Responsible officer: Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Designated officer: Director, Student Administration
Approving authority: Academic Board
Approval: 5 February 2008
Last amended: AB09/224, 20 November 2009
Effective starting date: 5 January 2009
Any policies replaced by this policy:
Policy number: O7
Related policies:

• Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs – Governing Policy
• Recognition of Prior Learning for Program Credit – Institutional Operating Policy

Due date for next review: 30 October 2013

Part A: Preliminary

1. Purpose of policy

This policy is intended to provide a broad framework, set of principles and minimal requirements for determining, granting and transferring credit for previous or concurrent formal studies undertaken by an intending or enrolled student of the University towards completion of a coursework award program of the University. It is policy subsidiary to the Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs – Governing Policy.

The policy is separate from, but complementary to, the Recognition of Prior Learning for Program Credit – Institutional Operating Policy.

2. Application of policy

This policy applies to all staff, decision-making bodies, students enrolled in, or proposing to enrol in, coursework award programs of the University, and agents and partners of the University. The policy does not apply to applicants or candidates for higher degrees by research.

3. Definitions

In this policy the following definitions apply:

“Articulated programs” means two or more award programs, often at different levels and sometimes from different institutions, that are connected, and that enable a student to progress from one program to the next or undertake both programs simultaneously, and that sometimes involve recognition of studies successfully completed in one of the programs towards completion of the other program
“Award program” means a set of studies or courses leading to the award of a qualification, eg a Bachelor of Education program
“Cross-sector” means across higher education and other post-secondary education levels
“Course” means a specific subject that is studied as a component of an award program “Coursework” means study that involves undertaking courses other than research components in higher degrees by research
“Linkage” means connection, eg linkage arrangements are connection arrangements between institutions at the higher education level and another level, e.g. vocational education and training level
“Nested articulation arrangements” means two or more award programs at different levels (eg Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Master degree) that are connected, that enable a student to progress from one program to the next and involve recognition of all the studies completed in a lower level program towards completion of a program at a higher level
“Unit value” means a numerical value associated with a course or program, eg in order to complete a program a student may need to acquire 96 units (complete eight courses that have a value of 12 units each or four courses that have a value of 24 points each).

Part B: Policy

4. The meaning of credit transfer

4.1 Credit transfer is a process that involves the assessment of previous or concurrent formal studies successfully completed by a student or an intending student wholly or partly towards gaining a qualification, at a post-secondary education level, in order to determine:

(a) whether those studies are equivalent to, or correspond with, the learning outcomes or standards required for award of a qualification from the University of the Sunshine Coast; and

(b) whether those studies may be counted (credited) towards completion of the program that leads to the award of that qualification.

4.2 When an assessment is made that successfully completed previous or concurrent formal studies are equivalent and may be credited towards completion of a program leading to a qualification at the University of the Sunshine Coast, those other studies may replace some courses in the program that leads to that qualification.

4.3 The amount and type of credit granted and transferred will vary depending on the assessment made, the type of credit granted and any limitations on transfer of credit to a particular program.

4.4 For the purposes of this policy, the cross-crediting of courses within a combined degree program offered by the University of the Sunshine Coast does not constitute credit transfer; rather, it is part of the approved structure for a combined degree program. However, if a student withdraws from a combined degree program and enrols in one program only then the student may make application for credit transfer to the new program of enrolment on the basis of studies completed successfully in the combined degree program.

5. Provision of credit transfer

5.1 The University will provide for transfer of credit for previous or concurrent formal studies successfully completed by an intending or enrolled student of the University in order that a student may gain credit for those studies towards completion of an award program within this University, where this is appropriate to the particular program.

6. Purpose of credit transfer

6.1 Credit transfer arrangements will be designed to:

(a) enable removal of duplication of learning and promote a continuum of learning;

(b) enable students to gain a qualification in minimal time provided that the quality, integrity and standing of that qualification is not diminished in the process;

(c) contribute to development of open, accessible, inclusive and integrated post-compulsory education systems;

(d) facilitate student mobility between institutions, sectors, states and nations; and

(e) reduce the University’s exposure to risk with respect to academic standards.

7. Context for credit transfer

7.1 Credit transfer will be provided by the University consistent with requirements and guidelines contained within the current versions of the:

• Australian Qualifications Framework Implementation Handbook
• National Principles and Operational Guidelines of Prior Learning (Australian Qualifications Framework)
• National Guidelines on Cross-Sectoral Qualification Linkages (Australian Qualifications Framework)
• Principles for the Provision of Education by Australian Universities (Universities Australia)
• Provision of Education to International Students, Code of Practice and Guidelines for Australian Universities (Universities Australia)
• Good Practice Principles for Credit Transfer and Articulation from VET to Higher Education, (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs)
• Principles for Good Practice Information Provision on Credit Transfer and Articulation from Vocational Training and Education to Higher Education (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs)
• National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students

and consistent with the assessment of any overseas qualification by the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) or as documented in current Country Education Profiles issued by Australian Education International or grades awarded under the European Credit Transfer System for completed courses.

