Important Subject Information

Important Notice to Students Regarding Placement and Practicums

“Process needed for students going on placement/practicums”

Where students are undertaking a placement activity in satisfaction of a requirement as part of an approved course of study, prior to being allowed to go on placement, the placement Coordinator will ensure that all of the following requirements have been satisfied.

1. The student is enrolled at the University in an approved course of study.

2. For insurance purposes, the student is enrolled in the placement subject.

   1. Where the placement precedes a teaching period, the student is pre-enrolled.

   2. Where the placement is subsequent to a teaching period, the student may undertake the placement on a Result Withheld basis.

3. Fees associated with the subject/placement have been paid to the University either in full or in line with an approved payment scheme.

4. The placement program is recognised as a course-related activity thereby bringing the activity under Public Liability in-service coverage.

5. The student, if working with children, is in possession of a suitability card; or has taken the prescribed steps toward obtaining a suitability card by completion of the relevant application for a working with children check and lodgment with the placement agency for submission to the Commission for Children and Young People.

6. The student, if performing a placement as a health care worker, has taken appropriate steps towards compliance with Queensland Health immunisation requirements in accordance with the signed undertaking provided as a condition of enrolment.

Census Dates

A student’s enrolment in a subject is considered to be finalised as at close of business on the last working day on or before the census date.

Students are liable for student contribution amounts, tuition fees or international student fees for subjects in which they are enrolled after the census date for the subject. Withdrawals from subjects must be made, in writing, by the close of business on the last working day on or before the census date.

Government legislation specifies that a student cannot enrol in a subject as a Commonwealth supported student after the census date for the subject.

Start Dates and End Dates

In specific circumstances it is sometimes necessary for the teaching of a subject to start prior to the standard start date of the study period or for the subject to finish after the standard end date of the study period. In instances where this occurs, information on the non-standard start date or end date is provided online via JCU’s subject database on the Courses and Degrees webpage.

Subject Chains

Students will notice that some subject titles end in phrases such as “Part 1 of 2” or “Part 3 of 4”. Such subjects form part of a subject chain which is a group of two or more subjects, all of which must be successfully completed in sequence to achieve a passing grade. Before enrolling in the first subject in a subject chain, students should note the following:

• subject codes are numbered sequentially eg AN4001:12, AN4002:12 (or EA4210:06, EA4220:06, EA4230:06, EA4240:06);

• the subject name indicates where the subject comes in the chain eg Anthropology Honours Part 1 of 2 and Anthropology Honours Part 2 of 2;

• Part 1 subjects are prerequisites for Part 2 subjects, Part 2 for Part 3 etc;

• the census date and last date for withdrawal without academic penalty for each subject in a chain are those for the study period in which it is offered;

• all subjects in a subject chain are to be completed in sequential study periods;

• students will not be eligible to receive a passing grade until all subjects in the subject chain have been successfully completed;

• upon successful completion of the final subject in a chain, students will receive the same passing grade for all subjects in the chain.

Examination and Assessment

The final assessment for each subject will be due on or before the end date of the study period in which the subject is taught. The last two weeks of Study Periods 1 and 2 are reserved for formal examinations. The week prior to each examination period is reserved for study vacation.

The last two weeks of all other study periods are generally allocated for the completion of assessment.

Study Periods

All James Cook University subject offerings are assigned to a study period. There are 11 main study periods, numbered from Study Period 1 through to Study Period 11. There are also a number of additional study periods available only to specific teaching locations or disciplines.

Each study period has a designated:

• start date

• end date

• census date

• last date for addition or substitution of subjects without prior approval of subject coordinator

• last date for withdrawal without academic penalty

• date for release of subject results.

Each study period is also allocated to a teaching period. The academic year is divided into two teaching periods. Teaching Period 1 is the first six months of the year and Teaching Period 2 is the second six months of the year. Subjects with a census date prior to 1 July fall within Teaching Period 1 and subjects with a census date on or after 1 July fall within Teaching Period 2.

• 2014 Study Periods and Census Dates