AAcademic Board Academic Board is the University's primary academic decision-making and advisory body. It has executive, recommendatory and advisory powers and obligations in relation to academic-related matters as set out in Statute 19, and makes recommendations and provides advice to the Senate and the Vice-Chancellor on such matters. The constitution and membership of the Academic Board are prescribed in regulations made under Statute 19. Academic Council The Academic Council is the Executive Committee of the Academic Board. Academic misconduct Academic misconduct is any activity or practice engaged in by a student that breaches explicit guidelines relating to the production of work for assessment, in a manner that compromises or defeats the purpose of that assessment. Students must not engage in academic misconduct. Any such activity undermines an ethos of ethical scholarship. Area of knowledge An area of knowledge is a group of associated disciplinary fields corresponding to a particular undergraduate pass degree*.
*At UWA the four areas of knowledge are: Arts, Commerce, Design and Science. Each characterised by a distinctive knowledge paradigm. Articulated course An articulated course means a course comprising a sequence of related postgraduate courses in a specific discipline area offering progression from one course level to another with credit granted for all units passed at the appropriate standard that have been completed in or credited towards the course of the previous level in the sequence. Assured entry pathway An assured entry pathway into one of the professional postgraduate degrees provides a limited number of places reserved for appropriately qualified students at the time they are admitted to their undergraduate course at UWA, subject to making satisfactory progress and meeting prerequisites as defined in the relevant policies. ^ B Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree is a qualification awarded on successful completion of an undergraduate course comprising at least three years of undergraduate study. In order to meet the requirements for this degree under the new degree structure (BA, BSc, BDesign, BCom) a student must complete 24 units, of which no more than 12 will be at Level 1 and no fewer than four will be at Level 3. The course must include at least one major and four broadening units of which at least one must be from the approved Category A list. The BPhil (Hons), which is also a bachelor's degree, is a four-year course requiring 32 units. Board of Coursework Studies The Board Of Coursework Studies (BCS) is a standing committee of the Academic Council with a significant central role in ensuring that future courses have educational integrity within the new framework, meet quality assurance standards, and align with the University's strategic directions. Board of Studies A Board of Studies (BoS), previously known as Interim Board of Studies (IBoS) has been constituted for each of the following five undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Philosophy (Hons). The five Boards facilitate course development and decision-making at the inter-faculty level in relation to the new undergraduate courses and make recommendations to the Board of Coursework Studies. Broadening units Broadening units are offered in one or more areas of knowledge that do not include the area of knowledge in which a student's degree-specific major is offered. Students enrolled in an undergraduate degree course must complete four broadening units of which at least one must be from the approved Category A list unless the Category A requirement is fulfilled in one of these alternative ways: undertaking an approved program of study abroad, or completing a unit in a language other than English (provided that it is not in the same discipline as the student's degree-specific major). Broadway scheme The Broadway scheme is an alternative admission pathway that makes offers of admission to students from disadvantaged schools who achieve an ATAR of 75-80. ^ C Category A broadening unit A Category A broadening unit is a broadening unit that: a) has as its main focus some aspects of the globalised and culturally diverse environment; and b) is approved by the Academic Board, on the recommendation of the Board of Coursework Studies, as a category A unit. Students enroled in an undergraduate degree course must complete four broadening units of which at least one must be from the approved Category A list unless the Category A requirement is fulfilled in one of the alternative ways specified under Broadening Units. Category B broadening unit Category B broadening units comprise potentially all units that faculties are willing to offer to students from across the University, subject to prerequisites being met. Clinical doctorate A clinical doctorate is a Cycle 3 postgraduate course normally requiring the equivalent of three years of full-time study which provides an opportunity for those with a first professional qualification and professional experience to undertake advanced level supervised clinical practice and research in their professional field. Clinical doctorates must include a minimum 25% research component though they are not Research Training Scheme (RTS) compliant. They consist predominantly of advanced coursework offered at Level 5 or above. Admission is on the basis of a bachelor's degree of this University (or equivalent) and professional experience. In some cases applicants must also satisfy medical or other special requirements such as professional body registration and police clearances. Award: Doctor of Clinical... (AQF Level 9). Complementary unit A complementary unit is one that has been approved for prescribing as a necessary adjunct to a particular major when this is chosen as a degree-specific major. A student who chooses a second major cannot be compelled to take any complementary units attached to that major. Up to four