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  1. Academic
Authority Source: University Education Committee
Approval Date: 13/10/2017
Publication Date: 16/10/2017
Review Date: 15/10/2020
Effective Date: 16/10/2017
Custodian: Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President, Academic
Contact: lt@canberra.edu.au
Accessibility: Public
Status: Published
In developing this procedure the University had regard to the provisions of section 40B(1)(b) of the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT).
Combined Level Unit Teaching Procedures
1. Purpose:
  1. The purpose of this procedure is to describe the circumstances under which the teaching of undergraduate (UG), graduate (G) and postgraduate (PG) units can be combined.
2. Scope:
  1. These Procedures are only relevant for units which are co-taught between students at different AQF levels.
  2. Combined level unit teaching may include combinations of UG, G, PG and Honours (H) students/levels.
  3. The information provided here does not relate to preparation or pathway units, only those in which two different cohorts of students studying for different Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) levels learn alongside each other.
3. Procedure:
Introduction
  1. The University recognises that there will be overlaps in the content of units in undergraduate and postgraduate courses where students are being introduced to new areas of study. It also recognises that students in postgraduate courses demonstrate a range of generic attributes related to study in higher education not necessarily possessed by undergraduate students.
  2. Combined level unit teaching:
    • Alleviates heavy teaching loads and low enrolment, and allows for the advantages of synergies that happen by merging different cohorts.
    • Acknowledges that students who are in the same field have widely varying knowledge and motivation.
    • Expands upon traditional teaching methodologies to engage students in a seamless transition from being an undergraduate student to a postgraduate professional.
    • Can extend undergraduate students’ capabilities.
Procedures
Design
  1. Combined courses and units will provide a contemporary and flexible learning framework, and enable achievement of expected learning outcomes regardless of a student’s place of study or the mode of delivery.
  2. Combined teaching courses must be appropriately structured to ensure coherency within, and between other courses.
  3. Combined teaching units’ content and structures address the educational needs of both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
  4. The design of G, H and PG level units (AQF 7/8) will contribute to the required knowledge, skills and application of these units by graduates under the Australian Qualifications Framework, for the level of course(s) in which the unit may be taken (usually level 8 (graduate certificates and graduate diplomas) and/or level 9 (masters degrees)).
  5. The pedagogy and unit learning outcomes, of the combined unit must be at a level that would be expected for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students (at their respective AQF levels).
  6. Combined level unit teaching designs must take into account the different learning characteristics of undergraduate and graduate students.  The design of G and PG level units must reflect the different expectations and prior knowledge of students.
  7. Learning outcomes may be differentiated by the level of the knowledge, the skills and/or the application of knowledge and skills expected of students who complete the unit and must meet the qualification type descriptors for the relevant AQF Levels.
  8. The assessment requirements of both undergraduate and postgraduate students must be in accordance with relevant AQF levels.
Enrolment and delivery
  1. Students must be informed that the unit offering will use combined level unit teaching.
  2. The use of combined level unit teaching and its specific details must be stated in the unit outline.
  3. Students must be provided with information to assist decisions about courses and units, prior to acceptance of an offer.
  4. Although combined, undergraduate and postgraduate students must be enrolled in different units.
  5. Combined taught units must share the same unit title (other than the level included in the title) and syllabus.
  6. Combined level teaching units must comply with the following provisions:
    1. Combined level unit teaching may only be used for:
      • undergraduate (UG) and graduate (G) level units, or
      • postgraduate (PG) level units taught with UG units at AQF 7 or higher.
  7. G or PG units that are taught with UG units must have different assessment tasks and/or assessment criteria, or alternatively, the same task with different level rubrics, reflecting the different learning outcomes of each unit; more demanding assessment tasks are set to meet the qualification type descriptors for Level 8 and Level 9 qualifications and in line with the varied subject learning outcomes, and adjustments to subject learning outcomes and assessment will reflect delivery at a higher level and for a higher qualification type in the AQF.
  8. In combined taught units, extended learning activities are required for students enrolled in the G or PG level unit. Units should include additional content to provide greater breadth or depth[1] of knowledge to meet the qualification type descriptors for Level 8 and Level 9 qualifications and in line with the varied subject learning outcomes.
  9. In combined taught units, students enrolled in the G or PG level unit should have the opportunity to meet separately from students enrolled in the UG unit, in line with the teaching strategies of the units.  This may include tutorial groups of G/PG students only, regular meetings and/or separate online forums of G/PG students and teaching staff.
  10. The Dean of Faculty, or their appointed nominee, must approve all unit offerings using combined level unit teaching, for each teaching period.
  11. Learning and Teaching is responsible for checking all proposals for combined level unit teaching before submission to the University Education Committee and Academic Board for approval. Compliance with AQF specifications is checked when courses are accredited, re-accredited or revised. The performance of combined teaching units is identified in periodic and annual reporting.
[1] TEQSA guidelines are helpful here
4. Roles and Responsibilities:
 
Who Responsibility

Academic Board		 •    May approve an exception to the Procedures in relation to a course.  Such an exception will be noted on the Determination of Program Particulars (DPP) for the course.
Chair of University Education Committee, or nominee   
  •  Is the delegated authority to approve exceptions to this procedure for individual students.
Dean of Faculty •    Approves all unit offerings using combined level unit teaching, for each teaching period
Learning and Teaching •    Monitor course development processes
Unit Conveners and Student Connect •    Ensure that an exception to this procedure has been approved before enrolling undergraduate students in postgraduate level units (and vice-versa).
5. Supporting Information:
  1. Commonwealth and Territory governing framework and legislation
    • 1989 (ACT)
    • Second edition, January 2013 (with amendment to Master’s Degree Specifications, May 2014)
    •  
  2. University statutes and rules
  3. University frameworks, policies and procedures
6. Definitions:
 
Abbreviation
or term		 Meaning

Combined level unit teaching		 The delivery of the same content in two units at different levels. These units are sometimes known as ‘parallel units’.
Graduate (G) unit The designation G in a unit title denotes a unit which is graduate in time and which does not assume undergraduate studies in the discipline of the unit content.  
Postgraduate (PG) unit The designation PG in a unit title denotes a unit which is graduate in time and which extends studies beyond undergraduate (including honours) and graduate level. 
Postgraduate course The term ‘postgraduate’ when used in relation to a course denotes any course which follows an undergraduate course.
Undergraduate (UG) unit The designation UG in a unit title denotes a unit which is undergraduate in time and which precedes honours and graduate level.