This document provides an introduction and overview of credit-based modular systems. It begins by explaining that credit establishes value and equivalence in learning, allowing learning to be quantified and compared across frameworks that use the same measurement criteria. It discusses the importance of common principles for credit systems and outlines some key benefits, such as flexibility and transparency. The document also clarifies several common terms and concepts related to credit systems, such as modules, levels, credit rating, and qualifications frameworks. It emphasizes that while frameworks may differ, they can still work in parallel as long as a common credit metric is used, as is the case with the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) in

1. A Guide to Understanding
and Using Credit
Mick Betts for Linking London

2. Linking London is a membership organisation
of universities, colleges, professional and
awarding bodies in Central, East and North
London which aims to improve the progression
of learners into and through Higher Education.
www.linkinglondon.ac.uk
CONTENTS
01 Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
03 Section 1. Introduction – context and
background
05 Section 2. Understanding credit and credit
based modular systems (CBMS)
07 Section 3. Credit and qualifications
frameworks
13 Section 4. Features, advantages and benefits
of credit based systems – with special
interest in working across frameworks
14 Section 5. APL, APEL, RPL and Accreditation
17 Section 6. Suggestions for consolidation
and further development
19 Section 7. Glossary
23 APPENDICES

3. 0201
Q
Q1 What is credit?
Q2 Do credit systems have any common
principles?
Q3 What are the key features of credit
systems?
Q4 How do modules, units, learning outcomes,
assessment and learning activities relate to
each other?
Q5 Do credit based modular systems require
different approaches to teaching and
learning?
Q6 What are levels? Why do we need them?
Q7 What does credit rating mean?
Q8 What is module mapping or matching?
Q9 Aren’t all the frameworks different? How
can they work side by side?
Q10 How does credit accumulation work?
Q11 What is the difference between general
and specific credit?
Q12 What are negotiated or bespoke awards?
Q13 What are “rules of combination” and
“pathway rules”?
Q14 What can a qualification include?
Q15 Don’t words like “award”, “certificate” and
“diploma” mean different things in the
QCF and the FHEQ?
Q16 What are the main benefits of credit based
systems?
Q17 There seem to be lots of different words to
describe recognising existing learning.
What do they all mean and how do they
differ?
Q18 APL, APCL, RPL, APEL, AEL, AP(E)L etc…
are there any restrictions on what can and
can’t be used?
Q19 What are the benefits of APL, APCL, RPL,
APEL, AEL, AP(E)L etc?
Q20 What does “accreditation mean? Who does it?
Q21 What are the benefits of accreditation?
Q22 What next for CATS?

4. 0403
Section 1. Introduction – context
and background
Higher education has developed and refined credit
based modular systems (CBMS) over the past 25
years or so and most HEIs are now credit based. The
emergence of the Qualifications and Credit
Framework (QCF), which, critically, adopted the
same metric, the ten hour credit, as used in the
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
(FHEQ) has created the practical context for
genuine HE /FE cross sector collaboration and
development in the interests of progression for all
learners from levels 1 to 8, particularly those
following vocational routes. The CATS project is one
such initiative.
In order to satisfactorily understand the use of credit
in education we must consider three basic
questions. What is credit? How do we make it work?
Why do we need it? It is essential that these
questions are considered together if implementation
is to be successful. The absence of clear, consistent
and committed support from government for the
development of credit, particularly across sectors
has tended to stall development around debate on
definition and process and, perhaps, resulted in
insufficient attention being given to the real
educational issues contained in the “why” question.
This is about the benefits of “credit” to learners,
providers, employers and, ultimately, society.
Q1. What is credit?
Credit in the educational sense is about establishing
value and equivalence. It is, therefore, a tool and not
an end it itself. The intrinsic value of a piece of
learning or qualification is the learning or
qualification itself and not the credit ascribed to it
per se. Credit enables it to be quantified in relation
to other learning and qualifications to which the
same criteria of measurement – the metric – have
been applied. A non credit rated piece of learning
does not become intrinsically more valuable when it
is credit rated but its utility, transparency,
transferability and demonstrable equivalence are
greatly enhanced. These things crystallise the value
that credit based modular systems add to learning
and to qualifications.
Q2. Do credit systems have any common principles?
Similarly, the major debates about credit and credit
based modular systems should not now be about
“credit” or “frameworks” but about the curriculum,
curriculum development, teaching and learning and
learner progression that they enable. Of course, the
basic principles of credit and frameworks need to be
understood but ultimately the systems must become
a given and not a mystery. Crucially, it is the
adoption and use of common principles for credit,
such as provided in the Joint Forum for Higher
Levels (JFHL) “Overarching Criteria and Operating
Principles for a Common Approach to Credit” (see
appendix 1) that is essential. It is inevitable that
some institutions, particularly in HE, may apply
these principles in different ways in some aspects of
practice but this is of no particular consequence as
long as good information about application of the
principles is transparent and readily available.
We now have effective credit systems operating in
both FE and HE and although these will, of course,
continue to develop and be refined they should not,
in themselves, continue to be the major focus of
discussion, or, for that matter, seen as a continuing
obstacle to development. The debate we must have
now is educational. Credit and the frameworks that
utilise it must now go into background mode and be
maintained and developed according to the
educational drivers and the needs of learners and
providers.
The debate is particularly important across sectors
and between the users of qualifications and credit
frameworks. It is only real and effective professional
collaboration here that will achieve the kind of
continuous ladder of progression for learners that
the parallel frameworks potentially offer.
Collaboration must, inter alia, be in the areas of
curriculum planning, design and development,
teaching and learning, assessment, professional
development for staff and student experience. In
vocational areas the active participation of
employers and professional bodies is essential.
Without real collaboration at the level of curriculum
and professional practice, credit on its own will do
little to aid learner progression. It goes without
saying that genuine management support and
commitment - not lip service to innovation that has
characterised the development of credit – is either
the deal maker or breaker. Institutional managers, of
course, must be mindful of the effect of any
curriculum development on the corporate bottom
line. Ultimately the development and realisation of
the full potential of cross sector and cross
framework learner pathways will only happen if they
are cost effective for all concerned. In turn this is
more likely to happen if things are co-designed from
the bottom up rather than reverse engineered to
achieve the nearest fit. If government wishes this
potential to be properly realised it must ensure an
appropriate and sympathetic funding framework is
in place. This should and must involve focused
funding incentives to the kind of collaborative cross
sector curriculum development of credit based
modular systems noted above, at least in the short
term.
This guide is intended to give clear information
about the nature, benefits and applications of credit
and credit based systems to users and, in particular,
to encourage cross sector and framework
collaboration and innovation. It has been written in
seven free standing sections (plus appendices) to
provide easy reference to particular aspects. For
clarity some aspects may be covered in more than
one section. It is hoped that the guide will be seen
as a living resource and be added to and updated by
practitioners as a way of recognising and
consolidating current practice and experience in
working across the QCF and the FHEQ.
SECTION 1

