• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Application
• Section 4 - Roles and Responsibilities
• Section 5 - Class Timetabling Development and Publication
• Draft Timetable
• Publication of University Class Timetable
• Section 6 - Travel between Campuses
• Section 7 - Equity Considerations
• Section 8 - Resolving Timetabling Clashes
• Section 9 - Post-Publication Timetable Changes
• Section 10 - Teaching Hours
• Class Free Period
• Flexible Scheduling
• Section 11 - Teaching Space and Room Allocation

Section 2 - Purpose

(1) To maintain high standards of teaching and provide students with an enriched learning experience, QUT is committed to delivering an extensive and flexible academic program by developing effective class timetabling. The framework provides for fair, reasonable and inclusive treatment of both students and staff, and ensures optimal use of teaching resources.

Section 3 - Application

(2) This Policy applies to staff and students of the University. This Policy does not include information relating to examination timetabling (Examinations Policy).

Section 4 - Roles and Responsibilities

Section 5 - Class Timetabling Development and Publication

(3) Effective and quality class timetabling is achieved through:

1. scheduling all teaching activities using the University’s corporate timetabling and class allocation systems;
2. publishing the timetable for the forthcoming academic period at a time, and in a manner, that provides students with the necessary information to plan and finalise enrolment;
3. providing reasonable choice of electives or optional units where permitted in a course structure, to ensure students complete the standard study program within the specified time;
4. keeping changes to the timetable after publication to a minimum;
5. scheduling teaching activities to make efficient and practical use of the University's teaching resources and facilities;
6. minimising need for students to travel between campuses; and
7. avoiding split lectures.

Draft Timetable

(4) A draft timetable is prepared for staff to review as follows:

1. Semester 1 and associated teaching periods – Week 12 of Semester 2; and
2. Semester 2 and associated teaching periods – Week 9 of Semester 1.

(5) The draft timetable enables faculties and schools to ensure that provision has been made for all teaching activities and to identify any clashes within standard programs.

Publication of University Class Timetable

(6) The University class timetable is published as follows:

1. semester 1 and associated teaching periods timetable - Week 16 of Semester 2;
2. semester 2 and associated teaching periods timetable - Week 13 of Semester 1; and
3. summer Program and associated teaching periods - Week 11 of preceding semester (Semester 2) (to correspond with the beginning of Summer Program enrolment).

(7) Official class timetables are published on the QUT Home Page and HiQ and are updated daily if changes are required.

Section 6 - Travel between Campuses

(8) Where students and staff are required to attend lectures in core units at more than one campus on the same day, a minimum travel time of one hour should be provided between Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove.

(9) Service provider schools and service recipient schools should liaise to ensure that the need for students to travel between campuses is minimised.

Section 7 - Equity Considerations

(10) Consistent with University Equal Opportunity and Diversity Policy and Disability Policy, and anti-discrimination legislation, reasonable adjustments may be made for staff and students with family responsibilities, religious obligations, or disabilities.

(11) Where possible, students and staff seeking such adjustments should provide information and requests in advance of the timetable being developed. Staff require prior approval from their Head of School or Manager before submitting such requests. Requests from:

1. students related to a disability, injury or health condition are made to the Disability Advisors;
2. staff related to a disability, injury or health condition are made to the relevant Unit Coordinator or Course Coordinator;
3. staff and students related to religious obligations are made to the Director, Equity office; and
4. staff and students related to family responsibilities are made to the relevant Unit Coordinator or Course Coordinator, or faculty/school responsible for timetabling the unit/s.

Section 8 - Resolving Timetabling Clashes

(12) In resolving timetable clashes, the following principles will be applied:

1. teaching activities have precedence over non-teaching activities;
2. lectures and main teaching activities take precedence over other activities;
3. larger classes have precedence over smaller classes;
4. first year units have precedence over later year units;
5. activities that occupy large blocks of time have precedence over those that occupy small blocks of time;
6. full-semester classes take precedence over other activities;
7. activities with more teaching weeks have precedence over activities with fewer teaching weeks;
8. the use of specialist teaching space must be used for its designated purpose;
9. activities requiring specialised teaching facilities (eg media equipped lecture theatres) in rooms so equipped have precedence over those requiring standard facilities; and
10. access for students with a disability, injury or health condition takes precedence over other considerations, unless this causes unjustifiable hardship.

Section 9 - Post-Publication Timetable Changes

(13) Changes to the published timetable must be kept to a minimum to avoid adverse impact on students.

(14) Changes may only be made for valid reasons such as:

1. unexpected staff turnover;
2. availability of sessional academic staff;
3. unexpected surge or decline in student numbers enrolled;
4. a location is a health or safety hazard;
5. a unit is no longer deemed viable; and
6. reasonable adjustments to accommodate staff or students for whom legislation or QUT policy provides special measures/adjustments and/or equity measures.

(15) Faculties/schools that provide service units are required to liaise with their partner faculty/school before making any timetable changes.

(16) Further information regarding Timetable Changes is available on the Digital Workplace (QUT staff access only).

Section 10 - Teaching Hours

(17) The University’s normal teaching times are from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am and 10pm on each campus. Classes may be scheduled at any time during these hours. Classes may be confined to a core period covering Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 9pm provided sufficient resources are available. 

(18) Classes should be spread evenly over the week. When necessary classes may also be made available on the weekends to meet the study needs of the particular student group. Classes should be in multiples of 30 minute blocks that commence on the hour or the half hour. To enable subsequent classes to commence on time, all teaching will cease 10 minutes prior to the scheduled end time and classes should vacate a teaching space 10 minutes prior to the end of the allotted time for that class.

Class Free Period

(19) Each campus maintains a class free period of at least one hour each week during a semester. Gardens Point Campus has an additional class free period between 1pm and 2pm on Friday. These periods are set aside for organised student activities. Formal class activities should not be scheduled during class free periods unless they are activities of a long duration that should not be interrupted, or resource constraints necessitate their allocation at these times.

Flexible Scheduling

(20) Classes in courses advertised as being available for part-time students should normally be scheduled so that there are sufficient classes at appropriate times for all students to complete the course at a normal progression rate, provided enrolment is viable.

Section 11 - Teaching Space and Room Allocation

(21) All teaching space must be incorporated into the timetabling system. Specialist teaching space is reserved for use by classes conducted by the specialist school. Arrangements by other schools to use specialised teaching space must be made with the school that controls this space.

(22) Room allocation conflicts will be resolved by negotiation between the parties concerned and, if required, mediated initially by the Manager, Timetabling.

(23) Rooms that are not already in use in any teaching period may be booked for ad hoc bookings.

(24) Timetabled activities take precedence over all other booking requirements. The policy on Booking of University Space Policy provides information on bookings for internal and external users. Catering in teaching spaces is not permitted without approval (Catering and Events Policy).