Policy Number:  3.20.13
Contact Officer:  Director, Academic Administration
Date Approved by Senate:  18/9/2008
Date last Amended:  21/8/2007
Date for Next Review:  18/9/2011
Related Policies:  3.20.3, 3.70.3, 3.40.10, 3.40.11, 3.10.13

1 Overview

The University does not expect students to repeat learning that has been successfully completed at a similar level and standard elsewhere, where that work is substantially the same in content and standard as that required for the student’s current program of study at the University. Two types of prior learning may be recognized to enable students to gain credit towards a range of benefits in relation to their current programs of study:

• Previous formal studies – refers to consideration granted with respect to courses and/or programs completed at this or another higher education institution but may include studies undertaken at TAFE, Open Learning Australia or other accredited private learning organisations.
• Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) – refers to previous informal studies that involved learning that is less structured in nature and that can be demonstrated to be of equivalence to appropriate University of Queensland studies.

Credit for previous formal studies and recognised prior (informal) learning may be used to gain benefits in relation to:

1. Admission - Prior formal and informal learning can be used for the admission requirements to a program including satisfaction of prerequisites or prior study.
2. Credit Transfer – Where a number of units, up to a specified limit, may be granted towards a University of Queensland award, on the basis of either previous formal or informal learning.
3. Exemption - While no reduction in the total number of units required to satisfy program requirements is given for prior formal or informal learning, students do not have to complete some specified courses that may be core requirements in the program list.

2 Description

2.1 The Policy

The University supports the Universities Australia Policy Guidelines on Cross-Sector Qualification Linkages and its Provision of Education to International Students Code of Practice and Guidelines for Australian Universities.

Faculties, by virtue of their responsibility to manage degree programs –

• receive applications for  credit transfer or exemption, including applications for recognition of both formal studies and informal studies (RPL);
• assess and calculate applications in a timely manner; and
• notify students of the outcome of their applications in a timely manner.
  
  In so doing, faculties are responsible for the –
• maintenance and publication of guidelines that outline a uniformly flexible, consistent and equitable approach to the assessment of credit transfer and exemption;
• regular review of faculty guidelines with respect to consistency, equity and preservation of standards.

University policy and faculty guidelines and procedures on credit for previous studies and recognition of prior learning must be widely publicised for the information of prospective and continuing students.

2.2 Admission

The Admission Rules for undergraduate programs make adequate provision, through the application of standard Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) schedules, to use both formal studies and RPL to assess both entry ranks for applicants and to determine the satisfaction of prerequisites. Likewise, the Program Rules for many postgraduate coursework programs make provision for prior studies, experience and informal learning to be used as the basis for admission. 

2.3 Credit Transfer

 2.3.1 Where credit is transferred to a program, a number of units up to a specified limit, may be granted towards a University of Queensland award, on the basis of either previous formal or informal learning.

2.3.2 The type of credit transfer granted should depend on the program rules and structure of an individual program. The type/s of credit transfer granted for individual programs must be outlined in faculty guidelines and includes:

• Specified credit – which is granted when an exact or near exact equivalence to a UQ course can be demonstrated. Specified credit is more commonly granted in set programs and/or for compulsory courses.
• Unspecified credit – which is granted when an exact or near exact equivalence cannot be demonstrated. Unspecified credit is also granted for elective courses.
• Block credit – which is granted as a specific number of units and may be granted on the basis of studies judged to be comparable to part of a given program. Block credit, sometimes referred to as "articulation credit" is often granted where formal agreements exist (eg students who completed polytechnic diplomas may gain credit for the first year or two of a degree program).

2.3.3 Where ever possible, specified credit should be granted.

2.3.4 Block credit should only be granted in cases of formal articulation agreements.

2.3.5 On January 2004, the University ceased granting transfer credit for grades of 3 (or equivalent).

An allocation of “block credit” will normally be made (depending on the program) or, where course mapping is available, specified credit. Where performance-level assessment is available for the relevant TAFE courses, this can assist in allocating credit.

