Undergraduate Distance Education Handbook Centre for Open Education 2012
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Undergraduate Distance Education Handbook Centre for Open Education 2012 UNDERGRADUATE DISTANCE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2012 A guide to enrolment and studying by Distance Education Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this booklet, however, the information is subject to change from time to time. The University reserves the right to vary, without notice, any information relating to the provision of courses or units of study including the content, mode or time of offering of such courses or units and the withdrawal of any course or unit for whatever reason. Please check the COE website at: http://www.coe.mq.edu.au/index.html Centre for Open Education Macquarie University NSW 2109 Telephone: (02) 9850 7470 Fax: (02) 9850 7480 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.coe.mq.edu.au Photos from: Paul Wright Printing by: Macquarie Lighthouse Press November 2011 Contents Welcome to Distance Education 1 What is the Centre for Open Education? 3 Your first enrolment – New students 5 Degree Requirements 6 Bachelor of Arts 6 Bachelor of Education [Early Childhood Education] 6 Bachelor of Laws 6 Bachelor of Science 6 Bachelor of Teaching (Birth to Five Years) 7 How do I plan my degree and choose my units? 7 What do the credit points at those levels mean? 7 Do I really need to know about Pre-requisites? 8 How many units should I enrol in? 8 How much time do I need to commit to my studies? 8 Choosing a Major 8 People and Planet units 10 Participation and Community Engagement [PACE] Units 12 What if I change my mind about which units to study? 13 Receiving your course materials 13 First time log in to myMQ 14 eStudent 14 Your student email 14 Student IT help 14 Important Dates for 2012 15 Enrolment for continuing students How do I enrol as a continuing student? 17 Finding and enrolling in units for 2012 17 Should I transfer to the new degree structure? 18 Should I stay in my current degree? 18 Contact details for academic advice 18 Students returning after an absence 20 Introducing Session 3 20 Subject/Unit Changes via email 21 New student ID cards 21 Useful student forms 21 Fees And Charges i Do I have to pay my fees upfront? 23 Upfront payment due dates 23 What fees have I incurred and how do I pay them? 23 Commonwealth Supported Places [HECS] and Student Contributions 23 Adding/dropping units 24 Census dates 24 On- And Off-Campus Sessions Attendance 27 Parking 28 Transport 28 Accommodation 28 Assignment Submission 31 Late Assignments 31 Academic Honesty 32 Examinations 35 Examinations at Country or Interstate Centres 35 Examinations at Macquarie University 36 Unavoidable disruption 36 Services and resources for students The Library 39 Library Distance Education Services 39 iLecture Service 39 Study Skills Support 40 Numeracy Centre 40 Campus Wellbeing 40 Dean of Students 40 FacuLty of Arts Department of Ancient History Ancient History 43 Diploma and Certificate in Ancient Languages 43 Department of English English 45 Department of International Studies 47 Croatian 48 French 49 ii Modern Greek 50 German 51 Italian 52 Japanese 53 Polish 54 Russian 55 Spanish 56 Macquarie Law School Bachelor of Laws by Distance 57 Department of Modern History, Politics and International Relations Modern History 61 Department of Philosophy Philosophy 62 Department of Sociology Gender Studies 63 Sociology 64 FACULTY OF HUMAN SCIENCES Institute of Early Childhood 67 Program Advice 67 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) 69 Overview of full time study pattern for students commencing in 2012 69 Continuing BEd (ECE) students [prior to 2009] 73 Credit for previous study 75 Bachelor of Teaching (Birth to Five Years) 77 Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching 79 Graduate Diploma of Advanced Studies in Early Childhood 81 Early Childhood Professional Experience 83 Department of Education Education 85 FACULTY OF SCIENCE 87 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Geology 88 iii Department of Biological Sciences Biology 89 Palaeobiology 90 Department of Environment and Geography Geography 91 Museum Studies 93 LIST OF UNITS OFFERED IN DISTANCE MODE 94 2012 List of External Units 96 iv Welcome to Distance Education This Distance Education Undergraduate Student Handbook is provided to all new and re-enrolling distance education students. The Handbook has two main purposes. Firstly, it is provided to assist you in constructing a viable program of studies for 2012. In that regard, you should read carefully the advice provided by the Departments before selecting units from the Schedule of Distance Education units. All students should be aware that the University’s enrolment system will reject program proposals where students lack the relevant prerequisites or corequisites, and that completion of your enrolment