CURRICULUM REVIEW PROCEDURES

Date approved:	5 November 2008	Date Procedures will take effect:	1 January 2009	Date of Next Review:	December2011
Approved by:	Academic Senate
Custodian title & e-mail address:	Course Management Coordinator viji_venkat@uow.edu.au
Author:	Course Management Coordinator
Responsible Faculty/Division & Unit:	Strategic Planning & Quality Office and Policy and Governance Unit, Academic Registrar’s Division
Supporting documents, procedures & forms of these procedures:	Curriculum Review Guidelines Faculty and Academic Unit Review Procedures Course Approval Processing Procedures Subject Approval Guidelines
References & Legislation:	2011-13 Strategic Plan UOW Academic Review Policy Risk Management Policy Graduate Qualities Policy
Audience:	Internet – public access
Expiry Date of Procedures:	Not applicable

Contents

• 1 Introduction / Background 3
• 2 Scope / Purpose 3
• 3 Definitions 3
• 4 Flowchart 4
• 5 Faculty-Administered Curriculum Reviews 5
• 6 Major Course Proposals and the External Curriculum Appraisal Committee 8
• 7 Version Control Table 10
• Attachment 1 – Curriculum Review Report Template 11
• Attachment 2 – Action Plan Template 14

1 Introduction / Background

• 1. These Procedures operate under the UOW Academic Review Policy and take effect from the initiation of a curriculum review. Unless indicated otherwise, they may be varied only with approval by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic (DVC(A)).

2 Scope / Purpose

• 1. These procedures apply to:
• a. A scheduled or unscheduled faculty-administered review of a course or specialisation under section 8.11 – 8.16 of the Policy
• b. A review of a Major Course Proposal by a External Curriculum Appraisal Committee under section 8.25 -8.35 of the Policy

3 Definitions

• 1. In these procedures, the following definitions apply:

Word/Term	Definition (with examples if required)
Major Course Proposal	Includes significant changes to the UOW Course Portfolio, such as: A NEW course or new MAJOR STUDY Deletion of course or MAJOR STUDY from offer A major revision of an existing course or MAJOR STUDY* A new delivery location, where the location does not currently have any existing courses (e.g. a new campus) A new delivery method, where the method is not currently used for existing courses (e.g. new eLearning technologies) Deletion of all courses at a delivery location (e.g. shutting down a campus) * A major revision refers to a complete review of a course or major study that includes changes to any of the following (which are likely to involve change to subjects as well): the course outcomes/graduate qualities the type of assessment (e.g. the introduction/removal of work experience, practical placements) accreditation or other professional recognition the total credit points/duration of the course course type (e.g. change from Masters by Coursework to Masters by Research, Pass Bachelor to Honours Bachelor)
Minor Course Proposal	Includes minor changes to the UOW Course Portfolio, such as: New delivery location for an existing course New delivery method for an existing course New contract delivery for an existing course Temporary suspension of course, MAJOR STUDY, delivery method of location for one year Change of course name for a course or MAJOR STUDY without changes to content A new or revised MINOR STUDY in an existing course A minor revision of an existing course or MAJOR STUDY* Consequential amendment to a course following another proposal * A minor revision refers to small changes to a course or major study that do NOT come under those specified as a major revision (in particular, do not constitute a change to the overall course outcomes). Examples include: Merging/splitting of subjects, but with no change to total course content Changes to core or elective subjects to reflect subjects currently on offer, include new subjects, or more appropriate/relevant subjects to achieve the course objectives. Changes to subject code or subject name Changes to the pattern of study (order in which subjects are undertaken)
Policy	UOW Academic Review Policy, unless otherwise indicated

• 2. Other definitions as provided in the UOW Academic Review Policy.

