3.1(1) This Part applies to academic programs for coursework and coursework and research awards (but not to research degrees) and to candidates pursuing those programs.
Division 3.2: Admission
3.2 Admission to academic program
3.2(1) A person wishing to pursue an academic program must apply in an approved form to the Director SAS to be admitted as a candidate and must give the Director SAS any other information required by the Director.
3.2(2) The minimum requirement for admission to an academic program leading to a professional doctorate by coursework or coursework and research is:
(a) a degree of bachelor with first class honours or upper second class honours of an Australian university; or
(b) such other qualification (being a qualification that is equivalent or superior to such a degree) as the prescribed authority, on the advice of the head of the relevant academic section, determines.
3.2(3) The minimum requirement for admission to an academic program leading to the award of a degree of Master by coursework or coursework and research or a Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate is:
(a) a degree of bachelor of an Australian university, or of another tertiary education institution approved by the prescribed authority for the purposes of this Division, being a degree of a kind that is, in the opinion of the prescribed authority and the head of the relevant academic section, an adequate qualification for the admission of the person as a candidate; or
(b) such other qualification, practical experience or combination of qualifications and practical experience as the prescribed authority, on the advice of the head of the relevant academic section, determines.
3.3 Admission: conditions
3.3(1) In appropriate circumstances, the prescribed authority may require a candidate to have relevant professional experience or admit a person to candidature conditionally.
3.3(2) Except with the permission of the prescribed authority, on the recommendation of the head of the relevant academic section, a candidate must not pursue an academic program leading to another award at the same time as pursuing a program for a graduate or undergraduate award (whether of a kind mentioned in the Schedule or not, and however described) in the University or in another tertiary education institution.
3.3(3) An applicant for admission to an academic program must satisfy any English language requirements determined by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) for the program.
3.4 Admission by prescribed authority
3.4(1) A prescribed authority may admit a person to an academic program, or to part of an academic program, under this Division if the person satisfies the minimum requirement for the admission.
3.5 Admission by prescribed authority – particular circumstances
3.5(1) The prescribed authority may:
(a) admit as a full-time candidate for an academic program or as a part-time candidate for the program a person who does not satisfy the prescribed minimum requirement for admission to that program, and may impose such conditions on the person’s admission as the prescribed authority thinks fit;
(b) on the recommendation of the head of the relevant academic section, admit as a full-time or part-time candidate for an academic program a person who was, immediately before applying for admission, pursuing another graduate or undergraduate award program in the University or in another tertiary education institution and who intends to continue pursuing that other program, and may impose such conditions on the person’s admission as the prescribed authority thinks fit.
[NOTE: if a candidate is admitted to an academic program under paragraph 3.5(1)(b), he or she may be granted status under Division 3.3 for work performed before that admission for another academic program referred to in that paragraph.]
3.6 Enrolment
3.6(1) A candidate must choose the courses of his or her program, and make any change to that choice, in accordance with the Orders.
3.6(2) However, if the Orders indicate that the approval of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) or the prescribed authority must be obtained for the choice or number of courses that may be undertaken in a particular program, a candidate wishing to undertake that program must get that approval.
Division 3.3: Status
3.7 Status
3.7(1) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) may determine the limits within which status for relevant work performed at the University or elsewhere may be granted in relation to a particular award or course.
3.7(2) Within those limits, the prescribed authority may determine, in relation to a particular candidate, conditions on which status may be granted to the candidate.
3.7(3) Subject to subrules 3.7(1), 3.7(2) and 3.7(4), if a candidate has, within 7 years before admission to candidature, performed relevant postgraduate work, whether at the University or at another tertiary education institution approved by the prescribed authority, the prescribed authority may grant the candidate status for that work towards a candidate’s academic program to which this subrule applies.
3.7(4) Status may only be granted in respect of a course that is equivalent or relevant to a course in the academic program concerned and despite anything else in this rule, for not greater than half of the program’s requirements.
3.7(5) If:
(a) a candidate for the degree of Master of Clinical Psychology has, before admission to the academic program, undertaken supervised clinical experience in a public clinical service; and
(b) the standard of the experience is equivalent to the standard of experience that would be gained by undertaking a fieldwork placement course as part of the academic program for the degree;
the prescribed authority may grant the candidate status for the first-mentioned experience towards the academic program.
