Students

WACB100 – Academic Communication in Business and Economics

2016 – MUIC Term 2

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Teacher
Sonya Fehler
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Macquarie University International College
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Teacher
Vani Bardetta
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Macquarie University International College
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Teacher
Louise Kaktins
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Macquarie University International College
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Teacher
Anna Phillips
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Macquarie University International College
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Teacher
Mariela Mazzei
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Macquarie University International College
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Onur Ates
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit is designed to support students in their transition to university by enabling them to understand and achieve standards of performance required in an academic environment. The unit provides a three-level focus which is initiated by facilitating the development of academic practices, behaviours and values. Secondly, it fosters a level of familiarity with the disciplinary language, texts and conventions used when studying in programs offered by the Faculty of Business and Economics. Finally, it raises awareness of the impact of business and economics principles when they are applied to solving problems and addressing issues in contemporary society. Learning and assessment activities are designed to build the capacity for independent and collaborative approaches to learning. Students are guided to develop their capacity for reading, thinking and expressing ideas effectively and critically.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

General Assessment Information

Requirements to Pass 

In order to pass this unit a student must: 

  • Pass the final examination or final assessment task
  • Achieve a Standard Numerical Grade (SNG) of 50 or more in the unit
  • Attend at least 80% of scheduled classes
  • submit each portfolio assignment

For further details about grading, please refer to the Grading Policy

Submission of Assessment Tasks 

Assessments must be submitted following instructions provided in class. Assessment tasks which have not been submitted as required will not be marked. They will be considered a non-submission and zero marks will be awarded.

Turnitin

Turnitin compares electronically submitted papers to a database of academic publications, internet sources and other papers that have been submitted into the system to identify matching text. It then produces an Originality Report which identifies text taken from other sources,and generates a similarity percentage to judge whether plagiarism has occurred (see Academic Honesty section below). 

Multiple submissions may be possible via Turnitin prior to the due date of an assessment and originality reports may be made available to students. In such cases they should be used to check work for plagiarism prior to a final submission.  

All assessment tasks are to be submitted through Turnitin; it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that work is submitted correctly prior to the due date.  Hard copies are also required in addition to the electronic Turnitin submission as part of the formal submission guidelines.Records in Turnitin will be taken as records of submission. For assistance submitting through Turnitin, you may approach your teacher, lodge a OneHelp Ticket, refer to the IT help page or seek assistance from Student Connect

Students should note that for a first time submission the Originality Report will be available immediately post submission but for any subsequent submissions it will take 24 hours for the  report to be generated. This may be after the due date so students should plan their submission carefully. 

Note: Turnitin “Originality” Scores of 8% or above require resubmission.  Students are able to override and resubmit their assignments; however, the system will not immediately produce the similarity score on a second or subsequent submission thus students are responsible for checking and ensuring the score is within the acceptable range before the Formal Submission due date and time.  

Assessment Submission

On the designated “Soft Submission” due date, students are expected to bring hard copies of completed assignments to their tutorial session. These assignments will be peer-reviewed and annotated for specific language features.  The annotated (“marked up”) copy will be submitted as part 4 of the Formal Submission.

On the “Formal” submission due date, students are expected to submit their revised electronic version of the assignment to the iLearn “Turnitin” site.  Students are required to print the “Originality Report” and submit it as part 3 of the Formal Submission.  Students will then complete the “Summary of Personal Development”, identifying one area of weakness revealed in a previous assignment and explaining how he/she has remediated this skillset for the given assignment (Formal Submission Part 2)  The hard copy of the final revised draft with the corresponding submission components are due in tutorials immediately following the “Formal Submission” due date. 

Note: Complete submissions require all five (5) components and should be collated using a bull clip:

  1. Signed cover sheet (details will be provided in class)
  2. Summary of Personal Development Worksheet
  3. Printed Originality Report
  4. Annotated Soft Submission draft
  5. Revised Final Draft

Note: A penalty of 10% per missing component will apply to all portfolio assessments.  In other words, if the Cover Sheet is not attached, the assignment will incur a 10% penalty.  If the Originality Report and Annotated Soft Submission draft are excluded, a 20% penalty will apply, etc.

All hard copy “formal” submissions must include a customised coversheet (details will be provided in class) and be submitted in the designated tutorial.  Any assignment received after this tutorial will be considered late and the appropriate penalties apply.  

