Demystifying Credit Transfers and Recognition of Prior Learning

 

As a student, you must have either gone through this process or may have heard about it. Let’s demystify the distinction between Credit Transfers and Recognition of Prior Learning process.

The Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) facilitates the progression of students through qualifications by giving credit for learning outcomes they already have achieved. Credit outcomes may allow for entry into a qualification and/or provide credit towards the qualification.

If you have prior work experience or have gone through formal or informal learning previously you may qualify to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning, an assessment-only pathway to an AQF qualification.

 

Credit Transfer vs RPL

Both Credit Transfers and Recognition of Prior Learning(RPL) processes lead to issuance of AQF qualification; however, they are fundamentally different to each other.

Course credit is an exemption from enrolment in a particular part of the course as a result of previous study, experience or recognition of a competency currently held; whereas, recognition of prior learning is an assessment process that involves assessment of an individual’s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) to determine the credit outcomes of an individual application for credit.

Course Credit is applicable if you already studied the unit or units from another course with any approved registered training provider. However, RPL involves issuing organisations undertaking an assessment of each individual who applies to determine the extent to which that individual’s previous learning is equivalent to the learning outcomes of the components of the destination qualification.

The learner applying for credits must provide a Statement of Attainment (SOA) or an Academic Transcript that shows the unit or units code to cross check these against the units in this qualification and grant a credit transfer. On the other hand, the learner must provide valid and authentic evidence of prior learning to apply for an RPL.

 

Credit Transfer process

This process involves:

1. mapping, comparing and evaluating the extent to which the learning outcome, discipline content and assessment requirements of the individual components of one qualification are equivalent to the learning outcomes, discipline content and assessment requirements of the individual components of another qualification, and
2. making a judgment about the credit to be assigned between the matched components of the two qualifications. The agreed credit outcomes may include any form of credit: block, specified or unspecified credit

 

 

 

Recognition of Prior Learning

A six-stage process:

 

1. identifying the evidence required
2. providing advice to students about the process
3. providing students with sufficient information to enable them to prepare their evidence to meet the standard required for the RPL assessment process
4. assessing using appropriate evidence-gathering methods and tools
5. recording the outcome, and
6. reporting to key internal and external stakeholders.

 

Things to remember

When applying for a Credit Transfer, remember that:

• Credit Transfer is exemption from enrolment in a particular part of the course as a result of previous study, experience or recognition of a competency currently held.
• Is applicable only if you have already studied the unit or units from another course
• Credit given may reduce the time required for a student to achieve the qualification.
• You must provide a statement of attainment or an academic transcript with your Credit Transfer application for assessment

 

 

 

 

When applying for Recognition of Prior Learning, remember that:

• Recognition of prior learning is an assessment only pathway that involves assessment of an individual’s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) to determine the credit outcomes.
• As with all assessment, RPL assessment should be undertaken by academic or teaching staff with expertise in the subject, content or skills area, as well as knowledge of and expertise in RPL assessment.
• RPL assessment should recognise learning regardless of how, when and where it was acquired, provided the learning is relevant to the learning outcomes in the qualification
• RPL evidence must be valid, authentic, current and sufficient and the RPL process must be fair, flexible reliable and valid.

 

 

References:

https://www.asqa.gov.au/standards/chapter-2/clause-3.5

https://www.transformed.com.au/FAQRetrieve.aspx?ID=52594

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L01182

https://www.aqf.edu.au/sites/aqf/files/credit-transfer-explanation.pdf

https://www.aqf.edu.au/sites/aqf/files/rpl-explanation.pdf

https://internationaleducation.gov.au/Regulatory-Information/Documents/National%20Code%202018%20Factsheets/Standard%202.pdf

 

Careers In Care Academy is an online upskilling platform that offers industry recommended professional development programs for Vocational Education and Training (VET) professionals as well as students.

Recommended training program: Understanding Credit Transfers and RPL