8. Availability of credit transfer

8.1 Credit transfer will be available only where it is suitable and appropriate to a specific award program and only where the previous or concurrent formal studies for which credit may be granted are assessed as:

(a) having learning outcomes equivalent to, or corresponding with, those specified for a particular course or particular courses within the relevant award program, or

(b) having learning outcomes equivalent to, or corresponding with, outcomes at a particular level of study, eg the first year of study in the program, and being suitable alternatives to a set of courses available at that level, eg elective or optional courses, within the award program.

8.2 Credit transfer will not be available:

(a) towards completion of award programs that are subject to any external accreditation or professional registration or similar recognition requirements that prohibit transfer of credit; or

(b) for any previous formal studies that are assessed as having learning outcomes that could bring into question the quality, integrity and standing of the award program and qualification; and

(c) for a part of a course or parts of courses in a program – credit transfer will be granted and transferred only for whole courses or in unit values equal to those of a course or courses in a program.

8.3 Where previous formal studies are used as the means for meeting minimal entry requirements for an award program, credit for those same previous studies may not be transferred subsequently towards completion of the program except where:

(a) the previous studies were completed as part of a nested program within a suite of articulated programs, or

(b) the previous studies were undertaken at an Australian higher education or other post-secondary education institution, or overseas equivalent, and the studies have been assessed as having learning outcomes equivalent to, or corresponding with, those specified for a particular course or particular courses within the relevant award program.

8.4 Credit transfer may be available in conjunction with credit for Recognition of Prior Learning (refer to Recognition of Prior Learning for Program Credit – Institutional Operating Policy) and combinations of different types of credit transfer may be available to individual students or intending students.

8.5 The types of credit transfer available to students or intending students will be:

(a) specified credit for designated courses – the student is not required to complete one or more designated courses in the relevant program for the different qualification because other formal studies already completed by the student have been assessed as having equivalent or corresponding learning outcomes;

(b) unspecified credit – based on assessment of the equivalence or correspondence of formal studies already completed by the student, the student is not required to complete the total number of courses that usually need to be completed successfully in the program in order to gain the relevant qualification and is given credit for courses such as electives or options; however, the student is still required to complete specific courses within the number of courses remaining;

(c) block credit – based on assessment of the equivalence or correspondence of formal studies already completed by the student, the student is not required to complete the total number of courses that usually need to be completed successfully in the program in order to gain the relevant qualification and is granted credit for a block or set of courses, e.g. all introductory or first year level courses in the program; and

(d) exemption – based on assessment of the equivalence or correspondence of formal studies already completed by the student, the student is required to complete successfully the total number of courses required to gain the relevant qualification but may substitute alternative courses in place of some specific courses.

8.6 Credit transfer involving specified credit, unspecified credit and block credit will usually enable a student to complete a program in less time, whereas credit transfer involving exemptions only will not reduce the amount of time required to complete the program.

9. Maximum amounts of credit that may be transferred

9.1 The Academic Board will determine the maximum amount of credit that may be granted and transferred to each award program provided that:

(a) the maxima preclude any student from completing an award program solely on the basis of credit transfer or a combination of both credit for Recognition of Prior Learning and credit transfer;

(b) the maximum amount of credit that may be transferred in approved nested articulation arrangements for postgraduate programs is 100%

(c) the maximum amount of credit that may be transferred, outside of nested articulation arrangements, to a postgraduate coursework program is:

(i) 50% of the total unit value of a program that is accredited as being of less than two years full-time study;

(ii) 67% of the total unit value of a program that is accredited as being two years or more of full-time study;

(d) the maximum amount of credit that may be transferred in cross-sector (vocational education and training to higher education) linkage arrangements at undergraduate level is:

(i) 50% of the total unit value of a three-year Bachelor degree program for credit transfer from an Advanced Diploma program;

(ii) 37.5% of the total unit value of a four year Bachelor degree program for credit transfer from an Advanced Diploma program;

(iii) 34% of the total unit value of a three-year Bachelor degree program for credit transfer from a Diploma program;

(iv) 25% of the total unit value of a four-year Bachelor degree program for credit transfer from a Diploma program;

(v) 67% of the total unit value of a three-year Bachelor degree program for credit transfer from an Associate degree in a related field of study;

(vi) 50% of the total unit value of a four-year Bachelor degree program for credit transfer from an Associate degree in a related field of study;

(e) the maximum amount of credit and/or credit for Recognition of Prior Learning that may be transferred towards completion of a Bachelor degree will be determined by the requirement that a student must complete at least 96 units of study in the program from which they are intending to graduate.

