Postgrad Studies
Requesting Credit for Previous Studies
Credit for previous studies (CPS) towards postgraduate studies at Macquarie University is given in the form of specific Macquarie postgraduate unit exemptions for similar postgraduate tertiary-level studies at other recognised tertiary or accredited institutions. It should be noted that it is the University’s policy to assess individual requests for CPS only after students have received and accepted an offer of a place at Macquarie University
Postgraduate CPS Policy
- Candidates who have completed relevant postgraduate studies at Macquarie University or another university may receive up to a total credit of 25% towards a Macquarie award. Those who have only partially completed a postgraduate award may be granted credit up to 50%. Credit is not granted for undergraduate units.
- Units which are deemed to be relevant to the course of study and which are part of a completed course may only count towards core and option requirements, but not towards electives. Generally, credit should not be granted for electives and instead different electives should be substituted wherever possible.
- Students who transfer from one incomplete Macquarie program to another may receive full credit for those units completed in the first program which are part of the second.
- Credit for previous studies is only granted if the studies have been completed within the previous ten years. Professional qualifications and work experience do not attract credit.
- Where Macquarie University offers a set of articulated coursework awards (degree/diploma/certificate), candidates who have completed requirements for one of the lesser courses in the set may have that award conferred and also receive full credit towards the higher award for relevant studies completed.
- The Credit for Previous Study policy allows for the rounding up to the next whole unit (e.g. 25% of 12 credit points translates to three quarter of a unit which rounds up to 1 unit in the present context). i.e. 1 unit for students in a 3 unit Postgraduate Certificate course even if they have a completed degree.
Recommendations that fall outside of the above policy should be forwarded with supporting documents to the relevant Faculty for consideration by the Faculty Standards and Quality Committee (FSQC).
Applying for Credit for Previous Studies (CPS)
Existing Macquarie domestic (local) and international students apply for CPS using the Application for Credit for Previous Studies. This application can then be submitted along with evidence of prior studies to the Student Enquiry Service, Level 1 Lincoln Building C8A.
New applicants to a course may apply for CPS at the time of submitting their application to study at Macquarie University following the steps below:
- International applicants apply for CPS as part of the International Postgraduate Admissions Application Form. Contact Macquarie International for more information on this.
- Domestic applicants applying direct to Macquarie University may request CPS on the Coursework Direct Application. For more detailed information, please refer to our ‘How to Apply and Enrol’ page.
- Domestic applicants applying through UAC (Universities Admissions Centre) may submit a credit request form only upon RECEIPT and ACCEPTANCE of an offer to Macquarie University. To apply for CPS please complete the Application for Credit for Previous Studies. This application can then be submitted along with evidence of prior studies to the Student Enquiry Service, Level 1 Lincoln Building C8A.
Evidence of Prior Studies
With any CPS application you will be required to supply official academic transcripts of all of your relevant previous studies. An official transcript is a complete record of each qualification attempted including all grades achieved and it will be presented on an institution letterhead and possibly on watermarked paper. You may need to contact your previous institution to obtain an official transcript.
*Note that internet print-outs of results and end-of-semester results slips are not acceptable in place of the academic transcript.
Please ensure that for any official academic transcript to be provided, they are submitted as either an original or a certified copy. For information on how to certify documents please refer to the following page: How to Certify Documents (Photocopies)
If you have studied at an institution other than an Australian university or accredited post-secondary institution, you will also be required to submit details of syllabuses, courses and units studied. If the transcripts for your previous studies are in a language other than English you must also include certified translations of your previous studies.
*Please note that if your previous studies were undertaken at Macquarie University you DO NOT need to attach evidence of these studies.
Notification of the Outcome
The University will assess your request and if you are eligible for credit (Macquarie postgraduate unit exemptions) and you will be a new domestic student, the credit granted will be reflected via your eStudent during the admissions and enrolment period. For new international students, the assessment outcome will be notified with the offer decision via an official letter posted from Macquarie International.
Where the request is made via our Application for Credit for Previous Studies, you will be informed of the assessment outcome via an official letter posted out to you by the Coursework Studies Section.