations from the White Paper.
2. GRADUATE CAPABILITIES
Our view of the capabilities to be developed by our postgraduates, together with the university’s key directions and defining values, form an integrative framework which will serve to differentiate the Macquarie University curriculum. The framework identifying our ”vision” of the Macquarie postgraduate, should provide the focus for postgraduate learning and teaching strategy, allowing us to profile our programs at various levels in terms of the capabilities intended to be developed through the curriculum.
In discussing the Capabilities the university would want to see demonstrated by Postgraduate (PG) coursework graduates, those adopted in the Review of Academic Programs for Undergraduates, the discussion paper on HDR Graduate Capabilities, and the outcomes outlined in the Australian Qualifications Framework for PG Certificate, PG Diploma and Masters students were all considered.
Thus the Macquarie core values of Scholarship, Ethical Practice, Sustainability and Engagement continue to be seen as the Guiding Principles within which the Curriculum is developed. They serve as a reference point to guide interpretation of both undergraduate and postgraduate capabilities. For example, ethical practice should be seen as fundamental to all activities at Macquarie. It should be reflected in the student learning experience and underpin all postgraduate capabilities.
Although the time available for development is less than in undergraduate programs it remains the case that the same mix of cognitive capabilities, personal dispositions, and interpersonal or social dispositions is desirable. Capabilities are interpreted as aspects of learning that may easily be demonstrated in pedagogical situations. Dispositions are rather more difficult to assess and are comprised of people’s life-wide learning experiences and values which in turn may be developed through targeted reflection, critique and enquiry through involvement in postgraduate education.
The graduate capabilities developed through undergraduate education cannot be assumed as a starting point since postgraduates enter from many different points and with a wide variety of skill sets and experiences. What can be assumed is that there will be prior knowledge and a level of life experience which can be reflected on, together with skills which the curriculum should serve to enhance. Therefore the university recognizes that students engaging in postgraduate education are already committed to lifelong learning, are socially and ethically aware, and are capable of making professional judgements based on reflective and critical thinking
While the undergraduate foci of People Planet and Participation are not appropriate for coursework at higher level and of shorter duration, the Working Group did see that responding to the principle of Engagement and the university’s positioning as a research intensive university would align well with the thrust of existing programs, and if strengthened, could provide a particular differentiator. This list of Graduate Capabilities recognizes those skills and attributes that have already been acquired through undergraduate studies and working life, extends those capabilities and enables the development of others through postgraduate studies
Recommendations:
• Learning experiences in Masters, Diploma, and Certificate programs should be reviewed by faculties to ensure they provide opportunities for development and demonstration of the capabilities outlined below.
• The renewal process should take into account a scaffolded approach to the development of postgraduate capabilities that integrates their development through certificates, diplomas, and masters degrees.
• The Macquarie core values of Scholarship, Ethical Practice, Sustainability and Engagement are to be seen as the Guiding Principles within which the Curriculum is developed. They serve as a reference point to guide interpretation of both undergraduate and postgraduate capabilities
• Acting with integrity underpins all the following capabilities.
COGNITIVE CAPABILITIES
Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
Research and Problem Solving Capability
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
INTERPERSONAL and PERSONAL DISPOSITIONS
Effective Communication
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats
Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical citizens
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
3. ETHICS
We considered:
• the Macquarie University Ethics Statement,
• the Australian Code for Responsible Conduct of Research,
• the approach adopted to the development or elicitation of values and the capacity to think and behave ethically in the (one day) Central Commencement Program for new higher degree research candidates,
• the approach adopted in the undergraduate curriculum renewal process,
• the implementation of a Student Charter,
• the need to model ethical behaviour.
An integrated approach is seen as the most effective model. It is best to deal with making value judgments and ethically based decisions when issues arise naturally in program content. However, there are some academic programs where relevant issues are more embedded than others. For example, Psychology, Linguistics, Sociology and Anthropology naturally give rise to consideration of values and intercultural issues. Where consideration of values and ethical decision making do not form an integrated part of content then it may be necessary to make them part of a core unit in a program, which may also address academic literacy.
The concept of a one or two day introductory program (as with the Central Commencement Program for HDR students), was discussed as one possible option in the event that core units were difficult to achieve. An example of this is in potential generic Master of Arts and Master of Science programs where students may build programs from many options. It would need to be accessible online for part time or distance students.
Attention was drawn to the online training module in Human Research Ethics for the Social Sciences and Humanities developed by L. Wynn, P. Mason, and K Everett, funded by a Macquarie University Learning and Teaching Fellowship: mq.edi.au/ethics_training .
Staff behaviour is fundamental. Students must be able to trust people and processes at Macquarie. They should be able to see us living the behaviour we have espoused.
Conclusions and Recommendations:
• The need for and practice of ethical thinking should be embedded in courses wherever practical. It requires an integrated, rather than a bolt on approach. Relevant case studies and use of critical incidents form a useful way of exploring issues and exercising ethical decision making. Learner managed learning, in which students develop self-awareness by reflecting on and documenting the learning process, and in which they are asked to reflect on ethical issues that have arisen is another approach.
• A scaffolded approach should be used to integrate development through certificates, diplomas and masters degrees, just as a scaffold approach is used for the development of other capabilities. Certificate courses are necessarily more focused and restricted in terms of outcomes.
• Where an integrated approach is not possible due to the nature of the content consideration should be given to making ethical thinking part of a core stand alone unit, covering academic literacy, and in some cases research methods. As a minimum, a compulsory segment of a unit should be offered, which should be available online for distance students and those who cannot attend. As with the Central Commencement Program for HDR students, this might be part of a one or two day faculty commencement program.
• Research streams should embed ethical research methods, and ethical use of information. An introduction to the Australian Code for the Conduct of Responsible Research should be provided in some form, as part of research methods applicable to the relevant discipline.
• The Student Charter (in development) should also apply to postgraduate students.
• Staff should behave according to the Principles outlined in the Macquarie University Ethics Statement.
• Assessment of achievement of outcomes was agreed to be a difficult matter. Nevertheless, capacity for ethical thinking and decision making can be evaluated through case studies, learner portfolios and other means.
4. ACADEMIC PROGRAM MODELS
4.1 TERMINOLOGY: GRADUATE & POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS
MQ has a range of programs named graduate certificate and graduate diploma and also postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma. Consideration was given to standardisation of terminology to use only “graduate” or “postgraduate” for all certificates and diplomas, with the intention of achieving an increase in simplicity and clarity.
However, it has been recognised that while there are differences in entry, the major and important difference between Graduate and Postgraduate is that Graduate courses only include UG units whilst PG courses only include PG units. To ignore the difference would be to ignore the differentiation between those qualifications which include genuinely postgraduate material versus those comprising material which is actually at an undergraduate level.
“Qualifications that consist of undergraduate material, usually at the diploma and certificate level, serve a very distinct purpose. They allow students to obtain a first qualification in a discipline without having to complete a full bachelor’s degree. In this they are distinctly different to qualifications which consist of material which assumes competence with the core content of a bachelor’s degree in the area.
These qualifications are intended to allow students to obtain a first qualification in an area, usually as a consequence of a decision to change careers on their part. These qualifications typically require a bachelor’s degree (in another discipline) as entry qualification. Their contents mirrors (and in some examples consists of) the core content of an undergraduate degree. Completion of this material normally results in a diploma award.
The distinct nature of these qualifications has ramifications when considering the naming and structure of postgraduate coursework qualifications. “(M Hitchens submission October 2009)
It is now recommended that faculties review all programs to ensure that the term “postgraduate” is applied only to certificates and diplomas containing postgraduate level units, and the term ”graduate” is applied to units containing undergraduate level units. This then also addresses the issue of credit points and attending the same units as undergraduates. “Graduate” certificates and diplomas are essentially undergraduate qualifications, comprised of undergraduate units, with unit work load equating to 3 credit points. Where necessary for economies of scale, classes may be made up of both graduates and undergraduates. “Postgraduate” certificates and diplomas are made up of postgraduate units, with a workload equating to 4 credit points. They are exit points on the way to a Masters degree, and there should be no classes shared with undergraduates.
While entry for postgraduate work is normally completion of a degree in the same discipline it is recognised that there may be variance in entry pathways. (See Section 5)
Recommendations:
• The university should as far as possible standardise its terminology, and apply the term “graduate” to certificates and diplomas which are comprised of undergraduate units, with unit work load equating to 3 credit points.
• The university should standardise its terminology, and apply the term “postgraduate” to certificates and diplomas made up of postgraduate units, with a workload equating to 4 credit points. Postgraduate Certificate and Diplomas should serve as postgraduate pathways carrying full credit to Masters degrees in the same area of study
• While undergraduates and graduates may attend the same classes, postgraduates and undergraduates or graduates should not. If, for some reason, it is necessary, then it is essential that there should be a difference in required workload and assessment.
• Graduate Certificates and Diplomas should appear in the Undergraduate Handbook, cross-referenced to the Postgraduate Handbook.
4.2 STRUCTURE AND SHAPE
While the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and the Bologna Framework are both organised in terms of duration of programs, referring broadly to a standard full time 3 year Undergraduate program, 2 year Masters program, 3 year Doctoral program (3:2:3) OR full time 4 year Undergraduate, 1 year Masters, 3 year Doctoral program (4:1:3), it is clear (see Appendix 5) that most Australian universities are not aligning themselves with these models. The trend has been to reduce Masters programs to 18 months or 1 year, following a 3 year undergraduate degree, or longer professional undergraduate programs. Honours degrees, which are not widely known outside Australia, are more usually seen as entry points to doctoral (HDR) programs.
