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Course and Unit Revision and Closure Policy

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy sets out the principles governing the revision and closure of courses and course components at the University of Canberra (University).

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Section 2 - Scope

(2) This Policy applies to all award courses offered by the University and is applicable to revisions and closures of courses and course components, including majors, minors and units.

(3) This Policy complements the New Course Development Policy and New Course Development Procedure. In some circumstances revisions to an existing course may be treated as a new course proposal.

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Section 3 - Principles

(4) Proposals for course or course component revisions or closures should be developed in consultation with stakeholders to ensure that all implications are considered.

(5) Revisions and closures must be done within an appropriate timeframe in order to minimise disruption to students.

(6) Faculties are expected to control and monitor the extent and rate of revisions and closures within the faculty.

(7) Whilst considering revisions and closures, the University will protect the interests of students by adhering to the following:

Where courses are revised or replaced, revisions will be managed to minimise the impact on students.
Revisions will not apply to students undertaking a course who have passed one or more units, unless the student agrees to the revision or Academic Board determines otherwise (as dictated by the University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2023).

(8) Where a course is suspended or closed, effective teach-out or transition plans will be implemented to ensure enrolled students are not disadvantaged.

(9) The approval authority for course or course component closure and revision is determined by the content of the proposal:

Course revisions – Approved at Academic Board
Course suspension – Approved by Dean, noted at Academic Board
Course closures (formal closure) – Approved by Council on advice from Academic Board
Unit sets (new, revised and closed) – Approved at Academic Board
Units (new and closed) – Approved at Academic Board
Unit revisions (minor changes) – Approved by Associate Deans, Education, noted at Academic Board
Unit revisions (major changes) – Approved by Faculty Board, noted at Academic Board

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Section 4 - Responsibilities

(10) For a summary of course-related responsibilities under University legislation and policy see the Course Policy.

(11) Subject to the following requirements, faculties will determine their own processes to manage course revisions before consideration and approval by University-level committees. Course proponents should seek the ADE's advice on faculty consultations and procedures.

(12) The below must be followed:

Faculty Boards must consider new course proposals and significant revisions which may affect other courses.
The ADE must endorse course revisions.
The Dean must endorse proposals with strategic or resource implications.

(13) At University level, all course revisions are reviewed by Learning and Teaching (L&T) and submitted to Academic Board with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor's endorsement^[1].

(14) Developments with policy or strategic implications and new courses, are considered by the Curriculum Committee who endorse them for recommendation at Academic Board.

(15) Under the University of Canberra Academic Board Rules 2011, the Academic Board is responsible for ‘the content, structure and assessment of courses of study, approved for introduction by the Council’^[2].

(16) The University of Canberra Courses and Awards (Courses of Study) Rules 2023 require Academic Board to determine the academic requirements of courses including course components and unit descriptions (Rules 6 and 7).

(17) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor may approve streamlined procedures for particular course developments within the framework of University legislation and policy.

[1] With delegated authority from UEC, as determined at UEC meeting 07/3 on 30 May 2007.
[2] University of Canberra Academic Board Rules 2011, Rule 6.

Table of Roles and Responsibilities

Who	Responsibilities
Deans	ensure that the Faculty Board meets its course-related responsibilities, determine relevant responsibilities of staff and committees in the faculty and ensure arrangements are known by staff approve the course closure forms to initiate the process to suspend a course endorse course and course component revisions which have strategic or resource implications, and monitor course suspensions, closures and revisions in the faculty.
Faculty Boards	consider significant revisions to courses and course components that may affect other courses consider other course and course component revisions in accordance with committee structures, staff responsibilities and procedures determined by the faculty endorse or approve major revisions to course components in accordance with this policy and faculty procedures, and consider other course and course component revisions in accordance with committee structures, staff responsibilities and procedures determined by the faculty.
Associate Deans, Education	advise academic staff on appropriate faculty consultations and approvals for new, revised or closed courses, majors, minors and units encourage staff to seek advice and support from courses staff in Learning and Teaching endorse or approve course component revisions in accordance with this policy and faculty procedures endorse course revisions in accordance with this Policy and faculty procedures, before consideration at University level endorse course closure forms to confirm that the impact of the course closure has been properly considered, and advise Admissions and International Compliance Office (ICO) of courses to be suspended to ensure any issues are addressed as part of a course closure proposal.
Faculties (responsible committee or staff member designated by the faculty)	Course and course component revisions prepare proposals and consider all implications of revisions complete relevant forms for Learning and Teaching and Academic Board, for ADE and/or Dean's endorsement, and communicate with students and organise any necessary changes to credit or enrolment with Student Connect. Course closure advise Learning and Teaching of courses to be closed to new admissions via annual update of Academic Program or ad hoc, complete and forward course closure template to Learning and Teaching, with Dean's approval. Course component closure advise Learning and Teaching of course components to be closed as required, complete and forward course component closure template to Learning and Teaching, with ADE's approval.
Learning and Teaching	advise and support staff on specific matters and policy, procedures and processes for course and course component revision and closure maintain, publish and monitor course documentation including forms to provide all details needed for University and external requirements check faculty proposals for course revisions and closures for policy compliance and unforeseen impacts before processing as required arrange for Curriculum Committee consideration of course matters when required present course revision proposals to Academic Board, and implement decisions after approval ensure that Admissions and International Compliance Office (ICO) are aware of upcoming course suspensions and have addressed any issues as a result process revisions or suspensions once approved then advise staff in Student Connect, Recruitment, University of Canberra College, Educational Partnerships and Marketing of action taken as applicable advise Academic Board of course suspensions, for noting monitor suspended courses and request that Academic Board approve the removal from the Academic Program and recommend to Council the formal closure of a course once a course has been closed to new admissions for at least two years (subject to any extensions requested by the faculty) update Academic Program after each Academic Board meeting, and close units and unit sets, as required.
Council	approve course closures on Academic Board recommendation, subject to appropriate teach-out.

Implementation

(18) Advice on the implementation of this Policy is available from the Manager, Course Quality Assurance in Learning and Teaching. Supporting documentation is available from Learning and Teaching.

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Section 5 - Procedures

(19) Refer to the Course and Unit Revision and Closure Procedure.

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Section 6 - Definitions

(20) For common definitions applying to all academic policies please refer to the academic policy and procedures glossary (under development).

(21) The following specific definitions and abbreviations relate to this policy and procedures.

Terms	Definitions
Academic Program	The Academic Program lists all courses from the Register of Courses for the University of Canberra that are open to new admissions for the current year. The Program normally includes a provisional academic program for the following year.
Unit revisions (minor)	Small wording changes to learning outcomes or syllabus. These may be approved by the Associate Deans, Education.
Unit revisions (major)	Large changes to learning outcomes or syllabus, changes to pre/co-requisites or other major changes to unit content. These may be approved by the relevant Faculty Board, unless a new unit code is required. New units are approved at Academic Board level, with endorsement from Faculty Board.
Course suspension	When a course (or course offering) is closed to new admissions for a given academic year, it is considered to be suspended for that year. A suspended course can be reopened to new admissions. After a given amount of time (two years by default), a suspended course will be forwarded to Academic Board to recommend formal closure.
Course closure	When a course is formally closed through Academic Board and Council, subject to any teach-out required for existing students within the course. No new admissions are permitted, and the course cannot be reopened with the existing course code. A new course proposal would be required with a new course code proposed to reopen a formally closed course.