Information for All Current Students - UG and GEMs
This page contains uselful information about processes, procedures and services that you need to be aware of during your course.
Click on a topic name, from the list below, to take you straight to the link on this page.
Academic Honesty
Deliberate breaches of academic honesty constitute academic misconduct. These breaches include:
- Plagiarism
- Fabrication of data
- Recycling previously submitted material
- Engaging someone else to complete an assessment on your behalf
- Misconduct during supervised assessments
The penalties for academic misconduct may include:
- A mark of zero on the assessment
- A fail grade in the unit of study
- Additional assessment (including an unseen exam)
- Reference of the matter to the University Registrar
Issues concerning breaches of academic honesty may be dealt with either through the process of determining academic results in a unit of study, or, in the most serious cases, by invocation of misconduct procedures.
To assist the clarification and application of honest academic practices students should refer to the University’s policy on Academic Honesty in Coursework
Assessment
Each unit of study outline contains details of the nature and timing of assessments. Students should plan their work to ensure they have time to complete all assessments on time.
IMPORTANT NOTE: FAILURE TO SUBMIT ALL ASSESSMENTS FOR A UNIT OF STUDY WILL RESULT IN A FAIL GRADE FOR THAT UNIT OF STUDY.
Students must pass all barrier assessments (identified as M= mandatory to pass) in order to obtain a pass in that unit of study.
Assignments
All students should familiarise themselves with the Faculty of Health Sciences' Guidelines for Presentation of Assignments
Discipline of Speech Pathology Assignment Cover Sheets
- All students must use the latest version of the Individual and Group Assignment Cover Sheets. They are located in the “Forms” folder on the Speech Pathology Documents eLearning/webCT site
- You must complete all of the fields on the form or your submission will be rejected
- You must sign the cover sheet as testimony to the fact that the work attached to it is yours. You cannot delegate this to someone else to sign your name for you
Submission of Speeech Pathology Assignments: (Undergraduate)
- Some lecturers will collect them in class. If not, they should be submitted via the white assignment box in the Discipline’s academic office area – it is located outside room S149. (Undergraduate assignments in the top slot, GEM assignments in the bottom slot)
- The assignment box is cleared every morning by 7.30am
- Assignments are then date stamped, with the previous business day's date, and checked off on class lists as received
- Clinic paperwork has other drop-off points – the Clinical Team can advise you where they are located
Collection: (Undergraduate)
- Some lecturers distribute your assignments back to you in class
- The UG Program Administrator will email you if the lecturer has given her the marked assignments for distribution back to students. You must collect them within 1 week of getting this email notification
- You can only collect them from (Room S138a) – please do not ask the other office staff. Different collection arrangements will be made when the UG Program Administrator is on annual leave
- You can collect assignments Mondays to Fridays (during teaching weeks) between 8am and 10am only
Clinical Education Requirements
The Faculty has policies and procedures for clinical education. In particular students should be aware of requirements for vaccinations, criminal records checks, first aid certificates, and knowledge of the Privacy Act.
The Faculty has specific policies for withdrawal of students from placements because of unprofessional and unsafe behaviours.
Students should ensure that they are familiar with Faculty policies on clinical education. These are available in the chapter on clinical education in the Faculty Handbook and on the
Faculty website
CPR and First Aid Certificates
It is a University of Sydney requirement that you possess a current, valid CPR Certificate before you attend any on-campus or off-campus clinical or fieldwork placements.
Students must provide evidence of completion of a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course with an accredited organisation (eg St. John’s Ambulance, Red Cross, Campus Rewards). Completion of CPR training is mandatory before you can enrol in any clinical or fieldwork units of study.
Year 1 Undergraduate students must submit the original CPR Certificate and a copy to Speech Pathology’s Undergraduate Program Administrator. The Program Administrator will check the original and keep the copy as evidence of meeting the CPR requirement in preparation for Year 2 clinic or BHS fieldwork units. This is due in week 16 of Semester 2.
Year 1 MSLP students must submit the original CPR Certificate and a copy to Speech Pathology’s Undergraduate Program Administrator. The Program Administrator will check the original and keep the copy as evidence of meeting the CPR requirement in preparation for Year 1 clinic units. This is due by week 1 of Semester 2 for fulltime students.
If you have a certified First Aid Certificate (which is valid for 3 years) it is recommended by industry experts that if you are involved in any of the health-related professions; are a life saver, air steward or construction worker that the CPR component be updated every 12 months.
