Skip to content | Change text size
    Online PublicationsResources
    		  

    Background and definitions

    Handbook FAQs

    What is the Handbook?

    The University's official statement of the requirements and associated information for each course, major/minor/specialisation and unit offered in a given academic year.

    Why is it produced?

    Publication of the Handbook:

    • allows the University to meet its Commonwealth Government obligations, principally DEEWR publication requirements and relevant sections of the ESOS Act

    • meets Best Practice aims by providing the University and its students with a single authoritative documented statement of requirements for each course of study and its dependent units.

    Who is it intended for?

    The audience for the Handbook is primarily students currently enrolled at the university, although it is also available as a source of detailed course and unit information for future students, University staff and the general public.

    It is also is accessed and used by DEEWR as our official 'report' of unit offerings.

    In what formats is it published?

    The Handbook is available online only, although an embedded print functionality (Prince XML) allows users to print relevant portions of the Handbook as PDF documents with a more 'print-friendly' format. Archived hard copy Handbooks are available in the University Library up until the 2008 edition.

    The Handbook historically was divided into two volumes; one for undergraduate and one for postgraduate information. It is now a single web publication with only the faculty information 'chapters' (ie information contained within the Handbook that is specifically relevant to the Handbook or to studying in the faculty),  being divided into undergraduate and postgraduate sections.

    When is it produced?

    The annual production schedule is determined by the 1 October DEEWR publication deadline (see schedule for timelines).

    What is the difference between the Handbook and the Course Guides / Course Finder?

    The Handbook is an online-only publication, targeted at current students to assist them to plan each stage of their enrolment in their chosen course, so that they can undertake the required program of study to receive their award at completion. The Handbook is the authoritative source for this course and unit information in the University. It is administered by the Curriculum and Publications unit of Student Administration and Systems.

    The Undergraduate Course Guide and Postgraduate Course Guide and their associated International Application Guides are marketing publications targeted at prospective students to assist them to decide on a course of study. The Course Guides are administered by University Marketing and are essentially hard-copy versions of aspects of Course Finder.