MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY STUDENT AND ACADEMIC SERVICES. Centre for Academic Standards and Quality Enhancement

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1 MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY STUDENT AND ACADEMIC SERVICES Centre for Academic Standards and Quality Enhancement Policy for the Accreditation of Prior Learning Contents Section Subject Page No. 1. Introduction 2 2. Definitions 2 3. Context 3 4. Aims and Guiding Principles 4 5. Scope 7 6. The Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) 8 7. The Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) 9 8. Regulatory Matters Glossary of Terms 11 This policy should be read in conjunction with the Procedures for the Accreditation of Prior Learning i Version 1.0 Author Name & Job Title Approved Date 13 th November Approved by: 2013 Date for Review: 13th November 2018 Head of CASQE Academic Board Page 1 of 11

2 1. Introduction The purpose of this Policy is to articulate the arrangements for the management of the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) at MMU. This policy is guided by the Quality Assurance Agency s UK Quality Code for Higher Education Chapter B6: Assessment of students and the recognition of prior learning which sets out the following expectation: Higher education providers have in place equitable, valid and reliable processes of assessment, including for the recognition of prior learning, which enable every student to demonstrate the extent to which they have achieved the intended learning outcomes for the award. This policy should be read in conjunction with the Procedures for the Accreditation of Prior Learning ii 2. Definitions 2.1 Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is a way of recognising and valuing the knowledge and skills that people bring with them when they embark on a programme of study. MMU allows students who provide evidence of prior learning to be considered for exemptions for parts of their academic programme when they can demonstrate that their existing knowledge and skills meet some of the requirements of that programme. 2.2 Such prior learning may fall into one of the following categories: The Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) is a process whereby academic credit for learning has been previously assessed and/or accredited at HE level, through a formal course of study, and may be used towards the credit requirements of a MMU award. Evidence to support a claim for APCL will require a formal qualification or award or part of an award, with formal documentation such as a results transcript or formal certificate and/or evidence of assessment, as appropriate, from a University, College or Professional Body The Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) is the process by which an individual s prior learning, gained from experience rather than formally assessed study, may be assessed and formally recognised to provide academic credit towards a target award. Page 2 of 11

3 3. Context 3.1 Decisions about the type and amount of credit may be based on the applicants certificate(s) which demonstrate that learning has been assessed, or may take into account any learning from experience that is considered worthy of credit. The credit awarded through APL is of equal standing to that awarded to students following a more traditional route to an award. 3.2 The Accreditation of Prior Learning is not appropriate for every programme offered by MMU. Completion of an APL application form does not guarantee that exemption will be granted. 3.3 APL claims may emanate from different types of learning: formal, non-formal or informal. These can be summarised as follows: Formal learning takes place with the context of programmes delivered by learning and training providers; is assessed and credit-rated; and leads to recognised qualifications or certificates of credit; Non-formal learning takes place alongside the mainstream systems of education and training. It may be assessed but does not typically lead to certification, for example, learning and training activities undertaken in the workplace, voluntary sector or trade union and through community-based learning; Informal learning can be defined as experiential learning and takes place through life and work experience. It is often unintentional learning. The learner may not recognise at the time of the experience that it contributed to the development of their skills and knowledge. This recognition may only happen retrospectively through the APL process. Alternatively, an experience may take place as part of a planned experiential or work-based learning programme. 3.4 Whilst it is useful to differentiate between the different types of learning listed in paragraph 3.3, it is possible that an individual s learning experience will have a combination of formal, non-formal and informal aspects. Whatever type of prior learning and experience an individual has, it is the skills and knowledge gained from that learning, and the extent to which the knowledge and skills can be applied to the proposed programme of study; that is the important factor, not the learning experience itself. The process of giving recognition is based on a comparison of these existing skills and knowledge against the requirements of the relevant programme of study. Within this Page 3 of 11

