This procedure supports Federation University Australia’s Application to Enrolment Guidelines. It mandates the processes the University will use to:
- Assess and grantcredit towards awardcourses on the basis of formal learning through credit transfer.
- Rescind credit previously granted.
Overview
This procedure applies to higher education students who seek to apply for credit in undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework) courses at Federation University. This procedure is for recognition of formal prior coursework learning. This procedure should be read in conjunction with the Program Credit Application for International Students Procedure for international student credit applications.
This procedure applies to credit arrangements made on the basis of:
- Formal credit agreements within Federation University
- Formal credit agreements between Federation University and other tertiary institutions
- Formal agreements between Federation University and industry partners; and
- Credit granted by Federation University in response to applications from individual students
This procedure does not apply to students seeking credit transfer for higher degrees by research (refer HDR Candidate Selection Policy); nor VET students (refer LT1300 VET Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer Assessment Policy). It does not apply to applications for shorter form credentials, or Workplace Recognition of Prior Learning relating to HE courses, (refer HE Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure). Recognition of prior learning in the workplace may be considered for entry requirements into some courses.
It does not apply to students for whom credit is automatically granted on entry to a course as approved in the course rules.
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AQF Pathways Policy Principles
- Pathways for credit will be available into and between qualifications.
- Credit pathways may be horizontal across qualifications with outcomes at the same AQFlevel as well as vertical between qualifications with outcomes at different AQF levels.
- Such pathways will be clearly publicised on Course Finder.
- Credit is available for units/subjects.
- Decisions regarding applications for credit will be fair, transparent and evidence-based.
- Credit can facilitate student progress, completion and mobility however, the granting of credit should not negatively impact the integrity of the award or reduce a student’s likelihood of success in the course.
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Credit Transfer and Admission
- The approval of credit does not guarantee admission to any Federation University course and students are encouraged to apply for credit at the time of application.
- Types of Credit
- In order to protect the integrity of awards and assessment, formal credit is only available for a unit/subject as a whole, not parts thereof.
- Credit may be given in the form of:
- Block credit– granted for whole stages or years of a course, such as semester, year or credit point equivalent.
- Specified credit– granted for a unit/subject deemed to be similar to that for which credit is sought.
- Unspecified credit – granted in the form of credit points where there is not an equivalent subject.
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Eligibility for credit
- A student is eligible for credit for learning that is:
- Relevant
- Equivalent (at least 80%) to current knowledge and/or practices; and
- Satisfies the current learning or competency outcomes of the unit/subject
- Credit is only available for learning that is deemed current by the credit assessor and will not be granted for study completed more than 10 years before the application for credit is submitted. A shorter time limit for availability of credit may be set by the School and approved by the Higher EducationCurriculum Committee (HECC) in disciplines where knowledge changes more rapidly and may also be shorter in post-graduate qualifications.
- Credit is only available towards unit/subjects that meet the requirements of the approved course structure.
- Credit is available towards a Federation University award regardless of the location at which the course is taught.
- When considering overseas qualifications, the awarding of credit must be guided by the Course Coordinator in the relevant School, who may consult with International Office credits for advice. Credit will be granted at the appropriate AQF level.
- Learning will be measured against the learning or skills outcomes of the unit/subjects for which the student has applied for credit
- Decisions regarding credit applications will be:
- Timely
- Evidence-based and transparent
- Fair and consistent
- Academically defensible
- Will take into account the student’s ability to successfully meet the learning outcomes of the qualification
- Credit will not be granted if it impinges upon the integrity of the award and requirements of the relevant discipline; and
- Students can only seek credit transfer for units/subjects they have successfully completed (credit transfer is not dependent on the grades achieved in the formal study). Credit will not be granted for:
- A failed unit/subject
- A conceded/School pass or equivalent
- Credit awarded towards a previous unit/subject on the basis of credit transfer
- Shorter form credentials applications
- Workplace recognition of prior learning (RPL)
- In the following circumstances students will be eligible for credit transfer on the basis of a unit for which credit has already been granted
- Course transfers (internal within Federation University and external from other institutions)
- Formal credit agreements
- Where a student discontinues a course without completing or graduating and instead enrols into another Federation University course that contains the same units/subjects with the same unit/subject codes as those for which the student has already received credit
- Where block credit is awarded on the basis of completed qualification as a whole
- Students apply for credit at the same time that they apply for admission to a course.
- Students have the right to apply for credit at any stage of their enrolment in a course. However credit applications should be submitted no later than two weeks prior to census date of the study period in which the student would otherwise enrol in the unit for which credit is sought. Submission of a credit application after this date will result in:
- the student incurring financial liability for subjects/units enrolled in for which credit is subsequently received and from which the student wishes to drop their subject/unit enrolment, noting that students are liable for all feesassociated with their unit enrolments after the relevant census date.
- impacting a student’s study plan/course duration, noting that students are unable to enrol in new subjects/units after Week 2. This may impact on study load and on academic progression, where there are pre-requisite and co-requisite progression requirements. This is particularly important for international students where maintenance of load and visa end date conditions apply.
