Guidelines for Postgraduate Coursework Programs

These Guidelines are governed by the Structuring Coursework Programs Policy and the Academic Regulations.

These Guidelines provide the basis for structuring postgraduate coursework programs and the general conditions for the award of Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas, and Masters Degree (Coursework).

3.1 Minimum Admission Requirements

The minimum entry requirements for postgraduate coursework programs will be as follows:

3.2 Non-standard Admission Requirements

Non-standard admission into postgraduate programs will only be accepted where experience and qualifications can be established as equivalent to the minimum entry requirements. Where a prospective student has insufficient grounding in the discipline, the Course Coordinator may approve that the student undertake appropriate preparatory study, sufficient to prepare applicants to achieve the qualification outcomes.

Entry for non-graduates and for applicants without prior study in the same or a related discipline would normally be at the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma level.

This section only applies to those postgraduate coursework programs which have a research component.

4.1 Research Project - Masters

Work with a value of a value of less than 40 credit points and not more than 20,000 words in length. 
A research project:

1. demonstrates an understanding of the research process and scholarly conventions in the discipline;
2. provides an ordered exposition of knowledge gained through the candidate’s own efforts;
3. involves research which is more limited in scope than a Thesis in that it should:
   • limit attention to a few main questions;
   • keep data collection to a minimum;
   • be able to be conducted in situations which are easily accessible to the candidate;
   • involves a literature review which should place the study in its research context and be critical without claiming to be exhaustive;
   • may include speculation based on the findings, instead of aiming at generalisations grounded on the findings;
   • demonstrates the candidate’s ability to present the outcome of the study in a disciplined way that conforms to the scholarly conventions of the discipline;
   • should be presented in succinct formal English.

4.2 Thesis - Masters

Work with a value of equal to or greater than 40 credit points and not more than 30,000 words in length. 
A thesis - Masters level:

1. demonstrates possession of advanced knowledge in a specialised field;
2. shows evidence of an original investigation and testing of hypotheses;
3. shows an ability to make critical use of published work and source materials as well as an appreciation of the relationship between the topic and the wider field of knowledge;
4. demonstrates competence in independent work or experimentation and an understanding of the techniques and/or approaches which are appropriate to the research questions;
5. involves research the scope of which need not be a new line of development but which shows that the candidate has mastered research and synthesis skills in producing a contribution to knowledge;
6. demonstrates the contribution to knowledge by drawing generalisations or further hypotheses for testing that are well grounded in the findings; and
7. should be presented in succinct formal English.

This section only applies to those postgraduate coursework programs which have a research component.

5.1 Appointment of Supervisors

The principal supervisor will be an ACU academic staff member appointed by the National Head of School or nominee. A co-supervisor may also be appointed.

The academic staff involved in supervising students will hold at least one qualification level higher than the student, be active researchers in the student’s proposed area of study and/or demonstrate a track record of effective supervision at ACU or elsewhere.

Involvement in supervision by qualified non-academics, for example from industry, may be appropriate as co-supervisor.

5.2 Procedures for Supervisors

The supervision of students enrolled in postgraduate coursework programs will be conducted in a manner consistent with the best practice and expectations of quality supervision outlined in the Higher Degree Research Supervision Policy.

5.3 Induction to Research

The principal supervisor will provide students with an induction to relevant policies for the conduct of their research. This should be inclusive of each of the matters in Section 6 of these Guidelines.

This section only applies to those postgraduate coursework programs which have a research component.

6.1 Research Environment

Candidates will be provided with a collegial and productive learning environment, including a coordinated program of activity to integrate them into the learning environment.

6.2 Academic Integrity

All students must familiarise themselves with the Student Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy prior to commending their program.

6.3 Research Code of Conduct

All students undertaking a research component within a Postgraduate Coursework program are required to comply with the Research Code of Conduct. Where appropriate, students must obtain ethics clearance prior to commencing their program.

6.4 Ownership of Intellectual Property

All students undertaking a research component within a Postgraduate Coursework program are required to comply with the ACU Intellectual Property Policy.

6.5 Research Progress

Schools will monitor the student’s performance through a structured process and will provide regular and systematic feedback to students on their progress and performance.

6.6 Presentation of Research

Students will be required to presentation(s) of their research and scholarship as determined by the School.

Assessment of coursework in postgraduate coursework programs will be conducted in accordance with the Assessment Policy and Procedures.

This section only applies to those postgraduate coursework programs which have a research component.

On completion of the course of study and research, a candidate will submit a written report in the form of a either a Research Report, in the case of a Research Project, or Thesis - Masters, based on work carried out during the period of study and research.

This section only applies to those postgraduate coursework programs which have a research component.

9.1 Appointment of Examiners

Examiners will be appointed by the National Head of School or nominee, after consultation with the supervisor.

One examiner will be appointed for a Research Report who may be an academic staff member of ACU but must not be the candidate's supervisor.

Two examiners will be appointed for a Thesis - Masters. At least one examiner must be external to ACU. A candidate's supervisor must not be appointed to be an examiner.

9.2 Assessment Framework for the Research Report and Thesis - Masters

Examiners should refer to:

1. the Academic Grading Descriptors in the Academic Regulations to provide a grade for the Research Report; or
2. the Academic Grading Descriptors in the Academic Regulations and the following to provide a grade and numerical mark for the Thesis - Masters:

9.3 Examiner’s Report(s) for the Research Report and Thesis - Masters

The examiner(s) will examine the Research Report or Thesis - Masters and make separate reports which will be submitted for consideration to the National Head of School or nominee.

Each examiner’s report will include a recommendation that the student:

1. has met the Research Report or Thesis - Masters requirements and has passed outright; or
2. has passed the Research Report or Thesis - Masters requirements, subject to minor changes, as recommended in the examiner's reports, being made to the satisfaction of the National Head of School or nominee acting on the advice of the supervisor; or
3. be permitted to revise and re-submit the Research Report or Thesis - Masters within an appropriate time frame of no more than two semesters, as determined by the National Head of School, in consultation with the supervisor and in accordance with Section 9.6; or
4. has failed to meet the Research Report or Thesis - Masters requirements and has failed outright.

9.4 Resolution of Significant Differences in Thesis - Masters Marks

In the case of examiners awarding the Thesis - Masters marks that are more than 15 apart, the National Head of School or nominee will appoint an adjudicator, who may not be a person who has been involved in the supervision or examination of the thesis.

The adjudicator will recommend a mark based on the examiners’ reports and the thesis.

The adjudicators mark is final.

9.5 Allocation of Grades

Grades are awarded on the basis of the Research Report or Thesis - Masters as submitted for examination and not on the basis of a version produced after revisions have been made in the light of any examiners’ comments.

Normally the grade of the Thesis - Masters will be calculated on the basis of the average of the marks awarded by the examiners, unless an adjudicator’s mark has been allocated.

9.6 Revision and Resubmission

The conditions for the revision and submission of a research and submission of a Research Report of Thesis - Masters are:

1. The re-submitted report or thesis will be re-marked by the examiner who requested the revision.
2. A candidate may be permitted to re-submit their Research Report or Thesis no more than once.
3. Any student who is permitted to resubmit a Research Report or Thesis will not be awarded a grade higher than a Pass.
4. A candidate who has been deemed to have failed to meet the Research Report or Thesis - Masters requirements by the examiner(s) and has failed outright shall not be permitted to re-submit for further examination.

The right of review and appeal against a decision under these guidelines will be in accordance with the Student Appeals Policy.