Policy Number: AUS-PA0103
Sponsor: Office of Academic Affairs
Effective Date: September 3, 2021
I. POLICY PURPOSE
This Policy provides the principles for The American University of Science ("AUS," "University," or "university") to apply a consistent, equitable, and transparent approach to the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to determine eligibility for admission to the University and/or Credit Transfer.
The University acknowledges that learning can occur outside the formal education system and that recognizing Formal, Informal, and Non-Formal learning supports an individual’s lifelong learning goals.
The overarching principle of this Policy is to preserve the integrity and distinctiveness of AUS Awards while facilitating an Applicant’s access to admission and Credit Transfer based on learning already undertaken.
Within this principle, the University also aims to:
Support mobility between institutions, and progression through levels of qualifications;
Support an individual’s lifelong learning goals by recognizing Prior Learning and experiences;
Ensure consistency and transparency in the offering of admission and granting of Credit Transfer; and
Establish a framework for credit transfer arrangements in formal Arbitration agreements between the university and other institutions.
II. POLICY APPLICABILITY
This Policy applies to all academic programs offered by AUS. This Policy governs all Articulation Agreements of the University.
III. POLICY STATEMENT
The granting of Advanced Standing for prior learning is an acknowledgment by the University that students have gained the knowledge, understanding, and skills equivalent to the stated learning outcomes of programs and courses of study offered by AUS.
The University accepts that learning takes place in a broad range of contexts - formal study, in the workplace, and from life experience. The granting of Advanced Standing for prior learning ensures that students commence study at a level that appropriately recognizes their previous learning experiences and is not required to repeat equivalent successful learning activities undertaken in another context.
The University wishes to ensure that students gain an award in the least time possible while adhering to the requirements for conferring that award.
Applicants to the University may request that their prior learning be assessed for Advanced Standing towards an undergraduate or postgraduate award. Advanced Standing will be granted after an applicant has demonstrated that they have achieved a thorough understanding of the theoretical underpinnings, skills, and experiential aspects of the program and unit of study for which they have requested Advanced Standing.
The University will undertake assessment procedures that ensure prior learning has been of a comparable standard to that which would allow a student to pass the units of study in a particular award.
This policy excludes research higher degrees.
Eligibility for Advanced Standing does not guarantee a place in the program.
A. Definitions
Advanced Standing: Recognition of achieving a portion of the required knowledge, skills, and understanding of units in an award program, expressed as an equivalent number of credit points towards that award.
Credit Transfer: Advanced Standing given for previous studies at a recognized university (including approved study undertaken through a study abroad or exchange program) and other approved educational institutions.
Exemptions with Advanced Standing - Specific units of study within an award acknowledged as having been attained by the applicant through prior learning. These exemptions may be granted with the allocated credit points for the exempted unit.
Exemptions without Advanced Standing - Exemption may be granted without Advanced Standing where the student has already achieved the maximum amount of Advanced Standing but can demonstrate that they fulfill the requirements of a particular unit of study.
Recognition of Prior Learning - General term used to describe the University's policy of acknowledging learning in other contexts that can be applied to the knowledge, skills, and understanding outcomes of study in award programs.
Other credentialed learning - Programs or courses are undertaken within the workplace, professional organizations, or other training contexts other than recognized universities and approved education providers. An educational establishment has already assessed such prior learning.
Un-credentialed learning and Skills recognition - Learning gained from working or life experience. Such prior learning may have been gained through work-based programs, self-tuition, non-accredited professional development programs, or University programs.
B. Principles
1. Specified and Unspecified Advanced Standing
The University may give specified Advanced Standing where prior learning is regarded as having satisfied both the objectives and the assessment requirements of the particular unit taught in the University.
This specified Advanced Standing will be granted as units and given the value of the equivalent credit points. Such prior learning will normally have been gained through previous studies, which an educational establishment has already assessed.
The University may give unspecified Advanced Standing where prior learning is regarded to be broadly consistent with the program's outcomes without it being directly equivalent to the learning activities and outcomes of specific units taught by the University.
The unspecified Advanced Standing will be granted as the equivalent credit points of those unspecified units. Such prior learning may have been gained through work-based experience, life experience, self-tuition, non-accredited professional development programs, or education provider programs.