- incurring a withdrawal grade if applied after census date. If a late withdrawal grade is awarded this may affect a student's GPA, eligibility for a Commonwealth Supported Place and HELP loan.
- The University may, in some instances, request additional information from the student to supplement that specified on the application form. Failure to supply this additional information within the timeframe requested in writing by the University may adversely impact the progress of the credit application, including, but not limited to, the application being considered to have been submitted later than two weeks prior to census date of the relevant study period and the consequences outlined in xii. may apply.
- Once a student is enrolled in a Federation University course, they must obtain prior approval in writing from the relevant Dean (or equivalent) to enrol in units/subjects offered by another institution in order to receive credit towards their Federation University course. In the absence of such approval, credit may be withheld.
- A student is eligible for credit for learning that is:
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Articulation agreements and credit agreements
- The University may enter into articulation agreements and credit agreements with other tertiary institutions and with industry partners. Articulation agreements may include agreements to provide students with entry into and/or credit towards a course. To this extent, articulation agreements are considered credit agreements and the provisions of this procedure governing credit agreements apply.
- A credit agreement may be made within Federation University. Such agreements are only valid if approved through the relevant Board/Committee and are valid for the period of the contract/agreement and then reviewed.
- A credit agreement must include terms establishing the following aspects of the agreement:
- The courses and units/subjects between which credit is available
- Definitions of student eligibility for credit pursuant to the agreement
- The amount of credit and the nature of credit available pursuant to the agreement
- A domestic credit agreement may be made between Federation University and another Australian tertiary institution that issues AQF qualifications. Such agreements are only valid if approved by the relevant Board/Committee.
- An international credit agreement may be made between Federation University and an overseas tertiary institution. Credit will be offered at the appropriate and equivalent AQF level (as determined by the FedUni endorsed assessor of overseas qualifications). Such agreements are only valid if approved by the relevant Board/Committee, and are in accordance with the articulation agreement with the institutional partner.
- When negotiating credit agreements with other organisations, the University will consider whether the following aspects of courses involved in the credit agreement are comparable and equivalent:
- The learning outcomes of the qualification
- The volume of learning
- The AQF level
- The course of study and the content of the course
- Learning and assessment approaches
- All credit agreements with other institutions are valid only for the duration of the contract / agreement and are then reviewed to ensure the ongoing alignment of curriculum/learning outcomes; or state the process whereby the institution will notify Federation University of changes to courses/units/subjects for which credit is to be available.
- Eligibility for credit towards a course on the basis of an articulation agreement does not guarantee entry into the course.
- Students entering a Federation University course on the basis of an articulation agreement may be required to complete prerequisite unit/subjects where their enrolment in the previous course has not included content equivalent to these prerequisite units/subjects.
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Register of Credit Agreements and Credit Granted
- The University will maintain an up-to-date public register of valid credit agreements. Information is added when new agreements are approved by the relevant Board/Committee and removed when they expire.
- The University will maintain a public register of credit granted, which is the credit precedence system. Information is entered and updated into the credit precedence system after each HECC meeting.
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Restrictions on Credit Transfer
- In order to preserve the integrity of the University’s awards, learning outcomes and graduateattributes, no student shall be exempted from passing assessments from more than two-thirds of the course, but must achieve a minimum number of credit points in their course through study in the course.
- These requirements do not apply where a Federation University student:
- Transfers internally to another Federation University course without completing or graduating from the original course.
- Is part of a cohort of students transferred into a new course through a course transfer.
- Is re-admitted to a course or closely related course following a lapsed enrolment.
- The University may deny credit towards the final units/subjects in a course where these units/subjects are considered to be the culmination of the course and are essential to the student’s achievements of the award capabilities or learning outcomes.
- Requests to rescind credit will not be accepted after the commencement of the last semester of enrolment. Requests for the rescission of credit should be identified as early as possible to allow time for review, approval and adjustments to study planning and should be received prior to the end of the first semester of enrolment. Rescission will only be approved for legitimate academic reasons such as, but not limited to, the following:
- The unit(s)/subject(s) are no longer required to meet course/accreditation requirements.
- The granting of credit will impact on the student’s ability to complete core course requirements.
- The student’s study plans have changed.
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Student Responsibilities
- Students are responsible for understanding the implications that the granting of credit will have on their visa and/or professional accreditation.
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Impact of credit upon grade point average
- A student’s grade point average (GPA) is calculated by results specific to the Federation University course enrolled in, and accordingly credits granted from other institutions and/or other Federation University courses, are not included in the GPA calculation.
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Appeal and Review
- A student may appeal a credit decision according to the process and grounds set out in the Student Appeal Procedure.