2.4 Exemption

The granting of an exemption on the basis of formal or informal learning does not reduce the number of units required to complete a student’s program but rather, allows prior formal or informal learning to be recognised as a substituted for a course or courses listed in the program requirements. An exemption from undertaking a course or courses may be granted when a student:

• is required to undertake a substantially similar course at a postgraduate level that had already been completed at the undergraduate level;
• completed a substantially similar course in another faculty or as part of a dual degree (note HUPP 3.20.7 –Duplication of Course Content);
• undertook similar studies as part of a sub-bachelor level program or as a Year 12 student and credit was not granted;
• is granted permission by the Executive Dean to undertake another course as a substitute under the provisions of General Award Rule 1.10.

2.5 Consideration of Recognised Prior Learning (RPL)

2.5.1 Principles Underpinning RPL

When considering the use of RPL for the granting of credit for the purposes of credit transfer, admission or exemption, faculties apply the following principles:

• granting credit for RPL will be considered only when proof of experience equivalent to a University of Queensland course can be demonstrated;
• total credit granted, including that granted for formal learning, must be consistent with General Award Rule 1.6 – Credit for other study;
• information about RPL should be readily available to prospective applicants and should include a clear statement of the learning or competency outcomes that will be applied in assessing RPL applications;
• assessment of RPL must be consistent and equitable for all students; and
• acceptable quality assurance principles must be applied to ensure that prior learning is of an appropriate standard to permit the granting of consideration with respect to admission, credit transfer or exemption.

2.5.2 Assessment of RPL

Assessment of RPL must fulfil the same criteria that are associated with assessment of learning outcomes in any conventional course: assessment must be valid, current, sufficient, reliable and authentic.

Assessment will be the responsibility of the faculty.   Assessment might rely on—

• a portfolio containing a range of supporting materials and evidence;
• work-based assessments;
• examinations;
• projects;
• interviews;
• demonstrations; or
• some combination of the above. 

2.6 Administrative Procedures

2.6.1 Decision Makers

The Executive Dean administering the program in which the student is enrolled makes decisions on:

• the granting of credit transfer/exemption for both formal and informal learning; and
• unless otherwise stipulated in the relevant Admission Rules, whether admission requirements have been satisfied on the basis of formal or informal learning.

2.6.2  Assessment of applications from students

Faculties assess applications from students, including prospective students for credit transfer and exemption. Faculty guidelines and procedures may include the delegation of credit assessment to their schools.

In the case of new international students, faculties may delegate responsibility to assess transfer credit to the International Admissions Section.

2.6.3 Lodgement of Applications

All applications for credit or exemption should be completed using the University's application form.
Applications should be submitted to the relevant faculty office. Incomplete applications may be rejected.

2.6.4 Supporting Documentation

University of Queensland students need not submit additional documentation if the prior formal learning for which they are seeking credit transfer or exemption is from a UQ program. Students who transfer to UQ from another institution or who request credit transfer or exemption based on RPL must also supply -

• up-to-date, official academic records/transcripts. Evidence should be in the form of original documents, or copies certified true by the issuing institution, a Justice of the Peace, or a Commissioner for Declarations; and
• a certified detailed description of the course or courses (extended syllabus with a week-by-week list of topics covered in each course, aims and objectives, contact hours, texts and references, and methods of assessment/grading criteria).for required supporting documentation for credit or exemption based on RPL, see Section 2.5.2 - Assessment of RPL above.

2.6.5 Submission of applications and notification of outcome

Applications for credit transfer or exemption should be submitted as soon as necessary documentation is complete, but no later than the enrolment closing date for new enrolments for the semester in which the award of credit transfer or exemption may affect the student’s program of study.

Faculties notify students of the outcome of their application as soon as practicable, but no later than four weeks after lodgement of a complete application. For this purpose, a notation is placed on a student’s Academic Record, which is accessible via mySI-net.

Students must be formally notified of the outcome of their application. Notification may be provided either electronically or via a formal letter from a faculty or the International Admissions Section.