Missed Assessments

The University recognises that students may experience unexpected events and circumstances that adversely affect their academic performance in assessment activities, for example illness. In order to support students who have experienced a serious and unavoidable disruption, the University will provide affected students with an additional opportunity to demonstrate that they have met the learning outcomes of a unit. An additional opportunity provided under such circumstances is referred to as special consideration. 

The Disruption to Studies Policy applies only to serious and unavoidable disruptions that arise after a study period has commenced. Students with a pre-existing disability/health condition or prolonged adverse circumstances may be eligible for ongoing assistance and support. Such support may be sought through Campus Wellbeing and Support Services.

Serious and Unavoidable Disruption The University classifies a disruption as serious and unavoidable if it:

  • could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student; and
  • was beyond the student's control; and
  • caused substantial disruption to the student’s capacity for effective study and/or completion of required work; and
  • occurred during an event critical study period and was at least three (3) consecutive days duration, and / or
  • prevented completion of a final examination.

To be eligible for Special Consideration, a student must notify the University of a serious and unavoidable disruption within five (5) working days of the commencement of the disruption (Disruption to Studies notification).   All Disruption to Studies notifications are to be made online via the University’s Ask MQ system. A Disruption to Studies notification must be supported by documentary evidence

In submitting a Disruption to Studies notification, a student is acknowledging that they may be required to undertake additional work.  The time and date, deadline or format of any required extra assessible work as a result of a disruption to studies notification is not negotiable and in submitting a disruption to studies notification, a student is agreeing to make themselves available to complete any extra work as required.

Please refer to the Disruption to Studies Policy for further details.

Extensions & Late Submissions

To apply for an extension of time for submission of an assessment item, students must submit a Disruptions to Studies notification via ask.mq.edu.au.

Late submissions without an approved extension are possible but will be penalised at 5% per day up to 4 days (weekend inclusive). If a student submits an assessment task 5 or more days after the due date without grounds for special consideration (See Disruptions to Studies Policy) a record or submission will be made but the student will receive zero marks for the assessment task. 

Final Assessment Tasks

Final assessments will typically take place in Week 6 or Monday of Week 7. All students enrolled in a teaching session are expected to ensure they are available up until and including Monday of Week 7 to undertake examinations and assessment tasks. Passing the final assessment task is a requirement to pass this unit. 

Details of teaching session dates can be found on the Important Dates calendar. Due dates for assessments will be available in the unit guide. 

Retention of Originals

It is the responsibility of the student to retain a copy of any work submitted and a copy of the Turnitin Receipt; students should be able to produce these documents upon request. Copies should be retained until the end of the grade appeal period each term.

In the event that a student is asked to produce another copy of work submitted and is unable to do so, they may be awarded zero (0) for that particular assessment task.

The University may request and retain the originals of any documentation or evidence submitted to support notifications of disruptions to studies. Requests for original documentation will be sent to the applicant’s student email address within six (6) months of notification by the student. Students must retain all original documentation for the duration of this six (6) month period and must supply original documents to the University within ten (10) working days of such a request being made.

Contacting Teaching Staff and Obtaining Help and Feedback

Students may contact teaching staff at any time during the term by using the contact details provided in this guide.Students should expect a response within 1-2 business days and only within business hours.  Teachers will not review assessment drafts via email; if students require specific feedback on an assessment, they should prepare such questions to ask during the tutorial.

For all university related correspondence, students are required to use their official Macquarie University student email account which may be accessed via the Macquarie University Student Portal. Inquiries from personal email accounts will not be attended to.

Students may seek additional feedback at any time during the term and general feedback about their performance in a unit up to 6 months following results release.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Critical Summary 20% 10/03/2016
Business Report 30% 23/03/2016
Persuasive Texts 50% 11/04/2016

Critical Summary

Due: 10/03/2016
Weighting: 20%

As part of a four-stage portfolio, students will be placed in groups and assigned a topic examining a social inclusion issue.  This task requires students to critically read and evaluate discipline-specific texts related to the assigned topic.  Each student is required to read one (1) relevant text and write a critical summary, identifying the salient points, key information and points of reliability for why the article is a valid resource in the academic community.

Note: Students should collaborate with their groups to ensure that each student chooses a distinct resource (i.e. a group of 4 students should have 4 different resources). (500 words).


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Business Report

Due: 23/03/2016
Weighting: 30%

The Business Report organises critical information collected in the critical summaries to present an information report written for a professional audience.  This report will effectively integrate a data diagram and corresponding data commentary to illustrate salient information and how it relates to and supports the relevant stage of the report.