5. 0605
Q3. What are the key features of credit systems
Section 2. Understanding credit and credit
based modular systems (CBMS)
In the educational sense “credit” does not exist in
isolation. It has become shorthand for the credit
based modular systems in which credit is the unit
of measurement of learning. The defining
characteristics of CBMS are that they are
•outcomes led
•credit based
•modular or unitised
And operate within…
• Qualifications frameworks, which have clearly
defined levels and levels descriptors, such as
the Qualifications and Credit Framework
(QCF) and the Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications ( FHEQ)
Q4. How do modules, units, learning outcomes,
assessment and learning activities relate to each
other?
Modules/units, learning outcomes and assessment
The modular or unitised structure is at the heart of
CBMS and is a fundamental aspect of curriculum
design in all credit frameworks. Modules or units
enable a given curriculum area or subject to be
logically divided into self contained episodes of
learning defined by a unique set of learning
outcomes.
One of the major benefits of CBMS is that all of the
key information about an episode of learning is
available to the learner at the outset. Well written
learning outcomes will set out exactly what the
learner is expected to know, do and understand on
successful completion of the learning. Clear
assessment criteria, linked to each learning
outcome, illustrate the things against which
successful learning will be judged. Assessment
methodology shows how and in what format the
criteria will be applied. Information about teaching
and learning inputs explain the nature of the
intended interactions between teachers and learners
and any required self study that is designed to cover
the content of the module/unit.
The direct relationship between learning outcomes,
assessment and learning activities sets the context
in which teaching inputs, the requirements for self
study and optimal use of available learning
resources can be carefully planned. This relationship
may be expressed graphically as in figure 1 below.
Q5. Do credit based modular systems require
different approaches to teaching and learning?
Teaching and Learning
Although CBMS are not in themselves systems of
teaching and learning there is no doubt that the
professional skills required to support effective
learning are different from those that may have
been used in more traditional, less transparent
systems. Teachers need to be clear that the
methodology and the style of their teaching will
enable students to achieve specific learning
outcomes and demonstrate this through particular
assessments. In the early days of CBMS critics
claimed that what they termed a “reductionist”
approach led to assessment driven teaching and
study, encouraged surface learning and stifled
innovative or inspirational teaching. It is hard to see
however, how letting students into the secret of
what is expected of them and how they will be
assessed at the outset can in fact lead to any of
these things. Advocates of CBMS would claim that it
is the very transparency of the system that liberates
good teachers to provide the best quality learning
experience for students.
Q6. What are levels? Why do we need them?
Levels
There has always been an understanding of how
educational qualifications relate to each other within
a particular “family” of qualifications. Explicit levels
descriptors, which were developed as an integral
part of CBMS, provide a standard set of benchmarks
describing the relative difficulty of learning at each
level which enables all qualifications to be assigned
a level. In turn this enables all qualifications to be
considered alongside each other, across “families” of
qualifications and therefore gives a clear picture of
the equivalence of various qualifications in terms of
their degree of difficulty. Credit value, in terms of
the number of credits gives a clear picture of the
relative size of qualifications. This is why the
common unit of credit in the QCF and FHEQ is so
important. Appendix 2 shows how comparison of
qualifications by level and credit across all of the
frameworks in the UK and Ireland is relatively
straightforward.
Q7. What does credit rating mean?
Credit rating
Credit rating is the process of allocating level and
volume to a piece of learning – deciding how hard
and how big it is - to set its credit value. Level
descriptors and the credit metric - 1 credit equals 10
hours of learning - enable this to be done. This is
normally the first stage of an accreditation process –
whether concerning prior and experiential learning
or learning from a source, such as the workplace or
an employer, for which formal recognition is being
sought. It also mirrors the process used in designing
new modules and units from scratch.
Q8. What is module mapping or matching?
Various approaches may be used in order to arrive at
a robust credit rating. The more information that is
known about the episode of learning concerned the
more straightforward the process is. This includes
SECTION 2
Module/unit
Learning outcomes
Self-study Content
Resources
Teaching
Assessment
Learning
activities

6. 0807
the learning outcomes, the assessment(s) and the
learning hours or the duration of the “course”. Level
can be fixed by comparison with level descriptors
but may also draw on other relevant information
such as who the learning is intended for, at what
stage in life or career it might be offered, what it
may be preceded by or followed with (if at all).
Where little or incomplete information is known,
particularly where learning hours are not clear, the
processes of module matching and mapping are
frequently used. As the terms imply these involve
comparing the episode of learning concerned to
validated modules/units in the same subject at
various levels and sizes to get a picture of
equivalence. Some HEIs have a suite of specially
validated modules that are used for this purpose.
Middlesex University for example,
…“now use our transdisciplinary Negotiated WBL
Project modules as benchmarks for ascribing the
level and volume of credit. We have these at 10, 15,
20, 30, 40 and 60 credits at levels 4 to 7 and we
look for equivalencies with the learning activities
undertaken for which credit is being sought in
relation to the example assessment requirement
specified in these modules. The explicitness of this
approach also provides a guide to learners trying to
get their heads around how much (volume) credit
they should be claiming as much as the level…”
(Dr Darryll Bravenboer, Associate Dean, Institute for
Work Based Learning, Middlesex University)
Module matching and mapping is used extensively
in APL and APEL. Qualification mapping is the same
process applied to mapping and matching whole
qualifications against other qualifications to enable
• APL for individuals or cohorts
• Two or more qualifications to operate in parallel
• An articulation agreement between providers
This is also covered in section 5 of this guide
Q9.Aren’t all the frameworks different? How can
they work side by side?
Section 3. Credit and qualifications
frameworks
Credit and qualifications frameworks worldwide
provide a hierarchical structure for the qualifications
that are available from entry level to higher
professional and postgraduate level. Different
frameworks define this range of progression
variously between 8 and 12 levels of achievement.
Although it would undoubtedly be simpler, for the
sake of comparison, if all frameworks used the same
number of levels defined in the same way, the
differences do not cause a major problem in
practice. Appendix 2 shows the frameworks in use in
the UK and Ireland and illustrates how equivalences
between qualifications are relatively easy to
establish, despite the different scale of levels.
Historically the development of credit has been
hampered by the continuing quest for uniformity
across systems. Again the focus on, and concern
about, parallel systems has perhaps pushed the
much more important debate about the educational
benefits within and across CBMS into the shade.
Uniformity, however theoretically desirable, is simply
not necessary in practice. Lack of uniformity does
not prevent the major benefits of CBMS such as
flexibility and credit transfer from happening. All
that is required to align different systems is a
transparent and agreed metric for conversion – an
exchange rate. These are already known and
acknowledged for most systems in common use and
would not be difficult to calculate for any others
that may emerge.
This guide concentrates on the two CBMS in use in
England, the QCF and The FHEQ. Technically
speaking, of course, the FHEQ is not a credit
framework but it has this status in practice for the
majority on UK HEIs which are credit based. Partly
in response to this, in 2008 the Quality Assurance
Agency (QAA) published the “Higher Education
credit framework for England: guidance on academic
credit arrangements in England” (www.qaa.ac.uk)
which gives clear guidance on the use of credit in
the FHEQ. The QCF was designed in the light of
almost 20 years of CBMS operating successfully in
HE and consequently incorporated many of the key
aspects of its design.
Critically –
• Both use eight levels
• Both use similar levels descriptors
• Both use the same credit metric – the 10 hour
credit
This commonality was designed into the QCF to
enable consistent, parallel operation with the FHEQ
and the potential for learners to build programmes
of learning and progression within and between
both frameworks. This is the overt aim of the AoC
CATS project.
Credit in HE
The credit system used in UK HE has been
developed over the last 25 years and most British
Universities now operate CBMS. Therefore, for these
institutions the FHEQ is a de facto qualifications and
credit framework. Only a small minority of HEIs
(including Oxbridge) are not credit based. Quality in
UK universities is overseen by the Quality Assurance
Agency (QAA).
Each HEI has been responsible for the design and
operation of its own credit system and has
autonomous control over it. Despite this, all operate
to a common set of principles regarding the use of
credit, the credit rating of key qualifications and the
credit metric. The ten hour credit is universal.
Institutions may use modules of different sizes at
undergraduate and postgraduate levels ranging from
5 to 60 credits.
The majority of institutions use versions of the SEEC
or NICAT level descriptors which have some
differences but are functionally very similar. The
NICAT descriptors (see appendix 3) were also used
in the QCF as the framework was being developed
and were replaced by the QCF descriptors in the
revised “Regulatory Arrangements for the
Qualifications and Credit Framework “ published in
SECTION 2/3

