Curriculum Design Procedure

Intent

This Procedure has been established to provide processes to support design of coursework programs and units at James Cook University (JCU; the University).

This Procedure addresses Higher Education Standards Framework (HESF) Standard 3.1: Course Design.

Scope

Curriculum design procedures will be applied to all new or amended coursework programs seeking accreditation approval for delivery at any JCU campus/study site and/or through online delivery.

This Procedure applies to all University staff involved in the development or amendment of coursework programs which seek accreditation approval for delivery at any JCU campus, study site, or via online platforms.

Definitions

Except as otherwise specified in this policy, the meaning of terms used are specified in the Curriculum Design, Coursework Approval and Accreditation Policy or the Policy Glossary.

Procedure

1. Curriculum Design

1.1 JCU curriculum is driven by a design aligned with the JCU Corporate Strategy and seeks to enable students to:

a. enter a higher education program (pathway or enabling);

b. provide a generalist undergraduate qualification;

c. provide a professionally accredited specialist undergraduate qualification;

d. transition/pathway to a Higher Degree by Research;

e. undertake a professionally focused post graduate qualification;

f. undertake a Higher Degree by Research;

g. undertake a double degree;

h. undertake a vertically aligned double degree course (integrated undergraduate and masters);

i. exit with an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualification to enable employment and/or future return to study.

1.2 All curriculum design must align with the AQF and adopt the appropriate nomenclature for the type of award course and its respective qualification level as follows:

a. Certificate;

b. Diploma;

c. Associate Degree;

d. Bachelor Degree;

e. Bachelor Honours Degree;

f. Graduate Certificate;

g. Graduate Diploma;

h. Masters Degree (Coursework);

i. Masters Degree (Extended);

j. Masters Degree (Research);

k. Doctoral Degree.

1.3 Each qualification level will be determined by the AQF criteria descriptors and indicative volume of learning.

1.4 Each enabling, undergraduate and postgraduate coursework course must have an expert and/or disciplinary consultative panel, comprising internal and external stakeholders. This panel should consult/meet at least twice per academic year to provide input on curriculum.

1.5 Once a new curriculum or an amendment to curriculum proposal has been endorsed by the College, the leader of the curriculum design will engage either professional stakeholders, accreditation bodies or an advisory committee to ensure the curriculum is relevant, contemporary and aligned with community or professional needs. Student feedback and/or evaluations of new or amended curriculum should be sought. Evidence of this engagement with stakeholders is essential for any further curriculum approval.

1.6 Any curriculum design phase will identify resources that will be required to deliver the program, including facilities and infrastructure (equipment, technology, teaching staff, technicians, support services, potential work integrated learning (WIL) or fieldwork requirements).

2. Course Design

2.1 The design for each course will be specified and include:

a. the qualification(s) to be awarded on completion (see clause 1.2);

b. structure, duration and modes of delivery of the units of study (or equivalent) that comprise the course of study. These may be influenced by professional accreditation bodies or advisory committees; it is important to acknowledge external stakeholders but to also consider the market demand and expectations, plus the student experience, in designing structures and determining modes of delivery;

c. proposed locations for delivery;

d. consideration of annual study load, the impact of trimesters and ESOS. Study load baseline expectation for the Singapore campus is 36 credit points per year, JCU Australia is 24 credit points per year and JCU Brisbane is 27 credit points per year;

e. entry requirements, pre-requisites and pathways. Sector analysis of QTAC entrance scores provides some indication of ATAR, however, scrutiny of similar student cohort progression reports may provide further insights into appropriate entry and pathway requirements;

f. learning outcomes, calibrated to AQF level and appropriate to professional or community expectations and requirements;

g. an assessment matrix and indicative student workload (see Learning Outcomes and Assessment Policy requirements);

h. compulsory requirements for completion;

i. exit pathways, articulation arrangements, pathways to further learning; and

j. for a course of study leading to a bachelor honours, masters or doctoral qualification, the proportion (credit points) and nature of research or research-related study in the course.

2.2 Curriculum design should seek to provide:

a. students with opportunities to engage with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander knowledge and perspectives in the curriculum;

b. a course design which is inclusive and anticipates student diversity irrespective of entry pathways, while maintaining AQF levels;

c. course learning outcomes aligned to the discipline-specific Inherent Requirements;

d. opportunities for interaction, collaboration and communication, enhanced by incorporating relevant contemporary educational technologies;

e. assessment designed to demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills and application in an era of Generative AI (see Learning Outcomes and Assessment Policy);

f. current and relevant discipline specific research and practice in course and subject design;

g. an appropriate volume of learning which includes all teaching, learning and assessment activities that are required to be undertaken by a typical student to achieve the course and subject learning outcomes;

h. clear indications of requirements for students at different levels of the course, including the number of assessment items in the subject, and student and staff workload expectations;

i. any additional costs that a student may be required to pay (including textbooks, equipment);

j. a volume of learning designed based on a 120-hour student workload per three-credit point (3CP) subject. Units with multiples of 3 CP will be designed in 120 workload increments. This includes all study-related activities undertaken through content delivery, workshops, lab sessions, fieldwork, assessment and self-directed study over the duration of the subject, with equivalency across all modes of delivery. The design of subjects that are entirely, or partly, comprised of student placement is based on the amount of time required to achieve the expected subject learning outcomes, while considering student workload and professional accreditation expectations (where appropriate). This should be commensurate with the allocation of credit points and assessment requirements; and

k. opportunities for honours or postgraduate coursework research with thesis word length reflecting the proportion of the course it comprises.