Students are required to reference at least six (6) sources outside of the course materials and the prescribed format will replicate the model report examined in class.  (1200 words)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Persuasive Texts

Due: 11/04/2016
Weighting: 50%

The Persuasive texts assignment involves two critical parts: (1) A formal academic essay and (2) a persuasive video written and designed for a professional, non-academic audience.  Both parts will focus on identical content and arguments; however, the essay will be written for a specialist, academic audience and the video will be written for a professional, non-academic audience.

These persuasive texts will identify a recommendation in response to the social inclusion issue topic.  The argument essay outlines the key arguments supporting a central thesis, referencing relevant evidence to support each argument before reiterating and reinforcing the thesis through a summary of salient arguments.  The persuasive video will be completed as a group assignment and will similarly outline the salient issues related to issue and market the recommendation to the audience through an explicit "call to action".

In the argument essay students are required to reference at least eight (8) sources outside of the course materials and demonstrate the ability to synthesise information and views from a variety of perspectives to produce a coherent, well-supported recommendation. (1700 words; i.e. 1200 for the essay; 500 for the video)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Delivery and Resources

DELIVERY & RESOURCES

Scheduled Class Time & Timetables

Weekly face to face  contact for this unit will be 14 hours (84 hours per term). 

Students will be able to enrol in their classes and view their personal timetable via eStudent and may also view general timetable information via Macquarie University's Timetable page

If any scheduled class falls on a public holiday a make-up lesson may be scheduled. Where appropriate, the instructor may instead organise an online make-up lesson which would require students to access online learning materials and/or complete activities outside of class rather than attending a make-up lesson. Scheduled make-up days will be announced in class and attendance will be taken taken for both for face to face and online make-up lessons.

Attendance Requirements - All students

All students are required to attend at least 80% of scheduled class time to pass this unit.  

Attendance will be monitored in each lesson & students will be able to see their attendance records for a unit via iLearn.  

Where a student is present for a part of a lesson (for example arrives late, leaves early, leaves the class frequently or for lengthy periods, engages in inappropriate or unrelated activities or does not participate actively in the majority of the lesson) the teacher reserves the right to mark a student absent for that part of the lesson.

Because of the intensive nature of this program, students should be aware that their attendance in this unit may fall below 80% relatively quickly. 

In cases of unavoidable non-attendance due to illness or circumstances beyond control, students should lodge a Disruption to Studies Notification via ask.mq.edu.au within 5 working days and supply relevant supporting documentation, even if they have not missed a formal assessment task. This will ensure that that appropriate records of unavoidable absences can be made. 

For further information on attendance, please refer to the Attendance and Study Load Policy

 

iLearn

iLearn is Macquarie's online learning management system and a principal resource which will be used throughout the term. Students should access iLearn at least 3 times per week as it will contain important information including: 

  • Announcements - Teaching staff will communicate to the class using iLearn announcements. 
  • A link to the unit guide for the unit and staff contact details
  • Lecture notes and recordings where available
  • Learning and teaching activities and resources
  • Assessment information
  • Tutorial questions and solutions
  • Assessment submission tools such as Turnitin
  • Other relevant material

For any technical or support issues using iLearn, please contact the IT helpdesk (Ph. 02 9850 4357) or lodge a ticket using OneHelp

Required and Recommended Texts and Materials

Prescribed Texts(s)

  1. Connect Composition 3.0, McGraw Hill This text is an electronic text. Details and a link to purchase and use this text will be provided during the second week’s lecture and tutorial. 
  2. Gans, J, King, S, Byford, M, & Mankiw, NG, 2014, Principles of microeconomics: Australia and New Zealand edition, 6th ed, Cengage, Australia.

    Please note: This text is also the required text for WECO111.  

Additional  reading materials will be provided to the students throughout the semester. This will be provided in hard copy or placed on iLearn. 

Technology Used and Required

  • Access to internet (Available on Campus using Macquarie OneNet)
  • Access to iLearn 
  • Access to Macquarie University Library catalogue
  • Access to Microsoft Office Word and Excel (available in Labs)

 

The learning and teaching strategies used for WACB100 incorporate weekly lessons. In addition, students are expected to participate via iLearn discussions and assigned research and reading tasks. The WACB100 iLearn page is accessible via https://iTeach.mq.edu.au

Organisation of the unit is in two parts:

·        The Lessons will explore the aspects of language use and the types of texts integral to developing an academic style of communicating. 

·        The Workshops will allow students to explore the topics covered in lectures, using a variety approaches to familiarise themselves with various aspects of academic literacy. 