The trend to Masters programs of 12-18 months (2-3 semesters fulltime) in Australia has arisen because of the need to harmonise with Asia, meet student demand (for fast tracking and lower costs), and remain competitive. The Working Party has therefore recommended that duration should not be the primary criterion, and that the university should not strive for alignment with the Bologna framework. Alignment with the AQF is desirable, but the AQF is presently under review.
Rather, the goal should be achievement of specified capabilities, which in turn should drive content and length. The capabilities, as discussed previously, will vary somewhat according to the level of the postgraduate program (certificate, diploma or masters), and the model (research, professional, depth or breadth). Flexibility of duration and of content should be encouraged within the constraints of patterns of study related to each academic model. The quality of the program and the achievement of specified outcomes are of key importance.
Standardisation within the university on workload (student and staff) for credit points and clear definitions of requirements for qualifications will allow interdisciplinary and international movement.
Despite the overall diversity of PG coursework programs, and the overall diversity of the student body, and their needs and learning goals, programs may be broadly grouped into four basic models characterized by different combinations of required units:
1. Research programs – those leading on to higher degree research, and containing at least 25% research content
2. Programs meeting requirements for professional accreditation by various professional bodies
3. Programs aimed at building depth of knowledge and expertise in a discipline. Many of these programs will also lead to or be required for professional careers, but without the structure and content constraints of accreditation by professional bodies.
4. Programs aimed at building breadth of knowledge and skills – through providing different perspectives and detailed specialist knowledge.
These are not exclusive groupings, and many students responding to the survey have indicated that their reasons for undertaking postgraduate coursework may cut across these broad program types.
Models 1 – 3 outlined above may be envisaged primarily as “depth “. Models 1, 2 and 3 will all have clearly specified core units, with identified options for remaining units. In consequence all these models will either be named degrees, as in “ Master of Environmental Science”, or specify the core, depth area, following the generic degree area, both in the handbook and on testamurs, as in “Master of Arts (Ancient History),
In relation to model 4 there may be a market for more generic degrees, offering a breadth approach. There is need for market research to confirm this possibility. Such degrees might be structured as 8x4 credit point units, with selection from within a wide range of specified options. The options may be drawn from across faculties, but would build to either a generic Master of Arts or a generic Master of Science degree (both without specification of discipline area following the title). These two degrees would be “owned” by the university, as in the case of generic undergraduate degrees.
While Graduate Certificates and Diplomas, as undergraduate qualifications are not the prime focus of this review, the Working Party noted the variation in requirements across the university. It recommends that the APC look to standardizing minimum requirements across the university in line with AQF requirements.
Recommendations:
• Duration of study should not be the primary criterion for qualification, and the university should not strive for alignment with the Bologna framework, although developments in this area should be monitored
• The university should monitor developments in relation to the AQF and ensure alignment as far as possible.
• Granting of qualifications should be dependent on demonstrated achievement of specified capabilities. Achievement of the specified outcomes will in turn drive content and length. The capabilities will vary somewhat according to the model (research, professional, depth or breadth), and the level of the postgraduate program (certificate, diploma or masters).
• Flexibility of duration and of content (program structure) should be encouraged within the constraints of patterns of study related to each academic model. The quality of the program and the achievement of specified outcomes are the criteria to be applied.
• While it is important to retain flexibility of program structure, one year is seen as a minimum time to develop Masters level capabilities.
• Standardisation within the university should be on workload (student and staff) for credit points, providing clear definitions of requirements for qualifications to allow interdisciplinary and international movement.
• The APC should standardise minimum requirements for Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas across the university in line with AQF requiremnts.
• The APC should standardise minimum requirements for Graduate Certificates and Diplomas across the university in line with AQF requirements.
• The APC should ensure rules regarding overlap and maximum recognition of credit are developed in relation to double degrees.
4.3 UNITCODES
The use of unit codes in relation to levels of study lacks consistency across the university, and as a result provides little guidance concerning expectations for students.
Recommendation:
• The APC should clarify unit codes and standardise use against levels as far as possible.
4.4 NESTED QUALIFICATIONS
All Macquarie University models (and the AQF) facilitate the possibility of nested degrees i.e. Certificate and Diploma qualification levels being achieved en route to a Masters degree. It was agreed that in order to encourage students who may not know whether they are capable of higher level work at the outset it should be possible both to enrol at the lowest level (certificate) and progress to the next level on satisfactory completion, and to enrol at the highest level and exit prior to completion with a lesser qualification.
It is not possible to eliminate the re-application process for the following reasons:
• DEEWR requirements effectively demand that each level is treated as a separate course;
• professionally accredited courses require application and competitive entry;
• provision of a mechanism to accept unproven students at lower risk
Nevertheless, there is a need to streamline and simplify re-application processes as far as possible.
Recommendations:
• The nested approach should be retained, with standardisation on credit points required. Bottom-up and top-down flexibility should be available in all cases.
• The re-application process when proceeding to the next level should be re-examined with a view to streamlining it as far as possible.
• Re-application fees should be eliminated.
4.5 CREDIT POINTS
While the university should retain flexibility in relation to structure of PG coursework degrees, there is a need to move to consistency across the university in credit points for units and credit points required for nested degrees.
It was agreed that a 4 credit point unit was appropriate for PG units, and that work presently being carried out to standardise workload requirements for undergraduate units might be applied i.e. the understanding now established of workload that 3 hours of student learning was required for 1 credit point. Hence, a 4 credit point PG unit would require students to commit the equivalent of 12 hours per week (3x4) throughout the semester (i.e. 48 hours per week for a 32 credit point degree).
The 4 credit points also reflect the additional workload associated with PG units, as opposed to UG units.
Whilst adoption of a standard 4 credit point value for all PG units is favoured, it is recognised that such a move will require (i) a closer scrutiny of all PG unit credit point values and (ii) a transition plan. The handbook of Postgraduate Studies for 2009 highlights the wide diversity of credit point values for PG units. The following credit point values exist today: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 17. Despite this, 85% of all units offered are 4 credit points in value and these units have more than 90% of the students enrolled in them.
Of the various units with non-4 credit point values (i) the few 1 credit point units are focused on research methods; (ii) the 2 credit point units are either electives as in the case with Applied Finance, or represent part A or B; (iii) 3 credit point units are only offered in a few specific areas e.g. Accounting; (iv) the 5 credit point units only exist within the Sciences; (v) 6 credit point units tend to be special projects or research based; (vi) 8, 10, 12, 16 and 17 credit point units are all research based units.
The current inconsistent nature of the PG programs is noted e.g. certificates, diplomas and masters. The most common model has certificates requiring 3 units of study, diplomas requiring 6 units of study and masters requiring 8 units of study.
Recommendations:
• The university should transition the majority of PG units to a value of 4 credit points. Associate Deans – Learning and Teaching should work with the unit co-ordinators to reduce the number of units requiring alternate credit point values. In particular, 1, 3, 5, and 6 credit point units should be evaluated with a view to moving them to 4 credit point value (or a multiple of 4). Further, 12 and 16 credit point research units should be reassessed to ensure that they are necessary, and 10 and 17 credit point units should be reassessed with a view to modifying them to units with multiples of 4 credit point value if they need to be retained.
• A standard definition of workload for a 4 credit point unit should be agreed.
• Consistent definitions in terms of credit points for certificates, diplomas and masters (3 units, 6 units and 8 units) should be agreed. across the university.
• As outlined in 4.1 where postgraduates are attending the same classes as undergraduates and graduates, their workload and assessment requirements should be different, and there should be a commensurate difference in credit points.
4.6 NAMED VS GENERIC DEGREES
The variety of degree programs offered was examined. Named degrees tend to occur most frequently in the Professions, and are required for professional recognition. Some of the named degrees in Arts and Sciences also fit into this category. The number of named degrees should be reduced for greater simplicity and efficiency, and, where possible generic degrees with specialisation noted on testamurs and in handbooks should be used in the Arts and Sciences (i.e. General degree (+ area of specialisation)). Faculties might be asked to limit the number of named degrees, but given flexibility to decide which these should be.
As raised above (in 4.2), there is need for market research to identify whether there are markets for breadth multi-disciplinary postgraduate degrees in the Arts and Sciences. If these are developed they would lead to generic Masters degrees without a following specialisation.
Recommendations:
• Professional degrees should continue as named degrees.
• Arts and Sciences Faculties should review their other named degrees with a view to limiting their number, and shifting to the use of generic degrees (+ specialisation) e.g. MA (Industrial Relations) wherever sensible. The specialisation should be noted on testamurs and in handbooks.
• Market research should be carried out to establish whether there are markets for breadth style multi-disciplinary generic MAs and MScs.
• Inter-faculty disciplinarity in developing multi-disciplinary generic degrees should be encouraged.
4.7 MODES OF DELIVERY
Flexibility in modes of delivery is central to meeting the diverse needs of students. Due to the flexibility and capabilities of online technologies the differences in the pedagogical design and experiences of students in external (distance), and internal (on-campus), offerings are lessening. The need for face to face offerings in relation to visa and ESOS requirements was noted. At the same time, there is a clear need to steadily increase availability of flexible offerings which encompass fully online/distance, and flexible online options for internal/on-campus students, at both unit and program level.
