1.1 Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is the process whereby students can be exempt from some parts of their chosen programme of academic study by recognition of their learning from previous experiences and achievements.
1.2 Some programmes have approved units/periods of study undertaken at another institution or in the workplace. Where this is a recognised part of an approved programme these guidelines do not apply.
1.3 Accredited Prior 'Certified' Learning (AP(C)L) is the achievement of learning that has been formally assessed and certificated from previous study with a higher education organisation.
1.4 Accredited Prior 'Experiential' Learning (AP(E)L) is the non-certified acquisition of relevant skills and knowledge, gained through relevant experience, which is capable of being evaluated.
1.5 For the purposes of these guidelines, ‘organisation’ refers to a higher education institution which can provide evidence of learning and outcomes.
1.6 The term ‘prior learning’ does not include the learning implicit in formal teaching, a work placement, group work or independent study designed as part of a programme of study alone. Recognition of such parallel learning would be expected to occur in the formal assessment practice of the programme.
2.1 It is the achievement of learning, or outcomes of the learning, and not just the experience of the activities that is being accredited. In all cases evidence must be presented to the University that such learning has taken place.
2.2 Evidence for acceptance of APL should demonstrate that the learner has a reasonable expectation of satisfactorily completing the programme for which they are applying.
2.3 A school might deem it necessary to require the learning derived from previous experience and/or prior certified study to be equivalent to the standard of learning that might otherwise have been achieved from study in the relevant programme at the University of Bristol. This may be more relevant to professional programmes where fitness to practice is pertinent.
2.4 As regards applications for AP(C)L, schools should consider the learning which has been accredited at the other institution and decide, in the best interests of the student, how this can be taken into account. It is at the discretion of the department/school to decide if: (a) the subject content, and therefore knowledge gained, is sufficiently similar for a student to be exempt from unit(s), and (b) if marks can be transferred.
If a student wishes to accredit the learning obtained from online learning, the school should consult the Academic Director for Technology Enhanced Learning.
2.5 Schools should ensure that the criteria by which they judge applications for APL are transparent and accessible.
2.6 Acceptance of prior learning for credit purposes is at the discretion of the school in consultation with the relevant Faculty Education Director.
2.7 Prior learning should not normally be accepted if five or more years have elapsed since it occurred unless the applicant can provide evidence that his/her learning has continued in a professional or similar context. In such cases the department/school may choose to set an assessment to test an applicant's current knowledge.
2.8 To complement the University’s credit framework (see section 3 of the Code) the following table shows maximum amounts of credit for each type of programme that can be counted as accredited prior learning. The amount of AP(E)L allowed is at the discretion of the School, though a recommended level is suggested.
The maximum amount of AP(C)L can be exceeded where a student is returning to undertake a ‘top-up’ qualification, provided that the lower award has been made by the University and is still relevant to the higher qualification.
|
Award type |
Number of credit points for award |
Total amount of AP(C)L allowed |
Recommended amount of AP(E)L allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Postgraduate Level Award |
|
|
|
|
Masters degree |
180 |
60 |
60 |
|
Postgraduate Diploma |
120 |
40 |
40 |
|
Postgraduate Certificate |
60 |
20 |
20 |
|
Undergraduate Level Award |
|
|
|
|
Graduate Diploma |
120 |
40 |
40 |
|
Graduate Certificate |
60 |
20 |
20 |
|
Integrated Masters degree |
480 |
240 |
240 |
|
Honours Degree |
360 |
240 |
120 |
|
Ordinary Degree |
300 |
180 |
120 |
|
Foundation Degree |
240 |
120 |
60 |
|
Undergraduate Diploma |
240 |
120 |
60 |
|
Undergraduate Certificate, Preliminary certificate, Pathway Certificate |
120 |
0 |
0 |
2.9 The conferring of one of the awards listed in the table and the accreditation of a volume of prior learning within this is complemented by the following:
a) Sufficient credit at the highest level of the award must be taken at the University of Bristol in order for the award to be conferred.
b) The final 120 credit points of the programme must be taken and satisfactorily completed at the University of Bristol unless there is a specific agreement to the contrary that has been approved by Senate, therefore it follows that the University will not normally accredit prior learning within the final year of its undergraduate bachelors and integrated master’s programmes.
c) Information on how APL contributes to the calculation of the final programme mark and/or the degree classification is provided in annex 22 of the University’s Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
3.1 Prior credit obtained from another institution can be recognised in one of two ways:
(a) Exemption from units, the marks of which do not contribute to the final award and need not be transferred (University of Bristol accepts the credit awarded by another institution);
(b) Exemption from units, the marks of which do contribute to the final award and are transferred (University of Bristol accepts the credit and marks awarded by another institution towards this award).
The requirement to transfer marks may be waived for students transferring into an undergraduate professional programme if there is still a significant proportion (e.g. 360 or more, out of 600 credit points) of the programme to complete.
3.2 Schools should consider each case and decide from which units the student can be exempt. The school should satisfy itself that the applicant has sufficient knowledge and ability to have a reasonable expectation of completing the programme successfully.
3.3 A school should have a mechanism for assessing and determining the prior experiential learning of each application, potentially by setting an appropriate method of assessment. If the assessment method from an existing unit is not appropriate, then a different method will be necessary and should include one or more of: the submission of a portfolio; essays; a written examination.
3.4 If a school is satisfied that the experiential learning is equivalent to the standard of unit(s) that the student is exempt from, then assessment may not be required.
3.5 For each unit assessed by means of AP(E)L: either (a) a percentage mark should be assigned where the unit is used for classification or progression purposes or (b) a pass/fail decision should be recorded where a percentage mark is not needed or appropriate.
4.1 A form which could be used for applications for AP(C)L is attached. It is at the discretion of schools as to whether they use this form.
4.2 All applications for APL should normally be made prior to the student's date of registration.
4.3 Applications for exemption from units must be initially submitted to the school who will consider them for approval in consultation with the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Studies.
4.4 All applications must include evidence of the prior learning, provided by the applicant.
4.5 The school must inform the Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Studies, as the representative of Faculty Board in such matters, and the Faculty Office, of any instances of APL that have been approved.
4.6 Appropriate reference to applications for APL will be included in departmental admissions statements.
4.7 Applications may be rejected at any stage. Appeals against judgements on applications for APL will be treated in the same way as appeals on admissions applications. See the University’s Admissions Principles and Processes: (undergraduate) or (taught postgraduate) for details.
4.8 The learning that has been accredited (see below) and the amount and level of University of Bristol credit from which exemption has been granted should be recorded on the student record system and clearly identified on a student's transcript.
For certified prior learning:
i. The awarding institution and year of award;
ii. The unit title(s), level of study, credit points, and the marks that are being acknowledged by the University (if marks are being transferred).
For experiential prior learning:
i. A statement on the transcript indicating that exemption has been given due to experiential prior learning.
4.9 Where a student is exempt from part of their programme of study at the University of Bristol the programme fee for the relevant year may be reduced pro rata to the amount of credit being studied.
4.10 Where a school is accrediting prior learning as part of a student's programme of study then a fee may be charged to cover administration costs, particularly if the school is assessing the prior learning.
Approved 28.07.08 by Education Committee (under vacation powers)
Minor amendments approved 04.08.10 by Education Committee (under vacation powers)