4 context, the Accreditation of Prior Learning provides the opportunity for the recognition of all forms of learning 3.5 APL for credit can be undertaken by a wide range of individuals to assist them as a contribution towards their programme of study, including: Adults returning to education; Students wishing to improve their existing qualifications; Those wishing to retrain or change careers; Employees who have undertaken learning or training in the workplace; People who have gained a range of skills and knowledge elsewhere, for example through volunteering or activities within their community. 4. Aims and Guiding Principles 4.1 The aims of APL as embodied within this policy are to: widen access to University programmes; increase participation in University programmes; facilitate flexibility of progression routes and promote lifelong learning; recognise the value of prior experiential learning for the purpose of awarding credit; ensure consistency in the principles applied to the accreditation of prior learning. 4.2 The following guiding principles are fundamental to the achievement of awards that meet nationally recognised standards of achievement: MMU is responsible for the academic standards of all academic credit awarded in its name. Decisions regarding the accreditation of prior learning are a matter of academic judgement, informed by professional bodies and other stakeholders The entire APL process shall be transparent to all stakeholders and demonstrably rigorous and fair with all students being treated equitably The responsibility for making the accreditation claim/proposal rests with the student/applicant making the claim. Page 4 of 11

5 4.2.4 Applicants will be required to make an application for Accreditation of Prior Learning after first making a separate application for admission. Applicants who are unsure as to whether an APL claim is required are advised to contact the University for advice Wherever possible, all decisions on applications for APL will be made and communicated to the applicant prior to commencement of the unit/programme of study. If a decision has not been made on the validity of the application, the student must attend and submit any appropriate assessment for those elements of the programme for which APL is being sought, until the outcome of the application is communicated to them Accreditation will only be awarded against the MMU course for which an application for admission has been made and is not transferable Possession of prior learning does not confer right of entry to any programme of study Some awards may exclude the use of APL due to professional, statutory and/or regulatory body requirements or where an award is validated on the basis of requiring all students to study and be assessed for the full award, or where an award is validated on any other basis that does not permit, or restricts the use of APL All APL applications must be made in sufficient time in order to allow for full consideration of the claim by the relevant Assessment Board Applications will be subject to the relevant fee, in relation to the amount of credit claimed APL cannot be used to gain an MMU award in its entirety. At least 50% of the credit required for conferment of the target award must be studied as part of a designed and approved MMU programme of study. Exceptionally, where students apply for a Top-Up award (e.g. a Level 6 programme, having gained a Diploma of Higher Education elsewhere) they must undertake a minimum of 80 MMU credits in order to have an award conferred Exemptions cannot be given for supervised independent study including dissertation and/or projects stipulated in the MMU Page 5 of 11

6 Assessment Regulations for Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Programmes of Study iii (herein referred to as MMU Assessment Regulations ) as an APL exemption can only be given for the taught part of a programme MMU will only give credit on the basis of demonstrable learning and not on the basis of the experience itself. Learning must be evidenced and authenticated at the appropriate level Claims will be matched to the learning outcomes, level and credit value of a specific whole unit, multiple units or a whole level within a specific MMU target award. Claims cannot be made against part of a unit All claims for APL shall be considered with the same degree of rigour Accreditation will be subject to internal moderation and external scrutiny Where it is determined that there is not equivalency between the applicant s previous studies/experience and the MMU unit(s), credit will not be granted All staff associated with the accreditation of prior learning shall have their roles clearly and explicitly defined, and underpinned by appropriate staff induction/development Approved accreditation and exemption shall be recorded on the student s record/transcript/diploma Supplement/Higher Education Achievement Record Credits that are exempted by APL may be included in the calculation of the degree classification where the marks of the certificated learning are achieved in an accredited UK Higher Education Institution operating under the QAA Academic Infrastructure. Where specified marks are not available then the grade awarded will be the average of the remaining units studied at MMU Applicants may submit claims involving a combination of APCL and APEL, subject to the credit threshold detailed in Page 6 of 11