This in turn requires enhanced capacity to support staff in understanding the capability of online technologies, designing online programs and teaching online. In addition, enhanced IT facilities and capacity within the university to more readily enable reliable and secure access to online offerings, is essential. A clear statement in unit outlines of IT requirements to advise students prior to enrolment is also necessary. The cost of increasing flexibility in program delivery was noted.
Understanding student needs and employers’ needs is important in developing program flexibility. Block teaching, summer semesters and other forms of flexible programming should be considered. While there is a demand for fast tracking, accelerated programs will not be suitable in all cases. The success of work-based programs stimulated a discussion of the possibilities in this area: market research is needed to identify where such programs will cover their increased costs.
The possibility of identifying programs and units which might be offered as continuing education/ lifelong learning opportunities to working alumni and other professionals and the baby boomer retirement market was discussed. This indicates a need for more flexibility regarding marketing, packaging, and timing of offerings.
Access Macquarie (AM) might be one partner in this, particularly in relation to short courses. It has the established infrastructure to manage the logistics of running short course non-award programs including program management, administration and financial backend support, and it has an ISO certified Quality Management System and policy in place. AM works closely with a number of individual academics and departments across the University in delivering both public professional development programs and tailored programs for industry and government. It would be both beneficial and useful to standardise this process across all faculties of the University.
Open Universities Australia (OUA) should be examined for potential and appropriateness in making more offerings available online. The Centre for Open Education (COE) has also been specifically developed to support programs that require flexible access, flexible delivery and flexible curricula. The centre currently provides administrative, management and student services and support for:
• Open access through alternate pathways, life long learning access and subsequent articulation into MQ programs – this is currently done through OUA, and summer school programs
• Distance education degree programs and units in both undergraduate and postgraduate
programs
• Fully online programs in OUA
COE provides a wide range of services for faculty programs including:
- Marketing and promotion of programs
- Recruitment of prospective students
- Processing of selected Direct Entry programs
- Provision of assignment receipt, tracking, printing and distribution services
- Dispatch of distance content and editing of iLecture recordings for many external programs
- Face--to--face front of house student enquiry services and support
- Phone support (to be expanded in 2010) with the possibility of a 1800 number for external domestic and overseas students
- Dedicated undergraduate and postgraduate student advisors
- Whole of program support on behalf of faculties in terms of liaison with students between central services, the faculties and the program academics
- Open University Australia liaison, management of undergraduate and postgraduate programs including student and academic support, quality assurance templates, enrolment, online support, assignment processing, grades and graduation management
Recommendations:
• Faculties and departments should aim to maximize flexibility in the way units and programs are provided.
• Services available through the Centre for Open Education and Access Macquarie should be examined and utilised where appropriate.
• Faculties and departments should consider opportunities for making programs available though OUA.
• Market research should be used to identify opportunities for different markets, modes, packaging and timing.
• Urgent development of IT capability within the university is vital to support greater flexibility. An overall IT strategy with clear staged roadmap for development is needed as early as possible.
• Steady development of enhanced capacity within the university is required to support staff in understanding the capability of online technologies, designing online programs and teaching online.
5. ARTICULATION INTO GRADUATE/POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS
This is seen to be an area in which consistency, transparency and flexibility could all be improved. While Rule 2.3 covers articulation for degrees or equivalent (i.e. those without a first degree) on an individual basis, the current rule states that admission is approved by Academic Senate on the recommendation of the Executive Dean. For practical purposes, Senate should delegate this authority to Executive Deans.
Recognition of Prior Learning, and Advanced Standing, are areas where the university policies need to ensure we have flexibility, and provide access and equity, while maintaining standards. At present there is little consistency in direct entry programs. Guidelines on equivalencies are needed to assist staff in assessing backgrounds against AQF knowledge guidelines. A range of different pathways including an option of a Masters qualifying unit, or a qualifying certificate for entry were discussed. The need to maintain standards by specifying a grade point average of 3 to progress from Certificate, to Diploma, to Masters, was noted.
There is a significant difference in entry pathways where accreditation is required. Some have little room to move, others provide more flexibility. There may be a need to partner with accreditation bodies to improve flexibility.
Partnerships/collaborations with other universities nationally and internationally is an area of increasing activity throughout the university and where articulation arrangements are important. Such collaborations can be an important part of the international profile for professional degrees, and the university should allow for agreements to be brokered wherever possible, while maintaining standards and consistency.
Recommendations:
• Academic Senate should review Masters Degree Rule 2(3) with a view to delegating authority for approving admission to the Executive Dean, or amending the rule.
• Academic Senate’s Learning and Teaching Committee should review Recognition of Prior Learning and Advanced Standing, to provide policies and guidelines that will maintain standards and equity, but provide flexibility of entry.
• Content recognised in relation to Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning, should be negotiated at departmental level, and reviewed by Faculty Standards and Quality Committees
• A range of different entry criteria should be available (interviews, referee reports, undergraduate record (GPA and subject), work experience, portfolio). These should be clearly specified and transparent, as should IELTS prerequisites.
• Consideration should be given to providing the opportunity to undertake qualifying units or certificates as longer routes for those who might otherwise be excluded on the basis of entry criteria
• Faculties should consider, as appropriate, the need to work with accreditation bodies to increase flexibility of entry.
• Partnerships/collaborations with other universities nationally and internationally can be an important part of the international profile for postgraduate degrees. Faculties should be able to broker agreements, while ensuring standards and consistency are maintained.
6. THE RESEARCH-TEACHING NEXUS and ARTICULATION FROM GRADUATE/POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS
Since Macquarie is positioning itself as a research intensive university, and since the capacity to undertake research, apply knowledge, and solve practical problems is one of the distinguishing characteristics of Macquarie postgraduates, the way in which our programs address the research-teaching nexus is vital.
Coursework PG degrees are increasingly providing a cohort of students entering HDR studies. While this group of students may be quite different in goals and needs from students wanting to achieve professional qualifications or enhance professional career paths, all students need to be well grounded in practical research skills. Research skills are developed via Research Preparation units, including research certificates, research projects, action research topics, and dissertations. The research certificates on offer are many and varied and there is a need to standardise what is covered while allowing them to be tailored to discipline area. Content and scaffolding should be addressed in relation to research preparation. Associate Deans HDR might undertake a project to identify best practice in design of research preparation and to identify pedagogical approaches that successfully scaffold learning experiences to deliver identifiable and measurable research skill capability.
The increasing volume and variety of information available electronically presents a challenge to learners and teachers and issues arise concerning how to make effective and ethical use of this information. Effective engagement with information ethics and information skills is a vital part of the acquisition of research capability and these skills should be embedded in all units that form part of research training.
Research streams are seen as being on the whole well embedded and understood as part of coursework Masters programs, however it was considered that all masters programs should be reviewed to determine whether the option of 25% research can be accommodated in order to enable more students to make the transition should they have the ability and interest. The challenge remains to ensure that research capable students are identified and encouraged to make research choices early in their program. Identification is presently quite informal and relies on individual staff. It should be possible to build monitoring and initial identification into the mandatory basic research skills embedded in introductory core units at the graduate certificate level. It is also necessary to identify ways to encourage research able students to apply for scholarships and to ensure they are able to compete with honours students.
Requirements regarding the depth, length and quality of Masters dissertations vary widely across the university and while some institutions have one internal and one external marker, some areas of Macquarie have only internal markers, with the research advisor as one of them. This is a quality issue requiring faculty review.
Eligibility for higher degree research enrolment requires assessments to be made about postgraduate coursework degree equivalence to an Honours degree. Qualitative assessments can be made in relation to project length and examination requirements, and the University has a framework indicating postgraduate coursework equivalence to each of the Honours grades (refer HDRO website). Nevertheless, as the University moves to ensure the integration of research components into postgraduate coursework degrees, clearer statements about what constitutes equivalence to enable competitiveness for a scholarship may need to be undertaken by Faculties.
Greater availability of scholarships would encourage more students to articulate into research higher degrees.
It was noted that enrolling through UAC creates problems in some areas. This issue will be addressed during implementation.
Recommendations:
• The HDR committee should manage a project to identify best practice in design of research preparation across the university and in other Australian universities. The project will identify pedagogical approaches that successfully scaffold learning experiences to deliver identifiable and measurable research skill capability.
• Faculties should review all masters programs to determine whether the option of 25% research can be accommodated in order to enable more students to make the transition should they have the ability and interest.
• Faculties should engage with accrediting bodies to argue the case that degrees should accommodate an option of 25% research
• Faculties should review research preparation certificates to standardise where possible, using best practice while allowing for tailoring to discipline content.
• Faculties should review requirements regarding Masters dissertations and marking of those dissertations to standardise where possible using best practice as identified by the HDR Committee.
• Faculties and HDR Committee should review requirements regarding equivalence between Honours grades and postgraduate coursework outcomes in relation to the Pathways document, and ensure that requirements enabling competitiveness for scholarships are clearly specified.
• Faculties should review all postgraduate programs to investigate how research skills can be taught early and what approach will be used to monitor, identify, and encourage research capable students.
• Effective engagement with information ethics and information skills should be embedded in all units that form part of research training.
7. PLANNING, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING and QUALITY ASSURANCE: A STUDENT CENTRED APPROACH
The Working Party considered existing practices in Planning, Management, Marketing and Quality Assurance, identifying good practice, and considering where and how a more student centred approach might be developed. Particular attention was paid to the approach used and services provided by Applied Finance and by MGSM. Both charge higher fees than other areas of the university and are known to provide high levels of student satisfaction to students with high expectations. These models were examined to see how best to achieve student focussed, service oriented practices throughout the university.
