Policy: Academic Accreditation

Purpose

To define the principles which govern the University’s award programs, courses and education offerings that do not lead to awards.

Overview

Supported by the University Accreditation Handbook, this policy provides standards across:

• categories of awards;
• accreditation and program design;
• transnational education programs;
• programs and courses delivered in a language other than English; and
• education offerings that do not lead to awards.

Scope

This policy applies across all award programs, majors, minors, specialisations, and courses and education offerings that do not lead to awards.

Definitions

Definitions relevant to this policy are detailed in the Policy: Glossary of Student Policies and Procedures.

Policy statement

Awards

1. ANU may offer programs that lead to the following awards:

1. Diploma
2. Associate Degree
3. Bachelor Degree
4. Bachelor Honours Degree
5. Graduate Certificate
6. Graduate Diploma
7. Master Degree (Coursework, Extended, and Research)
8. Doctoral Degree

2. The University complies with the nomenclature standards in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Qualifications Issuance Policy.

Accreditation and program design

3. ANU accredits and reaccredits programs, majors, minors, specialisations, and courses that:

1. align with the strategic direction of the University;
2. reflect university academic expertise;
3. are consistent with the Higher Education Standards Framework (Thresholds Standards) (HESF);
4. are consistent with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF);
5. are consistent with the academic standards of the University, as set out in University policies.

4. In rare cases where an exception to clause 3 is required, a case that includes documented evidence of need must be made to the Academic Quality Assurance Committee for coursework degrees or the University Research Committee for research degrees for endorsement for approval by Academic Board.
5. In rare cases, Academic Board may approve the offering of a non-Australian Qualifications Framework award.
6. English language admission requirements for programs and for courses are established by the Policy: English language admission requirements and post-admission support. Programs and courses may not set English language admission requirements other than through that Policy. Programs that have been approved to be delivered entirely in a language other than English may have no English language admission requirements.
7. ANU programs are consistent with the program design principles outlined in the Academic Accreditation Procedure Handbook, Section 3: Program Design. Each unique award will have only one set of orders, duration, and units required. Multiple awards will not be accredited with the same name.
8. Program requirements govern a program’s completion. All programs have program requirements published on Programs and Courses.
9. Majors are consistent with the design principles outlined in the Academic Academic Accreditation Procedure Handbook, Section 4.1: Major design principles.
10. Minors are consistent with the design principles outlined in the Academic Academic Accreditation Procedure Handbook, Sections 4.2: Minor design principles and 4.3: Advanced minor design principles.
11. Specialisations are consistent with the design principles outlined in the Academic Academic Accreditation Procedure Handbook, Section 4.4: Specialisation design principles.
12. Courses are consistent with the course design principles outlined in the Academic Academic Accreditation Procedure Handbook, Section 5: Course Design.
13. ANU offers double programs of its own and in partnership with universities of outstanding reputation, both at undergraduate and graduate level (coursework and HDR).
14. ANU offers joint programs for HDR programs and, in very rare cases coursework programs, in partnership with universities of outstanding reputation, both at undergraduate and graduate level (coursework and HDR).

Transnational education programs

15. ANU offers transnational education programs only where transnational partnerships are consistent with the Policy: International partnerships and agreements and Procedure: International partnerships and agreements.

Programs and courses delivered in a language other than English

16. English is the language of instruction and assessment for ANU programs and courses, with the exception of education that aims to develop proficiency in languages other than English.
17. With the exception of education that aims to develop proficiency in languages other than English, ANU offers programs or courses delivered in a language other than English only where there is a demonstrated strategic benefit to the University.

Education offerings that do not lead to awards

18. ANU offers the following quality-assured education that does not lead to or form part of an award, but is subject to the Recognition of Prior and External Learning Policy and the Credit and Exemptions Procedure:

Professional development

1. Microcredentials
2. Microcredentials stacks
3. Massive open online courses (MOOCs)
4. Through the Centre for Continuing Education only: personal development

19. These offerings:

• align with the strategic direction of the University;
• reflect University academic expertise;
• are, for the purposes of University policy, not ‘courses’;
• are consistent with the academic standards of the University, as set out in University policies;
• are consistent with the Higher Education Standards Framework (Thresholds Standards) (HESF);
• for microcredentials and microcredential stacks, are consistent with the National Microcredentials Framework;
• are not Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications;
• are not eligible for funding through the Commonwealth Grant Scheme (CGS).

20. These offerings may not be referred to or advertised as “programs”, “courses” or “units”.