7 5. Scope 5.1 This policy is concerned with individual applications to MMU programmes of study. It provides MMU with a formal opportunity to consider applications and thereby to verify that students are sufficiently prepared to facilitate achievement at the highest FHEQ Level in the programme of study to which they progress. 5.2 Evidence submitted in support of an APCL/APEL claim meets the following criteria: Validity and relevance. The evidence must show that the prior learning for which the applicant is making a claim is relevant to the programme of study s/he has applied for at MMU. The applicant must be able to demonstrate that there is an appropriate match in both level and content between their previous studies or experience and the MMU units for which they are seeking exemption. Currency. Prior learning must have been gained recently enough to still be of value in achieving the Programme Learning Outcomes. The time limits on experiential learning will vary according to subject area but qualifications more than three years old will normally not be accepted. Sufficiency. The applicant must provide enough evidence to demonstrate fully the achievement of the credit being claimed. Authenticity. The evidence should be clearly related to the applicant s own efforts and able to be verified as such. Equivalency. MMU will only consider an applicant s previous studies or experience if they closely match the content of the MMU units from which the applicant is seeking exemption. In assessing a claim the University will wish to consider if the stated learning outcomes of the unit(s) from which the applicant is requesting exemption have been adequately met by his or her previous studies or through assessment of the experiential learning. Exempted unit(s) stated on the decision form will only be those offered within the current programme of study for which the applicant has applied and is seeking exemption. 5.3 Where applicants with a particular qualification are to be admitted regularly with a standard amount of prior credit, MMU Recruitment and Admission policies apply. As such this APL policy does not apply and Recruitment and Admission procedures apply in the following circumstances: Page 7 of 11

8 5.3.1 Where the applicant is requesting entry to a course on the basis of non-standard qualifications and/or experience (e.g. recognised professional training) Where the applicant is requesting Direct Entry from another UK Higher Education provider to level 5 or 6 (i.e. years 2 or 3 of a Full Time Undergraduate programme) of an Undergraduate programme at the point of application Where the student undertook but did not complete studies at MMU no more than three years ago and now wishes to restart the same programme of study Where the applicant is requesting entry to the Diploma or Masters programme with a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma already gained in a subject cognate. 5.4 Where MMU has an approved articulation arrangement through collaboration with another body (for example, an agreement to admit students who have successfully completed a course offered by that body, resulting in the attainment of a qualification not generally recognised in the UK HE sector) the APL policy will not apply. MMU has formal articulation arrangements approved through the Policy and Procedures for Entry to Programmes under Articulation Agreements. 6. The Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) 6.1 Applicants to MMU, or students already enrolled on MMU courses, may be able to use credit gained from formal study and assessment elsewhere, or from within the University, to count towards an MMU award or to transfer to a different University award. 6.2 To be considered for admission with advanced standing on the basis of prior certificated learning, the applicant must have undertaken acceptable units on another programme of study, under the auspices of a recognised educational institution, for which (s)he has received certificated academic credit in the form of an official Certificate, Transcript of Studies or some other acceptable documentary evidence. Where the certificated learning corresponds to that covered by the syllabus and learning outcomes of the programme applied for [ specific credit ], the applicant may be considered for admission with advanced standing and be exempted from any or all of the corresponding units/levels subject to the maximum specified in section Where the certificated learning does not correspond to a particular unit of study but reflects the Learning Outcomes of elements of the programme, an applicant Page 8 of 11

