Coursework Award Finalisation, Conferral and Issuance Procedure

Intent

To provide clear guidance on University requirements and responsibilities for:

• confirmation of Award completion
• conferral of coursework Awards
• preparations for graduation ceremonies
• issuance of certification documentation to which a Graduate is entitled.

Scope

Coursework Award finalisation and conferral and issuance of all Awards accredited by James Cook University’s Academic Board.

Definitions

The definitions used in this policy are found in the: Policy Glossary

Nested Award:  are qualifications that include articulated arrangements from a lower level qualification into a higher level qualification to enable multiple entry and exit points.

Procedure

1.    Confirmation of completion of coursework degrees

1.1    After census date of each major Study Period or Trimester, Student Services will identify students who are nearing completion of the credit point requirements of their course.

1.2    Student Services in liaison with the Academy will review each identified student’s Study Plan to ensure it meets the academic requirements for course completion; including any additional completion requirement/s such as current First Aid certificate, as outlined in the Course and Subject Handbook of the year the course was commenced; and confirm by changing the student’s study plan approval level to Completion Approved in the Student Management System.

1.3    As a student nears completion of their course and enrols in the last remaining subject/s their study plan approval level of Completion Approved will automatically change in the Student Management System from Admitted to Potentially Complete, or Conditionally Complete if any additional completion requirement/s are unmet.

1.4    Within five working days of a student’s course status change to Potentially  Complete or Conditionally Complete, the Examinations Office will send to the Student's JCU email address either:

1.4.1.a Graduation Advice Statement, if the student may be eligible to have their Award conferred upon successful completion of their final enrolled subject/s, and if relevant include:

1.4.1.1 advice that a financial sanction on the student's will prevent graduation until the debt is cleared and provide information on how to pay; and/or

1.4.1.2 advice that the student's course status of Conditionally Complete renders them ineligible to Graduate until their outstanding additional course requirement/s have been met; or

1.4.2 advice that conferral of the student's award has been denied as an outcome of a student misconduct process.

1.5    Students are required to respond to their Graduation Advice Statement by the date indicated to:

1.5.1 Confirm if attending a ceremony or not; and

1.5.2 Update their Graduation Address; and

1.5.3 Update their Phonetic Name.

1.6    During the ratification of results process prior to result release date for a student’s final subjects, and upon successful completion of all required subjects, the student’s course status in the Student Management System will automatically update to Passed and the student thereafter regarded as a Graduand.  If the final subjects are not successfully completed the course status will revert to Admitted or remain as Potentially Complete, or Conditionally Complete.

1.7    The College will forward details of students who have met the additional completion requirements to Student Services who will record this in the Student Management System.

1.8    Commencing from the Result Release date of the Study Period, the Examinations Office will identify Graduands whose course status is Passed but are ineligible to have their Award conferred at the next Council meeting due to:

1.8.1  a financial sanction on the Graduand’s account which prevents graduation; and/or

1.8.2. the University denying the conferral of the Graduand’s Award as an outcome of the breach of a student misconduct process.

1.9    Within five working days of a Graduand’s course status being set to Passed, the Examinations Office will communicate with ineligible students (as identified in 1.8) via JCU email advising the reason for ineligibility.

1.10  The Examinations Office will investigate students who revert to or remain at a a course status of Admitted, Potentially Complete or Conditionally Complete after result release date and communicate with these students via JCU email to advise the circumstances.  This may include failed subjects, non-completion of placement or unmet additional course completion requirements such as First Aid certification.

1.11  The Examinations Office will create an award in the Student Management System for all Graduands with a course status of Passed with the conferral date of the next Council meeting.

1.12  The Examinations Office will communicate with eligible Graduands requesting they confirm:

1.12.1 their graduating Award; and

1.12.2 graduation ceremony details if opting to attend a ceremony.

2.    Conferral of coursework Awards

2.1    The Examinations Office will submit an Agenda item and Graduand list for award conferral at the next Council meeting.

2.2    Conferral requests which arise between the last Council meeting before a Graduation Ceremony and the Graduation Ceremony may be executively approved by the Chancellor in accordance with the Council Standing Orders.

2.3    Once conferred the Graduand will be known as a Graduate of the university.

3.    Issuance of certification documentation

3.1    The Examinations Office will upload all Graduates’ certification documentation to a digital repository after conferral at a Council meeting (conferral date) enabling Graduates to access digital copies of their testamur and Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).

