Handbook 2009

External Study

External units are designed for students to study on their own, generally without on-campus attendance. The University has a flexible unit offering model, using online technology in a complementary way to ensure that all students will be able to access the same unit package, whether they are studying in either internal or external mode.

Internet access is required for students studying externally; exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Further information on external study can be found at the web site of the External Studies Office, at

http://external.murdoch.edu.au/

External Courses

For a list of courses available for external study, consult the Courses section of this Handbook.

External Units

A typical Murdoch external unit will have some print materials and online access to expanded and complementary resources through a Learning Management System; for most units this also provides online access to lecture recordings within 24 to 48 hours of their face-to-face delivery. While students will still indicate their intention to enrol in a unit as an internal or external student, increasingly the unit content/materials will be identical, only the way it is accessed will vary.

Reference readings are provided as an integral feature of each externally-presented unit. Students may use the mail order facilities of the University Bookshop to purchase required and recommended textbooks.

Students may borrow library materials in person. Students who are enrolled in external mode for all units and who live more than 30 aerial kilometres from the Murdoch Campus Library, may borrow via mail through the Library’s external lending service. Reciprocal borrowing arrangements with interstate libraries are available: consult the Library’s web site for External Students for details of eligible Libraries:

http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/for/external/

Contact with tutors varies from unit to unit and tutors will inform students how and when they may be contacted. Students are encouraged to establish regular contact with their tutors by telephone or email.

Students who agree to share email addresses are sent a list of other students enrolled in the same units who have also indicated they wish to be on a contact list. In addition, an online student community site (Bush Telegraph) is provided for students to make contact with each other, discuss study or other issues and concerns, and provide feedback to the University.

Enrolment in External Units

Unit offerings are shown in the Units sections of this Handbook; see also a key to teaching periods.

External students need to consider their available study time when enrolling in units. Generally students would not be given approval to enrol in a full external load unless they are able to devote approximately 40 hours per week to their study commitments.

For information concerning late enrolment in external offerings of units, see Late Enrolment.

Students enrolled in an internal semester- or year-long unit offering may change to the equivalent external offering of that unit only until the end of the first week of the teaching period. After that date students must complete an application for Late Change from Internal to External Unit Offering if they have extenuating circumstances: see

http://www.oss.murdoch.edu.au/forms

When enrolled in units which are available in both a one-semester and full-year/straddle offering which begin at the same time, students may change between the two options up until the following deadlines:

Units starting in Semester 1: 14 March

Units starting in Semester 2: 29 August.

External Enrolment by Australian Students Based Overseas

Students studying from overseas, particularly those in developing countries, need to make allowance for potential difficulties and delays, especially in communicating with the University. Note that only Australian Citizens are able to have a Commonwealth-supported place if they are residing overseas (unless they are required to reside overseas as part of the course).

Initial unit materials packages are sent by courier to overseas students. The University takes particular care to identify the content of unit mailings that contain CDs, to minimise difficulties in delivery. However, unreliable postal systems and variable customs administration may impose extra costs and delays. While the University meets the costs of mailing unit materials, the student will be responsible for payment of any customs duty imposed.

Assignments and correspondence should be sent to the University via fax or email whenever possible.

Assessment

Students enrolled in external offerings of units and living more than 70 kilometres from the campus at which they are enrolled are sent an examinations notice email, where an examination is part of the unit’s assessment requirements. For further information on assessment, see relevant Assessment topics elsewhere in the Handbook.