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Advanced Standing Procedures

This is not a current document. It has been repealed and is no longer in force.

Section 1 - Procedures

Maximum Advanced Standing and Minimum UNE Enrolment Tables

(1) Individual course rules may include additional limits on advanced standing.

Undergraduate Courses

UNE course Total Course Credit Points Total Number of 6cp Units in Course Minimum Credit Points that must be completed with UNE Maximum Credit Points for which advanced standing may be granted Total Number of 6cp Units for which advanced standing may be granted
1 Year Diploma 48 8 24 24 4
1.5 Year Advanced Diploma 72 12 36 36 6
3 Year Bachelor Degree 144 24 48* 96 16
4 Year Bachelor Degree 192 32 66* 126 21
4 Year Combined Bachelor Degree* 192 32 72 120 21
5 Year double Bachelor Degree** 240 40 84 156 26

(2) * Students must complete at least 36 credit points in UNE units at 200/300/400 level or above

(3) ** The maximum advanced standing is 67% for each constituent course

Postgraduate Coursework Courses

UNE Course Total Course Credit Points Total Number of 6cp Units in Course Minimum Credit Points that must be completed with UNE Maximum Credit Points for which advanced standing may be granted Total Number of 6cp Unit for which advanced standing may be granted
05 Year Postgraduate Certificate 24 4 12 12 2
1 Year Postgraduate Coursework Courses 48 8 24 24 4
1.5 Years Postgraduate Coursework Courses 72 12 36 36 6
2 Year Postgraduate Coursework Courses 96 16 48 48 8

Application Procedures

(4) Applications must be made in accordance as prescribed on the UNE website. The UNE website information on advanced standing will include the Advanced Standing Policy and these Procedures.

(5) Applications for individual advanced standing assessment will be accepted only from students who have applied for admission or have been admitted to UNE for the next teaching period. Speculative applications will not be processed although guidance may be offered on general principles. School or Disciplines may at their discretion offer non-binding guidance to speculative enquirers on course planning based on potential advanced standing.

(6) Applicants must make an advanced standing self-assessment by completing a course plan for their proposed UNE course showing how their prior learning relates to units required for the proposed course. This allows an applicant and the University to identify if the application is for specific UNE units or for unspecified or block credit.

(7) The applicant may submit a self-assessment for up to two UNE courses in one assessment round. If the applicant elects more courses, he/she will be asked to advise their first and second preference. Other preferences will be held over (if desired) for a later assessment round.

Formal Learning

(8) Applications based upon documented study at a university, TAFE*, registered training provider* (or their equivalents*) must include supporting evidence that is statement of academic record, unit outlines (for units identified on the student's course plan only). Incomplete applications will not be processed and may be returned to the applicant if the additional supporting evidence is not submitted within the designated time.

(9) No advanced standing will be granted for studies completed at the AQF Certificate I, II and III levels. Advanced standing for studies completed at Certificate IV level may be granted where the assessed learning outcomes are judged to be acceptable to the UNE course.

Non-Formal Learning

(10) Applications based on Non-Formal Learning must be accompanied by a brief statement outlining the non-formal learning concerned.

(11) The acceptability of Non-Formal Learning applications are decided by the Course Coordinator who, with appropriate discipline colleagues, will decide the nature, type and amount of supporting evidence required.

(12) The Course Coordinator will assess the application and will inform the applicant whether he/she may proceed with a detailed application.

(13) If the applicant is informed to proceed the Course Coordinator will advise supporting evidence (including details of the learning and any portfolio of evidence) required by the Course Coordinator.

(14) Incomplete applications will not be processed and will be returned to the applicant.

(15) Unsuccessful applications for non-formal learning may be referred under the Appeals Procedures.

Application and Processing Timelines

(16) The UNE website gives specific timelines to allow adequate time for applications to be processed and for post-credit enrolment to be decided. Late applications may be given a lower priority or held over for completion for the next enrolment cycle. Late applications and any hold over date shall be notified to the applicant.

Evidence

(17) UNE will accept copies (but not copies of copies) of original documents that have been sighted and signed by an approved person. Acceptable approved persons include:

  1. officials of an Australian university, TAFE or registered training provider;
  2. lawyers or court officials;
  3. community members with professional standing such as minister of religion, doctor, accountant, pharmacist, teacher;
  4. Justice of the Peace;
  5. police officers (must be sworn officers);
  6. an embassy, consular or high commission official;

(18) Alternatively, an accompanying Statutory Declaration stating the validity and originality of the evidence may be accepted.

(19) The attention of applicants is drawn to the UNE Student Behavioural Misconduct Rules and state and Commonwealth laws for fraudulent documents or statements.

Language

(20) All documents submitted must be either in the English language or be accompanied by official translations provided by the applicant at their own cost.

Assessment Procedures

Formal Learning

(21) All documents received by the Student Success at UNE shall be scanned into the appropriate electronic file repository.

(22) All or some of the documents may be held in archive by UNE if required for legal purposes.

(23) The applicant's proposed course plan will be assessed against the course rules; precedents held; elective or specified units sought to determine if a detailed unit assessment is required.

(24) If no precedent is available, and the proposed course plan (containing proposed advanced standing) warrants further investigation, the application will be forwarded to the appropriate school/course coordinator for further assessment.

(25) The assessment shall determine:

  1. equivalency to specific UNE unit(s); and/or
  2. approximate equivalency to UNE units by level and/or discipline (eg: 6cp at 200-level in Physics; 18cp in Law) and/or unspecified (eg: 24cp unspecified at 200 level); and/or
  3. whether unspecified units should substitute for specified units sought in proposed course
  4. no specified advanced standing recommended.

