Accreditation of Prior Learning

• APCL (Accreditation of Prior Certified Learning): Credit for previously assessed and certified study.
• APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning): Credit for learning gained through work or life experience. Requires assessed evidence (e.g., portfolio, report, project, presentation).

• Any application for APL credit in respect of postgraduate studies must be based on prior learning or experience at a suitably advanced level. This means that it is not normally possible to accredit prior learning at undergraduate level, even if the content may appear similar.
• The University of Warwick operates the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), where 1 European credit (ECTS) is equivalent to 2 UK credits (CATS). Thus, each taught module of 20 credits is normally equivalent to 10 ECTS credits, and a full Masters of 180 UK credits is equivalent to 90 ECTS. 
• Academic credit should be awarded only for achievement of designated learning outcomes. Therefore, AP(E)L should be awarded only against specific modules where through prior qualification or experience it can be confirmed that students have achieved equivalent learning outcomes.
• Accreditation of prior certificated learning (APCL) is when credit is awarded for learning which has already been assessed, awarded and certificated as part of a completed or partly completed course or qualification.
• Accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL) is when credit is awarded for learning and capabilities gained through your experiences. A wide range of life experiences could provide appropriate learning opportunities, although it is the ability to demonstrate your learning, rather than simply stating your experience which is the basis for credit. Since this learning will not have been previously assessed, a claim for APEL credit involves the submission of a piece of assessed work (such as a report, portfolio, project, performance, written assignment, oral presentation, viva or presentation of artefacts).
• The proportion of a course for which recognition of prior learning (certified or experiential) may be awarded is limited to one third of the total credits, i.e. 60 UK credits or 30 ECTS.

The full policy is available on our Policies and Governance page.

Contact admissions@lfs.org.uk to discuss eligibility and required evidence.