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Maintaining Quality of Credit Assessments and Agreements
- Credit assessments (including precedents), articulation, credit transfer and block credit transfer arrangements will be reported by School Boards to the HECC. Where a partner institution in a block credit transfer arrangement, or an award for which articulation, credit transfer or block credit is given, changes the curriculum substantially, the block credit transfer arrangement will be reviewed as soon as is practicable. At the latest, it will be reviewed within three months by at least one other academic within the discipline responsible for the unit or a cognate area. School Boards will annually review these arrangements and report any variations to HECC.
- Academic judgment is required for assessing credit. Credit assessments are reviewed and assessed by Course Coordinators to preserve the integrity of the courses and meet legislative requirements relating to learning outcomes.
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Oversight and Investigation
- Credit transfer matters requiring investigation relating to this suite of documents should be referred to the Chair, Academic Board.
- Federation UniversityAct 2010
- Federation University Statute 2021
- Part 5 - Division 1 - Academic Board
- Part 6 - StudentAdmission, Conduct and Exclusion
- Part 8 - Awards, Titles and Honorary Degrees
- Federation University Australia Academic Regulations
- Federation University Australia (Students) Regulations
- Australian Qualifications Framework AQF
- Tertiary Education Quality StandardsAgency (TEQSA) Threshold Standards 2021
A complete list of definitions relevant to this procedure is contained within the Application to Enrolment Guidelines
ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A | Understanding the implications of credit transfer | Student |
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B | Submitting Higher Education Credit Application Form | Student |
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ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Assessing Higher Education Credit Application Form |
Student Administration for domestic students International Admissions Officers (for international on-campus students) Global Professional School (for international partner students) |
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B. | Assessing credit applications where precedents do not exist | Course Coordinator (or nominee) for domestic and international students |
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C. | Approving and documenting new precedents | Course Coordinator (or nominee) |
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D | Recording credit transfer decisions |
Student Admissions (for domestic students International Admissions Officers (for international on-campus students) Global Professional School (for international partner students) |
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ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Notifying domestic students credit transfer decisions | Student Admissions or Global Professional School (for partner students) |
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B. | Notifying international students |
International Admissions Officers (for international on-campus students) Global Professional School (for international partner students) |
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ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A. | Appealing an unsuccessful credit transfer decision | Student |
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B. | Considering appeals | Academic Board |
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ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A | Applying for rescission of credit previously granted | Student |
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B | Assessing rescission request | Executive Dean or equivalent |
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C | Notifying student of rescission assessment |
Student Administration Global Professional School (for international partner students) |
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D | Recording a rescission | Student Administration Global Professional School (for international partner students) |
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ACTIVITY | RESPONSIBILITY | STEPS | |
A | Applying for cross-institutional credit | Student |
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Activity
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Responsibility | Steps | |
A | Initial business case proposal | Proponent |
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B | Assess initial business case proposal |
Director, Academic Operations Deputy Dean, GPS/GRS |
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C | Complete due diligence |
Manager, Global Professional Services (for agreements with offshore and partner providers) Senior Manager, Academic Courses (for domestic providers) |
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D | Complete credit mapping |
Discipline lead Course coordinator |
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E | Finalise and submit Articulation Agreement Proposal for endorsement | Institute/School |
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D | Endorse Articulation Agreement Proposal | Institute/School Board |
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E | Approve Articulation Agreement Proposal | Curriculum Committee |
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F | Finalise the articulation agreement contract with the provider |
Manager, Global Professional Services/ Senior Manager, Academic Courses DVC (G&E), DVCA |
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G | Enter credit mapping into relevant systems | Higher Education Enrolment and Progression |
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H | Publish the articulation agreement | Course Management and Completions |
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I | Apply credit to articulating students | Federation University |
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K | Review articulation agreements | Institute/School |
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- Academic Governance Policy
- Students and Support for Students Policy
- Application to Enrolment Guidelines
- Higher Education Enrolment Procedure
- Higher Education Guide
- Program Credit Application for International Students Procedure
- Pre-Enrolment Appeal Procedure
- Higher Education Application for Credit Transfer
- Higher Education Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure
Forms
- Application for Cross Institutional Study (Outbound) (PDF 225.7kb)
- Articulation Agreement Proposal Form (DOCX 185.6kb)
- Chief Learner Experience Officer, as Approval Authority, is responsible for monitoring the implementation, outcomes and scheduled review of this procedure.
- Director, Student Services and Registrar, as Document Owner, is responsible for maintaining the content of this procedure as delegated by the Approval Authority.
The Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Procedure will be communicated throughout the University community in the form of:
- An Announcement Notice via FedNews website and on the ‘Recently Approved Documents’ page of the ‘Policies, Procedures and Forms to alert the University-wide community of the approved Procedure.
The Higher Education Academic Credit Transfer Procedure will be implemented throughout the University via:
- Information Sessions; and/or
- Training Sessions
Title | Location | Responsible Officer | Minimum Retention Period |
Credit Application and Assessment | Student Administration or the University's approved records management system | Managers Student Administration/Global Professional School |
Destroy 7 years after course completion, withdrawal or deferment Dispose of hardcopy records as per disposal process in records management procedure |