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    Course and Unit Change Policy

    Policy name Course and Unit Change Policy
    Policy number CDD008
    Date approved 8 February 2024
    Approving body Academic Board
    Responsible officer Deputy Dean (relevant disciplines)
    Implementation officer Course Coordinators
    Next review date February 2029
    Related Policies
    • Course Development Policy
    • Annual Course Review Policy
    • Major Course Review Policy
    • Student Selection Admission and Enrolment Policy
    • Course and Unit Changes Procedures
    • Course Advisory Committee Terms of Reference
    Related forms and documents
    • Course Standards Committee - Proposal Summary (Unit Change Form)

    1. Purpose of this Policy

    The Cairnmillar Institute (the Institute) aims to deliver robust high-quality education and valuable professional qualifications to students and ensure compliance with relevant quality assurance, regulatory, and legislative requirements.

    This policy details what constitutes major and minor course and unit changes, and makes clear the processes that must be followed in making those changes.

    2. Policy

    2.1 Commitment to quality and improvement

    The Institute must regularly review course and unit content, including consistent benchmarking of course and unit content and learning outcomes.

    The Institute recognises that to maintain the relevance and currency of its qualifications both minor and major changes may be required to course and unit content and delivery from time to time. The procedures for major and minor changes differ and should be followed accordingly.

    2.2 Major Course Change

    2.2.1. Major course change covers significant changes to course curriculum and structure including:

    1. Removal or addition of core units or ‘selective’ units (where students choose electives from a set pool of units)
    2. Changes to course rules (for selection and/or completion)
    3. Change of study mode (Full-time or Part-time)
    4. Change of course name
    5. Change of course duration
    6. Change to primary delivery mode of the course (on campus or online)
    7. Changes to course learning outcomes
    8. Substantial changes to unit learning outcomes that may impact the constructive alignment of the course

    2.2.2. The procedures for making these major changes are outlined in Course and Unit Change Procedures.

    2.3 Minor Course Changes

    2.3.1. Minor course changes cover smaller changes that occur typically at a single-unit level which still impact the overall course offering. These include:

    1. Change of mode of delivery for a single unit (e.g., off-campus versus on-campus) where the majority of the course remains the same
    2. Change to unit class types/contact hours
    3. Change to unit pre-requisites
    4. Change to the name of a unit
    5. Non-substantive changes to the wording of unit learning outcomes which will not impact the overall constructive alignment of the course
    6. Substantive changes to unit content or focus

    2.3.2. The procedures for making these minor changes are outlined in Course and Unit Change Procedures.

    2.4 Minor Unit Changes   

    2.4.1. Minor unit changes are those which impact the unit but not the overall coherency of the course of study. These changes are normally the result of regular review and unit guide updates, such as:

    1. Change to unit description (including prescribed textbooks and readings)
    2. Change to unit assessment
    3. Minor changes to the content of lectures or modules as part of regular review and refreshment of unit between offerings

    2.4.2. The procedure for making these unit changes is outlined in Course and Unit Changes Procedures.

    3. Resources and References

    Legislative and compliance framework relevant to the development of this policy:

     

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