Credit Rating PilotCollege Credit Rating Pilot
The Framework has 12 levels – ranging from National Qualifications from Access Level 1 up to Doctorate at Level 12. Between levels 1 and 12 the associated learning becomes more complex making increasingly greater demands on the learner. Units, courses and programmes which are subject to quality assured assessment:
- can be placed on the Framework at the level which reflects the complexity of demand they make on the learner;
- will be allocated credit points to show the amount of assessed learning undertaken. One credit point equates to 10 notional hours of learning time, some of which is class based and some undertaken independently by the student.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON CREDIT RATING FOR SCOTLAND'S COLLEGES
Initially only SQA and universities were approved to credit rate qualifications but from 2006 the authority to credit rate has been extended to Scotland's colleges. During 2005/06 a pilot was held to help build credit rating capacity in colleges. Eight colleges participated in the pilot, the outcome of which was an Evaluation report by HMIE.
Partnership working to build colleges' capacity to credit rate is a very important. The Scottish Qualifications Authority and higher education institutions, such as Napier University, have been invaluable in sharing their experiences and supporting colleges.A Scottish Funding Council (SFC) circular entitled "Colleges as SCQF Credit Rating Bodies" can be accessed from the SFC website at www.sfc.ac.uk.
If your college is interested in implementing credit rating, contact the SCQF Partnership Office for further information
October 2006. This report evaluates the collective experience of the eight colleges who participated in the pilot project and makes recommendations for further development of credit rating in colleges.