Both entities demonstrated a strong service orientation in terms of structures, services and processes. This was seen to stem in part from having an administrative structure focused on the students and dedicated to providing services to them. The concept of faculty graduate schools to provide an administrative and support service focus for postgraduate students was developed and supported by the Working Party. Such graduate schools would specifically not be academic, and would not be intended to cut across or replace activities carried out by existing bodies at department level or other parts of the university. (For further development of this concept see Section 8)
7.1 PLANNING, MANAGEMENT and QUALITY ASSURANCE
The matter of the amalgamation of the undergraduate studies and postgraduate sections within the central Coursework Studies section was raised. It was considered that the result (that Application, Admission and Candidature Management for coursework postgraduate students no longer have a dedicated focus unlike that provided to HDR students by the HDR Office), was undesirable in terms of giving postgraduate students the attention they deserve. For example, one of the consequences of the amalgamation of PG and UG sections is that the major functions for both areas occur at roughly the same time or they overlap so that all staff activities peak simultaneously and it is impossible for staff in the different teams to assist each other.
It has been submitted that PG and UG administration are significantly different. Some of these differences are set out below:
- There are different rules for UG and PG students;
- PG students are generally older than UG students and have different (greater) expectations;
- All local UG students are generally Commonwealth Supported students;
- At least half of the PG programs are tuition based;
- PG programs can vary from 6 months FT to 2 years FT whilst most UG courses are 3 to 5 years FT;
- Many PG programs have research components and projects which require different processes;
- PG and UG programs have totally different structures;
- PG students have clearer ideas of their goals and needs;
- Within most faculties, staff who deal PG matters are different staff to those who handle UG matters.
It is recommended that the Provost’s review of Student Services, currently underway, give further thought as to how services might best be disaggregated. The Student Services Review is also asked to examine postgraduate student enrolment forms and to involve students in testing online forms
The current Academic Program Committee (APC) Working Group to Review Senate and Subcommittee structures should aim to ensure processes are student centred. Division of the APC into postgraduate and undergraduate committees might provide the opportunity for more focused quality assurance processes, with in turn, greater responsiveness to world and market changes, a higher level of intellectual integrity, easier alignment with university policy and with cycles of review.
Recommendations:
Planning
• Planning for new units and programs should take place at the departmental or discipline level i.e. bottom up.
• Good practice includes regular reviews carried out at least every 3 years to ensure unit and program content reflects leading edge research or professional practice.
• Reviews should include published research and analysis of trends, use of industry where relevant, and use of alumni
• Departments should aim for flexibility. Developing new units is more straightforward now that the process takes place at the faculty level. Departments should continue to make use of generic “shell units” of study and “special topic” approaches to mount and test new units rapidly.
• Departments should ensure that “shell” units are specified as “lab-based” or “lecture based” etc “shell” units to allow for ease of timetabling.
• For longer term curriculum planning, departments should work with a 2 year lead time to allow students adequate planning time.
• Unit rationalisation should also be initiated at a departmental level. Departments should monitor enrolment trends, and apply a process that the Quality and Standards Committee of the Faculty and Senate agree (c.f. Opportunities Section 9 below for process).
• Rules for removing units need to be reviewed by the APC, to ensure adequate specification of completion path and transitional arrangements.
• The practice of “resting” units may continue, but faculties should develop a process to ensure students are not disadvantaged and that sufficient variety remains in available study patterns.
• Planning will be assisted by the move to an online handbook.
Management
• Management is most effectively delivered by having staff who are specifically defined as providing services to postgraduate coursework students and who are dedicated to that role. This applies at both faculty and central levels.
• The Provost’s Review of Student Services should be asked to review the amalgamation of Postgraduate and Undergraduate sections within the central Coursework Studies Section, and to review online enrolment forms for postgraduates, with student input.
• Central Services and Senate Committee structures would be more student-centred if structured with separate postgraduate and undergraduate foci. The Student Services Working Party and the APC Working Party are asked to consider these matters.
Quality Assurance
• Best Practice Quality Assurance would be aided by student evaluation of units, which is acted on; regular review cycles ensuring responsiveness to world and market changes; and Academic Sub-Committee structures which focus on postgraduate coursework programs and students.
7.2 MARKETING
In considering marketing of postgraduate coursework programs there is a need to differentiate practices between local and international marketing. Both Applied Finance and MGSM emphasized the importance of having their own academic and administrative staff work with and accompany Macquarie International staff to present at international venues from which students may come to study in Australia. Applied Finance invites local alumni to attend and outline their experiences, along with an academic presentation. They have also had considerable success in attracting postgraduate and PhD students through mounting research presentations on topical subjects at international partner universities. MGSM also invite local alumni to present and numbers are capped at 40 to ensure a successful event.
At the local marketing level, it was noted that relationships between central marketing staff, new faculty marketing staff, and faculties are still evolving, and delineation of roles is still in development. There is no standard approach to the provision of staff across faculties. Faculties need to consider their needs and potential to provide for a faculty marketing budget as an investment.
Although there is a central staff member with responsibility to coordinate marketing to schools and undergraduates, there is no one to focus on strategies for the much more diverse (and potentially equally large) group of postgraduate coursework students. Central marketing and faculties should consider whether central marketing might focus on undergraduates, and faculty marketing staff might work with developing faculty graduate schools to focus on postgraduates and alumni, including marketing short courses through Access Macquarie. It was noted that it has recently become easier to access alumni records through Alumni Relations, and that the ability for faculties to maintain these links is vital for course development, surveys, and marketing continuing education.
Recommendations:
Marketing
• Applied Finance provide a presentation for Deans and faculty marketing staff on their marketing programs.
• Faculties should work with Central Marketing to clarify their respective roles and capabilities, and develop budgets accordingly.
8. STUDENT SUPPORT AND THE FACULTY GRADUATE SCHOOL CONCEPT
Provision of effective student support to a diverse group of students with needs and expectations clearly different to those of undergraduate students, is an important element of the review. Reaction from students surveyed indicated an uneven standard of service provision and in many instances a lower level of satisfaction with support services than with the academic experience. In addressing opportunities for improvement the following were considered:
• the report of the Working Group arising from the Review of Academic Structure which investigated the feasibility of establishing a Graduate Coursework Centre (August 2008)
• the approach used and services provided by Applied Finance
• the approach used and services provided by MGSM
• examples of good practice in other faculties and across the university services
• work done, particularly by Jean Brick, Sue Spinks and Tessa Green, on Academic Literacy and English Language Proficiency for the Review of Undergraduate Academic Programs.
Administrative and other support services need to be focused on PG coursework students to be most effective: delivering superior support services will help differentiate Macquarie University in a market where word of mouth is extremely important.
The Working Party examined the functions identified as being provided centrally in the 2008 Report: Admissions, Enrolment, Career Management, Graduation, and Alumni Activities. The report had in many cases recommended enhancement of the operating sections in order to provide specialist assistance to PG students. The sections which had been involved in the development of the report should be asked to provide an update on the services they provide and their ability to support the enhanced services referred to in the report. In considering their responses they should consider provision of services on line, after hours, and at weekends.
Additionally in the 2008 report the following services were recommended as possibly being provided or coordinated by a new Central body : (Note: Some of these services are already being delivered by some departments and some units within the university such as COE):.
• Relationship Management, including
- Entry/Exit events
- Student orientation and commencement program
- How the university works
- Learning support services
- Arranging lectures by visiting experts, industry and professional bodies
- Building a learning community and social events
- Contact journaling (this is another term which is not familiar to me, although in the context it is fairly clear. I’ve never heard of journal as a verb) – cohort email lists, communication coordination
- Information provision, newsletters
- Recognition of achievement and showcasing
- Ombudsman and Monitoring roles
• Internship/Work Experience, including
- Liaising with industry and government to seek opportunities for projects/work experience
- Link Me In – web facility to link employers and students
- Job posting facility for employers
- Database of internal and external positions vacant and industry projects
• Lifelong Learning, including
- Short course
- Open lectures/Master classes
- Non-Award courses and industry, in-service professional development
- Flexible and online delivery of programs
- Articulation pathway
- Link to HDR
Since the establishment of the four faculty structure it is considered that responsibility for understanding specific support needs of postgraduates and ensuring that those needs are met should reside at the faculty level, with coordinating links to departments, to the centre, to other university services and other agencies for service provision (delivery) as appropriate.,
The concept of Faculty Graduate Schools to provide such an administrative and support service focus for postgraduate students was developed and supported by the Working Party, with the proviso that services working well at Department, central, or other university unit level should remain at that level and be linked in and to Faculty Graduate Schools as they are developed.
Faculty Graduate Schools of an administrative and support nature only, might link with existing departmental service provision and strengthen it by providing additional services not presently available in most cases for postgraduates (except those in Applied Finance, MGSM, the Faculty of Business and Economics, Linguistics and Ancient History). They would also work together and link to central administrative services, and other university services, in turn focused on postgraduate coursework students, via an improved online system and a customer relationship management system. For example it was thought that faculty level Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) online could be developed by such offices, and that working with central services an “Ask a postgraduate administrator” website with specified guaranteed response times could be developed.
By having a Faculty Graduate School, economies of scale might be achieved for Faculties with smaller numbers of students, while still achieving a focus on service and timely response. Service Charters might be developed by Faculty Graduate Schools operating with postgraduate central administrative services, departmental services, COE, and other relevant bodies as a virtual graduate school.
