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Monash University Policy Bank

Course Titling and Abbreviation Policy

Purpose

This policy defines protocols for consistent and transparent nomenclature for Monash awards and courses.

Scope

All awards and courses

Policy Statement

Course titles should follow the relevant award title as set out in the Faculty's Awards Regulations. For double degree courses, the course title should contain both of the component award titles as set out in the Faculties' Awards Regulations.

Course nomenclature (award title, course title, short name and abbreviation) should be used consistently across all sites of course information, including the University Handbook and other sources of information provided to students, academic transcripts and testamurs, and the student management system.

All course titles must indicate the qualification category and the field of study or discipline. Specialised courses may employ either a specific course title or a tagged course title to indicate the specialised field of study or discipline, or the nature of study (research, coursework, or research and coursework). To be approved, specific course titles should be justified in terms of:

  • the specialised structures of the course;
  • recruitment or marketing considerations;
  • professional or employment considerations;
  • appropriate advertising, understanding by students and employers, selection and the life expectancy of the value of the title;
  • the number of specialised course titles in the general academic or professional area being used by the University.

The standard forms of nomenclature for courses are set out in the Course Titling and Abbreviation Procedures.

Exceptions to these requirements shall be considered on a case-by-case basis by Education Committee or by Research Graduate School Committee as appropriate, taking into account the specialised structure of the course, comparability with peer institutions and government requirements at the campuses where the course is to be offered.

Supporting procedures

Course Titling and Abbreviation Procedures

Supporting guidelines

Responsibility for implementation

• Education Committee: approval of non-standard coursework course nomenclature
• Research Graduate School Committee: approval of non-standard research course nomenclature
• Faculty Boards: approval of course nomenclature conforming to course titling and abbreviation standards
• Faculties: maintenance of consistency of course nomenclature throughout course information

Status

Revised

Key Stakeholders

Education Committee
Research Graduate School Committee
Faculty Deans

Approval body

Name: Academic Board
Meeting: 5/2010
Date: 20-October-2010
Agenda item: 16.4

Endorsement body

Name: Education Committee
Meeting: 5/2010
Date: 29-September-2010
Agenda item: 7.1.4

Name: Research Graduate School Committee
Meeting: 8/2010
Date: 10-September-2010
Agenda item: 4.2.2

Definitions

Specialised Degree: structured courses with a high content of units in an area of specialisation, either disciplinary, multi-disciplinary or professional. Specialised courses are typically named in one of two ways: specific course titles or tagged course titles.

Specific Course Title: the title indicates the specialisation, e.g. Bachelor of Accounting, Bachelor of Journalism, Bachelor of Social Work.

Tagged Course Title: the title consists of a broader generic degree with a specialisation in parentheses, e.g. Bachelor of Business (Accounting), Bachelor of Arts (Journalism), Bachelor of Arts (Human Services).

Related legislation

Monash University Act 2009


Statute 6.1.2 - Courses and Degrees


Award regulations made by Faculty Boards pursuant to Statute 6.1.2 - Course and Degrees


South Africa


Higher Education Act (1997) Act no. 101 of 1997, Section 3

Related policies

Qualification Categories Policy


Establishing, Disestablishing and Amending Coursework Course and Units Policy


Transcripts and Testamurs Policy

Related documents

Schedule of Qualification Categories

Date Effective

20-October-2010

Review Date

08-May-2011

Owner

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching)

Author

Education Policy

Content Enquiries

Education Policy Unit

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