POLICY ON SERVICE SUBJECTS

Date first issued: 1 October 2004
Date reviewed: 15 April 2005
Date approved by EMC/ Senate:     

This policy and its rules, guidelines and procedures replace all previous policy and/or circulars pertaining to curriculum development.

1.	POLICY

It is the policy of Tshwane University of Technology that subjects be offered by specialists, seated in a specialist department.

2.	DEFINITIONS
 
2.1	Service subject/module

A service subject/module is a subject/module being offered by a service department to any other department in the same or another faculty.

2.2	Service department

A service department is a department that was designated to offer a subject/module or subjects/modules to other departments in the same or other faculties. Such subjects/modules will be part of the curriculum of one or more of the programmes offered by the client departments and the service department will have specialist staff who have the appropriate academic qualifications to offer such subjects.

2.3	Client department

A client department is a department with programmes containing subjects/modules that are offered by a service department and not by staff belonging to the client department.  In other words, the client department receives a service from the service department. 

2.4 	Specialist

A person who devotes him or herself to a special subject, occupation or branch of learning such as chemistry, management or accountancy.  Such a person would normally have had a number of years post school training in that particular branch of learning.

2.5 	Specialist department

A department where a number of specialists are grouped together in order to offer academic programmes in a particular branch of learning.

3.	RULES

3.1	Subjects/modules are allocated to a department according to the principles of classification of subject matter and the academic organisational structure of the institution.
			
3.2	Client departments may only offer such service subjects when:

#		the designated service department cannot offer the service, for whatever reason(s);
#	        	no service department exists;
#	        	the service department declines to render the service - in cases where specialised facilities such as laboratories are required, valid reasons for this refusal will have to be provided for arbitration (see 4.4) and such a department could be compelled to make the facilities available;
#	        		the client department can adequately prove a history of unsatisfactory service - provided the service department has been made aware, in writing, of the unsatisfactory service and has been given a fair opportunity to rectify the problem.
#	         the designated service department agreed to it;
#	        		the lecturer offering the subject/module has the appropriate academic qualifications required to offer the subject/module;
#	        an agreement is reached about quality assurance and moderation of examination papers; 
#	        in the case of subjects with practicals or other laboratory work; adequate laboratory and/or other specialised equipment is available; and
#	        		the said lecturers have unrestricted opportunities for research and career progress within the client department.

3.4	For all service subjects, syllabus details for publication in the Prospectus will be the joint responsibility of the client department and the service department.

3.5	Service departments must be included in all curriculation processes (new programmes and revision of existing programmes).

	3.6	A service department may not unilaterally change the syllabus, assessment, or mode of delivery of a service subject without consulting the client department (and visa versa).	

4.	PROCEDURE

4.1	When new programmes or revised programmes are submitted to Senate for approval, service subjects must be declared by indicating which departments would have to offer them. All syllabi must be forwarded to all faculties prior to submission to the Senate.

4.2	All service departments will have to enter into a “service level agreement” with their client departments to ensure that quality service is being rendered according to the needs of the client department.

4.3	If a client department wants to offer a service subject/module using own staff:

#		The relevant service and client departments have to reach formal agreement on the transfer of the subject.
#			Where applicable, both Deans have to approve the transfer.
#			The DVC (Academic) grants final approval.

4.4	Should arbitration be necessary it will be referred to a committee consisting of the relevant Deans and Academic DVC (s).