Communications – Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Local applicants

An application for prior learning recognition should be made when you have received a course offer through UAC and prior to your initial enrolment. Applications are processed with recognised credit approved on or shortly after enrolment, or at the latest before the end of the second week of the session to allow for any adjustments to your study plan.

For late UAC offers, application for prior learning recognition should be submitted at the time of your enrolment or as soon as possible after enrolment, but no later than one week after the start of the teaching session.

International applicants

International students need to consider the impact of prior learning recognition on their overall course duration and requirements of their student visa. Application for prior learning recognition must be made at the point of applying for the UTS course. UTS will endeavour to process the application prior to issuing the Letter of Offer. If the duration of the UTS course changes due to prior learning recognition the Letter of Offer will state the revised duration of the course. The Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) issued to the student for the purpose of obtaining a student visa will also reflect the revised duration of the course. Where sufficient information is not available to assess an application at the point of offer, credit may be approved after the offer is issued.

Applications for recognition of prior learning made after the first session of study will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and must be supported by a written statement.

The statement must include full disclosure of any previous applications and reasons why subsequent applications should be considered.

To be granted recognition of prior learning, previous learning must be assessed as being equivalent to the UTS subject as outlined in the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and Recognition of Prior Learning Procedures. This assessment will take into account each of the following:

• currency of knowledge
• relevance of your previous learning
• learning outcomes
• volume of learning
• content of study, and
• learning and assessment approaches of your previous learning.

Prior learning can be recognised only once in any individual UTS course. This means that prior learning considered as equivalent to a specific UTS subject(s) or other course component, can’t be recognised again for another subject or course component in that course. Prior learning may also be recognised through a process of subject substitution, where a student doesn’t have to complete a subject and an alternative subject(s) of equivalent credit point value is added to their study plan.

Students can be awarded a maximum of one-half (50%) of the credit points in a course via RPL. Some FASS courses have lower thresholds for the volume of RPL that can be awarded.

Study undertaken as part of an articulation agreement (e.g., UTS College) or at UTS for another course (including nested courses) is transferred without regard to limit so long as the transfer occurs prior to graduation (in-course transfer) and the learning satisfies the requirements of the new study plan.

The maximum number of years between completing the prior external course and admission into the current UTS course for all approved RPL is normally a maximum of 5 years but may be up to 10 years depending on the discretion of the discipline experts.

UTS will recognise previous learning only once. Ensuring that students make one, full RPL application at the time of admission reduces the likelihood to students trying to re-use RPL.

Subject-to-subject equivalency. RPL should be granted if ≥70% of the content maps to an equivalent UTS subject. Students should nominate the most equivalent subject in their application

Work experience or non-formal learning can be used as a basis for RPL where experience is closely cognate and equivalent to the relevant AQF level. This includes both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Credit can be granted for a single subject or a block of subjects. It is necessary for the student to provide documentation, mostly in the form of an artefact (eg. a major report, book, film, music score etc), or proof of relevant work experience as outlined below.

• a CV or position description that outlines the relevant experience

• a letter from the applicant’s employers (where recognition is on the basis of work experience)

• a letter or reference from the relevant organisation(s)

• details of how this experience addresses the course requirements (provided in the UTS Handbook), and/or

• any other documentation required for the course as outlined in the UTS Handbook or the relevant faculty’s RPL website.

In general, the School of Communication does not grant credit for subjects from undergraduate courses in graduate courses. (Access section 6.4.3 from the UTS Student Rules)

Students may be entitled to have subjects automatically credited to their new course. Course transfer recognition of prior learning will automatically be recognised where the subject number and version number are identical in each course. In such cases, the subject grade will be recorded for the course you have transferred to. Subjects automatically credited to your new course through course transfer will be included in the grade point average (GPA) calculation for the course you have transferred to.

In all other cases, recognition of prior learning is not automatic and an application for recognition of prior learning must be made. For more information see UTS Recognition of prior learning policies.

In exceptional circumstances, School of Communication students may be allowed to study a limited number of subjects at another approved tertiary institution and have these counted towards their UTS course.

Students will not be granted permission to undertake concurrent study if UTS offers the equivalent subjects or if students wish to accelerate their studies. Students must apply before starting studies at another institution and must have prior approval from UTS School of Communication. 

Applications must be submitted at least four weeks before the start of the teaching period during which the student wishes to undertake the study.

Programs of study taught by external providers may also be recognised for credit in UTS award courses.

UTS: Communication awards block credit for previous study with the following institutions under pre-determined arrangements.

• UTS College, Australia
• Singapore Polytechnics
  • Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore
  • Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore
  • Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore

• Taylor’s University 
• Northwest University of Political Science and Law 
• TAFE, Australia

Applications for recognition of prior learning must be submitted to the UTS Student Administration team.

Read more about how to apply for recognition of prior learning.

Further information, including application procedures, can be found on the University's Recognition of prior learning page.

Other University Rules and Policies that you need to be familiar with:

• UTS Student and Related Rules – Section 6
• UTS Prior Learning Recognition Procedures
• UTS Prior Learning Recognition Policy
• UTS Handbook
• UTS prior learning recognition search tool