7. 1009
2008 (www.ofqual.gov.uk)
Assessment regulations and practice have a higher
degree of similarity than difference.
Q10. How does credit accumulation work?
Q11. What is the difference between general and
specific credit?
Credit accumulation and transfer (CAT) is therefore
theoretically possible within and between HEIs, and
between national and international frameworks.
However, the practice of credit accumulation in UK
HE generally refers to the accumulation of credit
within a validated, prescribed award structure which
defines the required content at the various levels
relevant to the award. Credit is rarely just
“accumulated” on an ad hoc basis, although some
adult learners may study in this way. When
considering the transfer of credit this means that all
credit - whether recognised from other UK
institutions, via an exchange rate from other systems
or through an accreditation process – will have both
a general credit value, i.e. its intrinsic freestanding
value, and a specific credit value i.e. the value it has
against the specific content of a given award if
proposed for transfer. This is an essential aspect of
quality assurance which guarantees the integrity and
relevance of awards but it has also caused a great
deal of confusion in all aspects of credit transfer,
including AP(E)L, for staff and especially for
learners. It means that a given qualification with a
universal general credit value may have a different
specific credit value against what is outwardly the
same award in different institutions. However, the
fact that UK HE awards do not follow a standard
content and format across the same subject is
testimony to the strength and range offered within
the system and not a sign of inconsistency. Having
said this, there are, of course, subjects in
professional areas, invariably involving the input of
professional bodies and particularly those that
confer a “licence to practise” where the majority of
content is prescribed and variation is minimal. This is
reassuring!
Q12. What are negotiated or bespoke awards?
Some UK universities offer bespoke or negotiated
awards which, by definition, have no prescribed
content and therefore may enable learners to tailor a
new award around the content of an existing
qualification so as to make maximum use of its full
credit value (i.e. where general and specific credit
value would be the same). Negotiated or bespoke
awards may be designed for individuals or for
companies who want a programme that is tailored to
the particular needs of an aspect of their company
activity.
Although the interpretation and implementation of
the shared principles of CBMS varies little within the
structure and delivery of mainstream undergraduate
provision, in different HEIs the way they are applied
to some of the processes that credit enables such as
APL, APEL and accreditation may vary significantly
between institutions. This is covered in detail in
section 5.
Credit in FE
Q13. What are “rules of combination” and “pathway
rules”?
Q14. What can a qualification include?
Strictly speaking there is no credit in FE in the same
way that there is credit in HE. The credit system that
is used in FE is contained in the externally regulated
QCF. Similarly, the QCF can be used and accessed by
users other than FE Colleges, such as employers and
other providers so perhaps this section could more
accurately be headed “credit outside of HE”.
Furthermore, most FE colleges are not QCF
awarding organisations so the credit in FE is largely
awarded by external awarding organisations in much
the same way as pre QCF qualifications offered in FE
colleges were. As the QCF is a national, regulated
framework, all credit awarded by a QCF awarding
organisation must be accepted by all other QCF
awarding organisations. In HE no university is
compelled to accept the credit from another HEI:
many do, of course, but this is on a voluntary basis.
However, the distinction between general and
specific credit is the same in the QCF/FE as in HE.
Whilst the general credit value of any QCF credit is
fixed and incontestable within the QCF, transfer of it
into a QCF qualification is still subject to the “rules
of combination” which determine the specific
content required in a qualification and therefore
what can be transferred. All validated HE awards
also have the equivalent of rules of combination
which are usually called something like “pathway
rules”. In many FECs the use of QCF credit sits
alongside the use of credit within its HE provision.
In some ways FECs with significant HE provision,
validated or franchised through an HEI partner or
partners and offering a full range of FE QCF based
qualifications, are uniquely placed to develop
programmes that offer seamless progression in
various discipline areas through and across the QCF
and FHEQ, particularly at the critical interface
between levels 3 and 4. Equally, the opportunity to
develop continuous pathways through levels in
given subjects offers opportunity for new
partnerships, including those between FE/HE
providers and professional bodies. These are being
explored in the CATS project. The overarching aim of
this collaboration is to provide a range of possible
pathways for learners through their academic and
professional learning that :
• Is appropriate to individual personal and
professional needs
• Is time and cost effective for learners, providers,
employers and sponsors
• Gives a high quality learning experience
• Results in a high quality, appropriate
qualification outcome
• Offers access to further learning and professional
development
• Has the potential to draw on content in both the
QCF and the FHEQ as appropriate
SECTION 3

