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Preamble
(i) With reference to SM/03/29.2, the policy for the Accreditation of Prior Learning, which applies to both undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses, was approved by the Senate at its meeting on 12 March 2003.
(ii) At its meeting on 29 April 2003, the Ordinances and Regulations Committee agreed that the policy for the Accreditation of Prior Learning should be contained within a separate regulation, rather than be repeated across eight regulations for undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses. The Committee was of the opinion that any modifications to the policy for the Accreditation of Prior Learning could be undertaken more effectively if the policy were contained within a single regulation.
(iii) This Regulation on the Accreditation of Prior Learning applies to all courses of study which are governed by the following Regulations:
• Regulation 3: Modular First Degrees
• Regulation 3, Schedule 1 A: Degree of Bachelor in Combined Studies
• Regulation 4: Postgraduate Diplomas and Graduate Diplomas
• Regulation 18: Postgraduate Certificates and Graduate Certificates
• Regulation 34: Degree of Master of Business Administration
• Regulation 37: Degree of Doctor of Engineering (EngD)
• Regulation 38: Certificates and Diplomas of Higher Education
• Regulation 44: Mixed-Mode Study – Modular First Degrees
• Regulation 48: Higher Degree of Master (Taught)
(iv) A paragraph referring to this Regulation has been incorporated into each of these Regulations.
1. This Regulation is made in pursuance of Ordinance 1 and Ordinance 4. 2. Accreditation of Prior Learning
2.1 The Senate may grant
(i) admission to the start of or to subsequent stages of a course of study or (ii) exemption from individual modules within a course
to a student who submits such evidence of prior learning as the Senate considers acceptable for the purpose.
The criteria for admission and exemption based on accreditation of prior learning shall be as specified in the course structure for each course of study.
2.2 Accreditation of prior learning is a matter of academic judgement about the nature of an applicant’s prior achievement, not a mechanistic or automatic process of credit transfer. Such a judgement is at the discretion of the Senate. The Senate is not obliged to recognise all, or indeed any, of an applicant’s prior learning.
2.3 Two forms of prior learning may be accredited:
2.3.1 Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL): the recognition of prior learning which has been previously assessed and/or accredited by an appropriate awarding body as being equivalent to a particular level within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.
2.3.2 Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL): the process of assessing and then credit- rating learning which has its source in some experience which occurred prior to the point of entering the current course, but where that experience was not previously formally assessed and credit rated at a particular level within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.
3. Applications for Admission to a Course
3.1 An applicant whose prior certificated and/or experiential learning exceeds the stipulated entry qualifications may be admitted to an intermediate stage of a course.
3.2 An applicant who has prior certificated and/or experiential learning appropriate to a course but does not meet the stipulated entry qualifications may be admitted to the start of the course based on such prior learning.
3.3 Requests for admission based on accreditation of prior learning should be directed in the first instance to the appropriate Admissions Tutor within the School, who shall decide on whether the application should proceed. The Admissions Tutor may recommend a subject advisor to assist the applicant in preparing an application.
3.4 Applications for admission should be accompanied by appropriate documentation and supporting statements from the applicant and from at least one referee.
3.5 The School shall require the applicant to demonstrate that he or she has reached the appropriate level of achievement by one or more of the following means:
• presentation of evidence of prior certificated learning which may include a transcript, course structures and module descriptors
• presentation of evidence of prior experiential learning which may include a portfolio of evidence and completion of School’s APEL form
• satisfactory completion of an assessment set by the School.
3.6 Credit points awarded for previous stages of a course shall be recorded on the applicant’s record on registration as a student of the University.
4. Applications for Exemption from Modules
4.1 An applicant who has submitted an application for admission to a course of study based on prior learning may also apply for exemption from specific modules. Exemptions from modules shall normally be based only on prior certificated learning. Any module exemptions based on prior experiential learning shall be notified by the Director of Learning and Teaching in each School to the Undergraduate Studies Committee or the Postgraduate Studies Committee as appropriate at the end of each academic year.
4.2 Applications for exemption from modules should be directed in the first instance to the appropriate Admissions Tutor within the School who may then forward the application to one or more members of academic staff with expertise in the subject area.
4.3 An applicant must provide evidence of having achieved the specified learning outcomes of the module and of having successfully completed a similar module at another institution. Such evidence should include a transcript with assessment results and a module descriptor.