Advanced Standing in a particular course means, in effect, that a student is exempted from some of the units otherwise required for the award.
Advanced Standing will be awarded for whole units only.
2. Maximum Advanced Standing
For more information, it is recommended to visit the program's official website.
3. Time Limits
The University may require an assessment of the currency of an applicant's knowledge in cases where Advanced Standing is being sought for studies completed ten years or more prior to application. The University will determine the method of assessment. Advanced Standing will not be granted in cases where currency is not proven.
4. Grades Issued to Advanced Standing Given
In general Advanced Standing will be allocated the following grades for administrative purposes - Specified (K) and Unspecified (L), followed by the “T” indicates a transferred course followed by the letter grade accepted by AUS. Non-award units, successfully completed at AUS, will be granted equivalent Advanced Standing for these units and the grades will be transferred when the student's enrolment in an award program is confirmed.
5. Appeals Against Decisions on Advanced Standing
An applicant for advanced standing who wishes to challenge the decision about their advanced standing must first consult the Director of the Program for the course in which he or she is studying to discuss the matter so that the Director of the Program can determine whether any variation to the decision is appropriate.
If, following consultation with the Director of the Program, the student remains dissatisfied with the decision and considers he or she has evidence that meets the grounds specified below to appeal, he or she may appeal, in writing, to the Chair of the School Academic Standards and Integrity Committee. (The relevant school is the school which offers the course in which the student is studying and to which the Director of Program for the course belongs).
The student must ensure that any appeal, together with supporting evidence, is received by the Chair within 15 working days of the date of the letter advising the decision regarding advanced standing. Late appeals will not be considered.
An appeal can only be made on one of the following grounds, which must be specified and addressed in the appeal letter:
that there is evidence that the decision with regard to the application for advanced standing was made as the result of a procedural error or was in breach of procedural fairness, or
that there is evidence that the decision regarding the award of advanced standing to the student does not appropriately recognize the student's previous study.
The Chair may determine that the student has stated no valid grounds for appeal and that the appeal will not be heard.
Otherwise, the Chair will convene a panel to hear the appeal in accordance with the provisions for the operation of the Senate Academic Standards and Integrity Committee.
The student will not have an automatic right to appear in person before a committee. Appeals should, therefore, include appropriate documentation (previous academic transcripts, work resume if relevant, etc.) to substantiate the student's grounds for appeal.
The Panel may, after seeking information from relevant organizational courses regarding reasons for the decision, determine to:
uphold the appeal and request the Director or Directors of the Program concerned to re-assess the student's application for advanced standing and advise the outcome to the student and the Panel; or
uphold the appeal and request the relevant Director or Directors of the School to have the student's application for advanced standing re-assessed by alternative assessors and have the outcome communicated to the student and the Panel; or
dismiss the appeal.
The determination of the Panel will be final, except that a student who considers:
that there is evidence that the Panel has not observed procedural fairness in considering the student's case; and/or
that evidence in support of the student's case, which was not available to the Panel, is now available may make a further appeal, in writing, to the Senate Academic
Standards and Integrity Committee on one, or both, of those grounds. The grounds for appeal must be specified in the student's appeal letter.
As Chair of the Senate Academic Standards and Integrity Committee, the Chair of Academic Senate, or the Deputy Chair of Academic Senate, as his or her nominee, may determine that the student has stated no valid grounds for appeal and that the appeal will not be heard.
Otherwise, the Chair, or Deputy Chair of Academic Senate, as nominee, will convene a meeting of the Committee to hear the further appeal per the provisions for the operation of the Committee.
Any member of the Committee who has previously been involved with assessing a particular case before the Committee must excuse themselves from the Committee for the duration of that case.
The Committee must contain at least one member of each gender.
A quorum of the Committee will be the Chair and two members, one of whom must be an academic staff member.
Following consideration of the further appeal, the Senate Academic Standards and Integrity Committee may make any determination available to a College Academic Standards and Integrity Committee panel under this Policy.
A determination by the Senate Academic Standards and Integrity Committee under the provisions of this Policy will be final.
The student will not usually have the right to be present when the Committee convenes. A fee for the lodgment of an appeal may apply.