8. 1211
Potential learner pathways accessing learning
from both the QCF and the FHEQ
Q15. Don’t words like “award”, “certificate” and
“diploma” mean different things in the QCF and the
FHEQ?
Names and titles
There is still some unhelpful confusion, especially
when working across the QCF and the FHEQ
concerning the use of some important terms. This
was known when the QCF was launched. The
different meanings are repeated below for clarity.
• Award in the QCF refers to a specific
qualification of between 1 and 12 credits
• Award in the FHEQ is a generic term to describe
any qualification outcome i.e. a Bachelor’s
award, a master’s award etc.
• Certificate in the QCF refers to a specific
qualification of between 13 and 36 credits
• Certificate in the FHEQ refers to intermediate
qualifications at level 4 of undergraduate awards
(120 credits) or the first stage (60 credits) of a
masters award at level 7
• Diploma in the QCF refers to a specific
qualification of 37credits or more
• Diploma in the FHEQ refers to intermediate
qualifications at level 5 of undergraduate awards
(240 credits) or the second stage (120 credits) of
a masters award at level 7
SECTION 3
Don’t words like “award”, “certificate” and “diploma” mean different things in the QCF
a
This was known when the QCF was
l The different meanings are repeated below for clarity.

9. 1413
Q16. What are the main benefits of credit based
systems?
Section 4. Features, advantages and benefits
of credit based systems – with special interest
in working across frameworks
Credit based modular/unitised systems:
• Enable learning episodes of all sizes to be
quantified – bitesize to degree
• Enable learning episodes of all sizes to be
recognised
• Offer genuine flexibility – in curriculum design,
development and delivery.
Partnership and collaboration between key
stakeholders - providers, professional bodies and
employers - enables the development of a
continuous QCF/FHEQ curriculum from levels 1 – 8
in specific areas for all vocational routes
• Use a standard credit metric which establishes
consistency
This is essential in building trust in the value and
quality of qualifications. The value of this
consistency across frameworks should not be
underestimated and should be exploited as a real
benefit
• Provide credit value and level which establishes
equivalence
This is crucial it judging the respective value and
merit of a huge range of qualifications
• Facilitate and simplify a consistent, quality
assured approach to AP(E)L
This is covered in more detail in section 5
• Facilitate and simplify a consistent, quality
assured approach to accreditation
This is covered in more detail in section 5
• Support work based learning (WBL)
CBMS are ideally suited to all types of WBL –
learning about, at and through work
• Support the design of bespoke qualifications
Bespoke qualifications for individuals, cohorts,
companies or sectors maximise the features and
benefits of CBMS. They enable qualifications to be
demand led and enable providers to be responsive
and innovative
• Enables accumulation, transfer, intermission and
exit with honour.
The ability to transfer credit between qualifications,
institutions, frameworks and careers is a key
flexibility of CBMS. Of equal importance to
individuals is that CBMS enables learners to achieve
and accumulate credit, to take time out from study
(to intermit), to learn at their chosen pace and to
“exit with honour” if they so choose.
Q17. There seem to be lots of different words to
describe recognising existing learning. What do they
all mean and how do they differ?
Section 5. APL, APEL, RPL and Accreditation
APL, APCL, RPL, APEL, AEL, AP(E)L etc….
Quality assured processes for the accreditation and
recognition of prior and experiential learning is one
of the major benefits that CBMS enable. Credit
permits precise and consistent judgments to be
made about prior learning. In the course of
development however, rather too much time has
been spent agonising over the minor differences in
what are fundamentally two types of a very similar
process. The key purpose of all the variations
defined by the acronyms in the heading is to enable
learning that has already been achieved to be
recognised and put to a new use. The two types are:
• The recognition and accreditation of existing
certificated learning – which means the
recognition of other formal, structured learning for
which certificates or transcripts have been issued.
This is usually referred to as APL, APCL, RPL
• The recognition and accreditation of informal and
experiential learning - which means the
recognition of informal learning, or learning from
life and work experience. This is usually referred to
as APEL or AEL
The term AP(E)L refers to both types (the
accreditation of prior and experiential learning) and
RPL (the recognition of prior learning) refers to the
recognition of uncertificated and experiential
learning in the QCF. Some institutions also use the
terms “advanced standing” and “exemption”. In
practice there is sometimes a blurring of the
boundaries between the two processes and many
claims for credit involve a mixture of both prior
certificated and experiential learning. Of course, the
proliferation of titles is not ideal and can be
confusing, especially for learners, but ultimately it is
the processes that are important. What is essential
for systems to be effective is that they are highly
visible and accessible to all users and are supported
by high quality, up to date information and
materials. Unfortunately this is not always the case
and information is often difficult to find. This is not
helpful for processes that are designed to empower
learners to build on existing achievement and to
engage or re engage learners that might otherwise
not participate.
Q18. APL, APCL, RPL, APEL, AEL, AP(E)L etc…are
there any restrictions on what can and can’t be
used?
Most UK HEIs offer some form of APL and APEL.
The processes are governed by a common set of
principles although there is significant variation in
the way they are applied and implemented. There
may be variations in the total proportion of credit
through AP(E)L that may be used as part of a new
award and this usually varies between a half and two
thirds, although in some cases is less. There are also
variations in practice about the stages at which
AP(E)L may be used - some HEIs for example allow
no AP(E)L credit at level 6 in undergraduate awards.
The pathway regulations of some awards in some
SECTION 4/5

