2
exemption from University modules for a maximum of five years. In subject areas where curriculum content
changes rapidly, a shorter time span may be specified in the academic unit’s credit transfer/RPL statement.
12.
If a student has been awarded credit transfer and/or RPL for a module that is listed as a pre-requisite for
another module, then the student will be recognised as having fulfilled the pre-requisite just as if he/she had
completed the module.
13.
Final responsibility for granting credit transfer or RPL lies with the relevant Degree Programme Director
(DPD), although decisions may be delegated to other members of staff, including programme selectors
and/or module leaders. The DPD is responsible for ensuring that the evaluation of prior learning adheres to
the University policies on assessment.
14.
Every academic unit must have a credit transfer and RPL statement available on its website and accessible to
current and prospective students. Statements must include information on how to apply for RPL or credit
transfer, how students’ information will be handled, the timescale for a decision, and a named contact.
Statements are subject to approval by FLTSEC. Individual School statements are available on the University
website a
t http://www.ncl.ac.uk/regulations/programme/learning-policies/15.
Boards of Studies must consider records of RPL and credit transfer applications (granted and not granted) on
an annual basis. Learning and Teaching Reviews will monitor the handling of RPL and credit transfer, and
credit transfer/RPL applications should be retained following the Return of Assessed Work policy.
External and Internal Credit Transfer
16.
Students may apply for external credit transfer, subject to the maximum number of credits below, if they
have earned credit at or validated by another UK higher education institution with degree-awarding powers.
Students applying for credit transfer must show evidence of credit that has been earned at the same FHEQ
level (or higher) as the modules identified in the application, and must demonstrate that the number of
credits earned was equal to or higher than the number of credits at Newcastle.
17.
An application for credit transfer is a request that the University apply academic judgement in determining
whether prior module content (for which a student has earned credit) can be mapped onto a module (or
modules) at the University. For this reason, a student’s application should include evidence of credit
received (a transcript or equivalent) plus a module outline or syllabus that provides evidence of learning
outcomes achieved. A student applying for credit transfer would not normally be expected to complete any
assessment in addition to submitting an application.
18.
Credit transfer is only possible where a student has earned the credits (i.e. passed the module or modules at
another institution in the UK). However, it may be possible to transfer module credits in instances where the
student did not pass the stage or programme to which the credits originally applied (i.e. if the student
originally passed only 40 credits from Stage 1 of a programme at another UK institution and wishes to
transfer those credits to a programme at Newcastle).
19.
Once an academic unit has decided that a student’s application for external credit transfer has been
successful (i.e. that prior credits earned at another University map onto University modules), the decision
will be recorded on the SAP Student File, confirming the credit value and the name of the original awarding
institution. No marks will be retained. If the credit transfer pertains to a module that would normally count
toward degree classification, then the Board must calculate the classification based on a weighted average
of the reduced number of modules.
20.
For undergraduates, credits awarded through credit transfer will be included on a student’s Higher
Education Achievement Record (HEAR); for postgraduates, credits can be included on a student’s transcript
by individual request.