Accreditation of prior learning (APL)

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What is APL?

Accreditation of prior learning (APL) is an opportunity to be given credit for learning and skills already gained before joining one of the Faculty’s courses. This means that you can avoid duplicating previous learning and it can help you to:

Gain entry into a course even if you don't have some of the required qualifications
Be exempt from certain parts of the course
Progress more quickly towards qualifying for the final award.

For example, you may have already studied individual modules or short courses or gained a relevant qualification at another institution. Or you may have achieved relevant learning through work experience, volunteer work, or as part of a training course for which you didn't receive any formal qualification.

You can only be awarded credit for prior learning that matches the learning outcomes of the course that you are studying. This could be done on the basis of individual modules or for an entire level or stage of the course.

How do I apply for APL?

Each course has specific policies about how much APL can be allowed towards a qualification or towards exemption from parts of the course.

You will need to provide evidence of your prior learning. For prior qualifications this may be a certificate, transcript, formal letter, or pass list. If your learning is experiential then you will need to produce a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes of the module or level for which you are seeking credit. This might be done through job descriptions, references from employers, or a reflective journal on a particular life experience.

If you think you are eligible for APL and would like to find out more, please contact the APL advisor for the course you are interested in.

Midwifery and child health

Midwifery BSc(Hons): Lynne Cornford-Wood l.cornford-wood@sgul.kingston.ac.uk
Maternal and Child Health, Socio-Cultural Perspectives MSc: Alison Twycross a.twycross@sgul.kingston.ac.uk