Programme Credits - Calvary University

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The Role of Credits

An explanation of credits, endorsements and qualifications

Credits Defined

A credit is the numerical indication of the amount of work to be completed successfully in order that the student may have the desired outcome of the objectives recorded against his/her name.

Credits stand in specific relationships with a few very important concepts. These each need to be understood in order to see what the function of credits are. The concepts are elswere defined and described but are here listed and defined:

Course — A course is a prescribed series of learning activities in one subject, which are directed by objectives, leading to desired outcomes. A course carries a certain predetermined credit weight and is assessed in various ways.
Programme — A programme is a designed series of courses which will lead to a qualification. Each course carries a certain predetermined credit weight. The student may choose a set programme or construct a programme using courses according to set rules. Usually this takes place within one faculty but the applicant may select courses from other faculties where these complement their choice of majors and minors in one discipline (faculty).
Endorsement — If 70 credits over and above the basic 390 credits (or 18% of the basic 390 credits) fall into a different field (discipline or faculty) then an endorsement indicating this field is attached to the qualification of 390 credits and the certificate then reads 460 credits to indicate a major concentration (2 courses per academic year) taken for the degree.
Double Endorsement — This can be attained by selecting 2 x 70 credits in two different fields to an existing or current Bachelor qualification of 390 credits of which only one set of 70 credits lies above the Bachelor level of 390 credits and the certificate then reads 460 credits.
Qualification — The range of qualifications: Certificate (120), Diploma (240), Bachelor (390), Honours (510), Masters (690) or Doctoral (840) of a Field in a specific discipline or Faculty.
Bachelor degree — a student will gather 140 credits or (36% of 390 credits) over 3 academic years to earn a Bachelor in a specific field. Examples of a Bachelor are: Bachelor of Psychology or Bachelor of Education. This does not apply for the prescribed qualifications, such as Business Administration and Ministry.
Post-graduate diploma — A Post-graduate Diploma fulfills the same function as an honours degree but is taken in a different field of specialisation (discipline) than the preceding 390-credit Bachelor. It is taken in order to change focus from one field to another if the candidate (student) wishes to change direction, (does not want to take the honours in his/her current direction. The total number of credits taken must be 150+ credits with courses specializing in the new field having a value of at least 140 credits.
Honours Degree — Once a student has obtained a degree in a specific faculty, he/she may register for an honours degree which is made up of 120 credits and must be registered for separately. Subjects should be selectd which are in preparation for the planned Masters degree.
Combined Masters degree — An Honours may be done in combination with the following Masters Disertation. The honours is then hidden in the Masters but the Masters then seems like a tutored Masters which includes a Dissertation. Costs are reduced and only one registration takes place, resulting in one qualification certificate — the Masters degree.

Putting it all together

Each academic year is usually denoted by 120 credits. (Some are 150 or even 180 credits.) Since a notional credit indicates 10 hours of activity, 1200 hours leads to a qualification such as a certificate. Some qualifications have a different number of credits. See a list of credits where our course fees are quoted for the minimum credits of the main programmes. These fees must be adjusted pro-rata according to the real credits taken in a programme.

A qualification is issued when the set minimum number of credits is reached. The student may have chosen a larger number of credits due to the choice of cources. These extra credits remain to the student's credit and help the student to reach the next qualification target.

Fees for programmes indicate the calculated fees for the minimum number of credits for that level's qualification. The student has to pay the fee calculated by the actual number of credits if the chosen courses are added together. The Masters and the doctoral qualification will, however, always end on 690 and 840 credits, which are absolute ceiling levels.

Making the past count

Any Diploma, wherever earned, consists of 240 credits. To obtain a Bachelor degree, another 150 credits must be completed to reach the 390 credit mark. The student selects such courses from faculties as will provide these credits.

If the student has Transfer Credits for any Diploma and, when studies are completed, then has 140 credits in one field, a Bachelor of that field will be issued.

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