Fact box

• Policy owner: Chair, Accreditation Committee
• Policy category: Academic: Course Development
• Policy status: Approved
• Approval body: Council
• Endorsement body: Accreditation Committee
• Related policies:
  • Course of Study Design and Development Policy
  • Course of Study Review Policy
• Last amended: 20th Dec. 2022
• Relevant HESF: 5.3, 5.4

To terminate a course of study, the following steps are undertaken:

1. Proposal

• Rationale for termination, including (as appropriate):

i. impact on strategy, mission, vision and values of AC;

ii. history of course of study and its reputational value to students, staff and stakeholders;

iii. financial implications with respect to current market conditions;

iv. feedback from students, staff, other stakeholders and industry;

v. changes in accreditation compliance;

vi. previous review reports.

• Communication plan for termination
• Teach-out plan
• Managing and monitoring termination

2. Proposal tabled to Academic Board

If endorsed by Accreditation Committee, a recommendation is tabled at Academic Board.

3. Approval by Council

If endorsed by Academic Board, the proposal is recommended to Council for approval.

4. Communication of termination

The final decision and announcement of any course of study termination is notified in time to allow:

• currently enrolled students to complete the course of study, or to transfer to other courses of study within or outside of AC as desired;
• potential applicants to make alternative arrangements;
• the timely replacement of any existing academic staff in a course of study who may immediately wish to discontinue employment with AC as a result of a course of study termination;
• students in other courses of study, staff in other courses of study, alumni, stakeholders and the community will be advised of the course of study termination in a systematic manner, taking into account AC’s legislative, regulatory and public-relations responsibilities and priorities.

5. Teach-out plan
If termination of a course of study is approved by Council, the following is implemented:

• the course of study is not under Self-Accrediting Authority (SAA), notification of material change and teach out application (if required) is lodged with TEQSA or ASQA (as appropriate);
• the course of study is under SAA, teach-out application is submitted to Academic Board if required;
• all marketing, recruitment and enrolments ceases;
• students are entitled to complete, at AC, the course of study in which they are enrolled, including all compulsory elements and any requirements necessary for professional accreditation. No substantive changes will be made to course of study in the teach-out phase, nor any transfer arrangements agreed with other institutions, without approval by Academic Board and consultation with affected students;
• discussion with current students is undertaken to advise them that the qualification cannot be issued after expiry of the teach-out period, therefore a student must complete the award within the transition period. Students intending to complete the terminating course of study are contacted by the Program Director (or equivalent) and a Study and Support Plan is developed;
• AC will assist students enrolled in the course of study who would like to transfer to another course of study;
• AC will provide a schedule to offer all subjects needed by students to complete the course of study in a sequence and on a schedule that will enable them to complete the course of study. Students will be expected to take the subjects required to complete the course of study when offered. Failure of students to take required subjects when offered will not obligate AC to offer the subjects again;
• students who are already on approved leave from a course that is to be terminated should be able to return to complete the course, provided they re-enrol no later than the end of the period of approved leave. Any leave approved after the termination process has commenced should be negotiated with the student on the basis that a return to the course of study in which the student was enrolled may not be possible;
• students who fall out of sequence in their program as a result of subject failure may retake the failed subject only if it continues to be offered at AC and the student can still complete the retaken subject prior to the teach-out end date. In exceptional circumstances, unscheduled subjects will be allowed to ensure a student can meet the course of study requirements;
• students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress and are dismissed from the course of study under the provisions of the “Exclusion from a Course or Subject Policy: Unsatisfactory Course Progression” will lose their right to benefit under the teach-out arrangement.

Managing and Monitoring Termination

• Academic Board has ultimate responsibility for monitoring the termination of a course of study from the perspective of academic quality and integrity;
• With support from the Head of School, the Program Director (or equivalent) takes overall responsibility for the management of the teach-out of a course of study.
• The Program Director (or equivalent) is responsible for the development and implementation of operational closure plans and the management and co-ordination of all transitional arrangements;
• Students and staff are consulted on a regular basis during the teach-out to ensure that all parties are satisfied with continuing teach-out arrangements and responsibilities;
• The Head of School will ensure that regular reports regarding teach-out arrangements are made available to Academic Board.