Faculty: School/Department: Amendment: Related programs: RMIT UNIVERSITY PROGRAM AMENDMENT RMIT Business BP129 Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) Schools of Accounting and Law, Business Information Technology, Economics and Finance, Management, and Marketing Implementation of a Common Program Architecture for undergraduate degrees in Business BP138 Bachelor of Business (Business Information Systems) P134 Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance) BP135 Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning) BP130 Bachelor of Business (Business Administration) BP027 Bachelor of Business (International Business) BP143 Bachelor of Business Transport and Logistics Management) BP145 Bachelor of Business (Property) BP141 Bachelor of Business (Marketing) BP150 Bachelor of Business (Hospitality) subject to approval BP151 Bachelor of Business (Tourism) subject to approval {Note: The Faculty also offers the Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship) but this program will not be included in the awards adopting the common core or the common program architecture.} Common Program Architecture for Bachelors of Business degrees For some time the Faculty has been concerned at the duplication within programs that has resulted from new Bachelor of Business degrees in varying disciplines being introduced over the last decade. Duplication of similar courses in many of these programs has contributed also to the relatively slow inclusion of flexible delivery options. To address these concerns, the Faculty has already started introducing a common program architecture across all undergraduate Business degrees and this will be fully implemented from 2003. This will enable greater flexibility of choice for students, as does the introduction of discipline s available as majors and multi-majors. This common program architecture allows the Faculty to concentrate on an evaluation of all current discipline s to ensure that all teaching disciplines are underpinned by research. The Faculty has also agreed that the discipline nomenclature of degrees will remain as this is an important demand requirement from students and employers. Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 1
The Common Program Architecture (CPA) can be described in simple terms as an 8-12 - 4 model 8 common core, up to 12 specialist courses and at least 4 electives with a significant work integrated learning component. Specifically the CPA for undergraduate degrees in Business consists of: and to be completed as far as possible within the first three semesters of the program {Note: the Fully online program BP181 Bachelors of Commerce also adopts the Common Program Architecture with the exception that, in place of 4 elective courses, students take 4 compulsory courses which are designed to provide the equivalent of the Work Integrated Learning component essential as an integrative component in the Bachelors of Business degrees) Courses in the Common Business Core The common core consists of the following 8 courses: BUSM1094 Introduction to Organisational While the 8 courses are common to all undergraduate Business degrees, and the positioning of those courses in each degree may vary, it has been agreed that all Schools will make every effort to schedule the 8 common courses so that they are all completed within the first three semesters of full time study. For example, Business Law may be a Year 1 course in the Accountancy degree and a Year 2 course in the Marketing degree. The positioning depends on a number of factors and is left to the School concerned to determine. Courses in the specialist s All the business programs prepare students for the general world of business with a particular focus on careers in a specific discipline. The 9 12 courses in the specialist s are Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 2
designed to develop the specific knowledge and other capabilities of the graduate which they will require in their chosen careers, in addition to the more generic capabilities which all business graduates will possess. Further benefits from the development of strong discipline s include ready access to Business courses by students from other Faculties, and professional accreditation opportunities for students who complete the new online Bachelor of Commerce degree. Specialist courses compulsory in School of Marketing awards In considering the common core concept, the School of Marketing has taken the view that, in addition to a Faculty core, there should also be a School core which (a) builds on the principles and precepts of a Faculty core; (b) extends the process of generic business skills development encapsulated in the Faculty core; and (c) caters for the needs of all students enrolled in the School s multi-disciplinary programs. Other Schools are free to adopt this approach if they wish. The following two courses are therefore included in the specialist in all the Marketing degrees: MKXXX Service Management (proposed name) MKXXX Strategy in Service Environment (proposed name) The relevant degrees in which these two courses are compulsory within the respective specialist s are: BP143 Bachelor of Business (Transport and Logistics Management) BP145 Bachelor of Business (Property) BP141 Bachelor of Business (Marketing) BP150 Bachelor of Business (Hospitality) subject to approval BP151 Bachelor of Business (Tourism) subject to approval Elective courses The Common Program Architecture is presented as including 7 4 elective courses (to make up a total of. In all the Faculty of Business degrees these electives will continue to include Context Curriculum courses as per University policy pending the decision of the University in respect of University Electives etc. Implementation timelines The process of introducing a common Business core is already well underway in the Faculty. The following amendments are proposed to ensure that the Common Program Architecture is fully adopted for all commencing students in 2003. Note: Details of ALL Business degrees are provided below in the interest of recording the adoption of the Common Program Architecture as a whole. It should be noted that not all existing awards require any amendment. Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 3
BP129 Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) BUSM1094 Introduction to Organisational 8 common core ; Cost Management and Applications now moves from Semester 1 to Semester 2 Year, 2 swapping places with BUSM1094 Introduction to Organisational. This allows Accounting students to complete all common core courses within the first three semesters. No amendment required - 10 specialist courses in accounting plus 1 accounting elective No amendment required - 5 general electives No amendment required - Co-op year or equivalent Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 4
BP139 Bachelor of Business (Business Information Systems) Year One replaces BK 810 Information Technology I Make both and compulsory (previously students chose one course from either of these two) Remove one general elective Year Two Add MKTG 1025 Marketing Principles Remove one general elective No amendment required - 9 specialist courses in business information systems already included plus 2 professional electives The additional of two common core courses in first and second year now reduces the total number of electives from 7 to 5 No amendment required - Co-op year or equivalent Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 5
