Honours specialisations - new, amend, disestablish

On this page you will find detailed instructions on how to initiate a honours specialisation proposal in the CMS and how to complete each field in the CMS template.
If in doubt about where to start, please email science.curriculum@anu.edu.au

Related policies and procedures

*This policy document is effective until 31 December 2024. From 1 January 2025, the University Accreditation Handbook will supersede this webpage.

How-to guides and supporting documents

RelevanceDocument nameContents
AmendClick through guide on how to amend an existing Honours specialisation in CMS
Amend and New
Pending
Detailed information on how to complete each section of the form, including formatting restrictions and links to associated policy and procedure.
DisestablishClick through guide on how to disestablish an existing Honours specialisation in CMS
NewClick through guide on how to create a new Honours specialisation in CMS

General information

An Honours specialisation is a 48-unit full-time yea- long undergraduate plan of study culminating in a research thesis. It prepares students for professional life or entry into a PhD.

The Honours specialisation is a subplan that sits beneath the Honours plan within the undergraduate program. Each honours plan has admissions requirements usually comprising the minimum requirements to get into the program. Honours specialisations also have a subset of admission requirements specific to the discipline.

Published example

Workflow

  1. Proposal initiated by Honours convener or school administrator (CMS state: Draft)
  2. Proposal finalised by Honours convener and progressed to school administrator for review (CMS state: Submitted for review)
  3. Proposal reviewed by school administrator and progressed to Associate Director (Education) for approval: CMS state: School/Centre endorse pending)
  4. Proposal reviewed by Associate Director (Education) (CMS state: CEC Endorse Pending or *Pending Feedback Resolution
  5. CEC Endorsed Pending proposals are progressed to the College Education Sub Committee.
  6. College Education Committee considers proposal. If no issues are identified, proposal is tabled at the next College Education Committee. If issues are identified the proposal is returned to the school with feedback in the consultation record (CMS state: *Pending Feedback Resolution"
  7. If the College Education Committee approves, the Education Governance Officer progress the amendment through the CMS. If there is a change to the admissions requirements, the proposal requires AQAC and AB approval (CMS state: ASQO endorse pending); if there is no change to the admissions requirement the proposal is published (CMS state: Approved + Publish).

*Proposals that are Pending Feedback Resolution return to step 2

Deadline to submit to College

  • Early June if includes changes to admission requirements
  • Early September if does not include changes to admission requirements

Publication deadline

After Academic Board 5 (end October)

Important considerations

When creating or disestablishing a new curriculum object, it is important to consider whether it should be added to or removed from a "parent" object. For example, an Honours specialisation sits within a program. If it is to be added or removed from said program, that program will require an amendment to be submitted in tandem and may follow different timelines.