The concept is not intended to apply to academic programs or staff.
Each faculty should consider the needs of its own postgraduate students by engaging with them to consider the range of services they would wish to see provided, and then develop a plan for the progressive development of graduate schools over time, beginning with the provision of services most in demand. Existing services in departments within faculties, and across the university should be carefully considered, and full use made of them.
For example, it was considered that Faculty level physical facilities e.g. lounges with computer access and coffee facilities accessible by swipe card were desirable, and represented an ideal to be worked towards. In the meantime a campus map of study spaces for postgraduates and a coffee shop open 6-10pm and at weekends were needed.
It is noted that the new Library will provide a dedicated postgraduate coursework area, with spaces available for 150 students 24/7. It will also include a café open on evenings and weekends.
Recommendations:
• Faculties should examine with postgraduate coursework students the types of support services their students would most value and progressively develop these.
• Sections or units involved in the provision of support services identified in the August 2008 Report into the feasibility of a “Graduate Coursework Centre”, be asked to update the statements relating to their provision of services, including commentary on hours for provision of services.
• Faculties should work together and with central services to map existing service provision and gaps.
• Faculties should consider establishing Faculty Graduate Schools coordinating with departmental service provision. Such structures should be seen as working with, not taking over from, areas within faculties that are providing additional or dedicated postgraduate support services. Multi-skilling and succession planning would be required for administrative staff in faculty graduate schools.
• Staff in faculty graduate schools should work with specialised postgraduate central administration as a “virtual” graduate school to enhance flexibility. e.g. managing double degrees and possibly generic M.A.s and M.Sc.s with flexible programmes.
• Faculties should work with Access Macquarie and COE to provide a range of lifelong learning opportunities to market to alumni and to attract in additional PG students.
8.1 TRANSITION: ACADEMIC ORIENTATION AND MENTORING
Postgraduate coursework students come from widely varying backgrounds and will have differing levels of need for academic orientation and mentoring. The functions outlined above for faculty graduate schools include responsibility for organising (not providing)
- student orientation and commencement program
- how the university works
- learning support services, together with an Ombudsman and monitoring role.
However, this is an area where there may be value in expediting discussions and not awaiting the development of faculty graduate schools.
There are a varying range of transition programs for postgraduate coursework students across the university, and attention is drawn to the well-established program run by Dr Elisabeth Harrison for the Master of Speech and Pathology. At present there is no over-arching scheme.
Dr Justin Dutch, Co-ordinator Transition Program (Mentoring and Academic Orientation), is shortly to carry out an audit of orientation programs. The results of his audit should be addressed by faculties together with the recommendations of the White Paper.
Recommendation:
• Faculties should review their present provision of transition programs for postgraduate coursework students, following the audit of orientation programs to be carried out by the Co-ordinator Transition Program. Plans for action should be addressed in the context of this White Paper.
8.2 ACADEMIC LITERACY, ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, and INFORMATION ETHICS and SKILLS
Although PG students will come to the university with a different view of their needs, and usually for shorter periods of study than undergraduates, it is still vitally important to identify early those students who need additional support in academic literacy relating to their discipline, and those students needing English language support.
As outlined in the undergraduate curriculum review, “The Review of Academic Programs White Paper” (August 2008):
“ Academic literacy refers to ‘the capacity to undertake study and research, and to communicate findings and knowledge, in a manner appropriate to the particular disciplinary conventions and scholarly standards expected at university level’. (UWA, 2004)
All students require academic literacy in their disciplines of study, regardless of their level of English competency.’”
Further:
“English language proficiency is related to, but not synonymous with academic literacy. From the perspective of academic literacy, English language proficiency refers to the extent to which a student is able to use the lexical and grammatical resources of English appropriately in academic study. In other words, English language proficiency is one aspect of the wider concept of academic literacy. From another perspective a student lacking plain English language competence is unlikely to be able to develop meaningful academic literacy in any discipline.”
Effectively addressing these issues should be another differentiating factor for Macquarie PG coursework programs. It was acknowledged that needs would differ from faculty to faculty, and that there are a range of options for identifying and supporting students in academic literacy and English language proficiency. Some options already exist, and some would need to be developed. Flexibility is the key. It was considered that faculties should consider their specific needs and work with Literacy specialists within Linguistics, CME and other areas where there is demonstrated expertise, to develop a number of options to suit their students. Faculty Graduate Schools could coordinate and facilitate.
CME currently provides a significant volume of embedded and adjunct language support programs to postgraduate students in a number of Macquarie faculties. These programs are continuing in 2010 and proposals are in the pipeline for other postgraduate support.
All programs have been developed in close cooperation with academic coordinators, lecturers and students over several years. The current CME staff involved in this program are experienced in business and government, are master-qualified and most are multi-lingual. All have been working with postgraduate students for between 2 and 7 years.
CME is able to provide staff who can:
• Provide academic and language support that is highly contextualized to the program of study that students are undertaking
• Respond to students’ intercultural issues
• Help students to make the transition to the postgraduate study
• Build productive relationships with faculty staff
• Prepare students for the communicative requirements for working in a professional environment (CME Submission, October 2009)
Additionally, as mentioned in Section 6, the Research-Teaching Nexus, the challenge to learners and teachers of the increasing volume and variety of information available electronically and the consequent issues concerning how to make effective and ethical use of this information are noted. Effective engagement with information ethics and information skills is a vital part of the acquisition of research and problem solving capability and these skills should be scaffolded through all programs.
Recommendations:
• The Learning and Teaching Committee should investigate best practice in achieving and supporting academic literacy across Australia and internationally, for faculties to use as a benchmark.
• Faculties should work with Literacy specialists within Linguistics, CME, or other areas where there is demonstrated expertise, to determine the best methods for providing academic literacy support to students. Options include an online module for academic writing tailored to the discipline as a hurdle to be completed before commencement; or inclusion of a writing module within core units for those without previous experience in the discipline.
• Faculties should deliberate on their approach to identifying students who need English Language support. As with undergraduate students it may be that a short written task should be assigned to all students within the second or third week of semester, and assessed using examples prepared by academic literacy specialists working with faculty members.
• A range of types of support and modes of delivery should be made available, including embedded support, embedded lectures and workshops, generic workshops and individual consultations, and on-line as well as face to face delivery modes.
• Faculty Learning and Teaching Committees should review the relationship between central services and faculties in relation to the provision of training in information literacy and skills and information ethics.
9. OPPORTUNITIES
9.1 NEW OFFERINGS
On the whole identification of opportunities for new offerings Is best undertaken at the department or discipline level, although faculties should take responsibility for identifying inter-disciplinary opportunities within faculties and between faculties. Faculties also need to provide some funding and coordination (in conjunction with central marketing) for market research.
No attempt has been made to identify individual opportunities; however, the staff survey has raised many possibilities. Some of these are listed in Appendix 3.
Recommendations:
• Good practices in market research for disciplines would include
- each department identifying key competitors
- scanning/mapping other higher education institutions, particularly key competitors, to identify gaps and/or over supply
- surveying alumni re “things we didn’t teach you that you wish we had”
- using an Advisory Committee from the industry/profession to explore where the field is heading, and what skills are needed
- surveying industry, employer bodies
- literature survey to identify key trends, developments in field
• Faculty marketing staff where available might lead/coordinate departmental/disciplinary research
• Opportunities for partnering with other leading institutions should be considered (jointly badged programs, host teaching).
• Continuing professional education accredited by professional bodies represents an opportunity. Identify units and certificate programs that might be accredited.
• Faculty Postgraduate Studies Committees should examine inter-disciplinary opportunities, and Academic Senate’s Postgraduate Studies Committee should examine cross faculty opportunities.
• Departments should continue to make use of generic “shell units” of study and “special topic” approaches to mount and test new units rapidly. (cf. Planning Section 7.1)
• A business case should be prepared and presented to Faculty LTCs for any planned new program or unit.
9.2 DELETIONS
Culling units and programs which are no longer in demand should also be initiated at a departmental level, with a view to achieving clear targeted reductions in faculties. The information provided in the table below demonstrate that in the interests of using staff resources more effectively for student benefit, targets and a timetable for reduction should be set.
|Student Enrolments per Unit in 2009 | | | |
|Faculty |No.Units |No. Student |Avg.Students per |No.Units with fewer |% Units offered with |
| | |Enrolments |Unit |than 10 Students |fewer than 10 students |
|Business & Economics |232 |18,140 |78 |70 |30.2% |
|MGSM |60 |7,157 |119 |78 |130.0% |
|Arts |370 |3,898 |11 |264 |71.4% |
|Human Sciences |504 |7,680 |15 |271 |53.8% |
|Science |342 |5,113 |15 |231 |67.5% |
|Other |14 |371 |27 |8 |57.1% |
| |1,522 |42,359 |28 |922 |60.6% |
Recommendations:
• Targets should be set by faculties for the reduction in number of programs and units.
• Faculty Quality and Standards Committee should agree the process to be used in identifying and removing units and programs with Academic Senate.
• Departments should show cause why any program with no students for the past three years should be allowed to continue.
• Departments should show cause why any unit with no students for the past three years should be allowed to continue.
• Departments should further identify programs and units where there has been a downward trend for a number of years or fewer than a faculty specified number of students for a number of years, and show cause for their continuance to the Dean.
• Where programs or units are identified for removal, a transition plan must be completed and agreed with the Faculty LTC.
