Discontinuation (and phasing out)
Discontinuing a course normally involves the course being phased out and then discontinued. In the phasing out period, students currently admitted to the course can continue their studies in accordance with the existing course structure and requirements. No new students are admitted to a phasing out course. At the end of the phasing out period, the course is discontinued.
Outlined in the flowchart below are the general steps required for course discontinuation.
Stakeholder impact
The faculty must inform all stakeholders likely to be impacted by the discontinuation of a course (or any subject) that has cross-faculty implications. If the stakeholders are faculties, administrative units or external partners, this notification must be prior to faculty board endorsement of the request for discontinuation, which will be subsequently considered by the University courses committees.
In addition, faculties must consult UTS International in relation to the following types of courses:
- offshore courses
- courses taught in Languages Other Than English (LOTE)
- offshore partner arrangements.
Where the faculty plans to phase out a course for which offers have already been made to international students, a communication and transition plan needs to be developed by the faculty in collaboration with UTS International.
Student impact
Procedures for the discontinuation of an award course shall be in accordance with Rule 3.6 of the Student and Related Rules.
Faculties are required to specify the phasing out period. Any students who have not completed the course within the approved phasing out period are to be provided with advice by the faculty on alternative arrangements.
As part of the process to discontinue a course, the faculty is required to provide CASS reports on any students who are still admitted to the course. This includes the student category (i.e. local/international), the status of their enrolment (e.g. on approved leave of absence, potentially complete, etc.) as well as the student's general progress through the course.
Approval process
Discontinuation proposals are processed by the Academic Programs Office (APO) who obtain:
- endorsement by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and/or the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources) if the course involves an external partner, is offered offshore, is in LOTE and/or has international students
- approval by the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (by delegation of the Vice-Chancellor) (via the Courses Planning Committee)
- approval by Academic Board (via the Courses Accreditation Committee).
On the recommendation of the Courses Accreditation Committee, Academic Board can approve that:
- in cases where there are no students admitted to the course, the course be discontinued immediately
- in cases where students are still admitted to the course, the course status be set to phasing out for a specified period and that the course be discontinued thereafter.
Monitor and report
The APO monitors the status of phasing out courses and liaises with faculties until all remaining students have withdrawn, transferred to another course or completed course requirements. Confirmation is sought from the faculty concerned before final discontinuation of the course.
All course discontinuations are included in an annual report to Academic Board.
Discontinuation template request
To start the process of discontinuing and phasing out a course, faculties must first complete the discontinuation template.