10. 1615
HEIs may permit no AP(E)L – these are often in
professional areas. Universities may apply their
regulations for AP(E)L differently in different
Faculties or Schools. There are usually good reasons
for these variations in practice, invariably related to
ensuring the quality and integrity of named awards.
However, there are some HEIs that have not
embraced the use of AP(E)L with any great
enthusiasm and have not taken advantage of the
flexibility it offers for students.
The recognition of prior and experiential learning is
available in the QCF through the processes of RPL
and exemption. Within the QCF learners can avoid
the need to repeat learning and assessment already
achieved as follows:
• Learners are awarded credit for past QCF
qualifications, which can be transferred to other
qualifications as appropriate
• Other learning and achievements that haven’t
been certificated can be assessed and awarded
through the recognition of prior learning (RPL)
• Learners with certificated achievements outside
the QCF, who already have the skills and
knowledge for a unit, can claim exemption
Q19. What are the benefits of APL, APCL, RPL,
APEL, AEL, AP(E)L etc?
Benefits for learners, providers, employers
and sponsors
For learners
• Makes effective use of and rewards learning from
life and work experience
• Raises self esteem, increases motivation and
confidence
• Enables flexibility in pace, place, time and mode of
part of a learning programme
• May enable a qualification to be completed in a
shorter time and/or at less cost
For employers
• Flexible means of providing up-skilling, CPD and
in-house learning support
• Assists workforce planning and development
• Increases employee motivation and retention of
staff
• Promotes partnership and collaboration with
HE/FE providers
For Providers
• Positive support for access and widening
participation
• Enhances recruitment, retention and progression
• Promotes innovation in course design and
responsiveness
• Increases potential for collaboration with
employers and other providers
Q20. What does “accreditation mean? Who does it?
Accreditation
Accreditation is the process of awarding formal,
detailed recognition to a given episode or body of
learning. Within a CBMS this gives the learning a
credit value expressed as a volume of credit at a
particular level. It is a separate and distinct process
from the accreditation of prior and experiential
learning (detailed above), although it shares many
common components. Almost all learning that is
presented for accreditation is in some way
connected with the workplace and employment. It
may include in-company training, short courses and
most aspects of continuing professional
development (CPD). Accreditation is also the term
used to describe the process by which Ofqual
approves a qualification and recognises it as being in
the QCF.
In HE, learning is accredited through a process of
benchmarking external learning (say from a
company training programme) against the quality
standards and regulations of appropriate modules
and awards offered within the institution. It is a
formal process of recognition that gives the
accredited learning an approved volume of credit at
a given level, usually from levels 4 - 7 of the FHEQ.
Accreditation may be given to a full external course
or qualification or a freestanding module/unit. In
most cases the accrediting university and other HEIs
will consider learning accredited in this way as
potential admission with credit into university
awards. In most cases this is recognised as general
credit but some instances accreditation may also
include a detailed agreement which recognises the
accredited learning against a specific university
award or awards. The latter is often contained in an
articulation agreement or something similar.
Accreditation may also be carried out by other
awarding organisations. The Open College Network,
for example, offers bespoke accreditation of in
company training using fundamentally the same
principles as in HE. Learning accredited by the OCN
is accredited against the QCF template, and can be
either of existing or co-developed provision, but is
not formally recognised on the QCF as part of a
national qualification. However, as OCN recognition
gives it an approved credit value it may still be
presented for credit transfer into appropriate
qualifications.
Q21. What are the benefits of accreditation?
Accreditation at all levels offers many benefits for
learners, providers, employers and sponsors. These
include:
Recognition (and reward)
• Recognition confers internal and external validity
on the accredited learning. It is valued more highly
and has greater utility both inside and outside of
the “company”
• This impacts positively at both individual and
corporate levels
Equivalence - accredited learning is benchmarked
against respected, external standards
SECTION 5

11. 1817
Relevance – all accredited learning stays specific to
the need of the accredited provider or partner and
does not have to ”fit” with external content/design
Flexibility – can be used in a variety of ways as part
of career and company development
Time efficiency
• Employee/learners can earn & learn
• Accreditation of in company provision as opposed
to external courses means less down time
Motivation and focus – enhanced by learning in
and through work
Visible investment in human resources/capital –
contributes to a positive company culture
Productivity – motivated staff who feel valued
repay investment in recognised training
Q22. What next for CATS?
Section 6. Suggestions for consolidation and
further development
The aims of the CATS project would be further
supported by
6.1 Continuing joint FE- HE curriculum development
using cross sector, subject based curriculum teams
particularly at L3/4. These must be practitioner
based and be driven by collaboration and shared
commitment at this level, supported by
management
6.2 Given vocational and/or professional areas
should actively pursue joint QCF/FHEQ programme
design, validation and approval at L4 and above
where this is appropriate. This will give the flexibility
for learners to move between and across framework
according to individual, career and company needs.
6.3 It is essential that there are formal, working
agreements in all partnerships about the specific
arrangements for :
•AP(E)L
•accreditation
•credit transfer
These must be worked out in advance and marketed
as a feature and benefit of provision and progression
that is jointly offered
6.4 Collaborative work, particularly at the level 3/4
interface should look to establish consistent
“progression sensitive” approaches to:
•Programme design
•Teaching and learning
•Assessment
•Student support and experience
6.5 Partnerships must be active in all key areas
needed for successful and sustainable development
including curriculum, management, teaching and
learning, student support and learning resources
support. All stakeholders must have defined roles.
Partners may include:
•HEIs
•FECs
•Other providers/Awarding Organisations
•Employers
•Professional bodies/trade and industry
associations
6.6 Government should be lobbied to establish
sensible and supportive funding/costing
mechanisms enabling easy movement between QCF
and FHEQ with no financial penalties to
providers/sponsors/learners
SECTION 5/6

12. 2019
Section 7. Glossary
Glossary – terms explained
SECTION 7
APL/APCL
Accreditation
Accumulate
AEL
APEL
AP(E)L
Assessment Regulations
Assessment criteria
Awarding Organisation
CATS
CATS points
CBMS
Certificated Learning
Credit
Credit Value
Credit Level
Credit Transfer
The Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning. The
identification and recognition of existing certificated
learning as relevant to be used as part of a new
qualification or award
The process of awarding formal recognition, expressed as
a volume and level of credit, to a given body of learning
To build up credit to achieve a qualification
The Accreditation of Experiential Learning (as distinct
from “Prior”) which may be ongoing throughout a
programme of study
The Accreditation of Prior Experiential learning
The identification, assessment and formal
acknowledgement of learning achieved through work or
life experience
The Accreditation of Prior Certificated and Experiential
Learning. A term used when including both Certificated
and Experiential Learning
Rules governing assessment including pass marks
and other grades of assessment, number of credits needed
to complete a an award or to progress to the next stage of
an award
The specific criteria against which achievement of the
learning outcomes of a unit/module is judged
An organisation recognised and approved by Ofqual to
award credit and qualifications in the QCF
The Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme - the
generic term used to describe the system which enables
credit to be accumulated towards a qualification and
potentially to be transferred between courses,
qualifications and institutions
A term sometimes used instead of credits
Credit Based Modular System(s)
Learning which has been formally assessed by
examination, assignment or other means and for which a
certificate and/or transcript has been given
A numerical value given to a unit of learning on the basis
that 1 credit equals 10 notional hours of learning in the
FHEQ or the learning outcomes achievable in ten hours of
learning in the QCF
Indicates the volume of learning or ‘how much’ learning is
expected. For example, 20 credits describes 200 notional
hours of learning/ or the learning outcomes achievable in
200 hours of learning in the QCF
Indicates the relative level of difficulty of learning or ‘how
hard’ it is. For example, learning at level 5 (equivalent to
the second year of a full time degree) is ‘harder’ than
learning at level 4 (equivalent to the first year of a full
time degree)
A way of transferring credit achieved from one programme
of study/qualification to another. This means that learners
do not have to repeat learning already achieved

