Credit Points and Student Workload
A standard system of credit points based on student workload shall be used throughout the university.
The study commitment of a full-time student is defined as approximately 48 hours per week for each of the two standard semesters. This includes time spent in formal classes and private study time. A student enrolled in units totalling 48 credit points shall represent 1.0 EFTSL (100 percent) in terms of student statistics, CSP and fee structures.
One credit point implies a student workload of about two hours per week over a standard semester; a six credit point unit taught in a semester therefore implies twelve hours work a week by the student in varying combinations of formal class contact and self-directed study.
UniversityStandard Credit Point Range
The university shall use a standard credit point range in relation to university taught unit offerings, normally involving 6 point units or multiples thereof (eg 6, 12, 18, 24).
Time Limits for Course Completion
The maximum time allowed to complete a course is determined by the following time limit formula (which does not include intermission):
Maximum course length = full-time study course duration x 2 + 2 years.
For example:
- Undergraduate: 3 year Bachelors pass degree x 2 = 6 + 2 = 8.
- Graduate/Postgraduate: 2 year Masters program x 2 = 4 + 2 = 6.
Faculty Boards may set lower time limits if required.
Accelerated Study
Opportunities for individual students to accelerate in an enrolled course are normally limited to students who have:
- completed at least one year of university study; and
- achieved at least a credit average in the previous academic year.
Exceptions may be made in relation to high achieving students in approved programs.
Students with at least a credit average are normally permitted to undertake a maximum of 72 points of units per calendar year, but no more than 30 credit points in a standard semester, and no more than 24 credit points in a non-standard semester.
Some professional courses may not allow acceleration due to professional accreditation and/or clinical requirements.
Offering of Compulsory Course Core Units
Compulsory units must be offered at least once each academic year. If a compulsory unit is cancelled in one standard semester in any academic year, it must be offered in the following standard semester. There cannot be an interval of more than one standard semester between offerings of any compulsory unit.
Assessment for Multi-level Units
When a unit is listed as being taught at multiple levels, a qualitative distinction must be made in relation to the assessment required of each level. This distinction must be clearly set out in the information distributed in the unit guide and the relevant university handbook.
Course Progression requirements
A pass is the normal minimum level of academic achievement for progression within courses, but higher standards are permitted when faculties present a justifiable case to the Education Committee.
Zero Credit Point Units
Zero credit point coursework units are only permitted under the following circumstances:
- the work undertaken by the student is not at Monash University (viz. students undertaking work experience in industry at a business). Zero credit point units are only permitted for the establishment of work experience in industry units where fee assessment of the student would be inappropriate due to minimal resources being committed to the experience.
- the work undertaken by the student at Monash involves minimal resources by the University (e.g. equivalent to 2 credit points or less, no supervision by academic staff, minimal to nil assessment of work);
- an activity has to be undertaken by a student as a compulsory pre-requisite to undertake a future coursework, load bearing unit (e.g. Hurdle requirements);
- students require an extension to an already enrolled thesis unit and for which they should be charged as they are consuming University resources. (e.g. Thesis extension units where ‘enrolled credit points’ equal a value >0 and achievable credit points equal a value of 0); or
- the unit is established to allow the recording and approval of a final Honours grade.
Double Degree Courses
In order to graduate with two qualifications from a double degree award course the requirements of both individual awards must be met in their entirety.
The minimum length of a double degree course must be at least as long as the longest of the two component degree courses plus one year.
Students may undertake double degree courses in an accelerated manner in order to complete the course in minimum time. The number of credit points required for completion should be made clear to students as well as the minimum completion time.
Cross Faculty Courses
All cross-faculty degree courses shall be degrees of a managing faculty which has principal rights and responsibilities for academic governance; and there shall be:
- provision for dispute resolution and for participation in relevant decision-making bodies by other faculties with significant teaching involvement;
- monitoring and review of the initiation and operation of such cross-faculty courses.
Articulation between different award programs
The University shall ensure that where possible it will enable articulation between award programs.
Exit Awards
Faculties may choose to provide, in the legislation for an award program, an official exit point or several points of exit from an award program.
Schedule of Exceptions
A Schedule of Exceptions can be applied to any coursework program that differs from the Qualifications Categories Policy as approved by Education Committee.
UNDERGRADUATE COURSE STRUCTURE
Undergraduate Major
An undergraduate major consists of a minimum of 48 points in a field of study or discipline, including a minimum of 12 points at both second and third year levels respectively.
Undergraduate Programs and Unit Electives
Students undertaking an undergraduate program of three years or longer in duration are normally permitted to undertake at least 24 points of undergraduate electives, including 12 points from the relevant unit offerings of other faculties.
GRADUATE/POSTGRADUATE COURSE STRUCTURE
Faculties must differentiate between graduate and postgraduate as a title when naming and promoting degrees, ie: Graduate Diploma or Postgraduate Diploma. The Schedule of Qualification Categories outlines the entrance standard, duration and exit standard for graduate and postgraduate degrees. The Schedule can assist faculties and students to differentiate between graduate and postgraduate degrees.
Only one-third of the credit point load of a postgraduate diploma or Masters may consist of undergraduate units. Two-thirds of the postgraduate diploma or Masters must be taught with fourth and fifth level units. Masters specialisation consists of at least 24 credit points at fifth year level.
Fourth year units may be units suitable for a postgraduate diploma, or professional training, that build on three years of study in the discipline, whereas fifth year units are for Masters students.
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