After Year 1 - Annual submission of original and a copy of the updated CPR certificate must be delivered to Speech Pathology’s Undergraduate Program Administrator. The Program Administrator will check the original and keep the copy as evidence of meeting your ongoing CPR requirement. This is due by week 16 of each Semester 2, but can be handed in any time before that if you renew your CPR certificate earlier in the year. The Program Administrator will send you a reminder when your certificate is due for renewal.
If you are deferring any of your clinical units when your CPR is due for renewal, you can delay renewing it till you are ready to start clinic again - but notify the Program Administrator of your intentions.
Credit Transfer
Policies
While the Faculty of Health Sciences wishes to give students maximum credit for study previously completed, it should be recognised that units of study taught in the Faculty are specifically directed at developing professional skills. There are three types of credit transfer:
- Specified credit
This applies when a student is not required to take a specific unit of study (subject) because studies deemed to be equivalent have been completed. This is shown as units credited on the academic transcript - Block credit
For whole years or stages of a course - Non-specific credit
Awarded when previous studies are deemed to have satisfied defined components of a course other than named units of study
Application procedures
- Details of the process for applying for credit transfer are given on the ‘Credit Transfer' leaflet available from Student Central
- All students who intend to apply for credit transfer, must finalise their applications for the academic year by 10th February and only in exceptional circumstances (with documentary evidence) will an extension be granted until week one of Semester One
- Applications must be made on the appropriate form and lodged in person with or posted to, Student Central
- Students should attend classes until the results of their credit transfer application have been advised
Implications of gaining credit transfer
Students need to consider the following implications of gaining credit transfer:
- Decreased workload – (this may affect your eligibility for Austudy/Abstudy/Youth Allowance)
- Effect on Weighted Average Mark (WAM) – The WAM is used for entry to honours programs, the award of scholarships for postgraduate study and, for Physiotherapy students, allocation to a hospital job.
Units of study without a grade are not included in the calculation of your WAM, but if you had done the unit of study, it is likely that you would have attained high marks and your WAM would therefore have been higher.
Conversely, it might be argued that with advanced standing in one or more units of study, additional time could be devoted to remaining units of study, resulting in higher marks and an increased WAM
Maximum credit
In undergraduate programs of 3 years standard length, a maximum of two thirds credit transfer is permissible. In undergraduate programs of 4 years standard length, a maximum of three quarters credit transfer is permissible. In graduate coursework programs, a maximum of 50 per cent credit transfer is permissible.
Supporting documentation
If you are claiming credit on the basis of previous study at another tertiary institution you are required to supply an academic transcript and official subject descriptions, photocopied from the Handbook or Calendar of the previous tertiary institution for the year in which the subjects were studied. Additional information, such as lecture/tutorial outline and/or reading list, may assist in assessing your eligibility for credit transfer.
If you are claiming credit solely on the basis of previous study at the Faculty of Health Sciences, it is not necessary to provide academic records or subject descriptions in support of your application.
Determination of credit transfer
In general, each student’s case is considered individually on the basis of information submitted. However:
- For some units of study, lists of qualifications for which credit transfer will automatically be granted have been prepared and are available from Student Central
- If your qualification does not appear on the list, you may still be granted automatic credit transfer where it is apparent to academic consideration that your qualification substantially fulfils your needs as a health professional
- The quality of the documentation supplied with your application will have a significant bearing on its success
- Where it is unclear how closely your previous educational achievements are matched to your future requirements, you may be asked to take a “Challenge Examination”. This examination provides an additional opportunity for you to prove your knowledge and receive credit transfer. If a challenge exam is required the relevant Unit Coordinator will contact you directly regarding arrangements
Email Use
The University will use your university email address to communicate with you.
Please do not link this email account to other accounts. If you do link your university email account to another email account, make sure you check and clear emails from that account regularly so that emails don’t bounce because your mailbox is full.
Note that Hotmail accounts are especially prone to problems.
When contacting university staff, please make sure your email address for replies is your university account.
Students must check their university email accounts regularly during semester and during breaks. Your course includes commitments across all weeks of the year and you will be undated about requirements via email.
Enrolment
Always contact Student Central, A block on Cumberland Campus, in the first instance.
Students are responsible for planning their enrolment and checking their enrolment details. Use MyUni to check that you are enrolled in all the units you are studying in a semester.
If you are enrolled in a unit that you are not actually doing you will receive a Fail grade.
If you complete a unit of study but are not enrolled then you will NOT get a result and will have to enrol in that unit next time it is offered (this could mean a 2 semester wait). You will not be allowed to enrol in any unit for which this unit is a pre-requisite until you have an official result.
If you are a non-standard student (ie. a student who is not following the set progression of units in your degree) then you must become familiar with the units available each semester and their pre-requisites and plan your studies.