• Additionally, Departments should regularly review units, using a process agreed between Faculty’s Quality and Standards Committee and Academic Senate, to identify those warranting removal.
10 CURRICULUM RENEWAL PROCESS
10.1 GOVERNANCE
• APC’s Postgraduate Subcommittee‘s role is to provide the framework of Principles and Guidelines to be used in the renewal process. They will also provide information and support
• APC’s role is to review quality and assess conformance with standards. It is an audit role, prior to final approval by Academic Senate.
• Faculty Learning and Teaching Committees (FLTCs) will provide assistance to Departments in their renewal work.
• Faculty Standards and Quality Committees (FSQCs) will audit and review Departmental submissions for quality and conformance with standards before submitting them to the APC.
• The Learning and teaching Centre (LTC will provide support to both the APC’s Postgraduate Subcommittee and the FLTCs. The University Library will provide assistance to the FLTCs.
The role of quality audit is separated from the role of information provision and assistance at the Faculty and Academic Senate Subcommittee level, although it is expected that there will be some shared membership of the committees at both levels to ensure understanding and coherence.
10.2 PROCESS and TIMETABLE
10.2.1 CURRENT PROGRAMS
• APC will issue a “template” and guidelines for use by departments and faculties in the renewal process
• Faculties identify units and programs with no students for the last 3 years and agree to delete or prepare cases to show cause for retention to the Dean (April 2010)
• Where programs or units are scheduled for deletion, transition plans are prepared for Faculty LTCs.
• Faculties and units work on existing programs and units ready to go to Faculty LTCs in August.
• APC and Senate processes existing programs and units Sep – Dec
• Council receives list of all degrees by December 2010
• Financial implications of changes to be included in Budget for 2011
• Programs ready for inclusion in UAC program for 2011
• Marketing materials for 2012 intake prepared and in use by December 2010
10.2.2 NEW PROGRAMS
• Departments identify opportunities using evidence- based approach
• Work to prepare business plans for APC by August 2010.
• Included with list of degrees for Council by December 2010
• Marketing materials for 2012 intake prepared and in use by December 2010
10.2.3 STUDENT SUPPORT SYSTEMS
• Faculties work with students to identify needs for improvement and prioritise.(first half 2010
• Faculties work with central and other agencies to map and identify existing services that might be used.(first half 2010)
• Faculties plan approach to development of virtual faculty graduate schools.(second half 2010)
• Faculties build development plans into 2011 budget process
• Faculties develop detailed implementation plans and commence implementation, second half 2011.
10.2.4 TIMETABLE
Note: for chart of timelineg as set out below please go to Aappendix 6.
|Step |Details |Q4-2009 |Q1-2010 |Q2- 2010 |
| | | | | | |
| | | |Year |Year |Year |
|Owning faculty |Course level |AMIS course code |2007 |2008 |2009 |
|1 Business and Economics |e) Master by coursework |MACC |48 |18 |5 |
| | |MACC (CPA) |96 |4 | |
| | |MACCG |243 |171 |174 |
| | |MACCG(CPA) |1,049 |1,080 |1,146 |
| | |MACSTPRAC |20 |34 |51 |
| | |MAF-C |1,073 |1,201 |1,188 |
| | |MBFR |6 |15 |26 |
| | |MCLAW |29 |31 |38 |
| | |MCOM;ACCGFIN |332 |323 |362 |
| | |MCOM;ACST |26 |19 |29 |
| | |MCOM;BUS |227 |190 |217 |
| | |MCOM;IST |39 |28 |21 |
| | |MCOM;ISTMIT |19 |20 |14 |
| | |MCOM;MKTG |223 |207 |184 |
| | |MCOM;PROFACCG |2 | | |
| | |MCOM;VCM |11 |31 |18 |
| | |MEC;EC-C |125 |58 |84 |
| | |MIB |261 |268 |254 |
| | |MIBMA;INTCOM |13 |8 |11 |
| | |MIBMIR |31 |38 |38 |
| | |MITCL |39 |49 |70 |
| |e) Master by coursework Total | |3,912 |3,793 |3,930 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma |PD-ACC |27 |6 |1 |
| | |PD-ACCG |136 |103 |94 |
| | |PD-APEC |19 |13 |16 |
| | |PD-ENTREP |6 |2 | |
| | |PD-ITCL |3 |3 |1 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma Total | |191 |127 |112 |
| |i) Graduate Certificate |GC-BUSN |44 |51 |29 |
| | |GC-IST |1 |3 |3 |
| | |GC-MKTG |19 |11 |8 |
| | |PC-APEC |3 |2 |2 |
| | |PC-APF |17 |26 |38 |
| | |PC-ENTREP |10 |9 | |
| | |PC-ITCL |3 |6 | |
| | |PC-RESMET(EFS) | |2 |6 |
| |i) Graduate Certificate Total | |97 |110 |86 |
|1 Business and Economics | | |4,200 |4,030 |4,128 |
|Total | | | | | |
|2 Macquarie Graduate School |e) Master by coursework |MBA |762 |768 |712 |
|of Management | | | | | |
| | |MMGT;ECOMMGT | |1 | |
| | |MMGT;FINMGT |65 |66 |74 |
| | |MMGT;HRMGT |58 |52 |47 |
| | |MMGT;INTLMGT |18 |29 |27 |
| | |MMGT;ITMGT |12 |1 | |
| | |MMGT;LOGOPMGT |29 |11 |21 |
| | |MMGT;MGT |260 |267 |319 |
| | |MMGT;MKTGMGT |75 |94 |73 |
| | |MMGT;OPMGT |9 |7 |3 |
| |e) Master by coursework Total | |1,288 |1,296 |1,276 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma |PD-FINANCEMGT | |8 |8 |
| | |PD-FINMGT |33 |22 |22 |
| | |PD-HRMGT |2 | | |
| | |PD-MGT |317 |385 |354 |
| | |PD-MKTMGT |40 |25 |23 |
| | |PD-OPSMGT |11 |5 |4 |
| | |PD-TECHMGT |5 | |1 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma Total | |408 |445 |412 |
| |i) Graduate Certificate |PC-MGT |226 |237 |204 |
| | |PC-MGT;MKTG |30 |38 |15 |
| |i) Graduate Certificate Total | |256 |275 |219 |
|2 Macquarie Graduate School | | |1,952 |2,016 |1,907 |
|of Management Total | | | | | |
|3 Arts |e) Master by coursework |LLM;ENVLAW |3 |5 |6 |
| | |LLM;IEL |7 |7 |6 |
| | |LLM;LAW |1 |2 |2 |
| | |LLM-C |2 | | |
| | |MA;AAC | |5 |5 |
| | |MA;AHST-C |44 |53 |60 |
| | |MA;CHDLIT-C |34 |40 |33 |
| | |MA;COPTICST |22 |17 |14 |
| | |MA;CRWR |16 |18 |20 |
| | |MA;ECCP |2 |2 |2 |
| | |MA;ECJS |13 |7 |9 |
| | |MA;EGYPT-C |26 |25 |31 |
| | |MA;ENGLIT-C |32 |29 |38 |
| | |MA;GLOBCOMPRAC |2 | | |
| | |MA;HIST-C |16 |16 |20 |
| | |MA;ICMIR |30 |37 |41 |
| | |MA;INTCOM |109 |91 |80 |
| | |MA;LATEANTIQ | |2 |6 |
| | |MA;MHST-C |43 |36 |35 |
| | |MA;TRINTMIR |3 | | |
| | |MAA |29 |22 |23 |
| | |MAPANTH |2 | | |
| | |MDEVSTCULT |2 |15 |23 |
| | |MELGLAW |12 |7 |7 |
| | |MENVLAW |6 |6 |9 |
| | |MINTENVLAW |10 |12 |15 |
| | |MINTREL |169 |186 |195 |
| | |MINTSECSTUDS |1 |22 |20 |
| | |MIRMIEL |18 |14 |7 |
| | |MIRMITCL |35 |42 |37 |
| | |MPASR |27 |32 |40 |
| | |MPICT |35 |63 |77 |
| | |MPICTMINTSECST |4 |22 |45 |
| | |MPPP |51 |43 |50 |
| | |MRECORDARTS |5 |8 |13 |
| |e) Master by coursework Total | |811 |886 |969 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma |GD-ANTH |5 | |1 |
| | |GD-CRITCUL |4 |3 |2 |
| | |GD-JPN |6 |5 |4 |
| | |GD-PHIL |7 |11 |18 |
| | |GD-WST |1 | |1 |
| | |PD-AHST |7 |8 |7 |
| | |PD-CHLIT |3 |1 |4 |
| | |PD-DEVSTCULT |1 |1 |4 |
| | |PD-ECJS |1 |1 | |
| | |PD-ELGLAW |4 |1 | |
| | |PD-ENVLAW |4 |2 |4 |
| | |PD-INTENVLAW | |1 |1 |
| | |PD-INTREL |12 |12 |18 |
| | |PD-INTSECSTUDS |1 | |2 |