2.7 Requirements for International Students

2.7.1 Applications for credit transfer or exemption should be submitted as soon as necessary documentation is complete, but no later than the enrolment closing date for new enrolments for the semester in which the award of credit may affect the student’s program of study.

2.7.2 Faculties will inform the Visa Officer, International Admissions Section of final decisions on credit for international students no later than the beginning of the second week of classes of the student's first semester of enrolment to enable the transmission of this data to DIAC (Department of Immigration and Citizenship) by the end of the second week of semester.

2.7.3 By the end of the second week of semester, the faculty will send a letter to international students informing them of their final credit status. This must be signed by the student and returned to the faculty, in order to comply with the regulations of the ESOS Act. This letter should be retained on the central student file.

2.7.4 Credit transfer granted after this time, which leads to a shortening of the student’s program, should be reported to the Visa Officer in the International Admissions Section for appropriate action.

2.8 University and Faculty Responsibilities

2.8.1 General

The University should –

• Maintain the Credit Transfer Database;
• Regularly audit credit transfer processes, precedents and decisions, involving both formal and informal prior learning.

Faculties should–

• establish procedures to ensure timely consideration of applications, including a maximum turnaround time for consideration of the application and notification to the applicant;
• receive and assess applications for credit transfer/exemption including those for RPL;
• while taking into account relevant program requirements and rules, grant credit transfer for work already undertaken of a comparable standard to enable the student to complete the program in a minimum time;
• wherever possible, grant in the form of specified credit;
• record the credit transfer or exemption on the student's official academic transcript;
• record precedents in the Credit Transfer Database to ensure a transparent, equitable and consistent treatment of all applications;
• keep adequate records of applications and decisions;
• advise UQ International of credit transfer granted to international students; and
• forward the original application for credit transfer (including credit for RPL) and exemption, including all supporting documentation to Records and Archives Management Services.

2.8.2 Articulation of Policies and Requirements

Faculties should:

• ensure that credit transfer guidelines and credit transfer precedents are regularly reviewed, transparent and readily accessible by students and staff;
• provide a clear statement of the learning or competency outcomes that will be applied to assessing RPL applications and of quality assurance procedures; and
• publish widely (preferably in “handbook” format and on the web) 
  • clearly articulated information on the type and extent of credit transfer that may be granted by the faculty for each of its programs/courses in accordance with University rules and policies (note that the table below can be used to assist faculties to ensure reliance on GAR 1.6);  

    Program requirements,#	limit of credit per GAR 1.6 #	limit of credit rounded down to nearest even #
    8	5.36	#4
    16	10.67	#10
    24	16.00	#16
    32	21.33	#20
    40	26.67	#26
    48	32.00	#32

    
     

  • restrictions and limitation on credit transfer (e.g. time limits; consideration of credit for informal prior learning)
  • information on the criteria used and matters taken into account when applications are being assessed
  • details of documentation required in support of applications for credit transfer or exemption
  • indication that eligibility for credit transfer or exemption does not guarantee a place in a program.

2.8.3 Monitoring of Decisions and Review of Policy

Faculties should -

• audit every three years, credit transfer precedents and decisions on credit transfer/exemption including that for RPL;
• review regularly, the validity and equity of faculty guidelines and criteria for the assessment of applications for credit transfer/exemption including that for RPL in light of approved University policy and, where appropriate, establish new criteria;
• record the progress of students who have been granted credit transfer, to help ensure equity and consistency in decision making; and
• maintain a credit transfer database including the -
  • name of the institution whose courses have been assessed for credit transfer
  • year in which the course was completed
  • year in which credit transfer was granted
  • name of the academic staff member who performed the assessment
  • the name and student number (if applicable) of the student
  • provide details of credit assessment to students, academic advisers, the International Admissions Section and to other institutions. In doing so, faculties must indicate that the assessments are indicative/advisory and that only a formal, individualised determination from the faculty will have any binding force
  • report regularly to the Academic Board, via the Committee for Academic Programs Policy, on the application of the University policy
     

2.9 Related Rules & Legislation

ESOS ACT

General Award Rules