13. 2221
SECTION 7
General credit
HEIs
Learning Outcomes
Level descriptors
Notional hours of learning
Ofqual
Qualification descriptors
QAA
The credit value of a qualification, part qualification or
module/unit of learning (See also “specific credit” below)
Higher Education Institutions - this includes universities
and colleges of higher education
Express learning achievement in terms of what the
student will know, understand or be able to do, on
successful completion of a module, unit or qualification. A
unit/module/qualification will normally have several
learning outcomes
Learning becomes more difficult at each level (for
example, each subsequent year of study on a full time
degree course) of an award or qualification. Level
descriptors are used to facilitate course/ programme
design by demonstrating the differences in achievement
at each level
The number of hours a student will need to spend, on
average, in a range of activities, including all teaching, self
study and assessment, to achieve the learning outcomes
Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulations
Ofqual is the regulator of qualifications, examinations and
assessments in England and vocational qualifications in
Northern Ireland and the regulator of the QCF
Used in the FHEQ to exemplify the learning outcomes of
the main qualification at each level and demonstrate the
nature of change between qualifications at different levels
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. The
core business of the QAA is to review the quality and
standards of higher education in universities and colleges
in the UK
Recognition of Prior
Learning (RPL)
Specific credit
Transcript
Uncertificated Learning
Unit/module
The identification and recognition of existing learning as
relevant to be used as part of a new qualification or award
in the QCF. It is described as ‘a method of assessment
(leading to the award of credit) that considers whether a
learner can demonstrate that they can meet the
assessment requirements for a unit through knowledge,
understanding or skills they already possess and do not
need to develop through a course of learning’.
The amount of credit from a body of learning that is
considered directly relevant (i.e.” specific” ) to a new
qualification and may therefore be transferred as APL or
APEL. (See also “general credit” above)
The formal, detailed record of a student’s achievements
issued by an HEI which typically, will show modules, titles,
credit value and level, marks and grades achieved
Describes learning which has been undertaken and for
which no certificate or transcript has been awarded and
that usually has not been formally assessed
A discrete block of learning with a coherent set of
formally identified learning outcomes, which have been
given a value (volume) and level of credit to show how
much learning is required to be undertaken and how
difficult it is. For example 20 credits at level 4 equates to
200 hours of notional learning in the first year of a full
time degree in HE.

14. 2423
APPENDIX 1
The Joint Forum for Higher Levels (JFHL)
overarching principles and operational criteria
for a common approach to credit
SECTION 1: ESTABLISHING CONSISTENCY IN
THE AWARD OF CREDIT
Principle 1
Credit is awarded to a learner in recognition of the
assessed achievement of identified sets of learning
outcomes.
Operational Criteria
1. The award of credit recognises achievement of the
required sets of learning outcomes; achievement
above this threshold does not result in the award of
additional credit.
2. Credits are not graded.
3. Achievement may be described additionally
through the award of marks or grades.
4. Learners should be provided with a verified record
that clearly identifies the credits they have been
awarded.
Principle 2
Credit may only be awarded by those bodies and
organisations that have the formal powers to do so.
Operational Criteria
5. Organisations that award credit must be able to
demonstrate, by statute, charter and/or regulatory
body approval, that they have the formal power to
do so.
SECTION 2: ESTABLISHING CONSISTENCY IN
THE DETERMINATION OF CREDIT VALUE
Principle 3
The credit value of qualifications and their
component units or modules, where relevant, is
determined with reference to consistent and
transparent criteria.
Operational Criteria
6. Credit value describes the number of credits that
may be awarded to a learner for the successful
achievement of the identified learning outcomes of a
unit, module or qualification.
Operational Criteria
7. The credit value of a unit, module or qualifications
is determined against identifiable criteria.
8. One credit represents the achievement of those
learning outcomes within a unit, module or
qualification that a learner would be expected to
achieve in 10 notional hours of learning.
Operational Criteria
9. Credit is awarded at a particular level.
10. Credit level is determined by reference to
identified level
Principle 4
The descriptors of qualifications and of their
component units or modules where relevant, include
a credit value determined with reference to
consistent and transparent criteria.
Operational Criteria
11. The description of units, modules or
qualifications includes their credit value.
SECTION 3: UNDERSTANDING CREDIT
ACCUMULATION
Principle 5:
Credit can be accumulated towards a qualification or
award, subject to transparent criteria consistently
applied.
Operational Criteria
12. Where bodies approved to award credit and/or
qualifications allow learners to accumulate credit
towards a qualification; this must be on the basis of
transparent criteria consistently applied.
SECTION 4: UNDERSTANDING CREDIT
TRANSFER
Principle 6
Credit that represents assessed achievement
relevant to a learner's programme of study, may be
transferable between qualifications and awards,
subject to transparent criteria consistently applied
by the receiving institution.
Operational Criteria
13. Where bodies approved to award credit and/or
qualifications permit learners to transfer credit; this
must be on the basis of transparent criteria that are
consistently applied.
APPENDIX 1