A copy of the Unit Outline, along with the relevant lecture notes, assignment instructions, and any notices requiring urgent attention about the unit will be posted on the WACB100  iTeach website.

Unit Schedule

Week

Class 1 Focus

Class 2 Focus

Class 3 Focus

Class 4 Focus

Submission Timeline

 

 

 

 

 

Soft Submission

Formal Submission

1.1

Introduction to ACBE100 & Academic Literacy

  • Defining Academic Communication / Literacy
  • Defining the “People Unit”
  • Course Overview & Expectations

University Knowledge & Learning

  • Sources of Knowledge
  • Reading & Research in the University

Sources of Knowledge & Critical Thinking

  • Reading for Academic Purposes
  • Academic Reliability
  • Research & Reading Development
  • Critical Reading

~~

Critical Reading & Note-taking Workshop

 

Microeconomics Chapter 1

Portfolio Project Overview & Research Introduction

 

~~

 

Researching & Identifying appropriate resources

Diagnostic Essay

 

~~

Composition Connect 3.0

Introduction & Diagnostic

 

 

1.2

Academic Genres

  • Texts and Genres
  • Genre Stages & Phases

Critical Summary Assignment

  • Overview & Structure
  • Critical Summary: Joint Deconstruction

Critical Summary Assignment

  • Overview & Structure
  • Critical Summary: Joint Deconstruction

 

Critical Note-Taking for the Critical Summary

Critical Summary Development

 

 

2.1

Academic Registers I

  • Register Pattern Review: Field, Tenor & Mode
  • Field: What is being talked/written about?

 

 

Critical Summary General Analysis & Revision

 

 

 

 

 

Academic Expression (Part 1)

  • Mapping Academic Expression
  • Grammatical Intricacy vs. Lexical Density

 

~~

Critical Summary Lexical Density Analysis & Revision

 

 

Critical Summary Redrafting

Critical Summary

(Tutorial A)

Critical Summary

(9am Thursday)

2.2

Academic Integrity & Referencing

  • Defining Academic Honesty
  • References & Citations
  • Voice: writer/others

Integrating Evidence & Synthesising Voices

  • Reporting Verbs: Situating Evidence
  • Direct, Indirect & External Voice integration

 

~~

Reference Practice & Development

 

Data Commentary

  • Data Commentary Overview & Structure
  • Data Commentary Joint Deconstruction

 

~~

Data Commentary Workshop

Data Commentary Development

 

 

3.1

Business Report

  • Purpose & Overview
  • Structure
  • Joint Deconstruction

 

Data Commentary Analysis & Revision

~~

Mapping Cause & Effect

Business Report Workshop

Business Report

Development

Data Commentary

(Tutorial A)

 

3.2

Academic Registers II

  • Register Patterns Review: Field, Tenor & Mode
  • Mode: What kind of text is being made?

 

 

Business Report Theme Analysis

~~

Academic Expression (Part 2)

  • Cause & Effect Networks
  • Conjunction Practice

Business Report Analysis & Revision

Business Report Redrafting

Business Report

(Tutorial B)

 

4.1

Academic Registers III

  • Register Patterns Review: Field, Tenor & Mode
  • Tenor: What is the relationship between reader and writer?

 

 

Academic Expression (Part 3)

  • Modality & Evaluation in Academic Texts
  • Objective Evaluation

~~

Business Report Refinement for Tenor & Objectivity

Academic Voice (Part 4)

  • Grammatical metaphor

 

~~

Business Report Refinement for GM

Business Report Redrafting

 

Business Report (Wednesday 5pm)

4.2

Developing a Persuasive Position

  • Thesis Statement Development
  • Developing “academic” positions
  • Presenting Data Persuasively

Persuasive Essay

  • Purpose & Overview
  • Structure & Staging
  • Model Essay Joint Deconstruction

 

Recommendation to Thesis Workshop

~~

Outlining Arguments (eliciting arguments from the BR)

Persuasive Essay Development

 

 

5.1

Persuasive Language

  • Informed & substantiated information
  • Cohesive arguments
  • Enriched vocabulary and expression

 

Developing Persuasive Texts

  • Scaffolding Arguments

Refining Academic Expression

  • Foundational Language

~~

Persuasive Essay Development

Persuasive Essay Checklist

 

 

Persuasive Essay Redrafting

Persuasive Essay

(Tutorial B)

 

5.2

Refining Academic Expression

  • The Critical Approach & Logic Development
  • Evidence Integration & Voice Synthesis

 