3.7(6) If a candidate has, within 7 years before being admitted to candidature to an academic program for a degree of Master (other than by research), or a graduate diploma or graduate certificate, performed relevant advanced undergraduate work, whether at the University or at another tertiary education institution, the prescribed authority may grant the candidate status for that work towards the academic program for not greater than one quarter of the program’s requirements.
3.7(7) In appropriate circumstances, the prescribed authority may grant status conditionally.
3.7(8) If status is granted to a candidate, it must be expressed in units.
Division 3.4: Commencement of academic program
3.8 Commencement of academic program
3.8(1) The date on which the candidate’s academic program is to be regarded as having commenced is the date of the candidate’s enrolment in the program.
Division 3.5: Transfer between academic programs
3.9. Transfer: general
3.9(1) A candidate seeking to transfer between academic programs must apply in writing to the prescribed authority to do so.
3.9(2) The prescribed authority may permit an applicant under subrule 3.9(1) to transfer between academic programs.
3.10 Transfer: from professional doctorate to degree of Master etc
3.10(1) A candidate for a professional doctorate (other than by research) may request transfer to an academic program for the relevant Degree of Master, or other award, by coursework or coursework and research with status for all work completed if the prescribed authority has not determined that the candidate has failed the professional doctorate program.
3.11 Transfer: from degree of Master by coursework to professional doctorate
3.11(1) The prescribed authority on the advice of the head of the relevant academic section, may admit as a candidate for a professional doctorate (other than by research) a person who, immediately before that admission, was a candidate for a degree of Master by coursework or coursework and research.
3.12 Transfer: from degree of Master etc to Graduate Diploma or Certificate
3.12(1) The prescribed authority may, subject to such requirements and on such terms and conditions as the prescribed authority determines, admit as a candidate for a graduate diploma or certificate a person who wishes to transfer candidature from an academic program for a degree of Master or another graduate degree or diploma offered by the University.
3.13 Transfer: from full-time candidature to part-time candidature etc.
3.13(1) The prescribed authority may permit a full-time candidate to pursue his or her academic program as a part-time candidate or a part-time candidate to pursue his or her academic program as a full-time candidate.
Division 3.6: Limitations on Admission
3.14 Limit on obligation
3.14(1) If a person seeking acceptance into an academic program, or part of an academic program, satisfies or exceeds the minimum requirement for admission to the program, the prescribed authority is not obliged to admit the person to the program, or the part of the program, only because the person has satisfied the prescribed minimum requirement for admission.
3.15 Limit on number of places
3.15(1) The prescribed authority may decide how many places are available in any enrolment period for new candidates for an academic program.
3.16 Restriction on other study
3.16(1) A person must not, at any time after admission, begin to pursue another award program in the University or in another tertiary education institution without the written permission of the prescribed authority given following a recommendation by the head of the relevant academic section.
3.16(2) A person who indicates in an application for admission that the person does not intend to continue pursuing another award program in the University or in another tertiary education institution must not, at any time after admission, continue to pursue that other award program without the written permission of the prescribed authority given following a recommendation by the head of the relevant academic section.
Division 3.7: Supervision
3.17 Supervisors: appointment
3.17(1) For a candidate for a professional doctorate (other than a research degree), or for a Graduate Diploma in Science, the prescribed authority must, before the commencement of the program, appoint one or more supervisors for the candidate for that program.
3.17(2) For a candidate for a degree of Master, a graduate diploma (other than a Graduate Diploma in Science) or a graduate certificate, the prescribed authority must, before the commencement of the program, appoint a member of staff of the University to be the coordinator or director for that program.
3.17(3) The coordinator of an academic program is to be the supervisor of all candidates in that program.
3.17(4) For a candidate for a degree of Master (other than a research degree), the prescribed authority must appoint one or more additional supervisors for the candidate for the research component of the program on or before the date on which the research component of the candidate’s program begins.
3.17(5) The prescribed authority may arrange with a member of the academic staff of the University or other suitable person (other than a coordinator) to perform such functions as are specified in the arrangement in relation to supervising and assisting a candidate for a graduate diploma.
3.17(6) If a sole supervisor is, or is to be, absent from the University or is unable to perform the duties of a supervisor, for more than 4 consecutive weeks, the prescribed authority must appoint a person to act as the supervisor for the period of the absence.