15. 2625
APPENDIX 2. Credit and Qualification
Frameworks in use in the UK and Ireland
APPENDIX 2
Main stages of education/
employment
Framework for higher education
qualifications in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland
Qualifications and Credit
Framework/National Qualifications
Framework for England, Wales and
Northern Ireland www.ofqual.gov.uk
Professional or postgraduate education,
research or employment
Level 8 - Doctoral Degrees
Level 7 - Master’s Degrees, Integrated Master’s
Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, Postgraduate
Certificate in Education (PGCE), Postgraduate
Certificates
Level 8 - Vocational Qualifications Level 8
Level 7 - Fellowships, NVQ Level 5, Vocational
Qualifications Level 7
Higher education
Advanced skills training
Level 6 - Bachelor’s Degrees with Honours,
Bachelor’s Degrees, Professional Graduate
Certificate in Education (PGCE), Graduate
Diplomas, Graduate Certificates
Level 6 - Vocational Qualifications Level 6
Entry to professional graduate employment Level 5 - Foundation Degrees,
Diplomas of Higher Education (DipHE),
Higher National Diplomas (HND)
Level 5 - NVQ Level 4,Higher National Diplomas,
(HND), Higher National Certificates (HNC),
Vocational Qualifications Level 5
Level 4 - Vocational Qualifications Level 4
Specialised education and training Level 4 - Higher National Certificates (HNC),
Certificates of Higher Education (CertHE)
Qualified/Skilled worker
Entry to higher education Completion of
secondary education
Level 3 - NVQ Level 3, Vocational Qualifications
Level 3, GCE AS and A Level, Advanced Diplomas
Progression to skilled employment.
Continuation of secondary education
Level 2 - NVQ Level 2,Vocational Qualifications
Level 2, GCSEs at grade A*–C, ESOL skills for life,
Higher Diplomas, functional skills Level
Secondary education. Initial entry into
employment or further education
Level 1 - NVQ Level 1, Vocational Qualifications
Level 1, GCSEs at grade D–G, ESOL skills for
life, Foundation Diplomas, functional skills Level 1
(English, mathematics & ICT)
Qualifications can be taken at any age in
order to continue or return to education or
training
Entry Level - Entry Level Certificates Level (sub
levels 1–3), ESOL skills for life, functional skills,
Entry Level (English, mathematics & ICT)
Main stages of education/
employment
Credit and Qualification
Framework for Wales
www.cqfw.net
The Scottish Credit and
Qualifications Framework
www.scqf.org.uk
National Framework of
Qualifications for Ireland
www.nfq.ie
Professional or postgraduate
education, research or
employment
Level 8 - Doctoral Degrees
Level 7 - Master’s Degrees,
Integrated Master’s Degrees,
Postgraduate Diplomas, Postgraduate
Certificate in Education (PGCE),
Postgraduate Certificates
Level 12 - Professional Development
Awards, Doctoral Degrees
Level 11 - Level 11 - SVQ Level 5,
Professional Development Awards,
Postgraduate Diplomas, Master’s
Degrees, Integrated Master’s Degrees,
Postgraduate Certificates
Level 10 - Doctoral Degree,
Higher Doctorate
Level 9 - Master’s Degree,
Post-graduate Diploma
Higher education
Advanced skills training
Level 6 - Bachelor’s Degrees with
Honours, Bachelor’s Degrees,
Professional Graduate Certificate in
Education (PGCE), Graduate
Diplomas, Graduate Certificates
Level 10 - Bachelor’s Degrees with
Honours, Professional Development
Awards, Graduate Diplomas, Graduate
Certificates
Level 9 - Bachelor’s/Ordinary
Degrees, Professional Development
Awards, SVQ Level 4, Graduate
Diplomas, Graduate Certificates
Level 8 - Higher National Diplomas,
SVQ Level 4, Professional
Development Awards, Diplomas of
Higher Education (DipHE)
Level 7 - Professional Development
Awards, Higher National Certificates
(HNC), Certificates of Higher
Education (CertHE) SVQ Level 3,
Advanced Highers
Level 6 - Highers, SVQ Level 3,
Professional Development Awards,
National Progression Awards, National
Certificates
Level 8 - Honours Bachelor Degree,
Higher Diploma
Level 7 - Ordinary Bachelor Degree
Entry to professional graduate
employment
Level 5 - Foundation Degrees,
Diplomas of Higher Education
(DipHE), Higher National Diplomas
(HND)
Specialised education and
training
Level 4 - Higher National Certificates
(HNC), Certificates of Higher
Education (CertHE)
Level 6 - Advanced Certificate,
Higher Certificate
Qualified/Skilled worker
Entry to higher education
Completion of secondary
education
Level 3 - NVQ Level 3, Vocational
Qualifications Level 3, GCE AS and A
Level, Welsh Baccalaureate
Qualification Advanced
Level 5 - Level 5 Certificate,
Leaving Certificate
Progression to skilled
employment. Continuation of
secondary education
Level 2 - NVQ Level 2, Vocational
Qualifications Level 2,Welsh
Baccalaureate Qualification
Intermediate, GCSEs grade A*–C
Level 5 - Intermediate 2, Credit
StandardGrade, SVQ 2, National
Progression Awards, National
Certificates
Level 4 - Level 4 Certificate,
Leaving Certificate
Secondary education. Initial
entry into employment or
further education
Level 1 - NVQ Level 1, Vocational
Qualifications Level 1, GCSEs at grade
D–G, Welsh Baccalaureate
Qualification Foundation
Level 4 - IIntermediate 1, General
Standard Grade, Scottish Vocational
Qualifications (SVQ) 1, National
Progression Awards, National
Certificates
Level 3 - Level 3 Certificate,
Junior Certificate
Qualifications can be taken at
any age in order to continue or
return to education or training
Entry Level - Entry Level Certificate
(sub levels Level 1–3)
Level 3 - Access 3, Foundation
Standard Grades, National Progression
Awards, National Certificates
Level 2 - Access 2, National
Progression Awards, National
Certificates
Level 1 - Access 1
Level 2 - Level 2 Certificate
Level 1 - Level 1 Certificate

16. 2827
Appendix 3. NICAT level descriptors
A note on level descriptors
Level descriptors describe the level of achievement
expected at each level of learning and give a clear
indication as to the relative difficulty or demands of
each level. There are eight levels of learning used in
the FHEQ and the QCF, numbered 1-8 (where level
8 doctorate level learning is the highest). This
numbered scale is preceded by the most basic level
of learning which is described as “entry level” which
is not numbered. Most UK universities use either the
NICATS or the SEEC level descriptors. The
Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) also uses
the NICATS descriptors.
The summary version of the NICATS is appended
below. The full versions of the level descriptors,
which should be used in the design and
development of new curricula are available at
www.nicats.ac.uk. (The SEEC descriptors are
available at www.seec.org.uk )
In higher education, qualification descriptors are also
used. These describe the level of achievement
expected on completion of full qualifications at a
given level of the FHEQ. They are normally used in
higher education in conjunction with levels
descriptors and are available at www.qaa.ac.uk
NICATS Summary Generic Level Descriptors
The level descriptors should be seen as a
developmental continuum in which preceding levels
are necessarily subsumed within those which follow.
Learning accredited at the following levels will
reflect the ability to:
ENTRY LEVEL: employ, recall and demonstrate
elementary comprehension in a narrow range of
areas, exercise basic skills within highly structured
contexts and carry out directed activity under close
supervision.
LEVEL 1: employ a narrow range of applied
knowledge, skills and basic comprehension within
a limited range of predictable and structured
contexts, including working with others under direct
supervision, but with a very limited degree of
discretion and judgment about possible action.
LEVEL 2: apply knowledge with underpinning
comprehension in a number of areas and employ
a range of skills within a number of contexts, some
of which may be non-routine and undertake
directed activities, with a degree of autonomy,
within time constraints.
LEVEL 3: apply knowledge and skills in a range of
complex activities demonstrating comprehension of
relevant theories; access and analyse information
independently and make reasoned judgments,
selecting from a considerable choice of procedures
in familiar and unfamiliar contexts and direct own
activities, with some responsibility for the output of
others.
LEVEL 4: develop a rigorous approach to the
acquisition of a broad knowledge base; employ
a range of specialised skills; evaluate information,
using it to plan and develop investigative strategies
and to determine solutions to a variety of
unpredictable problems; operate in a range of varied
and specific contexts, taking responsibility for the
nature and quality of outputs.
LEVEL 5: generate ideas through the analysis of
concepts at an abstract level, with a command of
specialised skills and the formulation of responses to
well defined and abstract problems; analyse and
evaluate information; exercise significant judgment
across a broad range of functions; and accept
responsibility for determining and achieving
personal and/or group outcomes.
LEVEL 6: critically review, consolidate and extend
a systematic and coherent body of knowledge,
utilising specialised skills across an area of study;
critically evaluate new concepts and evidence from
a range of sources; transfer and apply diagnostic and
creative skills and exercise significant judgment in
a range of situations; accept accountability for
determining and achieving group and/or personal
outcomes.
LEVEL 7: display mastery of a complex and
specialised area of knowledge and skills, employing
advanced skills to conduct research, or advanced
technical and professional activity; accepting
accountability for all related decision making
including use of supervision.
LEVEL 8: make a significant and original
contribution to a specialised field of inquiry
demonstrating a command of methodological issues
and engaging in critical dialogue with peers;
accepting full accountability for outcomes.
APPENDIX 3