(26) In the event of recommendations under Paragraph 25 b-c, the Student Success may refer the recommendation to the relevant Course Coordinator for advice on a course enrolment plan.

(27) All advanced standing assessment recommendations will be recorded in the appropriate precedent database.

(28) All designated or recommended course enrolment plans following the grant of advanced standing will be entered into the UNE Records Management System for the guidance of students and staff.

(29) On completion of the assessment and of any course enrolment plan, the applicant shall be informed of the outcome.

(30) All unsuccessful applications for specified advanced standing will be recorded in the precedent database.

(31) All unsuccessful applicants will be advised of their right of appeal.

(32) All successful applications for international students will be notified directly and immediately to the Manager, International Admissions and Operations.

Applications arising from Advanced Standing and Articulation Agreements

(33) Applications must be made directly to UNE or through the partner as required by the Agreement. On arrival at UNE all documents will be scanned into the appropriate electronic file repository.

(34) After recording its details, the application will be validated against the terms of the agreement and the applicant notified of the outcome.

(35) All successful applications for international students shall be notified directly and immediately to the Manager, International Admissions and Operations.

Individual Non-formal Learning

(36) Applications for non-formal learning arising from life or work experience should be made in outline and then forwarded to the appropriate Course Coordinator to determine if the outcomes of a UNE unit can be realistically achieved through work or life experiences. This is to ensure that applicants are not set an onerous evidence collation exercise unnecessarily.

(37) Where advanced standing can be sought on the grounds of work-related and/or life experience, the University will require appropriate evidence that the relevant learning outcomes for the units and/or key learning areas have been achieved; or completion of a challenge examination by the applicant. The applicant will be liable for costs associated with arrangements for the Challenge Examination.

(38) The evidence required shall be determined by the appropriate Head of School of the cognate discipline. The applicant may be required to supply statements from employers, present a portfolio, attend an interview or demonstrate through an appropriate form of assessment, his/her competence by means of a challenge examination. Where required, challenge examinations shall be arranged by negotiation between the School and the applicant.

(39) The assessment may require that, as well as prior knowledge, competency is current. This may particularly apply to courses that use Competency-Based Learning and Assessment.

(40) The applicant will be given by the School a timeline for the submission of the appropriate evidence and for its outcome.

(41) On completion of the assessment/Challenge Examination, the Head of School's recommendations shall be forwarded to Student Success for notification to the student and the Course Coordinator. If any course enrolment plan advice is required, this shall be forwarded to the student as soon as practicable.

(42) All successful applications for international students shall be notified directly and immediately to the Manager International Recruitment & Admissions.

(43) All unsuccessful applicants shall be advised of their right of appeal.

CONDITIONAL ENROLMENT

(44) At the discretion of the Course Coordinator, an applicant may be enrolled into units on the assumption that equivalency to UNE units will be proven.

(45) Applicants who have been granted unit enrolment under clause 44 will be advised that the enrolment is subject to automatic cancellation and is at the applicant's risk if he/she continues in enrolment whether or not assessment has been completed.

(46) Conditional enrolments will be monitored by Student Success and should not be allowed to proceed beyond the start of formal teaching in case the application is unsuccessful.

(47) Conditional enrolment is reserved for exceptional cases.

ADVANCED STANDING AGREEMENTS

(48) Draft agreements should be provided to the Director Student Success, before their submission to the Curriculum Committee, for a check against statutory or other requirements including the ability of students to sustain a full-time study load in the course enrolment plan.

(49) Agreements that do not meet statutory requirements such as the Educational Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, or Centrelink requirements for benefits, will be advised to the Director UNE Marketingand the Director UNE International to ensure appropriate caveats are displayed in the marketing material.

AUSTRALIAN QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

AQF Qualifications by Sector of Accreditation

Schools Sector Accreditation Vocational Education & Training Sector Accreditation Higher Education Sector Accreditation
    Doctoral Degree
    Masters Degree
  Vocational Graduate Diploma Graduate Diploma
  Vocational Graduate Certificate Graduate Certificate
    Bachelor Degree
  Advanced Diploma Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma
  Diploma Diploma
Senior Secondary Certificate of Education Certificate IV  
  Certificate III  
  Certificate II  
  Certificate I  

APPEALS

(50) An appeal must be lodged with the Student Success within ten working days of the date of notification of the advanced standing decision. The appeal must set out the grounds for the appeal. The Head of School of the School responsible for the course towards which advanced standing is sought will convene an Appeals Panel to assess the appeal.

(51) The Appeals Panel will comprise:

  1. the Head of School as specified in 50;
  2. the appropriate Unit Coordinator; and
  3. a member of academic staff from the disciplinary area, if required.

(52) Where the Unit Coordinator is also the Course Coordinator, the relevant Head of School will nominate another member of academic staff in the discipline to the Appeals Panel.

(53) The Appeals Panel may consult the relevant course coordinator in relation to an appeal but the Course Coordinator will not be a member of the Appeals Panel.

(54) The appellant will not have the right to be present when the Appeals Panel convenes.

(55) A fee (which will be set annually by the Director Student Success) for lodging an appeal may apply. This fee will be refunded in the case of a successful appeal.

(56) The appellant will be notified of the outcome of the appeal by the Head of School concerned within ten working days of the date of lodgement of the appeal. The decision of the Appeal Panel is final.

(57) The right of appellants to raise matters of maladministration with the NSW Ombudsman is unaffected by the above provisions.