Enrolment Checklist:
- PRE-REQUISITES: I am aware that it is primarily my responsibility to find out what subjects I can enrol in for this semester and for subsequent semesters, taking account of pre-requisites and assumed knowledge in planning my progression.
I understand that this information is available in the Faculty Handbook.
I understand that I CANNOT enrol in units when I have NOT successfully completed the required pre-requisites - FAILURE IN UNITS OF STUDY: I am aware that the university has policies on academic progression, “show cause” and exclusion and that this information is in the Faculty Handbook
- ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS: I know about the student welfare services available on this campus and that they can help me with my academic and/or other difficulties
- WORKLOAD: I am aware of the advice not to enrol in more than a maximum of 24 credit points per semester
- TIMETABLE CLASHES: I am aware that I should not enrol in units for which there are timetable clashes. I am aware that I should discuss timetable clashes with Student Central
- I am aware that by altering my enrolment from a standard progression I will extend the time taken to complete my degree for one or two semesters
Examination Policies and Procedures
Click here to find a comprehensive collection of policies and information concerning examinations which students should review thoroughly.
Grades
All units of study, except clinical units and professional development units, are graded.
The cut-off marks for each grade are:
- HD (High Distinction) 85 -100
- D (Distinction) 75 – 84
- CR (Credit) 65 – 74
- P (Pass) 50 – 64
- F (Fail) Less than 50
PCON (Conditional Pass granted) grades are not awarded in any CSCD units.
AF (Absent Fail) grade is awarded if a student does not submit compulsory work and/or fails to attend an examination.
In clinical and professional development units the following grades are used:
- R – meets Requirements
- F – Fail
UCN - (Unit Continuing) this means that you have not completed the requirements for a clinical/PD/fieldwork unit of study.
INC - this means you have not completed the requirements for an academic unit of study. All INC results convert to a Fail grade by Week 3 of the following semester. You must therefore complete all assessment requirements of the unit of study before this date.
If you have a UCN or INC grade on your transcript then you will not be eligible to graduate until it is resolved. Check your transcript and follow-up with the unit co-ordinator after each semester.
Graduation
Graduation for FHS is held twice a year:
. in April/May for those whose final enrolment was in Semester 2 of the previous year
. in November/December for those whose final enrolment was in Semester 1 of the same year
All students must submit an application for Conferral of Award form once you have completed all of the required units, the results have been uploaded to Flexis/myUNI and you have attained the number of credit points required for that course.
All graduation ceremonies are held in the Great Hall on Camperdown Campus.
The graduation schedule for each calendar year is finalised in mid-November and can be viewed and/or downloaded from the Graduations section.
If you would like to know how the graduation ceremony is conducted, you can download existing versions of the information booklet and Union services pamphlet from the Graduations section.
You will be sent the current version with your graduation invitation package about 3 weeks before your graduation ceremony. Information about hiring a gown is included in the package. You cannot make arrangements to hire your gown until you get your package so please don't hassle Student Central about it.
Frequently asked questions
Hearing and Speech Electives
In Year 3 students in Hearing and Speech must complete 1 x 4 credit point elective and 2 x 2 credit point electives across the two semesters.
Some of the electives require Speech Pathology permission to enrol in them so please check the unit outline and complete a Variation of Units of Study form if necessary.
Students may apply to the Speech Pathology Undergraduate Course Coordinator for permission to enrol in health related units from other University of Sydney courses for these electives, although please note that there are very few 2 credit point options available in other courses.
To do this you should identify the unit/s you wish to enrol in and complete the Variation of Units of Study form and take it to the Speech Pathology Undergraduate Coordinator for approval.
Honours in Hearing and Speech
In Hearing and Speech, honours is done during a 4th year and involves doing a research project and writing it up as a thesis.
Students should contact the during Year 3, if you are interested in doing the additional honours year.
Honours in Speech Pathology
Entry into honours is competitive with a maximum of 7 to 10 places available each year. Students apply for honours at the end of Year 2 and enter the honours program in year 3.
Students in honours are expected to maintain a CREDIT average and failure in any academic unit means the student must withdraw from honours and complete the PASS degree.
An honours information session will be held during Professional Development classes in semester 2 year 2. Students interested in honours should contact the after that session.
Insurance
The University's insurance policy covers all students during their placements and clinic sessions.
The letter available here can be provided to the organisation who has offered the student work experience or for post graduate students who are collaborating with external organisations on University research.
For more information click here to go to the University's Risk Management web site.