Persuasive Essay Analysis & Revision

~~

Persuasive Essay Refinement

Persuasive Video

  • Purpose & Overview
  • Structure & Staging
  • Model Video Joint Deconstruction

~~

Drafting a Persuasive Video

Persuasive Video Development

 

 

6.1

Adapting to the Audience

  • Audience & Register adaptation
  • Literary Devices for persuasion

Persuasive Video Script Analysis & Revision

Persuasive Video Production Workshop

Persuasive Video Redrafting

Persuasive Video

(Tutorial A Script)

Persuasive Essay

Wednesday 5pm

6.2

Refining Professional Communication

  • Effective, non-academic communication

Persuasive Video Checklist

--

--

Persuasive Video

(Tutorial A Full Video)

Persuasive Video

Monday 5pm

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Attendance 

Please refer to Attendance Requirements (above) and the MUIC Attendance and Study Load Policy

Academic Honesty

All staff and students must abide by the principles of academic honesty as outlined in the Academic Honesty Policy. This means that:

  • all academic work claimed as original must be the work of the person making the claim
  • all academic collaborations of any kind must be acknowledged
  • academic work must not be falsified in any way
  • when the ideas of others are used, these ideas must be acknowledged appropriately.

All breaches of the Academic Honesty Policy are serious and penalties apply. Students should be aware that they may fail an assessment task, a unit or even be excluded from the University for breaching the Academic Honesty Policy. 

If you are unsure about how to incorporate scholarly sources into your own work, speak to your teacher or Student Connect prior to your assessment due date. You may also enrol in StudyWise or visit the University's Library Webpage for more resources.

Final Examination Script Viewings and Grade Appeals

A student who has been awarded a final grade for a unit has the right to appeal that grade as outlined in the Grade Appeal Policy. Grade appeals apply to the final Standardised Numerical Grade (SNG) a student receives for a unit of study. They do not apply to results received for individual assessment tasks. A student is expected to seek feedback on individual assessment tasks prior to the award of a final grade. In particular, a student is expected to view their final examination paper in advance of submitting a grade appeal, if this is relevant to their case.

Students also have the right to request feedback from the Unit Convenor on their overall performance in the unit, including in a final examination. This can be done at any time in the six month period starting from the day on which the final grade of the relevant unit is published.

Grade appeals must be submitted via ask.mq.edu.au within 20 working days from the published result date for the relevant unit. Before submitting a Grade Appeal, please ensure that you read the Grade Appeal Policy and note valid grounds for appeals.

Course Progression

Macquarie University International College closely monitors Diploma students' Academic progress as per the MUIC Progress Policy

To maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student must successfully complete 50% or more of their enrolled units in a study Term.  To successfully complete a unit, students must obtain a passing grade and fulfil attendance requirements.

Students who fail to make Satisfactory Academic Progress will be classified as "at risk" and will be notified in writing. At-risk student may be required to undergo academic counselling, undertake certain initiatives or have conditions placed upon their enrolment to help them make satisfactory progress. 

Students must also pass 50% or more of the units in 2 or more terms in order to meet Minimum Rate of Progress (MRP) requirements. 

Any domestic student who has been identified as not meeting Minimum Rate of Progress requirements will be issued with an Intention to Exclude letter. Any international student who has been identified as not meeting MRP will be issued with an Intention to Report letter and may subsequently be reported to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP). 

A student is deemed not to be making satisfactory course progress if they fail more than 50% of their enrolled units in two consecutive Terms of study, or if they have failed more than 50% of their subjects after studying two or more terms.

A Diploma Program student who fails to make satisfactory course progress will be subject to exclusion. International students must also comply with the MUIC Progress Policy in order to meet the conditions of their visa.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Assessment tasks

  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Read efficiently to gather specific information and ideas from discipline-specific sources.
  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Analyse the purpose, language and features of academic, disciplinary and professional genres.
  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate an ability to interpret and apply concepts from sources used in the discipline.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Apply reasoning to formulate and support a position or argument.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Apply academic referencing conventions accurately and appropriately.
  • Plan and produce texts to reflect academic and disciplinary standards.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Assessment tasks

  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critically evaluate information and ideas from academic, disciplinary and professional sources.
  • Express ideas using appropriate language and structure for academic and professional purposes in written and/or oral texts.
  • Engage in independent and collaborative learning activities.
  • Use discipline specific terminology to communicate concepts and ideas relevant to this unit

Assessment tasks

  • Critical Summary
  • Business Report
  • Persuasive Texts