This fee will be refunded in the case of a successful appeal. The student will be notified in writing of the outcome of the appeal within twenty working days of the appeal's lodgment date.
6. Relinquishing Advanced Standing
A student may request in writing that Advanced Standing that has been granted not be counted, to allow them to complete a course or courses at AUS.
C. Procedures
1. Applying for Recognition of Prior Learning
Applicants for Advanced Standing should refer to the Advanced Standing Information Sheet. The University may grant Advanced Standing on the basis of:
Previous study at an educational institution (Credit Transfer);
Previous studies at an approved tertiary institution or other establishment (Credentialed Learning); or
Work-related experience and/or life experience relevant to the course of study (Un-credentialed Learning).
2. Credit Transfer
Where Advanced Standing is being sought for study undertaken at an educational institution or an approved tertiary institution, the applicant must provide certified documentation (academic transcripts). Applicants will be notified if any additional documentation is required. Where Advanced Standing is being sought on the grounds of study undertaken at a recognized international institution, the applicant must provide official translations of academic transcripts where the language of the conferring institution is other than English. Applicants will be notified if any additional documentation is required.
3. Credentialed Learning
Where Advanced Standing is being sought on the grounds of study undertaken at an approved tertiary institution or other registered training provider, applicants must provide official certification confirming study completion and a course outline. Applicants will be notified if any additional documentation is required. Where an articulation agreement exists between the University and the institution where the applicant's study was undertaken, course outlines may not be required. Applicants will be notified if any additional documentation is required.
4. Un-credentialed Learning
Where Advanced Standing is being sought on the grounds of work-related and/or life experience, the University requires appropriate evidence that the relevant learning outcomes for the units and/or critical learning areas have been achieved. The applicant may be required to supply statements from employers, present a portfolio, attend an interview, or demonstrate, through an appropriate form of assessment, their competence. The Director of the Program will establish the evidentiary needs in consultation with the Unit Coordinator where applicable. The applicant is responsible for providing all documentation for assessment at the time of assessment in consultation with the Director of the Program (or Program Coordinator, where applicable). The University may require an assessment of the currency of an applicant's knowledge in cases where Advanced Standing is being sought for studies completed ten years or more before the application. The University will determine the method of assessment. Advanced Standing will not be granted in cases where currency is not proven.
5. When to apply for Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning
Irrespective of whether an applicant has applied for admission to the University, the application for Advanced Standing must be made in writing to the University through the Office of Academic Affairs.
6. For Credit Transfer and Credentialed Learning
All applications should be lodged no later than four weeks before the start of the teaching session. Applications after this date will be accepted at the discretion of the Program Director. The University will not grant Advanced Standing where an application has been made after the approved census date for a unit being studied in that teaching session.
If applying directly to the University for Admission: Applications for Advanced Standing must be made at the time of the application for admission. All applications should be lodged no later than four weeks before the start of a teaching session. Applications after this date will be accepted at the discretion of the Program Director. The University will not grant Advanced Standing where an application has been made after the approved census date for a unit being studied in that teaching session.
7. For Un-credentialed Learning
Applications for Advanced Standing based on Un-credentialed Learning should be made to the Admissions Unit in the same way as Credit Transfer and Credentialed Learning; however, the assessment of the application will be managed by the relevant Director of the Program. Applicants should be aware that the assessment process may take longer and that the applicant may be required to provide further evidence or undertake an appropriate assessment. Applicants will be contacted directly if further evidence is required. Applicants will be notified of the results of their application in writing. This will normally occur within five weeks of the application being received for applications based on Credit Transfer and Credentialed Learning but it may take longer for Advanced Standing based on Un-credentialed Learning. Any application not lodged with the Office of Academic Affairs by the times indicated above will be held over until the next teaching session.
The University does not charge an administrative fee for Advanced Standing applications.
8. Overseas Students: Procedures for applying for Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning
Applications for Advanced Standing should be lodged with the Team of Internatinal Admissions of the Office of Academic Affairs when applying for admission to the University. In general, applicants will be informed of the amount of Advanced Standing granted in their letter of offer for course admission. However, in some cases the assessment process may take longer than the period necessary to send the offer of admission. Also, the applicant may be required to provide further evidence or undertake an appropriate assessment. Applicants will be contacted directly if further evidence or other action is required.