complementary units may be specified in relation to a major, though many majors have fewer and some prescribe none. Core unit A core unit is a unit which is compulsory in a course. Co-requisite major Co-requisite major in relation to a nominated major, means a unit that: a) must be undertaken at the same time as the nominated major is undertaken; or b) must have been successfully undertaken before the nominated major is undertaken. Co-requisite unit Co-requisite unit in relation to another unit, means a unit that: a) must be undertaken at the same time as the other unit is undertaken; or b) must have been successfully undertaken before the other unit is undertaken. Course A course means a plan of study necessary to qualify for a degree, diploma, certificate or other qualification approved by the Senate. CRICOS code The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) code indicates a registered program offered to international students studying in Australia on a student visa. Cycle 1 Cycle 1 refers to undergraduate degree courses Cycle 2 Cycle 2 courses are postgraduate courses, usually requiring two years of full-time study after a Cycle 1 course and leading to a master's degree. They include: Juris Doctor (JD); Master of Architecture (MArch); Master of Teaching (MTeach); Master of Commerce (MCom); Master of Laboratory Medicine (MLabMed). Cycle 3 Cycle 3 courses include the Doctor of Philosophy, more specialised professional doctorates and clinical doctorates. ^ D Degree A degree is an academic award conferred by the University on a student who has completed the relevant course, or as an honorary distinction. Degree-specific major A major becomes a degree-specific major when it determines which degree a student's course belongs to. A student who chooses to take more than one major must designate one of them as degree-specific. Discipline An academic discipline is a branch of knowledge which is taught and researched at the University. Disciplines are defined, and recognised by the academic journals in which research is published, and the leaned societies and faculties to which their practitioners belong. Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy means a doctoral degree, normally undertaken over a period of four years of full-time studies, and consisting of supervised research that results in the preparation of a thesis that makes a substantial and original contribution to knowledge. Admission is on the basis of an Honours degree of this University or equivalent (with at least second class honours) or an equivalent demonstrated research capacity. The degree is administered by the Board of the Graduate Research School. Award: Doctor of Philosophy (AQF Level 10). Double major A double major is an approved combination of unit sequences drawn from related fields. It differs from two separate majors in that the majors share a common Level 1 foundation of two units and may therefore comprise 14 units rather than the 16 that two majors require. ^ E Educational Principles (UWA) UWA Educational Principles comprise a list of academic values that are intended to imbue student learning at all levels and seek to nurture excellence, enable creativity and intellectual exploration, and promote effective citizenship among UWA students and graduates. Elective unit An elective means a unit which a student may choose freely from among the units available in the University subject to the rules which govern the structure of their course and to any unit rules. Executive master's degree An executive master's degree is a course normally requiring the equivalent of four semesters of full-time study, and comprising Level 4 and/or Level 5 units (with no more than half taken at Level 4). The course provides an opportunity for those with a first professional qualification and professional experience to pursue further study related to their professional field. Thus, a stated period of work or professional experience is a requirement for entry into such courses. The course may include a research component that represents less than 66.6% of the course requirements. Applicants for the degree by coursework and dissertation are normally required to demonstrate adequate research preparation. Award: Executive Master of XXXX (AQF Level 9). ^ F Fairway scheme The Fairway scheme is an alternative admission pathway that addresses the needs of individual students from disadvantaged backgrounds regardless of the school they attend. Eligibility for the Fairway program is determined by students' individual circumstances in relation to a defined set of criteria. ^ G Graduate certificate A graduate certificate is a course requiring the equivalent of half a year of full-time study comprising four Level 4 or Level 5 units. Admission is normally on the basis of a bachelor's degree of this University (or equivalent). A graduate certificate may be the first course in an articulated sequence of courses offering progression from the graduate certificate to the graduate diploma and master's degree. Conversely, a graduate certificate may be an exit course for students enrolled in a master's degree or a graduate diploma course and who, after completing the requirements of the graduate certificate, exit the course. Award: Graduate Certificate in XXXX (AQF Level 8). Graduate diploma A graduate diploma is a course requiring the equivalent of one year of full-time study, comprising eight Level 4 or Level 5 units. Direct admission is normally on the basis of a bachelor's degree of this University (or equivalent). Those admitted to the course after fulfilling the requirement of an articulating graduate certificate course are credited with all units completed at the appropriate standard in the articulating course. A graduate diploma may articulate with a master's degree, or may be awarded to students enrolled in master's degree and who, after completing the requirements of the graduate diploma, exit the degree. Award: Graduate Diploma in XXXX (AQF Level 8). ^ H Higher degree by research A higher degree by research requires a project of supervised but independent enquiry at an advanced level, resulting in the submission of a research thesis (or equivalent production) to be examined by experts in the field. Higher doctorate Higher doctorates are postgraduate research degrees with higher standing than either a master's by research degree or a Doctor of Philosophy. They recognise a candidate's published work and merit in a particular field, and are awarded in most cases for work of which the whole or a substantial part has been published or accepted for publication, the form of publication acceptable to be determined in each case by the board of faculty concerned. Honorary doctorate The University has separate procedures for the award of honorary doctorates to individuals who have been deemed worthy of special recognition, either for scholarly work or for other contributions to higher education or to society. Honours An honours course is an additional year of study or equivalent part-time after a student's bachelor's degree. It is normally undertaken in the same degree and the same discipline as the degree-specific major. It provides a student with research training at a level at least adequate for entry into the PhD and access to graduate-level development in the discipline. ^ I Incompatible major An incompatible major, in relation to another major, means a major of which the content is substantially similar to the content of the other major and which must not be undertaken: a) at the same time as the other major is undertaken; or b) if the other major has been successfully undertaken. Incompatible unit An incompatible unit, in relation to another unit, means a unit the content of which is substantially similar to the content of the other unit and which must not be undertaken: a) at the same time as the other unit is undertaken; or b) if the other unit has been successfully undertaken and is being credited to the student's current course. K Knowledge paradigm A knowledge paradigm is a University-approved statement on the distinctive epistemology of an area of knowledge. Thus the main focus of an Arts course is on how human beings create, recognise, and negotiate social meanings and values; the main focus of a Commerce course is on factors that drive economic behaviour at individual and organisational levels; the main focus of a Design course is on devising and producing objects, places, spaces and processes; and the main focus of a Science course is on understanding, reasoning about and improving the natural world through systematic observation, experimentation, modelling and calculation. ^ L Level 1 unit Units at Level 1 can be taken from the beginning of the undergraduate course, subject to meeting prerequisites. Level 2 unit Level 2 units can normally be undertaken after Level 1 specified prerequisites have been met. Level 3 unit Level 3 units can only be taken after Level 2 specified prerequisites have been met. ^ M Major A major is an approved discipline-based sequence of eight units within an undergraduate degree course. These units are spread across Levels 1, 2 and 3, the normal pattern being two units at Level 1 and either two at Level 2 and four at Level 3 or three at each of those upper levels. Master's course (generic) A generic master's course means a course having a single code, standard structure and rules and which can accommodate a number of specialisations. Successful completion of a generic master's course leads to the award of (e.g.) Master of Science or Master of Commerce. Master's degree (named) A named master's degree is an award available upon successful completion of a master's course where at least 65% of the required units relate to the narrow disciplinary field specified in the degree name (e.g. Master of Psychology). Master's degree by coursework A course normally requiring the equivalent of two years of full-time study after a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and comprising sixteen Level 4 and/or Level 5 units (with no more than half taken at Level 4). Direct admission is normally on the basis of a bachelor's degree of this University (or equivalent). Students admitted to a master's course after fulfilling the requirements of an articulating graduate certificate or graduate diploma course receive credit for all units completed at the appropriate standard in the articulating course. Award: Master of XXXX (AQF Level 9). Master's degree by coursework and dissertation A course normally requiring the equivalent of two years of full-time study after a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and comprising sixteen Level 4 and/or Level 5 units (with no more than half taken at Level 4). It includes a research component that represents less than 66.6% of the course requirements. Direct admission is normally on the basis of a bachelor's degree of this University (or equivalent). Applicants are normally required to demonstrate adequate research preparation. Students admitted to a master's course after fulfilling the requirements of an articulating graduate certificate or graduate diploma course receive credit for all units completed at the appropriate standard in the articulating course. Award: Master of XXXX (AQF Level 9). Master's degree by research A course normally requiring the equivalent of two years of full-time study and including a supervised research component that represents at least 66.6% of the course requirements. Students are required to prepare a thesis that is examined by two examiners, at least one of whom must be external to the University. The Board of the Graduate Research School administers the examination of the thesis. Award: Master of Philosophy (AQF Level 9). ^ N New Courses 2012 New Courses 2012 are courses introduced in 2012 or soon afterwards which conform to the structural requirements adopted as