(f) the maximum amount of credit and/or credit for Recognition of Prior Learning that may be transferred towards completion of a double degree will be determined by the requirement that a student must complete at least 96 units of study from each contributing degree.

(g) the maximum amount of credit and/or credit for Recognition of Prior Learning that may be transferred towards completion of an Associate Degree will be determined by the requirement that a student must complete at least 96 units of study in the program from which they are intending to graduate.

9.2 If, at the time this policy takes effect, the University has entered into a formal contractual agreement with another entity that provides for a grant of credit that would exceed any maxima specified in item 9.1 above, the arrangements in that contractual agreement will prevail until the conclusion of that agreement and any renewal or extension of the agreement must accord with the provisions in item 9.1.

10. Processes for credit transfer

10.1 The Academic Board will ensure and overview the development of procedures and guidelines, consistent with this policy, for determining, granting and transferring credit for previous or concurrent formal studies successfully completed by:

(a) an individual intending or enrolled student of the University to enable that individual student to gain credit towards completion of an award program within this University; and

(b) a cohort of intending or enrolled students where the University has an articulation, linkage, dual-program or dual-award agreement or arrangement with another education provider that enables a cohort of students to gain credit for studies completed with that other education provider towards completion of an award program within this University.

10.2 The procedures and guidelines developed for credit transfer will:

(a) be designed to achieve the purposes of credit transfer as specified in item 6 above;

(b) detail application processes for individuals seeking credit transfer, including in relation to documentary evidence required to assess the application;

(c) provide for an individual to lodge an application for credit transfer simultaneous with an application for entry to a program or at any time during a student’s enrolment in a program;

(d) enable timely and transparent assessment of individual applications for credit transfer;

(e) detail general processes and criteria to be used for evidence-based assessment of individual applications for credit transfer and for approving credit transfer arrangements as part of articulation, linkage or dual-program or dual-award arrangements;

(f) ensure that assessments and decisions concerning the grant of credit transfer to individual applicants are made by faculty staff with an understanding of the relevant discipline or field of study and who are familiar with the course or program to which the application or proposal for credit transfer relates;

(g) include advice that, usually, credit transfer should not be granted for formal studies completed by a student more than 10 years before a student makes an application for credit transfer in order to ensure the currency of knowledge and skills in light of the intended learning outcomes of University courses and programs;

(h) make clear the responsibilities of Deans, Program Leaders and Course-Co-ordinators with respect to various processes associated with credit transfer;

(i) incorporate processes for recording and managing records of credit transfer;

(j) incorporate processes for validating and monitoring credit transfer;

(k) include information on grievance and appeal processes in relation to decisions made on credit transfer;

(l) result in production of a statement issued to an applicant (or a student granted credit transfer under an articulation, linkage or dual-program or dual-award arrangement) that provides details of any grant of credit transfer and, in the case of an international student on a student visa, any associated adjustment of the duration of the student’s program;

(m) incorporate processes for provision of detailed information and advice on credit transfer for the University community, University partners and intending students; and

(n) include processes for evaluating the effectiveness of credit transfer in eliminating duplication of learning, promoting student success and contributing to the mobility of students across institutions, sectors, states and nations.

11. Responsibilities

11.1 The Academic Board is responsible for:

(a) ensuring and overviewing the development of procedures, guidelines and information for implementation of this policy;

(b) determining the maximum amount of credit that may be granted and transferred to each award program;

(c) validating and monitoring credit transfer; and

(d) evaluating the effectiveness of credit transfer.

11.2 The Learning and Teaching Management Committee is responsible for providing advice to the Academic Board on matters relating to credit transfer.

11.3 The Dean of each Faculty is responsible for:

(a) ensuring implementation of this policy and its associated procedures and guidelines within the relevant faculty; and

(b) making final decisions on the grant of credit transfer to individual applicants in relation to programs offered or administered by the faculty.

11.4 Each Program Leader is responsible for:

(a) authenticating evidence provided in applications for credit transfer;

(b) arranging timely assessment of credit transfer, consistent with this policy and its associated procedures and guidelines, by faculty staff with expertise in the relevant discipline or field of study and who are familiar with the course/s or program to which the application or proposal for credit transfer relates; and

(c) providing Deans with detail of assessments made on credit transfer for individual applicants.