BP134 Bachelor of Business (Economics and Finance) Year Two Add BUSM1094 Introduction to Organisational and MKTG1025 Marketing Principles Remove two electives No amendment required to program structure - 10 specialist courses Year Two Justification for change in law courses in Year Two Add JUST1037 Law of Investment and Financial Markets Remove BL304 (old course code) Law of Finance and Securities (See justification below) The existing total of 7 general electives is now reduced to 5 due to the inclusion of 2 additional compulsory courses from the common core. No amendment required - Co-op year or equivalent Numbers in both of these courses are relatively small and as a result they do not run part time and full time in both semesters. As a consequence the progress of some students has been stalled while waiting for several semesters until the course is offered at a convenient time. This has particularly been a problem for part time students. We are proposing that students in both the B Bus (Econs and Finance) and the B Bus (Fin Planning) do JUST1037 Law of Investment and Financial Markets. This has already been discussed and approved by the Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 6
School Advisory Committee. It should be stressed that this is not reducing the law content of either program. Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 7
BP 135 Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning) BUSM1094 Introduction to Organisational Year One Add BUSM1094 Introduction to Organisational Remove one elective No amendment required - 11 specialist courses He existing structure has 5 electives plus the 2 context curriculum units totalling 6 12 point electives. With the addition of a new common core in the new structure the number of electives reduces down to 5 not 6. Overall the program will comprise: 8 common core course 11 specialist courses 5 general electives No amendment required - Co-op year or equivalent Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 8
BP130 Bachelor of Business (Business Administration) No amendment required - 8 common core Deliver in Semester 1 Year 2 and BUSM1110 Work, Business and Society in Semester 2 Year 2 No amendment required - 9 specialist courses as compulsory for all BBA students No amendment required - All BBA students undertake 7 electives - one general elective plus 6 elective courses. Clusters of related studies are recommended in the following areas Human Resource Management, Operations Management, Accounting, Marketing, Industrial Relations, Change Management, International Management, Language, Culture and Business, Economics, Business Computing, and Business Law {Note: Students can obtain professional membership of a number of professional bodies by selecting appropriate studies in specific clusters} No amendment required BBA students are required to have significant industrial experience before they graduate. Students who have obtained their own jobs in relevant organisations may count that experience towards their total. Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 9
BP 027 Bachelor of Business (International Business) BUSM1094 Introduction to Organisational No amendment required - 8 common core No amendment required - 10 specialist courses plus 2 School specialist courses MKXXX Service Management (proposed name) and MKXXX Strategy in Service Environment (proposed name) No amendment required - 4 general electives No amendment required - Co-op year or equivalent Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 10
167002 Bachelor of Business (Transport and Logistics Management) No amendment required - 8 common core No amendment required - 10 specialist courses plus 2 School specialist courses MKXXX Service Management (proposed name) and MKXXX Strategy in Service Environment (proposed name) No amendment required - 4 general electives No amendment required - Co-op year or equivalent Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 11
167004Bachelor of Business (Property) No amendment required - 8 common core No amendment required - 10 specialist courses plus 2 School specialist courses MKXXX Service Management (proposed name) and MKXXX Strategy in Service Environment (proposed name) No amendment required - 4 general electives {Note: Accreditation as a Valuer requires students to complete certain specific electives} No amendment required - Co-op year or equivalent Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 12
167000 Bachelor of Business (Marketing) No amendment required - 8 common core No amendment required - 10 specialist courses plus 2 School specialist courses MKXXX service Management (proposed name) and MKXXX Strategy in Service Environment (proposed name) No amendment required - 4 general electives No amendment required - Co-op year or equivalent Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 13
TBA Bachelor of Business (Hospitality) subject to approval 8 common core to be included No amendment required - 10 specialist courses plus 2 School specialist courses MKXXX service Management (proposed name) and MKXXX Strategy in Service Environment (proposed name) 4 general electives to be included Co-op year or equivalent to be included Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 14
TBA Bachelor of Business (Tourism) subject to approval 8 common core to be included No amendment required - 10 specialist courses plus 2 School specialist courses MKXXX service Management (proposed name) and MKXXX Strategy in Service Environment (proposed name) 4 general electives to be included Co-op year or equivalent to be included Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 15
BP181 Bachelor of Commerce (this is a fully online program) 8 common core Includes 12 specialist courses No general electives in program as approved; electives replaced by 4 courses providing a Work Integrated Learning and cross program integration 4 equivalent taught courses included Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 16
Consultation processes including service teaching: No change(s) are proposed to graduate Course structure: The proposed amendments will not affect any existing program map of capabilities against courses. Describe any changes in curriculum or teaching mode: There will be no changes to curriculum or teaching mode Duplication: No equivalent courses or learning objects already exist for the proposed changes Implementation plan It is proposed that the amended structure of the above degrees will be implemented for all students commencing in 2003. Market analysis and resource impacts: The resource impact of the proposed amendments is completely in line with the University s plans to move to mass courses in general areas. The adoption of a common core for all students undertaking Business degrees will make possible economies of scale and the development of truly student centered approaches which would not be feasible were a number of different courses to be developed or offered for small niche groups. Recommendation of the proposal: Endorsed for submission Head of School of Accounting and Law Head of School of Business Information Technology Head of School of Economics and Finance Head of School of Management Head of School of Marketing Associate Dean (Academic Development) and DoTQ Details of contact person Dr Eveline M Fallshaw Associate Dean (Academic Development) and DoTQ Tel 9925 5611 Email Eveline.Fallshaw@rmit.edu.au Common program architecture overview.doc / E Fallshaw 17