| | |PD-PASR |2 |2 |3 |
| | |PD-PICT |39 |38 |50 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma Total | |97 |86 |119 |
| |i) Graduate Certificate |GC-CRITCUL |3 | | |
| | |PC-AHST | | |2 |
| | |PC-APPANTH |1 |1 |3 |
| | |PC-ARCHAEOLOGY |1 |1 |5 |
| | |PC-COPTICST | | |2 |
| | |PC-CRWR |4 |3 |2 |
| | |PC-DEVSTCULT | | |1 |
| | |PC-ELGLAW |1 |1 |1 |
| | |PC-ENVLAW |1 |2 | |
| | |PC-INTCOM | |2 |1 |
| | |PC-INTEL |1 |2 |5 |
| | |PC-INTENVLAW | |1 |1 |
| | |PC-INTLGPED;JPN | | |4 |
| | |PC-INTREL |13 |12 |14 |
| | |PC-INTSECSTUDS |1 |2 |6 |
| | |PC-PASR |2 |2 |5 |
| | |PC-PICT |30 |46 |48 |
| | |PC-RESMET(PICT) |1 |1 | |
| | |PC-RESMETH(IR) |2 |2 | |
| | |PC-RESPREP(HUM) |19 |21 |14 |
| | |PC-TRANSSEC | |1 | |
| |i) Graduate Certificate Total | |80 |100 |114 |
|3 Arts Total | | |988 |1,072 |1,202 |
|4 Human Sciences |e) Master by coursework |MA;COMDIS |4 |2 |1 |
| | |MA;EDPUB |3 |4 |1 |
| | |MA;TRINT |23 |1 | |
| | |MAPLG |42 |16 |7 |
| | |MAPLG(LIT) |7 |1 |1 |
| | |MAPLG(LPM) |17 |6 |5 |
| | |MAPLG(TES) |140 |52 |24 |
| | |MAPLG(TESP) |10 |4 |2 |
| | |MAPLNG | |20 |29 |
| | |MAPLNG(LIT) | |5 |6 |
| | |MAPLNG(LPM) | |3 |9 |
| | |MAPLNG(TES) | |54 |77 |
| | |MAPLNG(TESP) | |2 |6 |
| | |MASURG;CN |1 |1 | |
| | |MCLAUD-C |47 |54 |54 |
| | |MCLNPSY |10 |20 |21 |
| | |MCLPSY |53 |54 |54 |
| | |MCNPSY |25 |15 |12 |
| | |MCOMMDIS |8 |9 |12 |
| | |MCOMPROFORG |11 |11 |7 |
| | |MCONFINT |18 |16 |12 |
| | |MECHD |41 |36 |28 |
| | |MED-C |42 |39 |50 |
| | |MED-C;ICT |4 |10 |15 |
| | |MEDLD(ECE) |7 |5 |10 |
| | |MEDLD(EW) |2 |3 |1 |
| | |MEDLD(HE) |3 |2 |1 |
| | |MEDLD(SE) |52 |37 |48 |
| | |MEDWK-C |9 |3 |1 |
| | |MHE(ELEARN) |2 |6 |6 |
| | |MHE(LEAD) |4 |7 |5 |
| | |MHE(LT) |4 |5 |12 |
| | |MHE(MED) |3 |5 |7 |
| | |MORGPSY |38 |36 |44 |
| | |MSC;SPCH |10 |13 |9 |
| | |MSOCH |15 |20 |24 |
| | |MSPCHPATH |49 |56 |43 |
| | |MSPED-C |92 |68 |69 |
| | |MTEACH(0-5) |16 |42 |59 |
| | |MTRANS |20 |47 |40 |
| | |MTRANSINT |388 |244 |193 |
| | |MTRANSINTMIR |76 |90 |82 |
| | |MTRINTMAPL(TES) | |28 |28 |
| |e) Master by coursework Total | |1,296 |1,152 |1,115 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma |GD-ECHD |52 |59 |46 |
| | |GD-ED |175 |121 |133 |
| | |GD-PSY |31 |35 |16 |
| | |PD-APLG(LIT) |1 | |1 |
| | |PD-APLG(TES) |33 |20 |21 |
| | |PD-APLG(TESP) | |2 |3 |
| | |PD-APLNG |8 |7 |3 |
| | |PD-APPSY |8 |21 |50 |
| | |PD-AUSLENGLINT |12 |17 |20 |
| | |PD-AUSLINT |6 |2 | |
| | |PD-COMPROFORG |5 |2 |2 |
| | |PD-ECHD |2 |2 |1 |
| | |PD-EDIT |8 |4 |5 |
| | |PD-EDLD(ECE) | |1 |1 |
| | |PD-EDLD(EW) |1 |1 | |
| | |PD-EDLD(SE) |3 | | |
| | |PD-EDS | |1 |3 |
| | |PD-HE(ELEARN) |2 |1 | |
| | |PD-HE(LEAD) |1 | |1 |
| | |PD-HE(LT) |2 |2 |1 |
| | |PD-ORGBEH | |1 |4 |
| | |PD-PSY |68 |59 |71 |
| | |PD-SOCH |67 |48 |45 |
| | |PD-SPED |33 |43 |40 |
| | |PD-TRANS |77 |68 |49 |
| | |GD-PSYCH | | |34 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma Total | |595 |517 |550 |
| |i) Graduate Certificate |PC-APLG(TES) | |3 |2 |
| | |PC-APLG(TESP) | |1 |3 |
| | |PC-APSY |1 |6 |5 |
| | |PC-COMPROFORG | |1 |4 |
| | |PC-ECHD |4 |3 |2 |
| | |PC-EDIT |21 |34 |26 |
| | |PC-EDLD(ECE) |1 | |2 |
| | |PC-EDLD(EW) |1 | | |
| | |PC-EDLD(SE) |1 |3 |5 |
| | |PC-EDS |1 |3 |2 |
| | |PC-EDUC;ICT |2 | | |
| | |PC-HE(ELEARN) |2 |1 |2 |
| | |PC-HE(LEAD) |4 |4 |5 |
| | |PC-HE(LT) |9 |8 |10 |
| | |PC-LINGRES |11 |18 |17 |
| | |PC-MLP |5 |3 |3 |
| | |PC-ORGBEH |3 |2 | |
| | |PC-RESMET(EC) |2 | |3 |
| | |PC-RESMET(ED) |5 |4 |10 |
| | |PC-RESMET(SE) |4 |3 |8 |
| | |PC-SOCH |31 |78 |42 |
| | |PC-SPECED(BP) |6 |4 |6 |
| | |PC-SPECED(EI) |16 |6 |14 |
| | |PC-SPED(GE) |3 | | |
| | |PC-SPED(HS) |3 |4 | |
| | |PC-SPED(LD) |17 |28 |30 |
| | |PC-TESOL |78 |6 | |
| |i) Graduate Certificate Total | |231 |223 |201 |
|4 Human Sciences Total | | |2,122 |1,892 |1,866 |
|5 Science |e) Master by coursework |MA;HMNGEOC |6 |5 |5 |
| | |MAGEHEALTH |13 |12 |7 |
| | |MAPST |56 |45 |57 |
| | |MBIOMCOM |61 |72 |46 |
| | |MBIOSTAT |8 |10 |10 |
| | |MBIOTECH |25 |22 |20 |
| | |MCHPRAC |175 |206 |247 |
| | |MCONS;IT | | |3 |
| | |MENGMGT | |7 |7 |
| | |MENVED |16 |12 |12 |
| | |MENVIRMGT | |15 |32 |
| | |MENVIRSC | |12 |19 |
| | |MENVMGT |36 |16 |5 |
| | |MENVPL |29 |32 |36 |
| | |MENVSC |23 |13 |3 |
| | |MENVST |10 |14 |10 |
| | |MGEOGEDUC | |1 |2 |
| | |MGEOS |9 |16 |24 |
| | |MIT |51 |39 |44 |
| | |MIT;ICTM |28 |26 |26 |
| | |MIT;IS |21 |22 |7 |
| | |MIT;IW |14 |17 |12 |
| | |MIT;SE |8 |11 |10 |
| | |MIT;SS |13 |14 |11 |
| | |MIT;WT |20 |16 |20 |
| | |MLABQUALMGT | | |5 |
| | |MMUSSTUD |32 |32 |26 |
| | |MSC(ED) |9 |1 | |
| | |MSC;GEOL-C |2 |2 | |
| | |MSC;PST-C |2 |2 |1 |
| | |MSUSDEV |14 |13 |12 |
| | |MWILDCONS |5 |17 |22 |
| | |MWLMGT |4 |1 | |
| | |MWLMGT(HABITAT) |38 |38 |45 |
| |e) Master by coursework Total | |728 |761 |786 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma |GD-ATMSC | |2 |1 |
| | |GD-GIS |1 |2 |2 |
| | |GD-IT |20 |14 |5 |
| | |PD-AGEHLTH |1 | |1 |
| | |PD-APPSTAT |2 |1 |6 |
| | |PD-BIOSTAT |2 |3 |4 |
| | |PD-ENVED |6 |2 |2 |
| | |PD-ENVST |13 |13 |21 |
| | |PD-GEOGEDUC | |1 | |
| | |PD-INFT | |7 |6 |
| | |PD-INFT;ICTM | |2 |3 |
| | |PD-INFT;IS | |1 |2 |
| | |PD-INFT;SE | | |1 |
| | |PD-INFT;SS | |1 |1 |
| | |PD-INFT;WT | |1 |1 |
| | |PD-IT |3 | | |
| | |PD-IT;ICTM |1 | | |
| | |PD-IT;IW |1 | | |
| | |PD-IT;SE |1 | | |
| | |PD-MUSSTUD |16 |12 |15 |
| | |PD-SIA | |1 |2 |
| | |PD-SUSDEV |6 |7 |8 |
| | |PD-WILDCON | |3 | |
| | |PD-WLMGT(HBT) |2 |3 |4 |
| | |PD-LABQUALMGT | | |2 |
| |g) Graduate Diploma Total | |75 |76 |87 |
| |i) Graduate Certificate |GC-BIOTEC | |4 |4 |
| | |GC-BIOTECH |3 |2 |1 |
| | |GC-IT |5 |2 | |
| | |GC-STATS |6 |9 |14 |
| | |PC-AGEHLTH |4 |4 |2 |
| | |PC-APPSTAT |4 |7 |4 |
| | |PC-BIOSTAT |4 |1 |2 |
| | |PC-ENVEC |3 | | |
| | |PC-ENVED |1 |1 |3 |
| | |PC-ENVIRECON | |2 |2 |
| | |PC-ENVIRMGT | |3 |3 |
| | |PC-ENVMGT |5 |2 | |
| | |PC-RESPREP(ELS) |1 |1 | |
| | |PC-RPREP(ELS) |8 |5 |6 |
| | |PC-SUSD |3 |5 |2 |
| | |PC-WLDCONS | |1 |1 |
| | |PC-WLMGT(HBT) |4 |4 |1 |
| |i) Graduate Certificate Total | |51 |53 |45 |
|5 Science Total | | |854 |890 |918 |
|Grand Total | | |10,116 |9,900 |10,021 |
APPENDIX 5
SECTOR WIDE COMPARISON
