NextGen: HN - Articulation and Progression

Articulation from NextGen: HNC to HEIs

Articulation agreements between colleges and HEIs are generally local arrangements based on the notion of credit accumulation and transfer (CAT).

The opportunity to enter employment or progress along the SCQF framework into further college or university study is widely recognised as one of the key strengths of our Higher National provision. NextGen: HN will enhance these opportunities. HEIs may offer advanced standing - direct entry to second year of degree programmes - to students based on the level they have achieved.

Articulation is defined by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) as ‘a student gaining entry into the second year of a degree with a Higher National Certificate (HNC) gained at college, or into the third year with a Higher National Diploma (HND) gained at college’.

Therefore, with prior arrangement, a collaborative ‘matching of content’ and a satisfying of any further University conditions a student gaining a NextGen HNC could articulate to a second year of a degree.

Articulation to a NextGen HND in same institution

There are many routes that could lead to a HND within the same institution.

If the preceding study level was a NextGen: HNC, the articulation is straightforward. However, at this early stage it is possible that the preceding qualification was a non-NextGen: HNC.

It is relatively common for colleges to allow their students to achieve 15 credits at HNC level as a matter of course. Given this, and in keeping with previous handovers between old and new qualifications, colleges will need to review their own frameworks. Where direct articulation gaps are evident, the college should consider Recognition of Prior Learning.

Once entry has been gained to the NextGen: HND, further articulation should be possible to third year of a degree if the above conditions are met.

Recognition of prior learning

SQA’s policy on Recognition of prior learning (RPL) outlines how we take into account the knowledge, understanding and practical experience learners have before they start a qualification when we consider whether they have met that qualification’s evidence requirements.

We recognise that learners gain knowledge and skills through formal, non-formal and informal learning contexts. A learner is unlikely to have the appropriate prior learning and experience to meet all the requirements of a full group award before they start the course.

Recognition of prior learning in Next Generation Higher National Qualifications

SQA’s RPL policy also applies to Next Generation Higher National Qualifications (NextGen HNQs). We have produced this FAQ guidance to help you apply RPL to these qualifications. In this guidance, we refer to non-NextGen HNQs as current HNQs.

If a learner has completed a NextGen HNC, can they move onto a current HND?

Yes. The knowledge, skills and understanding learners develop during their NextGen HNC puts them in a good position to articulate to the HND. The delivering centre should use SQA’s RPL guidance to facilitate this.

NextGen HNCs don’t have a graded unit. Does this mean a learner can’t move onto to a current HND?

No. The absence of a graded unit does not affect a learner’s ability to progress to the next level. The evidence learners generate across the award determines their grade. The NextGen award is still graded, with learners receiving a grade of ‘achieved’, ‘achieved with merit’ or ‘achieved with distinction’ when they complete the award. Delivering centres should use SQA’s RPL guidance to help them with this. You can find more information on grading models in NextGen HNQs on our website.

If a learner has completed a NextGen HNC and moves onto a current HND, the centre must enter a grade for the graded unit for them. How should they go about this?

The NextGen grading model differs from the current HNQ model. In NextGen: HNQs, instead of using a single 1-credit unit as the grading vehicle, grading is generated across the award. The NextGen award is still graded, with the learner receiving a grade of ‘achieved’, ‘achieved with merit’ or ‘achieved with distinction’. These grades are not aligned to the graded unit model of A, B and C.

In this situation, we expect practitioners to use their professional judgement of the learner’s NextGen HNC grade to make a fair decision on the graded unit element, while following the existing requirements and guidance for the current HND. Practitioners use their professional judgement when using SQA’s RPL policy when learners enter any SQA course.

Does a NextGen HNC together with a current HND give sufficient credits needed for direct entry to university?

Yes. NextGen HN awards, both NextGen HNCs and NextGen HNDs, are distinct qualifications consisting of 15 credits each, while current HNDs consist of 15 credits. This means that if a learner completes a NextGen HNC and then completes a current HND, they have achieved 30 credits, equal to university entry requirements when articulating from an HND to a degree programme.

Does a NextGen HND together with a current HNC give sufficient credits needed for direct entry to university?

No. NextGen HN awards, both NextGen HNCs and NextGen HNDs, are distinct qualifications consisting of 15 credits each, while current HNCs consist of 12 credits. This means that if a learner completes a current HNC and then completes a NextGen HND, they have achieved 27 credits. In this situation, the centre should support the learner by providing a route to the 30 credits required for articulation.

Can a learner move onto a current HND in a different centre having completed a NextGen HNC?

Yes. NextGen HNQs are stand-alone qualifications. A learner who has successfully completed a NextGen HNC brings 15 credits as an entry offer to a NextGen HND. Centres must assess whether the learner has sufficient relevant knowledge to indicate their potential success in an HND and beyond. Centres must enter and result the learner for the units in the current HNC. This is the same approach they would use for a learner coming from a current HNC in one college to a current HND in another. Centres can use RPL to facilitate this.

If a learner has completed a NextGen HNC and moves into a current HND, are there any additional entry cost implications for centres when implementing the RPL guidance?

No. When a learner completes a NextGen HNC and moves onto a current HND, the delivering centre should use SQA’s RPL policy to facilitate this. This means that the centre enters and results the learner for the first year of the HND (HNC year). There is no additional cost for this; the current pricing structure for an HND still applies.

We have worked collaboratively with our partners and stakeholders to develop the approach for NextGen: HN articulation and progression to date including:

• Establishing a cross-sector Articulation, Progression and Grading Advisory Group, which provides advice, guidance and feedback so that NextGen: HN qualifications enable articulation and progression pathways. This group has representation from HEIs, Further Education Institutions, Skills Development Scotland, Scotland’s Community of Access and Participation Practitioners (SCAPP) and National Access and Widening Participation Managers Group, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and Student Participation in Quality Scotland (Sparqs).
• Introducing the NextGen: HN concept to all HEIs and outlining the help available to colleges, employers and training providers.
• Providing NextGen: HN pilot centres with subject-specific information to support articulation and progression conversations.
• Running HEI Showcase events to update HEI partners on progress being made at subject-level across NextGen: HN prototype qualifications and the range of resources available, including Qualification Information documents. A new series of HEI Showcase events is being planned for 2023-24.
• Exploring issues such as grading, national articulation and meta skills with the HEI sector through a number of engagements throughout the past 18 months.