17. 3029 3029
Appendix 4. Quality Assurance Agency
statement on the relationship between
frameworks
The frameworks for higher education
qualifications and credit: how they relate to
academic standards
Qualification frameworks
“The framework for higher education qualifications in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland” (FHEQ) was
first published in 2001 and revised in 2008. It has
five levels - numbered 4 to 8, with bachelor’s degrees
located within level 6, master’s degrees in level 7 and
doctorates in level 8. A similar higher education
qualifications framework was agreed for Scotland in
2001. Its different number of levels reflect the
different education system, but the two frameworks
share many common purposes and features,
including common structures, qualifications titles
and qualifications descriptors at postgraduate levels.
These two frameworks are an integral part of quality
assurance in higher education. Higher education
institutions use them in planning, delivering and
monitoring their study programmes and the awards
that come from them, and external quality assurance
procedures focus directly on how effectively
institutions manage their use of the frameworks.
The numbering of the FHEQ levels corresponds with
levels 4 to 8 in the National Qualifications
Framework (NQF)/Qualifications and Credit
Framework (QCF) for the vocational qualifications
system and can assist with transfer and progression
between different levels and types of study. The
FHEQ also aligns with the Framework for
Qualifications of the European Higher Education
Area to assist students’ and graduates’ international
mobility.
The FHEQ is based on the concept that
qualifications are awarded for the demonstrated
achievement of learning outcomes and attainment,
rather than the length or content of study. It
provides the basis for a shared understanding, for
higher education and its key stakeholders, of the link
between standards and qualification levels. It aims to
support a consistency of approach and transparency
about expectations for students and employers by
providing a series of general qualification descriptors
which summarise the levels of knowledge and
understanding and the types of abilities that holders
of different qualifications are likely to have.
Credit frameworks
Credit is a means, used by many higher education
institutions for a substantial number of years, of
quantifying the amount or volume and complexity of
work normally associated with learning outcomes. In
the United Kingdom (UK) the unit is based on 10
notional hours of learning – knowing that some
learners will take more and some less time. The
difficulty or complexity associated with the learning
is represented by a level numbered like the FHEQ
from 4 to 8 and the NQF/QCF from 1 to 8. The
credit level descriptors used across the UK are
generally derived from those developed through the
Northern Ireland Credit Accumulation and Transfer
System (NICATS) project.
Both Scotland and Wales have integrated credit and
qualifications frameworks. In England and Northern
Ireland, various large consortia have shared
approaches to credit practices for many years, using
a common 'language' to support curriculum
development within and between institutions, and
through this supporting consistency in approach to
standards.
Credit provides a tool for describing and comparing
learning in terms of volume and intellectual demand
and can therefore assist students in planning and
accumulating learning towards an award. Credit can
also help in transfer between institutions (both
nationally and internationally) if students wish or
need to interrupt their studies or move.
In 2008, QAA, on behalf of the Credit Issues
Development Group (established by the Burgess
Group), published the “Higher education credit
framework for England: guidance on higher
education credit arrangements in England”
following consultation with the sector and other
bodies. Those institutions in England that elect to
use credit are encouraged to use this credit
framework in conjunction with the FHEQ in order to
promote consistency of approach across the sector
in the use of credit.
The English higher education credit framework
provides advice and guidance on the use of credit
in the design of programmes leading to the main
qualifications referenced at each of the levels in the
FHEQ. It provides advice on the minimum total
volume of credit for the qualification and the
minimum credit at the level of the award that is
typically used in the design of the main
qualifications. The credit level can be referenced
against its NICATS derived level descriptors.
The English higher education credit framework has
been designed to be complementary to the
implementation of the FHEQ and it therefore uses
the same levels and refers to the main qualification
examples in the FHEQ. However, not all higher
education institutions in England use credit-based
systems in the design and management of curricula
and the standards of qualifications. The English
higher education credit framework is therefore not
an essential or formal part of external quality
assurance procedures. However, where a higher
education institution uses credit, the management of
its use could be discussed and the credit framework
would provide an appropriate point of reference.
The Joint Forum for Higher Levels which includes
QAA, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority,
the Learning and Skills Council, the Higher Education
Funding Council for England and a range of
stakeholders, has developed a set of ‘Overarching
principles and shared operational criteria’ for a
common approach to credit. These are designed to
help those working at the interface between the
vocational education and training sector and the
higher education sector to develop a common
understanding of how credit is used in the two
sectors. A number of Lifelong Learning Networks and
Skills Pathfinders have begun to use them in support
of their work.
Quality Assurance Agency – August 2008
www.qaa.ac.uk
APPENDIX 4

18. 3231 3231
Appendix 5. Sources of information about
credit and credit frameworks
https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-
levels-mean
UK Government website, lots of useful information
under education and learning
www.qaa.ac.uk
The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) – Information
and publications about the quality system in higher
education, the FHEQ, codes of practice, APL
guidelines etc.
http://www.nicats.ac.uk/about/prn_tlevl_descriptors.pdf
The NICATS Level Descriptors and other information
www.seec.org.uk
SEEC Southern England Consortium for Credit
Accumulation and Transfer. Very useful website for
all aspects of CATS and SEEC levels descriptors
http://www.scqf.org.uk/AbouttheFramework
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
This site has lots of very useful general information
and resources.
www.nfq.ie
The National Framework of Qualifications for Ireland
http://www.ofqual.gov.uk
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations
Regulation. Information about the QCF and links to
useful archived QCA and QCDA publications
APPENDIX 5