Higher Education Credit Framework for England: Advice on Academic Credit Arrangements

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Higher Education Credit 
Framework for England: 
Advice on Academic 
Credit Arrangements
Second edition
May 2021

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Contents
Definition of terms 
Chair's foreword 
Introduction
 
What is credit?
About this advice
Structure of this advice 
How learners can use this advice 
How providers can use this advice 
Credit Framework for England
 
2021
Guiding principles for the use of credit
 
The UK context 
Achievement, workload, complexity - the different uses of credit 
Europe 
Alignment of credit with flexible learning models 
Flexibility of credit 
Credit level descriptors 
Southern England Consortium for Credit Accumulation and Transfer 
(SEEC) credit levels 
QAA Subject Benchmark Statements 
Annex 1: List of further resources 
Annex 2: Membership of the 2021 Credit Framework 
for England Advisory Group 
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1
Definition of terms
Apprenticeship
A job with training to industry and/or professional standards, which may or may not 
include a mandatory qualification. See also ‘Higher and degree apprenticeships’.
Articulation
An arrangement where learners enrolled on a designated course at a partner 
provider are automatically entitled (subject to academic criteria) to be admitted with 
advanced standing to a subsequent part or year of a degree-awarding body’s course. 
‘Advanced standing’ is the recognition of previous successful study, reducing the 
number of modules needed to complete the course
Credit
A means of quantifying and recognising learning whenever and wherever it is achieved. 
Credit is awarded in recognition of achievement of learning outcomes at a specified level.