Policy Number: 3.20.12
Contact Officer: Academic Registrar
Date Approved by Senate: 27/3/2008
Date last amended: 22/3/2007
Date for Next Review: 27/2/2011
Related policies: 3.20.9

Overview

University Medals are awarded in accordance with the Senate Rule - University Medal as set out in the University Yearbook.

Description

1. Time for award of University Medals

1.1 There may be more than one period in the year in which University Medals can be awarded.

2. Criteria for award of Medals

2.1 Each year the Committee for Academic Programs Policy (CAPP) will determine, in respect of that year's Medal awards-

(a) the minimum grade point average which a student must have obtained in courses comprising the degree, in order to be considered for the award of a Medal; and

(b) any other criteria for the award of Medals in that year.

2.2 Executive Deans will be advised of the criteria determined by CAPP by the commencement of second semester of the relevant year.

2.3 Criteria for determination of University Medals will be published on the University of Queensland (myAdvisor) website.

3. Criteria for determination of academic merit

3.1 To be eligible for a University Medal a student must have qualified for a bachelors degree (which may be a subsequent degree) with first class honours and have achieved a quality of performance throughout the program above and beyond that required for the award of first class honours.

3.2 The award of a University Medal recognises the achievement of outstanding academic merit throughout the student's study program for the degree. Essential criteria to be taken into account by faculties in the assessment of academic merit include-

(a) achievement of a high quality of performance throughout the program of study leading to the degree, including consideration of -

(i) the grade point average attained across all courses comprising the degree, calculated in accordance with clause 5 below;

(ii) the overall grade point average attained in each semester of the study program, (ie including courses ultimately deemed to be superfluous or contributing to a dual degree), noting that a grade point average of less than 6 in any semester other than in first year will exclude a student from further consideration;

(iii) in the case of a full year course, the total unit value will be apportioned evenly across the relevant semesters and the resultant grade will be applied to each of the semesters;
(iv) the existence and/or frequency of any failing grades[1] (including cancellation with academic penalty); noting that the existence of failing grades in the relevant program, other than in first year, will exclude a student from further consideration;

(b) the period of time taken to complete the award, calculated in accordance with clause 5 below.

 

4. Faculty submission of nominations

4.1 The Executive Dean of the Faculty shall submit the faculty's schedule of nominees for the award of University Medal for consideration by the Committee for Academic Programs Policy at its first meeting each year. Details to be submitted include –

• each nominee's name, program and cumulative grade point average (calculated in accordance with clause 5 below);
• a copy of the nominee's academic record, duly annotated to identify those courses counted in the calculation of that cumulative grade point average.

4.2  To avoid inconsistencies in application of any limit set by CAPP on the number of medals available to each faculty, students enrolled in multi-faculty programs are considered only within the faculty to which their specific major or sequence of studies belongs.
4.3 The maximum number of University Medal nominations available to each faculty is rounded up to the next number only when the calculated limit on nominations was 0.5 or over.

5. Grade point average

5.1 The grade point average is the average of grades of result obtained by the student, weighted by the unit value of each course, in accordance with Schedule 1 to the General Award Rules.

5.2 The calculation of grade point average for the purposes of the award of a Medal takes account of results in all courses counted towards the degree/degree with honours. In the case of a course within a dual program, results in courses counted towards the relevant degree only will be taken into consideration.

5.3 Where a student has obtained credit for courses above the minimum required for the award of the degree with honours, results in any courses not so required will be excluded from the calculation of grade point average; provided that results in any compulsory courses, including prerequisites of compulsory courses, must be included in the calculation.

5.4 Where the student has been granted specified credit towards the degree for studies whilst enrolled in another program at this University or at another institution, the results of specific courses individually credited by the faculty under the relevant program rules, will be included in the calculation of grade point averages. If block or unspecified credit was granted, the grade point average (or completed grade point average) obtained by the student across such studies will be included in the calculation. A copy of the official transcript from the other institution, if used in the calculation of overall gpa, must be supplied.

5.5 Where a student has two results in a course (eg when a supplementary examination has been granted or a course is undertaken multiple times) an average of all results for that course will be used in the calculation.

5.6 Results of P (ungraded pass) will be excluded from the calculation of grade point average for Medal calculation purposes; except where an ungraded pass is awarded in a course or courses constituting more than one third of the units in the final or honours year. The Faculty will be required to specify a grade for the purpose of calculating a grade point average for the award of a Medal.  
 

6. Period of enrolment

6.1 Students who effectively enrolled in a program for more than two full-time semesters (or equivalent) in excess of the normal minimum period required for the award of the degree with honours will not normally be recommended for Medals (refer to HUPP 3.20.2 Course and Program Design).

6.2 Semesters of part-time or external study are converted to equivalent full-time enrolment, having regard to the number of units undertaken and the standard student workload.

6.3 Where the program rules impose a time limit on completion of the program, the result of any course undertaken earlier than the commencing date indicated by that limitation will not be included.

6.4 Students who have been granted credit for studies in another program or another institution will be regarded as having been enrolled for the equivalent period necessary to obtain such credit in the program under consideration.

6.5 A student who has been granted credit for studies at another institution will be eligible for the award of a University Medal provided that the student has completed the third and subsequent years of the program at this University.

6.6 Despite section 6.5, a student who has undertaken exchange, study abroad or cross-institutional studies in the third or subsequent years of their program will not be excluded from consideration for the award of a University Medal.

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[1] In accordance with GAR 1.5, grades of 3 obtained from semester 1 2006 onwards are failing grades for purposes of this clause.