Academic Standards and Quality

SECTION B: PROCEDUREgroup in a lecture

  1.  Applicants wishing to be awarded credit for AP(E)L will be advised in the first instance to discuss the matter with the Admissions Office, who will ensure that the applicant is given access to the Programme Specification, including the course structure and the rules of assessment and is informed of the University’s AP(E)L policy and procedure.
  2. The Admissions Office will verify that the application is in accordance with the policy in Section A. If it is not in accordance, the Admissions Office will inform the student of the discrepancy in writing. Otherwise, the application will be passed to the Admissions Selector for the course concerned who will act as the AP(E)L assessor, or to the appropriate AP(E)L Panel where these exist.
  3. The applicant will submit evidence of previous learning in the form of award certificate(s), transcript(s) or, in the case of experiential learning, a portfolio of evidence. This will be passed to the AP(E)L assessor / approval panel. The AP(E)L assessor / approval panel may request additional information, e.g. details of a course syllabus and/or the assessment methods.
  4. The AP(E)L assessor / approval panel carries out the following actions to determine whether the student is eligible for AP(E)L towards a University of Essex award, documenting each action on the attached pro forma. S/he will:
    1. Decide whether, in the case of APL, further evidence in a format specified by the admitting department is required, in addition to the student’s initial submission, and inform the student if such evidence is required
    2. Assess the evidence against the requirements and learning outcomes of the relevant degree course and the available constituent modules. S/he may consult with other members of academic staff as appropriate. Consideration should be given to:
      1. subject content and knowledge
      2. volume of learning
      3. level of learning
      4. evidence of achievement
      5. currency of the student’s knowledge in relation to the requirements of the course
      6. restrictions imposed by Professional or Statutory Bodies, if applicable.
    3.  Decide whether the student is required to present themselves for interview by the AP(E)L assessor or another appropriate member of staff, and make the necessary arrangements.student reading by a tree
  5. If the AP(E)L assessor / approval panel decide that the student’s application for AP(E)L is unsuccessful, this will be documented on the pro forma and a copy forwarded to the Admissions Office.
  6.  If the AP(E)L assessor / approval panel decide that the student’s application for AP(E)L can be accepted they will make a recommendation to the appropriate Faculty Dean (or in the case of partner institutions, the Dean of Academic Partnerships) that a specific amount of credit (eg. exemption from individual module(s) or exemption from a year of study) towards the relevant degree course should be awarded. The Dean will inform the AP(E)L assessor / approval panel of his/her decision. A copy of the pro forma will be forwarded to the Admissions Office.
  7. Deans may delegate authority to the Heads of Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions to approve a recommendation from an AP(E)L assessor / approval panel that a specific amount of credit should be awarded towards the relevant degree course.
  8. The Admissions Office will inform the student of the decision, in writing and will copy the letter to the Registry and the Systems Administration Office (or equivalent offices at partner institutions), the latter office to undertake appropriate actions on the student’s computerised record.

Approved Senate, July 2007 (updated August 2008 and January 2012)

 

 

Page last updated: 22 April 2013