2.3 Curriculum design will incorporate career-ready skill development by:

a. aligning with current and future workplace needs through consultation with careers and industry representatives, to ensure authenticity and accuracy.

b. providing opportunities for student placements (including simulated placements, fieldwork, internships and work integrated learning (WIL) within the course) that enable students to further develop and demonstrate their learning and build their professional networks.

c. incorporating ethical decision-making examples and case studies in curriculum; and

d. incorporating appropriate skill development before, during and after a student takes part in a placement, fieldwork or research project.

2.4 Curriculum includes career development learning and is designed to prepare students for the workplace and lifelong learning by considering:

a. the current and future needs of the region and other priorities and strategies listed in JCU’s Corporate Strategy;

b. domestic and international benchmarks;

c. input from subject matter experts;

d. current research and evidence-based practice;

e. opportunities for student mobility;

f. developments in practice, equipment and technology, including emerging technologies.

g. opportunities for collaboration with peers;

h. the application of transferable skills in the context of the field(s) of education or disciplines involved;

i. learning and teaching approaches that develop intercultural competencies; and

j. employment trends, career development research and resources to ensure students are suitably prepared and skilled to participate in the workforce, including the development of skills to operate successfully in a globalised world.

3. Delivery Modes, Locations and Scheduling courses and subjects

3.1 Colleges will deliver learning and teaching and research training through scholarly, flexible, technologically-enabled and practice-based learning

3.2 Course and subject design will consider all attendance modes and locations. The design will also encourage use of JCU’s unique facilities and opportunities, including student mobility and fieldwork in the tropics

3.3 Subjects may be delivered in on-campus, online, or multi-modal delivery modes. WIL is a component of some subjects and studied via placement/fieldwork requiring attendance at an internal or external site.

a. On-campus mode: subjects studied require regular face-to-face attendance at learning activities over most weeks of a study period and are usually held on campus. On-campus subjects may require embedded placement attendance. Efforts should be made to offer first year core subjects in On-campus mode, where possible, to develop a cohort network.

b. Online mode: subjects studied via fully online delivery require no on-campus attendance for learning activities. Online delivery is facilitated wholly through the virtual learning environment (e.g. LearnJCU) and may require participation in scheduled online sessions (e.g. Blackboard collaborate tutorials).

c. Multi-modal mode: the subject is studied as a combination of on-campus and online delivery and may require WIL attendance.

3.4 When designing curriculum delivery modes, courses should be offered with the option to choose on-campus or online mode as part of a study plan, provided subjects are available via those delivery modes. For courses seeking international students, attention must be given to ESOS compliance requirements, where a maximum of one third of the course can be delivered online.

3.5 Course and subject design must use the JCU Learning Management System as the primary vehicle for curriculum delivery, leveraging off digital content and LearnJCU functionality.

3.6 Regardless of the mode or location of delivery, all students must receive equivalent opportunities for successful transition and progression through their course of study.

4. Course and Subject Naming, Duration and Volume of Learning (information for prospective and current students)

4.1 Courses will be named as per the AQF, as follows:

4.2 Subject coding will be determined by an alphanumeric code comprised of Field of Education (2 letters), year of study in course structure (4 digits) and credit point value (2 digits).

a. Fields of Education are listed in the Course and Subject Handbook under Subject Schedule.

b. AQF levels listed below matched with JCU subject code level

c. Smaller modules with less than 120 hours volume of learning will be based on 40 hours = 1 CP. Modules with less than 3 CP will not be eligible for Commonwealth funding unless they can be aggregated into 3 CP units with demonstrable learning outcomes.

4.3 Where courses are designed to provide double degree options, up to a maximum of one-third credit point reductions can be allocated to the second degree, providing one strand of the double degree can assure learning outcomes for the second strand.

5. Roles and Responsibilities

5.1 Any course/subject design or amendment must be managed by a course or subject design proposer who will act as the Curriculum Leader for the proposal. Generally, this will be either a course or subject coordinator.

5.2 The Curriculum Leader will liaise with the relevant Course Coordinator(s) and Academic Head(s) prior to undertaking any major work on the proposal.

5.3 If the Academic Head endorses the proposal the Curriculum Leader will enact clauses 1.4-1.6.

5.4 Upon the completion of the preliminary planning and scoping of the design or amendment, the curriculum leader will liaise with the Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching to ensure the proposal meets the HESF and College aspirations, prior to following the Curriculum Design, Coursework Approval and Accreditation Policy.

5.5 Following approval of the new design or amendment, the curriculum leader must contribute to the next course performance report or subject quality review and monitor the outcomes of the original proposal.

Related policy instruments

Curriculum Design, Coursework Approval and Accreditation Policy

Coursework Approval Procedures

Australian Qualifications Framework

Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cth)

Schedules/Appendices

Nil

Administration

NOTE: Printed copies of this procedure are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

Approval Details

Revision History