Australian Qualifications Framework

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The Australian Qualifications Framework provides the hierarchy of educational qualifications in Australia. It is administered nationally by the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (Australia). Few qualifications outside the system are accepted by employers or for entry to tertiary study. The main exceptions are IT vendor certifications and the International Baccalaureate.

The framework divides all qualifications into three sectors, roughly correlating with the type of institution offer the courses. However, this correlation is becoming looser over time.

Contents

[edit] Schools Sector

[edit] Senior Secondary Certificate of Education

See also: Australian Certificate of Education

The Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE) is the graduation certificate earned by most students in Australian High Schools (known in Victoria as Secondary Colleges or Colleges). The title "SSCE" will likely soon to be changed to Australian Certificate of Education (ACE).

Students completing the SSCE are usually aged 16-18 and study full-time for two years. In some states adults may gain the certificate at an adult re-entry campus or through TAFE.

The SSCE is equivalent to the High School Diploma of North America, and the A Levels of the UK.

The curriculum, assessment and name of the SSCE is different in each state and territory. The government of each determines these themselves, although the curriculum must address mutually agreed national competencies.

The state and territory SSCEs are:

Students completing these are given a nationally standardised final score (except in Queensland). Australian Higher Education providers typically use this mark as the main criterion in selecting domestic students. The Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee generates the score, officially known as the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank. It is known by this name in Victoria, but is commonly known as the University Admissions Index (UAI) in NSW and the ACT, and the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) elsewhere.

Some students include courses from other sectors towards their SSCE, for example, a Victorian student may include the results of a "Certificate III in Multimedia" as the equivalent of Units 3 and 4 of a VCE subject. Such courses can be taught in High Schools as part of their standard curriculum. It is possible for a student to leave a High School with only a VET qualification.

Competing qualifications outside the ACF system are the International Baccalaureate (IB) and School of Tomorrow Year 12 Academic Certificate (previously Accelerated Christian Education (ACE)). The IB is well accepted by universities. ACE has lesser support, and students may also have to additionally pass a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)).

[edit] External links

[edit] Vocational Education and Training (VET) & Higher Education Sectors

There has been growing overlap between these sectors. Courses are primarily taken by those aged over 18, however in some vocational and general academic courses a minority of students entered at the compulsory school-leaving age in Australia (15 or 16) and are supported in Youth Units. This tends to happen particularly at TAFE, and is less likely to happen at a university or private institution.

The two sectors form a continuum, from VET to Higher Education at the other. Courses at the VET end being short, practical and delivered by TAFE at a certificate to diploma level. Courses at the Higher Education end being three years or longer, academic and delivered by universities. There is significant overlap, however; a TAFE may offer degrees and universities certificates and diplomas. A number of private institutions and Adult and Community Education centres cover the full range of qualifications.

There has been a strong push towards mutual recognition of qualifications, with VET or Higher Ed courses recognised towards other courses (and for those under 21 towards a SSCE). A process of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) has been implemented to allow competencies gained through work and other experience to be assessed and recognised. A Diploma of Agriculture might be recognised as the equivalent of the first year of the degree, a Bachelor of Agricultural Science. A unit of "Letter Writing" in a "Certificate IV of Writing" might be recognised as a unit towards a "Bachelor of Business". Experience in aged care might be recognised towards a Certificate in Community Services.

[edit] Certificates: Certificate I-Certificate IV

The basic post-secondary qualifications. There is no firm duration for these qualifications.

Certificates I - IV prepare candidates for both employment and further education and training. Certificates I and II provide basic vocational skills and knowledge. Certificates III and IV largely replace the previous system of "trade certificates".

A Certificate IV is generally accepted by universities to be the equivalent of 6-12 months of a Bachelor's Degree.

These courses are usually delivered by TAFEs, Adult and Community Education centres (such as WEA centres), and registered private training providers.

[edit] Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Associate Degree

These courses take between 2-3 years to complete, and are worth roughly 1-2 years of a Bachelor Degree. "Diploma" and "Advanced Diploma" are titles given more practical courses, while "Associate Degree" is given to more academic courses.

These courses are usually delivered by TAFEs, Adult and Community Education centres and private providers.

[edit] Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Vocational Graduate Certificate, Vocational Graduate Diploma

These qualifications are much like Certificates and Diplomas without a "Graduate" or "Vocational Graduate" title, but must be completed by someone with a Bachelor Degree or higher. "Certificates" typically take 6 months to complete, while "Diplomas" take 12 months.

The newly devised "Vocational" title is intended to separate more practically-oriented courses from academic ones.

These courses are usually delivered by universities and private providers.

[edit] Bachelor Degree and Honours

The Bachelor's degree is the standard university qualification, and is recognised worldwide. Having one of these is the minimum requirement to have been seen to have "gone to university". Most take 3-4 years to complete.

Honours degrees are usually the same as the Bachelor Degree of the same name (ie "Bachelor of Divinity" and "Bachelor of Divinity (Honours)"), but require extra work. For 3 year degrees this is usually a fourth year of study or research, for 4 year and longer degrees, it usually requires performance at credit or distinction level and/or completion of a research project.

These courses are almost exclusively delivered by universities.

[edit] Master's Degree

These are the next step up, and usually require two years of full time study, on top of a Bachelor's degree. They generally take one of three standard forms, "coursework", "research" and "professional". The first is much like Bachelor Degree studies. The second requires the student to do a major thesis. The third involves projects completed in the workplace.

These courses are delivered by universities and a limited number of registered providers.

[edit] Doctoral Degree

The final step. Doctorates are either by "research" or are "professional". The "professional" option requires less research and some coursework.

These courses are delivered by universities and a limited number of registered providers.

[edit] See also

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