Program | |MQ |Sydney |UNSW |Melbourne |Monash |UQ |UWA |Adelaide |ANU |Other | |Master of Information Technology |F/T Length |1 year |1 year |1 year | |1.5 years |1.5 years |2 years | |1 year |UTS - 1 year | | |Previous Quals |Related Bach. |Related Bach. |Related Bach. | |Related Bach. |Related Bach. | | | |Related Bach. | | |Cost PA |$17,920 | | | | | | | | |$17,376 | |Master of Environment |F/T Length |1.5 years | | |2 years |1.5 years |1.5 years | |1.5 years |1 year | | | |Previous Quals |Any Bach. | | |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. | | | | | | |Cost PA |$16,640 | | | | | | | | | | |Master of Chiropractic |F/T Length |2 years | | | | | | | | |RMIT - 2 years | | |Previous Quals |Related Bach. | | | | | | | | |Related Bach. | | |Cost PA |$20,384 | | | | | | | | |$20,640 | |Master of Applied Linguistics |F/T Length |1 year |1 year | |1 year |1.5 years |1 year | | |1.5 years | | | |Previous Quals |Related Bach. |Related Bach. | |Related Bach. |Related Bach. |Related Bach. | | |Related Bach. | | | |Cost PA | | | | | | | | | | | |Master of Early Childhood |F/T Length |1 year | | |1.5 years | | | | | |RMIT - 1 year | | |Previous Quals |Any Bach. | | | | | | | | | | | |Cost PA |$11,392 | | |$12,850 | | | | | | | |Master of Education |F/T Length |1 year |1 year |1 year |1.5 years |1.5 years |1.5 years |1 year |1 year | | | | |Previous Quals |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. | | | | |Cost PA |$11,392 |$12,960 | |$12,850 |$15,700 | | | | | | |Master of Arts |F/T Length |1 year |1 year |1 year |2 year | | |1 year | |1.5 years | | | |Previous Quals |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. |Any Bach. | | |Any Bach. | |Any Bach. | | | |Cost PA | | |$15,360 | | | | | | | | |Master of International Relations |F/T Length |1 year |1 year | | |1.5 years |1.5 years | |1.5 years | | | | |Previous Quals |Any Bach. |Any Bach. | | |Any Bach. |Any Bach. | |Any Bach. | | | | |Cost PA |$14,720 |$15,600 | | |$13,200 | | | | | | |Master of Economics |F/T Length |1 year | |1 year | |1.5 years |2 years | |1.5 years |1 year | | | |Previous Quals |Related Bach. | |Related Bach. | |Related Bach. |Related Bach. | |Related Bach. |Related Bach. | | | |Cost PA |$16,960 | |$20,640 | |$20,500 | | | | | | |Master of Applied Finance |F/T Length |1 year | | | |1 year | | |2 years | | | | |Previous Quals |Related Bach. | | | |Related Bach. | | |Related Bach. | | | | |Cost PA |$28,480 | | | |$20,500 | | | | | | |Master of Business Administration |F/T Length |1 year |1.5 years |1 year | |1.5 years |2 years |1.5 years |1.5 years |1 year | | | |Previous Quals |Related Bach. |Related Bach. |Related Bach. | |Related Bach. |Related Bach. |Related Bach. |Related Bach. |Related Bach. | | | |Cost PA | |$20,400 | | |$20,500 | | | | | | |Master of Accounting (CPA Ext.) |F/T Length |2.5 years |1.5 years |1.5 years |1.5 years |1.5 years | |1.5 years |1.5 years |1.5 years | | | |Previous Quals |Business |Business |Business |Business |Business |Bus. |Business |Business |Business | | | |Cost PA |$18,000 |$20,400 | |$24,800 |$20,500 | | | | | | |
APPENDIX 6
Timetable
Step |Details |Q4-2009 |Q1-2010 |Q2- 2010 |Q3-2010 |Q4-2010 |Q1-2011 |Q2- 2011 |Q3-2011 |Q4-2011 |Q1-2012 | |1 |White Paper Finalised in December 2009 | | | | | | | | | | | |2 |White Paper presented to December 2009 Academic Senate | | | | | | | | | | | |3 |Academic Programs Section (APS) prepares draft set of postgraduate curriculum renewal forms | | | | | | | | | | | |4 |Provost's office prepares a detailed implementation plan | | | | | | | | | | | |5 |Academic Program Committee reviews and approves the draft curriculum renewal forms | | | | | | | | | | | |6 |APS finalises forms and PG curriculum renewal guidelines and timeline with reference to the recommendations of the White Paper | | | | | | | | | | | |7 |APS distributes new program, program renewal and discontinuance forms and guidelines to all Faculties | | | | | | | | | | | |8 |Faculties & Departments work on completing requests for new postgraduate programs, postgraduate program renewals and discontinuances with reference to the recommendations of the White Paper | | | | | | | | | | | |9 |Provost's Implementation Steering Committee to be established and a schedule of meeting dates to be set | | | | | | | | | | | |10 |Postgraduate Degree Rules Working Party to be established and schedule of meeting dates to be set under the direction of the Academic Registrar | | | | | | | | | | | |11 |Postgraduate Degree Rules Working Party to meet on regular basis to develop new Postgraduate Degree Rules | | | | | | | | | | | |12 |Provost's Implementation Steering Committee to meet on a monthly basis | | | | | | | | | | | |13 |Departments to prepare an initial list of new programs, programs for renewal and discontinuance and submit for review to the FSQC | | | | | | | | | | | |14 |Faculty FSQCs to review and approve requests for new programs and program renewals/discontinuances. Recommendations forwarded to APC | | | | | | | | | | | |15 |FSQC endorsed PG program recommendations reviewed by Academic Program Committee | | | | | | | | | | | |16 |APC recommends new programs and renewals/discontinuances to Academic Senate and University Council | | | | | | | | | | | |17 |Identify any funding requirements associated with implementation | | | | | | | | | | | |18 |List of programs requiring immediate deletion or phasing out to be finalised | | | | | | | | | | | |19 |APS prepares set of forms and guidelines for postgraduate units including new unit proposals, units for renewal/discontinuance/change of code and credit points | | | | | | | | | | | |20 |Academic Program Committee reviews and approves the unit forms and guidelines | | | | | | | | | | | |21 |Academic Programs Section distributes unit forms to Faculties with guidelines in reference to the recommendations of the White Paper | | | | | | | | | | | |22 |Faculties begin process of reviewing units and how unit changes may affect program structures | | | | | | | | | | | |23 |Request fundings for 2012 as part of the budget process | | | | | | | | | | | |24 |Departments finalise details of new unit proposals and units for renewal/discontinuance/change of code and credit point weightings and submit to FSQC | | | | | | | | | | | |25 |FSQCs review unit proposals, renewals and discontinuances. Recommendations forwarded to APC | | | | | | | | | | | |26 |FSQC endorsed unit changes reviewed by APC (Feb-Mar 2011). | | | | | | | | | | | |27 |APC recommends to Academic Senate draft Schedule of Postgraduate Units for 2012 (Mar-Apr 2011) | | | | | | | | | | | |28 |Academic Program Section requests draft programs of study in reference to the changes that have been approved for the 2012 Schedule of Postgraduate units (Apr-May 2011) | | | | | | | | | | | |29 |Faculties develop draft programs of study for 2012 and submit to APS | | | | | | | | | | | |30 |New PG programs to be finalised for UAC's 2012 guide Mar-Apr | | | | | | | | | | | |31 |APC Postgraduate Subcommittee to meet regularly to review submitted 2012 postgraduate programs of study (templates) (Apr-Jun 2011) | | | | | | | | | | | |32 |APS continues detailed development of the 2012 Postgraduate Schedule of Units (pre-requisites, co-requisites, NCCW, offerings, session dates etc.) | | | | | | | | | | | |33 |APS Finalises Schedule of Postgraduate Units and recommends to Academic Senate June 2011 | | | | | | | | | | | |34 |APC Postgraduate Subcommittee finalises the 2012 programs of Study and reports to APC and then Academic Senate (Jul-Sep 2011) | | | | | | | | | | | |35 |2012 Handbook entries and web information finalised | | | | | | | | | | | |
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