3.17(7) If the coordinator of an academic program is, or is about to be, absent from the University for more than 4 consecutive weeks, the prescribed authority must appoint an acting coordinator for that program for the period of the absence.
3.18 Supervisors and supervision
3.18(1) At least 1 supervisor for a candidate must be a member of the full-time academic staff of the University.
3.18(2) Subject to the direction of the prescribed authority, a supervisor or a coordinator must supervise the candidate’s academic program and the candidate’s observance of these Rules and enable the candidate to obtain advice on any matter relevant to the program.
3.18(3) A supervisor or coordinator who considers that a candidate has failed to pursue the candidate’s academic program satisfactorily or has not observed these Rules must report accordingly to the prescribed authority.
Division 3.8: General Provisions applying to awards
3.19 Duration of standard program
3.19(1) An academic program may be pursued full-time or part-time.
3.19(2) The duration of an academic program is as set out in these Rules and in the Orders.
3.20 Program requirements for coursework-based award
3.20(1) To finish the academic program for an award requiring coursework or coursework and research, a candidate must:
(a) pass courses mentioned in subrule 3.20(2) the total value of which (together with the value of any research component) is set out in the Orders in relation to the award; and
(b) complete the other requirements for the award set out in these Rules and the Orders.
3.20(2) The courses, sequences of courses or combinations of courses that may be included in a program for an award referred to in subrule 3.20(1) are the courses, sequences or combinations of courses approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and set out in the Orders.
3.20(3) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) may determine the unit value of any research to be undertaken as part of an award requiring coursework.
3.20(4) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) may, in special circumstances, approve a program or variation of a program that does not comply with subrule 3.20(2).
3.20(5) Not more than 1 quarter of the courses required for an academic program leading to a degree of Master, or a graduate diploma or graduate certificate, may be undergraduate courses.
3.21 Attendance at the University
3.21(1) An academic program must be pursued at the University or at another place approved by the prescribed authority on the recommendation of the head of the relevant academic section.
3.21(2) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) may make Orders setting out the maximum period or the number or value of courses for which a particular academic program may be pursued outside the University.
3.21(3) However, approval is not to be given for the completion of courses outside the University unless the prescribed authority on the recommendation of the head of the relevant academic section is satisfied that:
(a) the courses are substantially comparable in quality with equivalent courses offered by the University for the academic program; or
(b) the institution concerned has satisfactory research facilities for the purposes of the completion of the courses;
as the case requires.
3.22 English language requirements
3.22(1) An academic program is to be conducted in the English language unless the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) determines otherwise.
3.23 Pursuit of academic program
3.23(1) A candidate must pursue the program to the satisfaction of the prescribed authority.
3.23(2) The pursuit of an academic program by a candidate includes the right to use the facilities of the University if such use is reasonable having regard to the nature of the program.
3.24 Expiration of academic program
3.24(1) An academic program expires when it has been pursued for its maximum duration under these Rules.
3.24(2) If, before an academic program otherwise expires:
(a) a candidate withdraws from the program; or
(b) the candidate's candidature is terminated; or
(c) the candidate has completed the requirements for the relevant award;
the program is taken to have expired on the date of that withdrawal, termination, or completion as the case requires.
3.25 Program leave of absence
3.25(1) The prescribed authority may grant a candidate program leave of absence from the candidate's academic program for a graduate award for such period as the prescribed authority thinks fit.
3.25(2) However, no period of program leave of absence may be less than 1 week for a full-time candidate or 2 weeks for a part-time candidate.
3.26 Withdrawal from academic program
3.26(1) A candidate may, at any time before the candidate's academic program expires, withdraw from the program by notice in writing delivered to the Director SAS.
3.27 Termination of academic program
3.27(1) The prescribed authority may, on the recommendation of a supervisor (including a coordinator), terminate a candidature for an academic program on the ground that the candidate has failed to pursue the academic program to the satisfaction of the prescribed authority, or that the candidate has otherwise failed to comply with these Rules or a condition imposed by the prescribed authority on the person’s admission to candidature.
[NOTE: See Part 4 for rights and procedures relating to review of decisions.]
3.27(2) Before exercising the power referred to in subrule 3.27(1), the prescribed authority must give the candidate an opportunity to make representations, orally or in writing, and must take such representations into account before reaching a decision on the matter.