9 may be awarded [ general credit ] permitting exemption from units of the programme. 6.3 Applicants for APCL must determine the credit value and level of study of their previous qualification/s prior to making a claim (for example, 40 credits at Masters level). This information is required in order to complete the APL application form. These will be considered against the MMU Credit Framework and the APL Assessor will agree the value of credit to be awarded. Only previous studies taken at the same level as or higher than the MMU course for which the applicant is requesting partial exemption will be considered for APCL. For example, it is not possible to make an APCL claim for exemption from a MMU unit worth 30 credits at level 6 on the basis of a previously awarded 30 credits at Level 5. However, an applicant could make a claim for a Level 5 unit on the basis of a previously awarded 30 credits at level 6 or 30 credits at Level 7 (Masters), provided that there is a match in terms of unit content and it can be demonstrated that the learning outcomes of the MMU unit have been met. Applicants may make a claim for exemption from a MMU unit on the basis of previously accrued credit with a value greater than that unit. For example, an applicant could claim exemption from a MMU unit worth 30 credits on the basis of a previously completed unit worth 40 credits. However, they are not permitted to claim exemption from the same unit on the basis of a previously completed unit worth 15 credits because exemption from part of a unit is not permissible under APL regulations. Applicants who are unsure of the credit value and level of their prior qualification/s must contact the institution where their studies were completed for advice before making a claim. Further information about submitting a claim for APCL is available in the Procedures for the Accreditation of Prior Learning iv 7. Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) 7.1 Through the APEL process, MMU recognises that significant knowledge, skills and understanding can be developed in a range of contexts, as a result of learning opportunities found at work (paid and unpaid) and through a variety of individual activities and interests. It is the learning, and not experience alone, which is important. Page 9 of 11

10 7.2 Assessment of an APEL claim is based on documented evidence of the learning achieved. If learning cannot be identified and demonstrated and there is nothing to assess, a claim cannot be made. Where credit is awarded, this will be of the same value as credit gained within the University on a recognised programme of study, in accordance with the credit requirements of the University s Curriculum Frameworks, paying particular attention to the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications and the Higher education credit framework for England. Further information about submitting a claim for APEL is available in the Procedures for the Accreditation of Prior Learning v 8. Regulatory Matters 8.1 Where a student has received condoned marks and associated credit at another accredited UK Higher Education Institution, the MMU Assessment Regulations regarding condonement shall apply, i.e. up to 30 credits at Levels 3 and 4 (Undergraduate) and up to 30 credits at Level 7 (Postgraduate). 8.2 There is no limit to the amount of credit from prior certificated learning that a student may transfer from one MMU award to another, provided that they are proceeding towards a higher award, that the requirements of any PSRB are met and that the programme or unit learning outcomes are equivalent. Transfer between awards may be specified in Programme Specifications. Where no such validated transfer pathways exist, students may seek approval to transfer between awards and apply for the whole, or part of, the credit already achieved within the University to be accredited within the context of, and against the learning outcomes of, the new target award. In some cases this may involve the use of higher-level credit being substituted for lower level credit if, and where, appropriate. 8.3 The credit threshold (4.2.9) may be waived in the case of: a student who has entered an honours degree programme with the maximum credits from prior certificated learning, but later chooses, or is required, to exit at the ordinary degree stage of an honours programme (ie. exceptionally, 240 out of 300 credits may be awarded via APCL). Such students are recognised as having achieved sufficient level 6 learning outcomes commensurate with the amount of credit required for the award of an ordinary degree a student entering a one year honours top-up or conversion degree with the maximum of 240 credits from prior certificated Page 10 of 11

11 learning, but who later chooses, or is required, to exit at the ordinary degree stage of the honours top-up programme (i.e. exceptionally, an ordinary degree may be awarded after the student has successfully completed 60 level 6 credits). Such students are recognised as having achieved sufficient level 6 learning outcomes commensurate with the amount of credit required for the award of an ordinary degree 8.4 Where marks for APCL have been achieved at an accredited UK Higher Education Institution operating under the QAA Academic Infrastructure, those marks may be included in the calculation of the MMU degree classification. Marks achieved at a non-accredited HEI will not be included in the calculation for the classification of an MMU award. Where are no marks are available for APL, the award classification shall be calculated on the average of those marks for units studied at, and assessed by MMU. 9. Glossary of Terms 9.1 MMU s Glossary of Definitions vi provides full descriptions of many of the terms used in this policy. i ii iii iv v vi Page 11 of 11