Credit Transfer Procedures

Parent Policy

Credit Policy (including Recognition of Prior Learning)

This procedure applies to all coursework programs.  Credit to research programs is governed by the Monash Research Graduate School Committee regulations.

Information for applicants

1.      Credit information will be published on the faculty website and will include, as a minimum:

         1.1.        standard credit transfer arrangements and precedents for courses managed by the faculty (in the form of a table or a searchable database), and

        1.2.        credit application processes and documentation required, and

        1.3.        circumstances under which credit transfer may be granted for a near pass grade in previous Monash University units (if any), and

        1.4.        processes for appeal against credit decisions.

Responsibility

Dean (or nominee)
Faculty Manager
Student Service Officers

Credit Transfer

2. Credit transfer is not dependent on the mark or grade in the previous unit, or the average mark or grade in the previous course.

3. No distinction is made for assessment of credit transfer between previously completed qualifications and incomplete previous qualifications.

4. Where a block credit arrangement is not in place, credit for specific units will be granted if possible.

5. Credit will only be granted for whole Monash units.  Partial credit for Monash units will not be granted.

6. Subject to the recency requirements and limits on credit in the policy, the maximum credit will be granted, so that the cost of the course and length of study are minimised.

7. When deciding whether enrolled students should be permitted to study at another institution and receive credit towards their course, the managing faculty will not only consider equivalence of content and standard but whether there is significant educational advantage for the proposed program of study.  This rule applies to cross-institutional study, study abroad and exchange study. Credit will only be granted if prior faculty approval has been obtained; or if the student has not been granted the maximum credit permissible for the course.  Credit may not be granted if the student’s approved enrolment at the other institution is varied without authorisation.

Responsibility

Dean (or nominee)
Faculty Manager
Student Service Officers

Application Process

8. There is a single university credit application form.

9. Where credit has not been assessed prior to enrolment in the course, individual students must apply for credit for previous learning by the end of the first week of their first semester of study so that, if credit is granted, their commencing enrolment can be adjusted accordingly. Credit may still be assessed for late applications, but there is no guarantee that the course structure will permit it to be granted.

10. Enrolled students who wish to study at another institution and receive credit towards their course must seek approval in writing from the Monash managing faculty.  The faculty will write to the student prior to their enrolment at the other institution, advising whether they will receive credit for successful completion of that proposed enrolment. This rule applies to cross-institutional study, study abroad and exchange study.

Responsibility

Coursework credit applicants

Rights of Applicants

11. Credit is granted towards a specific course. Students transferring to a different course must indicate that they wish to be assessed for credit towards the new course, and may be required to re-apply for credit transfer on the basis of previous study. An exception to this rule will be made for credit transfer between articulated Monash pathway courses: in such cases, no credit application is necessary.

12. For credit to be granted, the applicant must authorise this. In compliance with the requirements of the Educational Services for Overseas Students Act, a more explicit authorisation is required of international students enrolled in courses offered from an Australian campus.

     12.1 International students enrolled in courses offered from an Australian campus are required to  authorise explicitly the credit that is granted to them, by returning a signed authorisation. (For more detail, see Credit Business Practices, 4.)

     12.2 Other students are considered to have authorised the credit granted to them if they have applied for credit, or the faculty has provided them with an assessment of the credit for which they are eligible, and the student proceeds to enrol. (For more detail, see Credit Business Practices, 4.)

13. There is no charge for credit assessment for a student or intending student in a course offered from an Australian campus.

14. Applicants may elect not to receive some or all of the credit they are entitled to. 

15. Applicants have the right to ask that credit be removed from their record of study if their study plans change (eg, a change of specialisation) so that the space within the degree is needed for further units.

16. Where credit has been granted students will (if the course structure permits) be sent a course map showing the requirements fulfilled by the credit and the requirements remaining to be fulfilled for course completion.

Responsibility

Coursework credit applicants

Documentation Requirements

17. Applicants for credit for study at another institution must include, with their application, an original transcript of results, relevant unit guide (which includes a detailed list of topics studied, contact hours, texts and references, and methods of assessment) and course structure.  If photocopies are provided, they need to be certified by an appropriate person, such as a Justice of the Peace, registered Medical Practitioner or Veterinary Surgeon, Pharmacist, or a Police Officer who has served for more than five continuous years.  Where this information is in a language other than English, the applicant must provide a translation by an accredited translator.