4 Flowchart

Indicative duration for each stage	Curriculum Reviews Flowchart and Timeframe	Indicative dates
Start	Scheduled or unscheduled review initiated (Policy s. 8.5)	June to August
Within 3 weeks of initiation	Notification (s. 5.1) Request for standard data package (s. 5.2) Establishment of Faculty Curriculum Review Group (s. 5.3) Faculty Curriculum Review Group Schedule determined (s. 5.3)
8-10 weeks	Review conducted by Faculty Curriculum Review Group (s. 5.5)	September to November
2 weeks	Curriculum Review Report and Faculty Response developed (s. 5.6.1) Submission to DVC(A) (s. 5.6.2)
Within 2 weeks of receiving report from FEC	Action Plan determined in consultation with DVC(A) (s. 5.6.3) Outcomes communicated (s. 5.7)	December
If Major Course Proposal recommended, the following steps apply (s. 6)
By next CAMG meeting agenda deadline	Course concept approval (s.6.1) Proposal to Course Approval Management Group (CAMG) as concept CAMG feedback and recommendations	January
Within 4 weeks of CAMG approval	External Curriculum Appraisal Committee (ECAC) established (s. 6.2) Review materials submitted to ECAC (s 6.3)	February
Within 8 weeks of ECAC formation	Conduct of review (s. 6.4) Information gathering ECAC review meeting(s)	March to May
Within 4 weeks of meeting Next FEC meeting	ECAC Review Report (s. 6.5) Faculty Response developed and Course Proposal amended (if necessary) and finalised (s. 6.6)
By deadlines on course approval website for Major Course Proposals	Full Course Proposal submitted as per Course Approval Procedures (summarised below for reference) CAMG for endorsement Senate Standing Committee for endorsement Academic Senate and DVC(A) for final approval	June to September

5 Faculty-Administered Curriculum Reviews

• 1. The Procedures in this section cover scheduled and unscheduled faculty-administered curriculum reviews initiated under section 8.11 – 8.16 of the UOW Academic Review Policy.
• 2. Where a Faculty wishes to have external accreditation recognised in partial substitution for a curriculum review, as provided in section 8.8 of the policy, the Dean shall apply to the DVC(A) at the initiation phase. The DVC(A) in consultation with the Dean may amend the Review Procedures as appropriate.

Notification

• 3. The Dean shall notify the following parties within two weeks of the initiation of a review:
• a. Relevant academic units
• b. Course Approval Management Group (via the Course Management Coordinator)

Data Package

• 4. The majority of curriculum review data can be obtained from the Performance Indicators System (COGNOS). For other data, the Faculty will need to contact the Planning Services Unit and request specific reports.

Establishing the Faculty Curriculum Review Group

• 5. The Dean shall determine the Faculty Curriculum Review Group Membership and set the Terms of Reference in accordance with section 8.12 and 8.13 of the Policy and in consultation with the DVC(A) within four weeks of initiation of the review

Committee support

• 6. The Faculty shall provide the Chair of the Review Group with executive support.

Conducting the Curriculum Review

Review Schedule

• 7. The Dean, in consultation with the FEC Chair and Review Group Chair, shall determine the schedule of review activities within one week of establishing the Faculty Curriculum Review Group Membership. The schedule shall include:
• a. Data collection and analysis
• b. Consultation
• c. Curriculum evaluation
• 8. The schedule shall nominate the date for submission of the final report to the Faculty Education Committee.

Matters for consideration

• 9. Matters to be considered by the Faculty Curriculum Review Group in conducting the review shall include:
• a. Data included in the standard data package
• b. Other data requested or obtained by the Group as appropriate
• c. Recommendations and outcomes from previous curriculum reviews
• d. Relevant course, specialisation and subject amendments made during the preceding five years
• e. Feedback obtained during the consultation process (set out in 5.10 below)

Consultation

• 10. The Faculty Curriculum Review Group shall consult as widely as it considers necessary provided that at a minimum, feedback (as appropriate) is sought from:
• a. Students
• b. Graduates
• c. Course coordinator
• d. Other UOW staff (including from other academic units where appropriate)
• e. Profession or industry representatives (where appropriate)
• f. Other relevant external stakeholders
• 11. Evidence of consultation shall be detailed in the Faculty Curriculum Review Group’s final report.

Evaluation Criteria

• 12. The Faculty Curriculum Review Group shall evaluate the curriculum against the criteria set out below and any additional criteria specified in the terms of reference.
• 12.1. Quality
• a. Appropriate entry requirements
• b. Appropriate structure (e.g. core and elective subjects, major and minor studies)
• c. Curriculum consistent with sector and relevant professional standards and clearly embedding development of the UOW Graduate Qualities and the Learning-Teaching-Research Nexus
• d. Clear, appropriate and developmental learning outcomes
• e. Assessment at an appropriate standard and clearly linked to outcomes
• f. Engaging learning experiences which include integrated workplace experiences, international focus and research focus
• g. Appropriate resources and facilities
• 12.2. Viability
• a. Cost effectiveness and sustainability
• b. Sufficient demand
• 12.3. Strategic alignment
• a. Alignment with UOW strategic priorities
• b. Alignment with Faculty objectives and strategies and the profile of the overall faculty curriculum
• c. Meeting the needs of external stakeholders by producing qualified, employable graduates, both nationally and internationally
• d. Meeting the needs of the community