will be delayed if we have to attempt to contact you for alternative choices. Likewise, you need to check the compulsory on-campus session requirements of your preferred units for clashes. It is to your disadvantage if we have to later send you material for an alternative choice after your discovery of irresolvable clashes of on-campus sessions. The second purpose of the Handbook is to provide a reference guide to the University’s policies and practices regarding distance education and contact information for staff in the Centre for Open Education and in the Faculties and Departments. You will find information about assignment submission, attendance at on-campus sessions and despatch arrangements. You will find the names of the staff in the Centre with whom you will most often come into contact, and the names of the specialist academic advisers provided by the Departments offering major programs. To improve the accessibility of these staff we include email addresses as well as telephone numbers. All the staff of the Centre for Open Education join with me in wishing you a very successful year in 2012. We are often in communication with you by telephone, fax, letter or email, however, we also look forward to the opportunity of meeting you in person during one of the on-campus session periods or when you visit the University Campus. Remember that you are important to us and we continue to strive to provide a quality student experience for all students we come in contact with through our programs. Sincerely Andrew R Burrell Director, Centre for Open Education 1 2 What is the Centre for Open Education? The Centre for Open Education provides a primary point of contact between distance education (external) students and the university. The Centre is a 'One Stop Shop' that will assist you with matters pertaining to your studies as a distance education student. Services we provide to our distance students include: • Assisting new undergraduate students with their first enrolment • Assisting all students in external degrees with enrolment enquiries • Helping you obtain academic advice when you need it • Mailing out your Macquarie student ID card and annual update stickers to you • Receiving assignments, forwarding them for marking, and returning the marked assignments to you • Providing a sign on/registration service for students attending compulsory on campus sessions The Centre also operates a cashier service early mornings and evenings within opening hours. Staff at the Centre can issue students with parking permits and accept payment for library fines. Payment is by credit card, EFTPOS or cheque only; no cash payments accepted. Contact us As a student studying by distance, you will find your program of study to be both challenging and rewarding. When you require assistance along the way, remember that the staff in the Centre for Open Education are here to help you. We have provided a variety of contact details below for your reference, including phone numbers, emails and our location on campus. Please contact us at any time with your queries – we’re here to help! Our location on campus The Centre for Open Education is located on Level 1 of Building X5B. The entrance to the Centre is on the southern side of the building, adjacent to the W4 car park off Balaclava road. Please see the map in this handbook, or go to: http://www.ofm.mq.edu.au/maps_campus.htm Mail for the Centre for Open Education should be addressed to: Centre for Open Education Building X5B Macquarie University NSW 2109 Hours of Operation During the teaching periods the Centre is open from: 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5.00pm Friday 8.00am to 11.00am Saturday During non-teaching periods the Centre is open from: 9.00am-5.00pm Monday to Friday 3 The Centre will not open on the Easter, Queen’s Birthday and Labour Day weekends. When the Centre is closed you may contact us by telephone. A telephone message recording service is available on this number: 02 9850 7470. Contact details General Enquiries Ph. 02 9850 7470 61 2 9850 7470 (international) Fax: (02) 9850 7480 (within Australia) 61 2 9850 7480 (international) Email: [email protected] Online: ask.mq.edu.au Assignments Enquiries Ph 02 9850 6823 Materials despatch Ph. 02 9850 6832 Email: [email protected] Website www.coe.mq.edu.au/distance.html Just Ask The University has introduced a new online service for students in order to streamline queries and requests. This service is designed to make it quicker and easier for students to find the information they need and contact the people that can help them. Students will be able to search the extensive question and answer library or submit an online enquiry that will go to the appropriate team for response. To use the online service, please go to: https://ask.mq.edu.au 4 Your first enrolment – New students New Students This handbook is designed to help you plan your degree and fill in your first enrolment form.