Awarding of Medals for Academic Achievement Procedure

1.1 Students must be course complete at the time of nomination to be considered for the award of a medal.

1.2 Eligibility for the award of a university medal is based on consideration of the academic achievement of students throughout their course of study leading to the award of the Bachelor degree and if applicable, the Bachelor degree with first class honours.

1.3 Faculty Board recommendations should take into consideration all eligible course complete students from the previous academic year. Students undertaking final units in the current summer term will be eligible for medal consideration in the following year.

1.4 Eligibility for award of a medal to a student enrolled in a double degree, should be determined by the Faculty Board of the Faculty with primary administrative responsibility for the course.

1.5 The major criterion to be taken into account in the assessment of outstanding academic merit is the Medals Score, calculated in accordance with Section 4 below.

1.6 A Faculty Board may put forward other factors which demonstrate outstanding academic merit, in support of a nomination, consistent with Section 4.6 of the Policy.

1.7 A student who has been granted credit for studies at another institution, other than for cross-institutional study, will only be eligible for recommendation for award of a University Honours Medal provided that they have completed both the final 80 credit points of the Bachelor degree and the Bachelor Honours units while enrolled at ACU.

1.8 A student who has been granted credit for prior studies at another institution will only be eligible for recommendation of the award of a University Medal provided that the student has completed the final 160 credit points of the Bachelor degree while enrolled at ACU.

1.9 If the Academic Registrar determines that a Faculty nominee is ineligible, they may request a new nominee from that Faculty.

1.10 Where two eligible students for the University Honours Medal cannot be separated on the basis of the Medals Score alone, the Faculty may use Thesis examiners’ reports and a report from the Head of School or equivalent, prepared with advice from the principal supervisors to determine the recommended candidate.

1.11 Where two eligible students for a University Medal cannot be separated on the basis of the Medals Score alone, and the course includes professional experience, clinical placement, field experience or related units, the Faculty Board may consider reports from placement supervisors to determine the recommended candidate.

1.12 In exceptional circumstances, where two eligible students from the same Faculty, with the same Medals Score, cannot be meaningfully separated by the Faculty, a recommendation may be put to the Academic Registrar for consideration of the matter by the Chair of Academic Board.

2.1 Executive Deans will be advised of the minimum Medals Score determined by the Academic Board following the first Academic Board meeting of the year.

2.2 The Faculty Boards, at the end of January each year, will advise the Academic Registrar of the names of those students recommended for a University Honours Medal or University Medal, and the rationale for their recommendation, using the approved template.

2.3 The Academic Registrar will make recommendations for the award of University Honours Medals, or University Medals, to the February meeting of Academic Board.

3.1 The Medals Score is the average of grades of results obtained by the student weighted by the credit point value of each graded unit, for units from the Bachelor Honours (if relevant) and Bachelor courses.

3.2 A student who has undertaken exchange, study abroad or cross-institutional studies in the final 80 credit points of the Bachelor degree may be considered for the award of a medal where specified credit, with grade recorded, for individual units was granted under the relevant course rules.

3.3 Ungraded units, units granted as credit where no grade is recorded, and cross-institutional study where no mark or grade is recorded, should be excluded from the calculation of the Medals Score.

3.4 Cross-Institutional study, where a mark or grade is recorded, should be included in the calculation of the Medals Score.

3.5 Calculation of the Medals Score for a University Honours Medal:

3.5.1 End-on Honours

1. the 80 credit points from the honours year;
2. all graded units within the final 80 credit points of the Bachelor degree; and
3. the student's highest graded units having a total credit point value of 80 credit points selected from the first 160 credit points undertaken towards the Bachelor degree.

3.5.2 Embedded Honours

1. the final 160 credit points of the embedded honours course, including all honours units; and
2. the student's highest graded units having a total credit point value of 80 credit points selected from the first 160 cp undertaken towards the Bachelor degree.

3.6 Calculation of the Medals Score for a University Medal

1. all graded units within the final 160 credit points of the Bachelor degree; and
2. the student's highest graded units comprising 50 per cent of the remaining units undertaken towards the Bachelor degree

3.7 Where a student has completed fewer than 80 credit points under Sections 3.5.1(c), 3.5.2(b) or Section 3.6 (b) results in all units will be counted.

3.8 Calculation of the Medals Score for a double degree

3.8.1 the medals score for a University Medal will be calculated based on results in units across both degrees.

3.8.2 the medals score for a University Honours Medal will be calculated based on results in units across both degrees for the Bachelor component plus the honours component consistent with section 3.2.1.

3.9 The numerical equivalents of grades used to calculate the Medals score are as follows:

3.10 Where a student has undertaken extra units beyond the requirements of the degree, results in those units will be excluded from the calculation of the Medals Score.

Medals will be presented to students at a graduation ceremony each year.

Records related to the award of medals for academic achievement will be maintained in accordance with the Records and Archive Management Policy and Records and Retention and Disposal Schedule of the University.