Key to UOS Outlines
Key to University of Sydney Generic Skills and Competency Based Occupational Standards (CBOS) for speech pathology used in the unit outlines.
The Bachelor of Applied Science (Speech Pathology) and the Master of Speech Language Pathology are accredited by Speech Pathology Australia to qualify graduates to practice as entry level speech pathologists. Accreditation is based on evidence that your assessments provide evidence that you have demonstrated entry level competence against all the units and elements of CBOS. The Unit of Study (UOS) outlines indicate how assessments address the CBOS criteria.
UOS - O Unit of Study Objectives (numbered with reference to CBOS elements - Competency Based Occupational Standards). See the individual unit of study outlines.
GA University of Sydney Generic Attributes (GA) for students.
The assessments in each unit of study are designed to address not only your discipline knowledge and understanding but also address the development of generic attributes that go beyond the disciplinary expertise and technical knowledge and encompass the qualities that equip you for your role in society and the world of work.
The generic attributes addressed are:
- Able to identify, define and analyse problems and identify or create processes to solve them
- Able to exercise critical judgement and critical thinking in creating new understanding
- Recognise what information is needed and locate this information efficiently and effectively and be able to evaluate this information and its sources.
- Use information in critical thinking and problem solving contexts to construct knowledge
- Understand the legal cultural social issues in the use of information
- Use contemporary media and technology to access and manage information
- Be capable of rigorous and independent thinking
- Be open to new ideas, methods and ways of thinking
- Be able to respond effectively to unfamiliar problems in unfamiliar contexts
- Acknowledge personal responsibility for your own value judgements
- Be committed to social justice
- Have an appreciation of and respect for diversity
- Use oral, written and visual communication to further your own learning
- Make effective use of oral written and visual means to critique negotiate create and communicate understanding
Competency Based Occupational Standards (CBOS) (numbered with reference to CBOS elements)
| Population (Pop) Clinical Population covered - | |
| UF | underlying foundation knowledge or skills from disciplines other than speech pathology which inform learning across the full range of clinical populations |
| F | full range (all clinical populations or generic skill applying to all clinical populations) |
| SP | speech |
| L | language |
| V | voice |
| Fl | fluency |
| Sw | swallowing |
| H | hearing |
| (SP/L/V/Fl/Sw) + X = specific clinical population; |
| Range Indicator (RI) | |
| Age range covered - | |
| A - adult | |
| AC - adult and child | |
| C - child | |
| E - either adult or child caseloads | |
| Power | |
| Power of assessment - | |
| R - assessment must be handed in | |
| M - barrier task - mandatory to pass this assessment to pass the UOS | |
Non-discriminatory Language Guidelines
Language and the way it is used are major vehicles for the expression of prejudice and discrimination.
It not only reflects and maintains the discriminatory values and practices of our society, but can also be inaccurate and perpetuate false assumptions and stereotypes.
Non-discriminatory language aims to treat all people equitably and fairly, usually by avoiding certain expressions and selecting others already existing in the language.
See the University's guidelines on the use of non discriminatory language.
Penalties for late assignments
Late assignments will be penalised with 10% of marks deducted for each day it is late (including weekends).
Students needing an extension must submit an Application for Special Consideration, with appropriate supporting documentation, to Student Central prior to the assignment's due date.
Pre-requisites
You cannot enrol in a unit of study if you failed any of the pre-requisite units of study. Links to prerequisite flowcharts for various Speech Pathology courses, are located on the top right-hand side of this webpage.
The pre-requisites are listed in the Faculty Handbook and are included in your unit outlines.
Failing a unit of study can have a significant impact on your progression through the course, particularly on the clinic and fieldwork units.
Results on MyUni
Students should check their results via MYUNI.
You should make sure that UCN and INC results are finalised as soon as you complete the requirements of a unit. You cannot graduate if you have unresolved results on your transcript.
You should also make sure that you have results for all units of study in which you are enrolled.
Contact the Undergraduate Program Administrator if you have any questions.
Special Consideration
The University's policy document outlines the requirements for Special Consideration. But read on..... the following points are critical:
Special Consideration is the mechanism by which you are exempt from the requirements for assessment that all other students must meet. In order to ensure that students are treated fairly and equally you will only be granted Special Consideration if you meet strict conditions for illness or misadventure.
All applications for Special Consideration must be submitted in writing, together with all relevant supporting documentation to Student Central on Cumberland Campus – you cannot fax or email the application – you can post it
Your application will be considered by a Committee within the Discipline, convened to consider all requests for Special Consideration.
You will be informed by email of the outcome of your request. You should note that Special Consideration only applies for serious illness and misadventure.
