Glasgow Caledonian University recognises experience gained outside the classroom. Find out how your experience can count towards university with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Students at GCU should enter a course at a level appropriate to their prior learning and qualifications. The University therefore encourages the Recognition of Prior Certificated Learning, or credit transfer, and the Recognition of Prior informal Learning as a means of providing entry to, or credit within, all of its courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Such recognition will take place within the context of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). The University will support schools in the implementation of RPL processes in all subject areas.
RPL is an important means of supporting the University’s vision ‘to be a successful international university delivering access and excellence, with a strong commitment to the common good’. RPL is an integral component of the University’s Widening Access Strategy through supporting the provision of flexible routes into and through programmes at GCU for all learners with the potential to benefit from higher education regardless of background. RPL supports flexible delivery such as work-based learning and part-time provision. Effective systems for RPL also support the University’s strategies in relation to learning, teaching and assessment; internationalisation; employability and graduate attributes. The GCU RPL Policy forms part of the GCU Admissions Policy.
FAQ's
What is RPL?
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Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) refers to learning you have already gained before starting your course at Glasgow Caledonian. RPL can be counted in lieu of standard entry requirements for a course, or, can allow you to be awarded credit once you've started. Full information on RPL at GCU can be found in the GCU Recognition of Prior Learning Policy .
Apply for entry on the basis of RPL (in lieu of standard entry requirements) If you think that your prior learning is equivalent to the advertised formal entry requirements for a course of study please contact the Admissions and Enquiry Service who will be able to advise you on how you can make an application to the University. Your prior learning will be considered and, if successful, an offer for entry to an appropriate level of the course will be made.
Apply for credit within a course of study To apply for credit within a course you must be a registered student with GCU, or an unconditional offer holder who has firmly accepted their offer and due to start. All claims should be submitted before the module(s) commence. If you have already started your studies at Glasgow Caledonian, your claim must be received no later than the end of week two in each trimester. You should complete and submit the RPL claim form with full details of your prior learning and the module(s) you are applying for credit against. You will be asked to evidence your prior learning and so any evidence of prior learning that you already have should also be submitted with your claim. As part of the consideration of your claim, you may also be asked to provide further information or evidence if required.
Is my Prior Learning too old to be given Credit or to use for Credit Transfer?
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To be awarded credit within your course, the learning needs to be up to date, relevant and appropriate to your degree of study. Your RPL Advisor will be able to provide guidance on this, but it is unlikely that qualifications achieved more than five years ago will be considered up to date to permit credit transfer.
How much credit within a programme of study can I claim through RPL?
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There are limitations to the amount of credit you can claim through RPL to ensure that a sufficient amount of study for your award is undertaken with Glasgow Caledonian. A full list of the maximum amounts of credit you can claim though RPL is provided in the GCU Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and you should consider this before you submit a claim.
What about awards with Merit or Distinction?
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All RPL credit, both certificated and informal, is ungraded. This means that no marks will be available from RPL credit to count towards awards with Merit or Distinction. At Glasgow Caledonian, awards with Merit or Distinction are considered solely on the basis of achieving all credit points required for consideration of the award with Merit/Distinction through completion of GCU modules.
Would an RPL Claim impact on Honours Classification?
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Direct entry to the final year of an Honours degree (SCQF Level 10) is possible, however, you will be required to complete all modules within the final year of the course, to satisfy the minimum credit requirements for a GCU award.
What happens to my RPL claim form?
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Your claim will be assessed by two academic members of staff: the Assessor and the Moderator. You will be supported throughout the process, advised if any additional information is required and given an indication of the length of time that the assessment of your claim will take. Generally, this will be within three working weeks of submission of your claim form, however, it may take longer if a claim for recognition of informal learning needs additional supporting evidence. Advice on this can be obtained from the RPL Advisor supporting your claim.
Examples of the types of evidence which may be required are noted below:
When considering applications for the credit transfer of prior certificated learning The Assessor will need to see evidence of your prior certificated learning, the detail of what you learned, when this was learned, who awarded you the credit, and at what level of study the credit was awarded. Examples of the evidence you will be asked to provide may include module and syllabus descriptors or handbooks, transcripts, and confirmation of the marks you achieved for this learning. Once this information is received, the Assessor will review the evidence in order to identify if the learning you have already achieved is comparable to the learning you would achieve by studying the module(s) at GCU.
When considering applications for the award of credit based on informal learning When you make a claim based on informal learning it is expected that you will reflect on experiences, identify the learning within these experiences, and provide evidence of the learning achieved. Evidence of informal learning will therefore come in a variety of types and forms. Examples of how this type of learning can be evidenced may include structured interviews, reflective writing, witness statements and reports, portfolio, project work, observation of practice etc. Once all the evidence of learning has been received, the Assessor will review the evidence and undertake a process of assessment for credit rating the learning.
How much will my RPL claim cost?
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Some applications for RPL are free and some incur a charge. Please see below.
There is no fee to apply for entry to a course on the basis of prior learning. There is no fee for making a claim for the transfer of credit already achieved at another institution. There is a fee charged for claims for credit within a course on the basis of informal learning. This is because the informal learning has to be assessed and credit rated in order for it to be applied. However, if credit is applied to your course, you will also receive a tuition fee reduction as you will not be studying as many modules as originally anticipated. Please contact the Curriculum Quality and Accreditation (CQA) Team for information on the current schedule of fees.
Do I need to attend classes while my claim is being considered?
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Yes. Until you know whether your claim has been successful or not, you need to attend classes and be prepared to undertake assessment.
For further information: Application (RPL for entry) - Admissions Service
Credit within a programme (RPL for credit) - CQARPL@gcu.ac.uk
RPL Policy – Recognition of Prior Learning at GCU
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