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Course Accreditation

Course accreditation is a quality assurance process under which courses are evaluated to determine that Monash University academic and delivery standards are met. Accreditation by the Academic Board is a necessary condition in order for the University to offer a course and admit students to it.

Accreditation is not the same as a decision to offer a course. Such decisions are strategic/business decisions and are the responsibility of the executive arm of the University under the delegation of the Vice-Chancellor. As such, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) in consultation with the Dean of the managing faculty, determines whether and when an accredited course or amended accredited course will be available for admission.

Download the Course Accreditation Lifecycle flowchart

A new offering can include a course, specialisation, major, ‘stand alone’ minor, double degree, campus or partner.
When proposing a new offering, the Course Accreditation Procedure must be followed. The required information and the associated sections of the procedures are as follows:
- Business Case (refer to section 4.7, 4.8)
- Notice of Planning (refer to section 5.1 - 5.3)
- Academic case (refer to section 4.3 to 4.6) including: Proposal summary, Academic Course Information, Design Compliance, Course Governance, Implementation Plan, Attachments e.g. course progression map. This should be completed as a course proposal in Courseloop (curriculum management system).
- Endorsement of the managing faculty and other partner faculties and/or locations (refer to section 1.1.3 and 4.1).
The proposal is then approved by the Dean of the managing Faculty and submitted in Courseloop. At this time it will be reviewed by the Course Proposal Evaluation Group (CPEG) and then submitted to the Education Committee and Academic Board for approval. To find out more about this process please refer to the Course Accreditation Procedure section 5.7 and/or the CPEG Schedule.
Every new offering will require Education Committee endorsement and Academic Board approval. Click on the link for the submission dates EC/AB meetings and submission dates
Download Guidance for completing course information in courseloop examples
Amendments to courses can vary and depending on the type of amendment the proposal may need committee approval. To determine the appropriate approval level for the different types of course amendments please refer to the following guidance document: Who approves what?.
This document outlines the necessary approval level for the change and also outlines the required sections in Courseloop (curriculum management system) that need to be completed.
When completing a course amendment please refer to section 1.1.3 and 5.15 of the Course Accreditation Procedure
Download Guidance for completing course information in courseloop examples
The business case is the strategic justification for making proposed changes to the Monash course portfolio — an argument supported by evidence. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) provides endorsement of the business case.
In developing a business case for a new or amended offering (course, specialisation, major, ‘stand alone’ minor, double degree, campus or partner), the faculty will need to consider the following:
- Strategic positioning within the University’s complete course portfolio;
- Load projections;
- Market intelligence (desktop analysis, market testing);
- Profitability projections (financial modelling);
- University resources/infrastructure/staffing demands (resource analysis);
- Evidence of the quality of the current offering (where the course already exists); and
- Any other risks/benefits.
Note: the extent of consideration for each point above will depend upon the scope and complexity of the proposed offering and level of risk.
Download a business case template.
The above information should be discussed with the Chief Coursework Officer early in the development process. The Chief Coursework Officer will advise if further information or consultation is required.
When completing a business case please refer to section 4.7 and 4.8 of the Course Accreditation Procedure
A Notice of planning (NoP) is an email notification sent by the Dean of a faculty, or the delegated nominee, about a forthcoming course proposal, significant course amendment or disestablishment.
The purpose of the NoP is to allow stakeholders across the University to become acquainted with the key features of an upcoming proposal. Therefore, it should be circulated early enough to allow stakeholders time to consider and raise any concerns prior to the proposal appearing on the Education Committee agenda.
A NoP is needed for all proposals that require Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Education Committee or Academic Board approval, or for proposals that may have an impact on another faculty or campus (e.g. Malaysia campus).
The NoP email should clearly indicate the following:
- the intention of the forthcoming proposal
- a brief description of the proposal
- the date of implementation
- the names and contact details of two faculty staff members (the Associate Dean Education is generally one of them).
Download a Notice of Planning template.
All NoP emails must be sent to the email list: ep.nopg-l@monash.edu.
All comments or concerns about a proposal should be discussed directly with the proposing faculty, copying the Academic Programs and Governance Team in all email communication (educationprograms@monash.edu). These discussions should occur promptly and prior to CPEG or Education Committee.
Enquiries can be directed to educationprograms@monash.edu.
When completing a NoP please refer to section 5.1 - 5.3 of the Course Accreditation Procedure
After the proposal has been accredited it is important to ensure all systems information and marketing material is updated to reflect the changes (at the appropriate time based on the implementation date).
- Below is a list of key systems and marketing materials to be updated
  - Callista setup and configuration (Faculty and SEBS)
  - Handbook publication (Faculty and SEBS)
  - VTAC Guide (Faculty, Admissions and Academic Programs Office)
  - Find A Course update (Faculty and SMC)
  - Course Guides (Faculty and SMC)
Course Governance and Design
Learning and Teaching
- Learning and Teaching Policy
- Learning and Teaching Quality Procedure
AQF and MQF Standards Templates
Other