Curriculum Review Report

Submission to Faculty and Faculty Response

• 13. At the conclusion of the review, the Faculty Curriculum Review Group shall prepare a Curriculum Review Report in accordance with the Faculty Curriculum Review Report Template (Attachment 1).
• 14. Recommendations in the Report may include (as listed in section 8.15 of the Policy):
• a. Major or minor amendments to the course under review
• b. Discontinuation of the course under review
• c. Review of another related course
• d. Development of a new course
• e. Changes to University rules or policies
• f. A review of an academic unit, in accordance with section 7 of the Policy
• 15. The Report shall be submitted to the Faculty Education Committee (FEC) for consideration and comment to the Dean.
• 16. The Dean shall review the Report and, in consultation with the FEC, develop a Faculty response to the recommendations, no later than two weeks after the FEC considers the report.

Submission to DVC(A)

• 17. The Faculty Curriculum Review Report and the Faculty Response shall be submitted to the DVC(A) who shall:
• a. assess the Report and Response and determine whether a resultant course proposal is Major or Minor;
• b. discuss the Report recommendations and their implementation with the Faculty Dean

Action plan implementation

• 18. After consultation with the DVC(A), the Dean shall develop an Action Plan (using the Action Plan template, Attachment 2) detailing the action required on recommendations and the timing of their implementation, and the Faculty shall thereafter be responsible for implementation of the Action Plan.
• 19. A Major Course Proposal shall be referred by the Dean to a External Curriculum Appraisal Committee for review and assessment in accordance with section 6 below, unless this requirement is waived by the DVC(A) (e.g. where the proposal has already undergone a thorough review to attain external accreditation).
• 20. A Minor Course Proposal shall be submitted by the Faculty through the Dean for approval in accordance with the Course Approval Procedures. The DVC(A) may determine that a Minor Course Proposal should follow the Major Course Proposal approval pathway and refer it to a External Curriculum Appraisal Committee, where appropriate.
• 21. Where a Faculty or Academic Unit Review is recommended, the Faculty and Academic Unit Reviews Procedures shall be followed.
• 22. Where a change to UOW rules and policies is recommended, the DVC(A) may refer the matter to a relevant University committee or sub-committee.

Communicating the Curriculum Review Outcomes

• 23. A copy of the full Review Report, Faculty Response and Action Plan shall be submitted to:
• a. the Faculty Advisory Committee for advice and feedback to the DVC(A) and Dean as the Committee sees fit.
• b. the Policy and Governance Unit for central record keeping.
• 24. A summary of the review outcomes shall be submitted to Academic Senate for noting.

6 Major Course Proposals and the External Curriculum Appraisal Committee

• 1. The following procedures apply to all Major Course Proposals, including those that:
• a. Are the outcome of a Faculty-administered Curriculum Review; or
• b. Have been submitted independent of a review (e.g. a new course initiative)

Submission of Concept to the Course Approval Management Group

• 2. The Dean shall submit either:
• a. the Faculty Curriculum Review Report, Faculty Response and Action Plan (where the proposal is an outcome of a Faculty-administered Curriculum Review); or
• b. A Course Concept Proposal (as per the Course Approval Procedures)

to the Course Approval Management Group (CAMG) to be assessed in concept in accordance with the Course Approval Procedures.

• 3. The CAMG may:
• a. Approve the proposed concept
• b. Recommend changes to the proposed concept
• c. Reject the proposed concept

Establishment of External Curriculum Appraisal Committee

• 4. Where a CAMG approves a Major Course Proposal in concept (with or without recommending changes), the Dean shall establish a External Curriculum Appraisal Committee (ECAC) in accordance with section 8.26 of the Policy to conduct the review.
• 5. The Faculty shall be responsible for providing executive support to the ECAC where required.

Materials for the External Curriculum Appraisal Committee

• 6. The Faculty shall be responsible for providing the following material to the ECAC for its consideration:
• a. Either:
• i. The Faculty Curriculum Review Report (including original data package, information gathered and consultation evidence), Faculty Response and Action Plan (from the Faculty-Administered Curriculum Review under section 5 above); or
• ii. The Course Concept proposal
• b. Any feedback and recommendations from the CAMG
• c. Draft course proposal forms
• d. New subject proposal details
• e. Learning objectives and content for existing subjects
• f. Relevant course amendments made and reviews conducted within the past five years
• g. Any other information that the Faculty may deem relevant

Conducting the Review

Matters for consideration

• 7. After reviewing the materials provided, the ECAC may seek further information as required including by:
• a. Meeting the course coordinator, Head of Unit and other staff and students (as appropriate)
• b. Visiting the unit where necessary to inspect facilities
• c. Seeking further comments from other interested parties, including graduates, staff of other faculties and representatives from external bodies

External Curriculum Appraisal Committee Meeting

• 8. The ECAC shall meet to discuss and evaluate the Course Proposal with a view to developing their report and recommendations.