4.4 Applications for exemption should be accompanied by supporting statements from the applicant and, if required by the School, from at least one referee.
4.5 Credit points awarded for module exemptions shall be recorded on the applicant’s record on registration as a student of the University.
5.1 An application for accreditation of prior learning shall be assessed by the appropriate members of staff such as the Admissions Tutor, Course Director or Module Co-ordinator, in terms of its:
• authenticity - that the applicant has provided evidence of having completed what is claimed.
• directness - that the learning was specific, can be identified and categorised, and relates directly to the learning outcomes of the course or modules for which credit is being claimed.
• sufficiency - that the learning has reached a level to allow the applicant to fulfil the aims of the course.
• currency - that the learning is sufficiently recent to allow the applicant to fulfil the aims of the course. Where experience from more than five years prior to the claim is referred to in a substantial way, the applicant should provide evidence of having kept up to date with recent developments in the intended field of study.
5.2 Applicants who are applying for accreditation of prior learning must have demonstrably reached the standards required for the course. There must be a reasonable expectation that the applicant shall complete the course successfully and within the normal duration.
5.3 The process of accrediting prior learning must be appropriately documented. A record of the evaluation must be kept on the student’s file in the School and made available on request to the Progression Board or External Examiners.
6. Restrictions on Prior Learning
Restrictions on the application of accreditation of prior learning shall be as specified in the course structures. 6.1 The minimum criteria in terms of restrictions applicable to undergraduate courses are as follows:
6.1.1 At least 50% of the credits required for the stage at which a student enters a course must be completed at the University in order to qualify for the award associated with that stage.
6.1.2 The structure for each course of study shall specify the award criteria, along with the method of calculating the degree classification, to be applied in the case of students who are admitted, under the terms of this Regulation, to the final stage of a course.
6.2 The minimum criteria in terms of restrictions applicable to postgraduate and graduate courses are as follows:
6.2.1 At least 50% of the credits for each postgraduate award available within a course of study must be completed at the University in order to qualify for that award.
6.2.2 Notwithstanding paragraph 6.2.1, if a student is registered on the Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety and has already obtained, from a similar course at another institution, 72 of the 120 credits required for the award, he or she shall be permitted to complete the remaining 48 credits at Heriot-Watt University in order to qualify for the award. 6.3 Credits from an award already held by an applicant can contribute to a higher award, but cannot be
used towards another award of equivalent or lower level in the same discipline.
7. Fees for Processing Applications
7.1 No fee shall be levied by the School in processing applications for admission or exemption based solely on prior certificated learning.
7.2 The School may charge applicants a fee of up to £60 for processing claims for admission or exemption based on prior experiential learning or on a combination of prior certificated and experiential learning. Any such fees levied shall be retained by the School.
8. Approval Procedures
8.1 The appropriate Admissions Tutor within the School, or the Admissions Tutor in conjunction with the Course Director or Module Co-ordinator, shall determine the number and level of credits to be awarded through the accreditation of prior learning.
8.2 Undergraduate Courses
8.2.1 In the case of undergraduate courses, a recommendation for approval shall be made by the Admissions Tutor to the School’s Director of Learning and Teaching. The Admissions Tutor shall inform the applicant of the decision of the Director of Learning and Teaching.
8.3 Postgraduate Courses
8.3.1 In the case of postgraduate courses, a recommendation for approval shall be made by the School’s Director of Learning and Teaching to the Chair of the Postgraduate Studies Committee. The Director of Learning and Teaching shall inform the applicant of the decision of the Chair of the Postgraduate Studies Committee.
[In terms of paragraph 8.3.1, the Senate agreed that the Chair of the Postgraduate Studies Committee should transfer responsibility for approving APL applications to the Directors of Learning and Teaching when he or she was satisfied that the Schools were making appropriate judgements on such applications.]
8.4 If an application for admission to an intermediate stage is approved, credits for the earlier stages of the course shall be awarded.
8.5 If an application for exemption from specific modules is approved, credits shall be awarded for the exempted modules.
8.6 The Director of Learning and Teaching may require particular modules be undertaken instead of certain optional or elective modules so that the student has the pre-requisite knowledge and experience comparable to those who have progressed from earlier stages. Students shall be awarded credit for any such modules successfully completed.
8.7 The transcript of assessment results shall specify those stages and modules for which credits have been awarded through accreditation of prior learning.
Regulation approved: 18 June 2003 (SM/03/61.1);