a result of the UWA Course Structures Review. They may be either undergraduate degree courses or postgraduate degree courses. ^ O Option A unit chosen from among a range of given options, as distinct from a core (compulsory) unit. ^ P Postgraduate coursework Postgraduate coursework refers to a course of study that leads to the award of a graduate certificate, graduate diploma, Cycle 2 professional qualification or other master's degree by coursework. Prerequisite unit A prerequisite unit, in relation to another unit, means a unit that must be successfully undertaken before the other unit may be undertaken. Prize Prize means a sum of money or a specified article awarded to a student, normally for academic achievement while studying for a degree, diploma or certificate of the University. Professional doctorate A professional doctorate is a course that normally requires a minimum of three years of full-time study (or part-time equivalent) and that is Research Training Scheme (RTS) compliant. It can include up to one third of course work offered at master's level or beyond and provides an opportunity for those with a first professional qualification and professional experience to undertake advanced studies and research in their professional fields. The thesis is concerned primarily with deducing implications for practice and policy, while not neglecting the possibility of testing theory, extending existing theory, or developing new theory. Professional experience Professional experience means experience obtained through the practice of a profession and from which the professional competency or learning outcomes achieved can be assessed. Professional practice doctorate A professional practice doctorate is a course normally requiring the equivalent of at least three years of full-time study post a bachelor's degree and comprising Level 4 and Level 5 units. Admission is on the basis of a degree of this University or equivalent and may involve a sequential pathway (including a specified undergraduate major). The degree is the first professional qualification for those entering into Medicine, Dentistry, Law, and Podiatric Medicine. Though consisting predominantly of coursework, these courses are named Professional Practice Doctorate on the basis of the duration of study required and established international nomenclature. Award: Doctor of... or in case of Law the award: Juris Doctor (AQF Level 9). Professional practice master's degree A professional practice master's degree is a course normally requiring the equivalent of two years of full-time study post a bachelor's degree and comprising Level 4 and Level 5 units (with not more than half taken at Level 4), and which equips a student to enter a profession. Admission is on the basis of a bachelor's degree of this University (or equivalent) and may involve a sequential pathway (including a specified undergraduate major). In some cases applicants are required to have undertaken a specific undergraduate major or majors of this University, or equivalent. This degree is the first professional qualification for those entering Architecture, Engineering and Social Welfare in the new course framework. Award: Master of XXXX (AQF Level 9). R Relevant board Relevant board means a Board of the University relevant to the case in point. Relevant faculty or board Relevant faculty or board means the faculty or board responsible for administering the student's course and includes a position or body of people with authority to carry out the function concerned. Research Training Scheme The scheme (RTS) is a performance-based funding scheme administered by the Federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Australian students under the Research Training Scheme are exempt from paying student contributions and tuition fees. Research Training Scheme courses consist of master's and doctoral courses whose research component is at least 66.6% of the total course. Responsible organisational entity A responsible organisational entity (usually a school) has the role of designing, coordinating and/or teaching a unit. ^ S Second major A second major is any major that is not degree-specific. While every undergraduate course leading to a bachelor's degree must include a degree-specific major, a student may also choose to include a second major, either from within the same area of knowledge or from outside it. Any requirement to undertake complementary units is applicable only to the degree-specific major, not the second major. Scholarship Scholarship means a sum of money awarded to a student to cover or contribute towards the costs associated with studying for a degree, diploma or certificate of the University. Service learning Service learning refers to community engagement activities that are embedded in units of study, being structured and assessed as formal educational experiences. Specialisation Specialisation designates a particular discipline chosen from within a wider field of study (e.g. Chemical Engineering within Engineering). It is usually applied to the chosen disciplinary focus of an honours or postgraduate course (e.g. as a distinctive variant within a generic master's course), but in a few cases may refer to a set of specialised units within an undergraduate course major. T Teaching period A teaching period is a scheduled duration, within an academic year, in which a unit of study is offered and includes approved non-teaching study breaks, pre-examination study breaks and examination periods. ^ U Unattached elective An unattached elective is a unit approved for elective purposes that is not part of a major sequence of an undergraduate degree course. Unit A unit is a discrete component of study normally representing 150 hours of student workload, including contact hours, personal study and examinations. It is equivalent to 6 points of credit. By special approval, some units may have a value that is a multiple of 6 points. ^ |