Credit towards your Arts undergraduate degree
With our degrees accessible by a number of entry pathways, each year about 25% of new undergraduates are eligible for credit for previous study towards their Monash Arts degree.
Credit may be awarded for appropriate study at university or TAFE. Further information is available here:
Credit for...
General Rules Governing All Credit Assessment
Policy on credit within the Faculty of Arts is based upon the regulations as stated in the University Calendar and the Credit Policy listed in the University Policy Bank.
Work to be completed at Monash
A Monash Arts degree cannot be awarded to a student unless they complete at least one third of the qualification within the Arts Faculty at Monash (i.e. for the BA this is one full-year or 48 credit points).
Equivalency of credit point value
All Monash Arts units are valued at 6 credit points (0.125 EFTSL) or multiples thereof. Credit for previous studies will be awarded on an EFTSL to EFTSL equivalent rate; i.e. 1 Deakin University point is equal to 0.125 EFTSL and therefore is equal to 6 credit points at Monash University. Where equivalency is unclear the Associate Dean (Education) and the Manager, Coursework Student Services will make the final decision.
Where the EFTSL value from the prior institution does not match the Monash value (i.e. is more than, or less than 0.125 EFTSL or multiples thereof) the maximum amount of credit will be awarded that will allow the student to complete the course within the minimum credit points required (i.e. if a unit is worth 8 Monash credit points only 6 credit points can be awarded).
Relevancy
Credit within undergraduate coursework programs will only be awarded for prior studies:
- completed at relevant tertiary level institutions
- completed at a relevant equivalent tertiary level (i.e. no credit will be awarded for undergraduate level studies toward an postgraduate level course)
- Units studied via Open Universities Australia (OUA, previously Open Learning Australia, OLA ) will be awarded as credit if they are completed prior to entry into the Monash Arts course. Units completed after course commencement cannot be awarded as credit unless permission has been granted in writing prior to the commencement of the OUA unit by the Manager, Coursework Student Services.
Exemption from core units - courses and disciplines
Specific exemption from core units in courses or within disciplines (i.e. core units in major sequences or core units in a course) will only be granted where the curriculum of the previously completed studies is deemed to be equivalent to that of the Monash core units.
Language studies
Credit for language studies may be awarded in one of two ways:
- As specific year level unit exemptions (i.e. JPL1010 and JPL1020 or "1st year level sequence in Italian" 12 credit points).
- No credit awarded, but student commences language studies at a higher proficiency level Entry Point (i.e. instead of starting at Entry Level 1 they start at Entry Level 2 ).
The student is to decide which form of credit will be awarded.
Credit for non-Arts studies
Students applying for credit for studies completed in non-Arts disciplines will have the credit awarded as total unspecified credit points (e.g. "Unit level First year undergraduate program").
If the student wishes to have specific units exempted they must get written permission from the relevant Monash Faculty (i.e. appropriate signature on the application form).
Psychology credit
If a student wishes to have Psychology studies from other Australian Universities credited toward their Arts degree it will be awarded one of two ways:
- If assessed by the Department of Psychology (Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences) as being equivalent to individual Monash units these will be awarded and the student can continue their Psychology studies with Monash University.
- If assessed by the Department of Psychology (Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences) as not equivalent to Monash studies then they can be awarded as "unspecified Psychology/Arts credit". Students in this situation will not be able to continue with their studies in Psychology.
These rules are in place due to the fact that the Psychology course at Monash is accredited by the Australian Psychological Society. Any credit awarded must meet the accreditation requirements.
Enhancement studies
Students who completed enhancement units with Monash University (or other enhancement program participants) can have these units awarded as specific unit exemptions within their course. This credit is not mandatory.
Removal of Credit
Students may request to have credit removed (i.e. rescinded) at a later stage in their studies.
Credit may be removed under the following conditions:
- At the students' request if the units are no longer required to meet course requirements (i.e. they wish to change majors, minors, take additional different units.
- The Faculty may remove credit if the units no longer meet course requirements (i.e. it is discovered that the student needs the room to complete core requirements and can no longer fit the units previously awarded). In this instance the student will be advised in writing.
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Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas
Evidence required: in all cases listed below the following documentation must be provided before credit can be awarded:
- Original or certified copy of course transcript
- Proof of course completing (i.e. statement on transcript, testamur, or equivalent
All information below is based on the previous studies having been completed at an Australian Tertiary level institution - i.e. a TAFE . Students who have completed studies overseas should visit the Arts International credit site.
| Qualification | Credit |
|---|---|
| Diploma (1 year) |
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| Advanced Diploma (2 years) |
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| Diploma in Liberal Arts (1 year) |
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| Diploma/Advanced Diploma in Liberal Arts (2 years) |
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To have credit awarded as unit specific exemptions when studies have been completed at a Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma levels, students must liaise with the relevant program and receive written permission of which unit(s) are to be exempted.
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Credit for study in a previous undergraduate degrees
Evidence Required
- proof of completion of units that are requested as credit (i.e. original or certified copy of academic transcript);
- when requested, full course structure descriptions or unit descriptions (e.g. handbook entries and curriculum information) may be required to enable the full assessment of credit
Maximum credit that may be awarded
- Single Bachelors degree (excluding the BLitt): 96 credit points
- Double Bachelors degree: maximum of two-thirds of total credit points
- Bachelor of Letters (BLitt): 48 credit points
- Undergraduate Diplomas: 24 credit points (with a maximum of 12 credit points to be counted toward both the diploma and any other Monash award)
Additionally
- At least 18 points at a third-year level studies must be completed in an Arts discipline at Monash as part of a major
- credit for a full first-year of study in a previous degree can only be awarded in full if the required number of first-year sequences have been met; i.e. normally a minimum of three distinct disciplines within the Bachelor of Arts, normally a minimum of a Linguistics and two languages sequences in the Bachelor of Arts (Languages).
- credit for a full second-year of study in a previous degree can only be awarded in full if there are at least 12 points of second-year level studies in two distinct disciplines.
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Apply for credit for previous study
Applicants will be automatically assessed for credit based on the information provided at time of application; this includes domestic students applying through VTAC and international students applying through International Recruitment Services.
Domestic students applying for semester 1 entry will be able to collect credit at one of your pre-enrolment sessions for your course. See enrol with Monash Arts. Mid-year students will be advised of credit with your offer.
International students also receive credit details with their offer.
How to apply for or amend credit after enrolment has finished
To be granted credit that has not been pre-assessed or to make changes later on in your course you will need to apply by completing a credit application form to have credit added, or complete an application to have credit revoked to have credit removed from your course.
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