Important details for all students:
- Special Consideration may entitle you to an extension of time for submission of an assignment, or allow you to sit an exam at a later time. Special Consideration will not allow an adjustment of your mark. Please note that if you apply for Special Consideration for an examination, after you have sat the exam, your first exam paper will be destroyed, if Special Consideration is granted, and you will be required to sit a deferred exam
- you must provide the correct unit name, unit number and activity / task / assessment that you are applying for
- if you do not supply the University’s Professional Practitioners Certificate (PPC), completed, signed and stamped by your doctor (not you), Student Central will ask you to provide one ASAP. Try and remember to take the PPC with you when you visit the doctor
- if the doctor is a relative of yours they cannot complete the PPC for you. It must be completed by an independent physician
- if you are applying for special consideration for another reason, besides being sick, you must provide adequate documentation to support your application
- you must always notify your Lecturer, Supervisor or CE – as early as possible - if you are unable to attend an exam, a lecture, a meeting, clinic, workshop, tutorial or submit an assignment, etc.
- you only have to apply for special consideration for “compulsory / mandatory / barrier” activities designated as such within your unit of study outlines
- you must apply for Special Consideration as soon as possible and it must be before the due date of an assignment or within 7 days of a missed exam, lecture (if compulsory attendance), clinic meeting, clinic session, etc.
- If applying for multiple days - you have 7 days from the first date you are applying for, to lodge your application for missed exams, lectures, clinic tasks, etc – remember late assignments require advanced notification
Procedures for GROUP ASSESSMENTS / ASSIGNMENTS:
If part of a group assignment and one or more members cannot complete their assigned component due to illness or misadventure
The member/s that is sick or absent due to misadventure (as a result, causing the group to miss the date for submission / presentation) must ……
- Notify the other members of the group as early as possible and hand over to them, all work completed as at that date
- Keep all communication / documentation between yourself and the group, related to your inability to complete the assigned component. Including attempts to schedule catch-up meetings – email would be best way to track this
- Notify the lecturer as soon as possible and submit a copy of all work completed as at that date
- Submit an application for special consideration, with PPC completed by a doctor, prior to the due date of the assignment. If absent due to misadventure, submit appropriate documentation
The rest of the group should……
- Keep all communication / documentation between the above and the group, related to that person’s inability to complete their assigned component. Including attempts to schedule catch-up meetings – email would be best way to track this
- Contact the lecturer as soon a possible and discuss submission options – email is best way to track this
- Keep all communication between the lecturer and the group
- Submit all work completed as at the due date (even if not complete – include copies of communication related to it being incomplete) unless negotiated differently with the lecturer
Student Appeals
A student may appeal against a mark or grade for either a single assessment, or the final assessment for a whole unit of study.
Students are encouraged to consult with their unit of study coordinator in the first instance.
Students should identify their grounds for appeal. A student may appeal against an administrative decision.
Consult the Policy Online website for procedures and check point 6.1 of this linked document for the timeliness of appeals.
Student Feedback on UOS
At the conclusion of each unit of study, you will have an opportunity to provide the Faculty with written feedback about your experiences and learning.
Please use this opportunity responsibly to assist us in continuing course development and improving course delivery.
Students are requested to complete Unit of Study Evaluation (USE) forms. These are done anonymously. The forms are then sealed in an envelope and sent to the University's Institute for Teaching and Learning for analysis.
The Faculty and the Discipline receive in-depth summaries for each unit.
Unit of study coordinators will provide you with information about how student feedback has been incorporated into the unit of study content and delivery.
Student Services
Student Services provides students with a range of academic and personal support services, such as:
- language and learning skills tuition
- the peer-tutor register
- an advisory service to international students
- services for students with disabilities
- confidential counselling
Further information is available on the FHS website.
Timetables and Clashes
Students will usually be able to access their personal timetable the week before semester starts.
However, you can look up MyUni for lecture times for each of your units much earlier than this. This should enable you to know most of the details of your timetable for the coming semester.
Students are advised that they should not enrol in units for which there will be timetable clash. This may occur if you are non-standard and enrolling in units from different years.
Students who have timetable clashes will not be able to access their timetable on MyUni.
Where to get Course Information
The Faculty of Health Sciences Handbook contains essential information on courses, policies and procedures.
Speech Pathology undergraduate courses are listed in Chapter 17 with individual unit outline summaries in Chapter 19. Postgraduate course outlines are in Chapter 29 with unit outline summaries in Chapter 32. Speech Pathology units of study have a CSCD prefix.
It requires ‘Acrobat Reader’ to read, but this is available as a free download.