Guidelines for Recognition of Prior Work Experience within Postgraduate Coursework Programs

Introduction

There are many postgraduate courses in the University that are designed to articulate with or build on skills and experience in related professional occupations.

Work experience that can be acknowledged for admission or credit purposes should be clearly specified. Specifying the kinds of work experience concerned has the following advantages:

• it makes clear to prospective students what they need to do to gain credit or admission;
• it makes clear to employers and referees what statements they must make in support of prospective students' applications for admission or credit;
• it assists in equitable transfer of students' applications;
• it makes clear the nature of the continuum between professional experience and training, ensures that the course aims appropriately reflect professional requirements, and assists in appropriately acknowledging the value of professional experience.

Guidelines

The following guidelines for Recognition of Prior Work Experience (RPWE) apply to all postgraduate coursework programs where work experience is formally acknowledged either as a requirement for admission to a course or where work experience can be counted towards completion of the course. Statements indicating the nature of the work experience for which credit can be given, or that is required for admission, should form part of the documentation submitted for approval of new courses or of significant changes to courses and included in summary form in course rules, course outlines and brochures.

1	Course approval documents and brochures must include:
	1.1	a statement of the typical work experience that entrants need to gain admission;
	1.2	the entry points that exist in the program, and/or the maximum unit value of credit that may be granted towards program completion. In general, the quantum of credit that may be granted for prior work experience should be no more than may be granted under the Credit Transfer Policy for prior study;
	1.3	an indication of the documentation of employment and of relevant skills and abilities that should be provided by applicants, and by their present and past employers or referees, when seeking admission and/or credit.
2	Course approval documents must also include:
	2.1	an indication of the way that prior work experience is recognised in the design of the program;
	2.2	a statement of the skills and abilities that such experience is expected to contribute towards the stated aims of the program. (These might be of a general nature, eg the ability to compile and analyse data and write reports at a postgraduate level, or may be of a specific nature, eg the ability to perform a specified technical procedure).