Evaluation criteria

• 9. The ECAC shall evaluate the curriculum against the criteria set out below in section 5.12 above and any additional criteria specified in the terms of reference.

Development and Submission of the External Curriculum Appraisal Committee Report

• 10. The Chair, in consultation with the Committee, shall develop the Report, using the Curriculum Review Report Template. The report of the ECAC shall comment on the relevant outcomes of the Faculty-Administered Curriculum Review and the appropriateness of the Course Proposal. The report shall include an assessment of the academic and professional value of the proposed course.
• 11. The ECAC Chair shall submit the report to the FEC and Dean.

Finalising the Course Proposal

• 12. The FEC and Faculty Dean shall develop a response to the ECAC report and make amendments to the Course Proposal where required.
• 13. The final Course Proposal, including the ECAC report and Faculty response, shall be submitted for approval in accordance with the Course Approval Procedures.
• 14. The review outcomes shall be presented to the Faculty Advisory Committee for information and comment where appropriate

7 Version Control Table

Version Control	Date Effective	Approved By	Amendment
1	1 January 2009	Academic Senate	First Version
2	30 April 2009	Senior Manager, Policy and Governance	Migrated to the UOW Procedure Template as per the Policy Directory Refresh.
3	13 July 2009	Senior Manager, Policy and Governance	Consequential amendments following minor amendments to the UOW Academic Review Policy

Attachment 1 – Curriculum Review Report Template

<DIVISION/FACULTY/UNIT TITLE>

Curriculum Review Report

<Faculty>

<Course(s)>

<AUTHOR>

<POSITION>

<DIVISION/FACULTY/UNIT TITLE>

<DATE>

<APPROVED BY> OR <DISTRIBUTED TO>

Executive Summary

Overview and Scope

Key Findings

Recommendations

Curriculum Review Process

Faculty Curriculum Review Group

Membership

Terms of Reference

Consultation and Data Collection

Curriculum Review Findings

Quality

Appropriate entry requirements

Appropriate structure

• core and elective subjects
• major and minor studies
• mode of delivery
• location of delivery
• course duration
• sequence of the subjects for the course

Curriculum consistent with sector and relevant professional standards and clearly embedding development of the UOW Graduate Qualities

Clear, appropriate and developmental learning outcomes

• content and learning objectives for each subject and the appropriateness of proposed teaching and assessment methods to the learning objectives of the subject and of the course

Assessment at an appropriate standard and clearly linked to outcomes

Engaging learning experiences which include integrated workplace experiences, international focus and research focus

Appropriate resources and facilities

• resources required to present each subject effectively
• library and other information resources required to present the course and individual subjects
• laboratory and equipment requirements required to present the course and each individual subject

Viability

Cost effectiveness and sustainability

• Course fee structure
• Course financial analysis

Sufficient and sustainable demand

UOW Strategic Alignment

Alignment with UOW strategic priorities

Alignment with Faculty objectives and strategies and the profile of the overall faculty curriculum

External Strategic Alignment

Meeting the needs of external stakeholders by producing qualified, employable graduates, both nationally and internationally

Meeting the needs of the community

Recommendations

• Discuss the implications of the findings and make recommendations

Appendices

Standard Data Package

<standard data package as supplied by Planning Services

Consultation information

<Results of interviews, surveys, questionnaires, etc.. as obtained by the Faculty Curriculum Review Group during their review. These may be summarised or tabulated where appropriate for ease of presentation>

Attachment 2 – Action Plan Template

<Faculty/Unit>

Faculty-Administered Curriculum Review

Action Plan

• Curriculum Review Name: <e.g. Review of the Bachelor of Commerce>
• Date of Review report: <dd/mm/yyyy>
• Date Action Plan created: <dd/mm/yyyy>
• Approved by Dean and DVC(A): <dd/mm/yyyy>

No.	Action Items	Action By	Date Due	Date Completed
1	<Add more rows as required>	<person/position responsible>	<dd/mm/yyyy>	<dd/mm/yyyy>
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

• Last updated: <dd/mm/yyyy>