3.2    Testamurs will be printed and sealed with the University Seal in accordance with the University Seal Procedure and

3.2.1. for Graduates attending a ceremony the original testamur will be retained until the nominated graduation ceremony, or

3.2.2. for Graduates not attending a ceremony the original testamur will be posted or made available for collection from the Student Centre, as advised by the Graduate.

4.    Conferral and issuance of coursework Awards completed prior to 2015

4.1    Prior year completions which have not been conferred will be assessed against the requirements of the historical Award rules.

4.2    If approved the Award will be included for conferral at the next Council meeting.

4.3    The testamur issued will reflect the year the course requirements of the Award were fulfilled and date the Award is conferred.

5.    Reissue of testamur

5.1    A testamur may be approved by the Manager, Student Finance and Examinations, to be reissued if:

5.1.1.a Graduate has officially and legally changed name since conferring their Award and provided certified documentation, written in English or supported by a certified translation, to support the name change. Documentation may include one or more of the following - birth certificate, passport, Certificate of Name Change from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, marriage certificate or divorce decree; or

5.1.2.an administrative error has occurred.

5.2    Replacement testamur will be produced in the format and signed by signatories current at the time of request.

5.3    Replacement testamurs will be identified as such.

6.    Revocation of awards

6.1    An award that has been conferred by the University may be revoked under the following circumstances:

6.1.1. where established by the Manager, Academic Administration and Enrolment, in consultation with the Academy, that an error was made in confirming the Award completion, and the academic requirements for course completion outlined in the Course and Subject Handbook of the year the course was commenced have not been fulfilled; or

6.1.2. where proven through student disciplinary or other action that a Graduate is in breach of the Student Code of Conduct, the Academic Misconduct Procedure or the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, and the consequence is or includes the rescission of award by the University Council; or

6.1.3. where established by the Manager, Academic Administration and Enrolment, in consultation with the Academy, that an error was made in calculating the Graduate’s Award level, a replacement testamur showing the correct Award level is required;or

6.1.4. as an outcome of the Alternate Award Procedure (to be developed)

6.2    Where an Award has been revoked the Examinations Office will communicate with the Graduate to explain the reason for the decision and arrange the return of the original testamur to the Examinations Office.

6.3    Where the award is revoked in accordance with 6.1.1 or 6.1.2 the Examinations Office will destroy the original testamur and remove related certification documents from the digital repository.

6.4    Where the award is revoked in accordance with 6.1.3 the Examinations Office will correct the conferral record in the Student Management System, upload to the digital repository (overriding the previous incorrect version) and reissue a correct original testamur.

6.5    The Examinations Office will report the revocation of any awards to the Academic Board and University Council annually.

7.    Review and Appeal Rights

7.1    A student, graduand or graduate may:

7.1.1.seek clarification of their assessment with the Examinations Office.

7.1.2.seek informal resolution of concerns by emailing the Manager, Academic Administration and Enrolment for a review of the decision, outlining the reasons for review and providing supporting documentation. The Manager, Academic Administration and Enrolment will review the decision, in consultation with the Academy as required, and communicate the outcome within 10 working days of the student, Graduand or Graduate’s request for a review, outlining the student, Graduand or Graduate’s appeal rights if the original decision is upheld.

7.1.3.appeal a decision made under this procedure using the Student Review and Appeals Policy and Student Review and Appeals Procedure (General).

8.    Surrender of testamurs

8.1    Graduates are not required to surrender their testamurs when progressing through a series of Nested Awards.

8.2    Surrender of testamurs is required in the following instances:

8.2.1.if the testamur is damaged and a replacement testamur is requested;

8.2.2.if the testamur is approved to be reissued due to name change in accordance with clause 5.1;

8.2.3.if an administrative error has resulted in an incorrect conferral or issuance of an Award; or

8.2.4.if an Award is revoked in accordance with 6.1.

Related policy instruments

Academic Dress Procedure

Award Finalisation and Graduation Policy

Awards Titling Procedure

Honorary Award Procedure

Posthumous Award Procedure

Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure

Student Review and Appeals Policy

Complaint and Conduct Decisions Appeal Procedure

Student Code of Conduct

University Seal Procedure

Administration

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

Approval Details

Revision History