Faculty of Arts: Arts and Music Student Centre My Advisor

Advanced standing (also known as credit) refers to points granted towards the requirements of a degree for studies completed outside of that degree and/or the University of Melbourne.

Different types of advanced standing can be awarded as follows:

• Specified advanced standing may be awarded for a subject judged to be substantially similar or equivalent to a subject normally taken within the relevant degree. The points awarded shall be equal to the points value of the University of Melbourne subject.
• Subject area advanced standing may be awarded for a subject or subjects judged to be of equivalent standing to subjects offered at the University of Melbourne within a particular subject area, where no specified equivalent subject is available, and where subjects in that area are normally taken within the relevant degree. The number of advanced standing points shall be determined based on the points value of comparable subjects.
• General advanced standing may be awarded for a subject or subjects judged to be of equivalent standing to subjects offered at the University of Melbourne, where no specified equivalent subject, or subject area, is available, and where subjects from any subject area can normally be undertaken within the relevant degree.

Wherever possible specified or subject area advanced standing should be awarded. The type of advanced standing finally awarded to each enrolling student will be determined with reference to their application, the requirements of the degree in which they are enrolling and to the following details pertaining to the subject(s) in question:

• Content; and
• Assessment requirements; and
• Contact hours; and
• Credit points offered at the teaching institution as a percentage of full-time enrolment.

Advanced standing will only be awarded for completed tertiary studies judged to be of equivalent standing to that offered in the degree in which a student is enrolling. This may include studies undertaken at the University of Melbourne through non-award programs.

Advanced standing normally will not be awarded towards postgraduate degrees for undergraduate study. Discretion may be permitted where students have undertaken 400 level subject(s) as part of their Bachelors degree and are subsequently admitted to a relevant postgraduate diploma.

Advanced standing is not normally awarded for:

• TAFE study from below the level of associate diploma.
• Work experience or project work. This may be taken into consideration for applicants to graduate or postgraduate programs. Please refer to the policy on work experience for more detail.
• Failed or incomplete subjects (including those where a student has subsequently received a conceded or compensatory pass).

Exceptions to this are likely in some associate degree programs.

Subject to the availability of relevant data prospective students should be able to determine, prior to application for a place in a coursework degree, the amount of advanced standing they would likely receive towards that degree based on previous tertiary study completed. Once offered a place they would be eligible to apply for a detailed assessment of their eligibility for advanced standing, including type and amount.

It is recommended that enrolling students apply for advanced standing at the commencement of their enrolment in the degree because the amount and type of advanced standing awarded will determine their course plan. Enrolling students can apply for advanced standing at any time while they are enrolled in the degree for which they are seeking advanced standing, however they will not be permitted to rescind points for subjects already undertaken at the University of Melbourne within that degree.

The following enrolling students need not provide any further information about previous studies undertaken at the University of Melbourne, other than that contained in their application for selection into the relevant course, as advanced standing will automatically be evaluated and offered to the student:

• Students who have previously been enrolled at the University of Melbourne.
• Students who have transferred into their degree from a relevant course offered at one of the partner institutions with which the University has a prior agreement about advanced standing arrangements. These students will have submitted the required details as part of their application for a place in the degree.

Such students will receive formal notification of the amount and type of advanced standing awarded and will have the opportunity to decline advanced standing.

Enrolling students, having disclosed details of their previous studies undertaken at other institutions as part of their application for admission to the course, will be provided with information about finalising the amount and type of advanced standing to be awarded at the same time as their offer is made.

Enrolling students seeking advanced standing for previous studies should do so online and (where possible) submit the necessary documentation electronically to the academic enrichment unit or graduate school responsible for the administration of their degree.

A designated officer will coordinate the evaluation of each application and communicate with the student about this process.

The student will receive formal notification of the outcome of their advanced standing application with advice about their course plan accounting for the advanced standing they have received, as well as information about how to decline the advanced standing they have been offered. They will be invited to speak to a Student adviser from the relevant academic enrichment unit or graduate school if they have any questions or concerns about the information provided.

Advanced standing will be recorded on the student system and in the relevant student file.

Applications for specified advanced standing are evaluated by academic staff.

Applications for subject area or general advanced standing may be evaluated within established parameters by appropriate professional staff in academic enrichment units, or by academic staff, if the relevant officer has concerns about whether or not advanced standing should be awarded.

Academic enrichment units and graduate schools are obliged to record advanced standing points awarded within a central database through the Student System known as the advanced standing register. This database stores all relevant details of subjects for which advanced standing has been awarded to particular degrees. The purpose of the advanced standing register is to expedite the consideration of advanced standing applications and allow prospective students to form some preliminary expectations about the amount of advanced standing they would likely be offered as an enrolling student.

Students do not have to accept any or all of the advanced standing they are offered; however, should they decide to decline advanced standing, they must submit a 'Declining of Advanced standing' form (details provided with application outcome) to the relevant academic enrichment unit or graduate school. This must be done within the first two weeks of the commencing semester, or within two weeks following the offer of advanced standing. Once advanced standing has been declined students will not normally be entitled to re-apply for these points to be counted towards their degree.

Enrolling students who have completed a two year University level diploma or associate degree can receive up to a maximum of 200 points of advanced standing (comprising a maximum of 150 points towards the core component and a maximum of 50 points towards the breadth component) towards a Bachelors degree. The amount of advanced standing awarded will depend on the degree structure and the subjects the student intends taking in the degree.

Subject to any changes to the course requirements, these students will not need to apply for advanced standing for points accumulated at the University of Melbourne. Such students will receive an offer of advanced standing and can negotiate the details with the designated officer in the relevant Academic Enrichment Unit or Graduate School. Resuming students need to be aware that they may not be permitted to retain credit for subjects completed if the content of those subjects has become out of date. If students have completed additional subjects following their discontinuation/termination (e.g. CAP subjects undertaken to demonstrate academic rehabilitation) they will need to apply to have these subjects credited towards their degree. Advanced standing for these subjects will not automatically be approved.

Bachelors degree students undertaking exchange study with the University of Melbourne's Melbourne Abroad program, or study abroad with the approval of the relevant academic enrichment unit are permitted to receive subject area or general advanced standing for level 3 subjects. Such students may also receive specified advanced standing for level 3 subjects towards the core component of the degree.

Subject to overall limits on the amount of advanced standing that can be awarded towards a particular degree, students enrolled in a Bachelors degree may be permitted to undertake up to 50 points at another institution. This is known as cross-institutional study. Students will not normally be permitted to enrol on a cross-institutional basis in any subject where it would be possible for them to undertake an equivalent subject at the University of Melbourne. Discretion to vary either the maximum number of points or the subjects undertaken may be possible on personal or compassionate grounds.

A student who:

• transfers from one Bachelors degree ('the first degree') to another ('the second degree'); and
• receives advanced standing towards the second degree for studies completed whilst enrolled in the first degree; and
• completes the second degree; and
• resumes the first degree;

will only be allowed a maximum of 100 points of cross-credit towards the two degrees.

Students will not normally be given advanced standing for study undertaken whilst deferred or on leave from their University of Melbourne degree. Discretion may be permitted for international students forced to return to their home country for reasons beyond their control. Advanced standing for study completed whilst enrolled in a degree at the University of Melbourne will only be given for approved exchange, study abroad or complementary course enrolments.