Subject Outlines Policy

Intent

This policy specifies all required elements for inclusion in a Subject Outline.

Scope

Subject Outlines for all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework subjects.

Definitions

Definition of terms used in this policy are as per the Glossary of Terms for Policies in the ‘Student’ and ‘Teaching and Course Management’ chapters of the Policy Library.

Policy and Procedures

1. Overview

a. The Subject Outline is a critical resource for students, detailing the subject description and learning outcomes, consultation and contact details, graduate attributes, learning resources, how performance in the subject will be assessed and other general assessment expectations and penalties.

b. The timely provision of a Subject Outline to students, the regular revision of the Subject Outline, and the monitoring of teaching and assessment against the Subject Outline are viewed as key teaching quality assurance measures.

c. Faculties and Schools are not precluded from including other relevant items in the Subject Outline.

d. Heads of Schools are responsible for ensuring that Subject Outlines are archived in the School at the time the Outlines are distributed to students.

e. In subjects where a Study Guide is also provided, the Subject Outline should be kept short, usually 2 - 3 pages in length.

2. Prescribed elements for inclusion in the Subject Outline

The Subject Outline will include, but will not necessarily be limited to, details about the subject itemised below.

a. General subject information

i. Subject code and title in full.

ii. Name of the Subject Coordinator/s, Faculty and School.
Year and study period/trimester of offer, campus and mode of offer.

iii. Name/s of Lecturer/s and Tutor/s.

iv. Consultation times, telephone numbers, room numbers and email contact addresses of Subject Co-ordinator/s, Lecturer/s and Tutor/s.

v. Subject description, as per the student handbook, and learning outcomes.

vi. Reference to the authoritative source of information for the lecture timetable and, if appropriate, where further information relating to the timetable may be found, such as tutorial and laboratory classes.

vii. The amount of time to be spent on the subject each week. For example, a three credit point subject generally assumes 10 - 12 hours per week including class attendance.

viii. Notice that students with a disability who require special arrangements or consideration should contact the Disability Resources Officer.

b. Learning resources

i. A list of required texts, readings, online and electronic resources using the appropriate referencing style for the discipline.

ii. A list of recommended texts, readings, online and electronic resources using the appropriate referencing style for the discipline.

iii. Any additional material that needs to be purchased, and where possible the costs.

c. Assessment

i. The types of assessment to be used.

ii. The specific graduate attributes to be developed in the subject.

iii. The weighting given to each component of the assessment in determining the final result.

iv. Whether it is required to pass or perform satisfactorily in every or any component of assessment in order to gain a pass for the subject, with clear indication of what constitutes that level of performance.

v. How all marks and grades are to be determined, including whether any raw marks gained in part or all of the assessment will be modified or scaled and what the basic principles of modification or scaling will be (for example to ensure equitable treatment from different assessors).

vi. Advice that no individual results on pieces of assessment should be taken as an indication of a final grade.

vii. Whether there are any minimum attendance components. Minimum attendance requirements will require proper roll books to be kept. Note that attendance alone cannot be used for calculating assessment.

viii. Whether contributions to tutorials or seminars are taken into account and the criteria for assessment of such contributions.

ix. The criteria for marking oral presentations, if applicable.

x. Procedures for working in teams, if applicable

xi. Other details of assessment components.

xii. The criteria used in awarding grades - this should be spelled out clearly.

xiii. Dates for submission of material for assessment and the details of any penalties applied for late submission.

xiv. Procedures for submission of material for assessment, including procedures for faxing or electronic submission of assignments if permitted for the subject, and how assessed materials will be returned.

xv. Details regarding cover sheets and receipts where these are used.

e. Policies and guidelines

i. Specific guidance on acceptable referencing and source acknowledgment practice for the School, along with a reference to any extended statement.

ii. Learning resources available to avoid plagiarism.

iii. Advice that students who are found guilty of plagiarism will be subject to the provisions of the Student Academic Misconduct Requirements.

iv. The web address for the following policies:

1. Assessment Practices Policy

2. Student Academic Misconduct Requirements

3. Special Consideration, Supplementary, Deferred and Special Examination Requirements

4. Review of Assessment and Student Access to Scripts and Materials

v. Any particular policies of the School, for example,relating to late assignment submission, medical certificates, posted assignments, and what constitutes 'satisfactory' work.

3. Availability to students

a. The Subject Outline is to be made available no later than the first day of teaching for the subject. Where a subject is offered by flexible delivery, this is taken to mean the first day of the study period or trimester.

b. A hard copy of the Subject Outline is to be made available to students free of charge. For subjects with an online version available in LearnJCU this hard copy may be made available on request.

4. Currency

The date the Subject Outline was last revised should be included in the Subject Outline. Students should be alerted to the nature of any significant changes to the Subject Outline.

Related documents, legislation or JCU Statutes

Assessment Practices Policy

Review of Assessment and Student Access to Scripts and Materials

Graduate Attributes - Undergraduate

Graduate Attributes - Postgraduate

Policy for Off-Shore Subject Equivalence

Policy for On-Shore Subject Equivalence

Subject Study Guides for International, Off- and Cross-Campus Offer

Approval Details

Modification History