18. Institutions may make a formal request to the university to assess their course for possible credit transfer and/or block credit transfer towards specific Monash courses.  Such requests must be in the form of a letter which lists the full curriculum for the course(s) and units for which assessment is sought. 

• Requests from Australian education and training providers offering AQF qualifications will be assessed by the relevant faculty who will assess the institution’s qualification for equivalence of level and content of the curriculum.  The faculty will advise the institution of the outcome of the assessment.
• For overseas providers, the Admission Pathways Advisory Group will assess the institution’s qualifications for equivalence and the relevant faculty will assess the equivalence of content of the institution’s curriculum.  Where the original curriculum documentation is in a language other than English, a translation by an accredited translator must be provided.  The Admission Pathways Advisory Group, after consultation with the relevant faculty, will notify the enquiring institution in a timely manner.

19. Applicants for credit for previous study at Monash University or Monash College are not required to provide documentation with their application, as this information is available from the student management system and handbooks.

Responsibility

Coursework credit applicants

Limits on credit

20. Credit will not be granted for postgraduate or honours level units on the basis of previous undergraduate units, though a student may be granted an exemption for a postgraduate unit on this basis.

21. Credit will not be granted for the research component of an honours degree, coursework masters or postgraduate diploma.

22. Where a block credit transfer arrangement is in place, block credit transfer will only be awarded if the student has passed the prerequisites for core units in the next stage of the course.

Responsibility

Dean (or nominee)
Faculty Manager
Student Service Officers

Time Limits

23. Applications for credit transfer where there are current precedents will normally be assessed within ten working days. A longer period may be required, where full assessment is required, particularly at peak admission and enrolment times.

24. Applications for recognition of prior learning will normally be assessed within 20 working days. A longer period may be required at peak admission and enrolment times.

Responsibility

Dean (or nominee)
Faculty Manager
Student Service Officers

Notification

25. The faculty will notify current students of the outcome of their credit application by email where practicable. Prior to enrolment, applicants will be notified of the credit available to them in the offer letter, or by a separate notification. Notification of credit application outcomes will refer applicants to a central website for full information on credit and the application process.

26. Where credit is granted to international students after the enrolment, the faculty will email the student normally before the end of their second week of study in the course informing them of their final credit status. Such emails will be copied to International Admissions. The student must reply confirming acceptance of the credit.

Responsibility

Faculty Manager
Student Service Officers

Assessment

27. Assessment of credit is an academic responsibility. Standard assessments based on established precedents may be delegated in writing to faculty or school admissions staff, or International Admissions staff. Any new decisions, or assessments where credit has previously been given but the curricula of units or courses has changed, will be referred to nominated faculty academic staff.

28. Credit transfer will be granted for VCE enhancement or single units undertaken at Monash University, for the same units where course structure permits. VCE enhancement or single units successfully completed at other institutions may be considered for credit.

29. In checking whether previous study falls within the limit on recency of study for credit, staff should calculate from the date on which the results were released for that unit, to the date of the application for credit.

Responsibility

Dean (or nominee)
Faculty Manager
Student Service Officers

Appeals

30. Appeals against credit assessments may be made in accordance with the Student Complaints and Grievances policy. A formal appeal against a credit or RPL assessment should be made in the first instance to the Dean of the Faculty, or the Dean’s nominee.

Responsibility

Dean (or nominee)
Faculty Manager
Student Service Officers
Coursework credit applicants

Quality Assurance Review Cycle

31. Credit transfer arrangements and precedents will be reviewed by the faculty education committee every three years (or earlier if required by the faculty).

32. Block credit transfer arrangements will be reviewed every five years, and the review will be reported to the faculty board via the faculty education committee. Where the partner institution in a block credit transfer arrangement, or a national qualification for which block credit transfer is given, changes the curriculum substantially, the block credit transfer arrangement will be reviewed as soon as is practicable, and at latest within three months.

33. Faculties will report annually to the university Education Committee on credit awarded in their courses (including volumes, standard and block credit arrangements, maximum amounts awarded, exceptions to this policy and appeals).

Responsibility

Dean (or nominee)
Faculty Manager
Student Service Officers

Contact Person: Education Policy