Higher Education - Articulation Policy

1. Purpose

To provide a consistent approach to the management of higher education articulation agreements between CIT and other higher education providers.

2. Scope

CIT students seeking credit for Higher Education subjects or courses of study.

CIT staff managing articulation agreements between CIT and other higher education providers.

3. Principles

3.1  CIT is committed to ensuring that students' progression or completion is not affected where their prior learning has taken place outside CIT. This commitment enables CIT to satisfy its function of conducting an educational institution to provide excellence in study in the field of higher education (under the Canberra Institute of Technology Act 1987), as well as comply with the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021). CIT's commitment to enhancing students' lifelong learning and to maximising the credit that students can gain for learning already undertaken by eliminating unfair or unnecessary barriers for student access to qualifications also aligns with the AQF Qualifications Pathways Policy.

3.2  In some cases, CIT enters into overarching standing 'credit transfer arrangements' (also called 'articulation arrangements') with other providers under which a student who has successfully completed a specified course or subject with one provider will receive a prescribed amount of credit for the specified course or subject at the other provider. CIT's Higher Education RPL Policy does not deal with such overarching standing credit transfer arrangements.

3.3  Where a student is eligible for credit under a credit transfer arrangement, the student is not required to apply for credit for the subjects of the course of study that are covered by the agreement. No fee is payable to CIT for credit transfer under such arrangements with other providers.

3.4  Credit transfer agreements are

• negotiated by the Head of Department and the Director of the teaching College and
• approved by the Director of the teaching College and the Director, Education Services.

3.5  Each year, a report containing details of credit transfer arrangements entered into during the year is provided by the Director of the relevant teaching college to the Higher Education Committee.

3.6  Details of all credit transfer agreements between CIT and other higher education providers will be available on CIT website.

3.7  A credit transfer agreement can only provide for credit to be awarded for a qualification in the same or a related discipline.

3.8  An agreement may provide for (a) entry into a qualification and (b) credit available towards a qualification.

3.9  The credit transfer agreement between CIT and the other provider is applied consistently and fairly.

3.10  A student may appeal to the Director of the relevant teaching college against a decision on the award of credit if the decision is inconsistent with the credit transfer agreement.

3.11  Credit transfer arrangements will take priority over CIT's internal prerequisites or other specified requirements for entry into a program of study leading to a qualification or for the partial fulfillment of the requirements of a qualification.

3.12  In negotiating a credit transfer agreement, CIT will take into account:

1. any external accreditation requirements eg industry or professional accreditation requirements
2. whether the agreement takes into account the students' ability to meet the learning outcomes of the CIT qualification successfully
3. the comparability and equivalence of the learning outcomes, volume of learning, program of study (including content), learning and assessment approaches.

3.13  Generally, credit will be provided on the following basis (as shown in the table below):

• 50% credit for an Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree linked to a 3 year Bachelor Degree
• 37.5% credit for an Advanced Diploma or Associate Degree linked to a 4 year Bachelor Degree
• 33% credit for a Diploma linked to a 3 year Bachelor Degree
• 25% credit for a Diploma linked to a 4 year Bachelor Degree.

3.14  Greater credit may be provided based on additional negotiations between CIT and the other provider. However, the maximum level of credit that may be provided for under a credit transfer agreement is 66% of the relevant CIT higher education course.

3.15  Credit includes: Block credit- for example, credit for a VET qualification towards a year of the university degree
Specified Credit- for example, credit for a VET qualification including specific subjects matching particular subjects of the university degree
Unspecified Credit- for example, credit towards elective subjects of a university degree

4. Documentation

Canberra Institute of Technology Act 1987

Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021

Guidance Note: Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning (TEQSA)

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)

AQF Qualifications Pathways Policy

Related CIT policies

Higher Education Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy

5. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Definitions of Terms.

6. Policy Contact Officer

Director, Education Services.

Contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for further information.