In 1986 the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) introduced the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS), pointing out that there was a need in the UK for a more ‘open and flexible system of higher education which encourages and supports the progress of non-traditional entrants and provides greater opportunities for continuing professional education' ( CATS (credit accumulation and transfer scheme) offers institutions the opportunity to accredit or assign credit rating to parts or the whole of programmes of study. The CNAA published a ‘tariff of credit rating for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. A 3 or 4 year honours degree programme attracts a total of 360 credits. These are broken down into ‘levels’ roughly equating to the year of study. There are 120 credits at level 1, 120 credits at level 2, and 120 credits at level 3 (total 360). The whole is further subdivided in some cases; for example, there is a minimum course unit size of 4 credits, roughly equivalent to one week on a full-time first degree course. For postgraduate courses, there are 120 credits at level M for a complete Masters degree. These broad credit ratings can be further subdivided for professional courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Degrees by research, such as MPhil and PhD, do not currently come within this remit. This involves assigning a numerical credit to parts of a programme of study, depending on its ‘weighting’ within the programme. Thus, in the first year of a programme the basic introductory modules or units of study may be lower rated than those at the end of the year. Bearing in mind the first year of a degree programme adds up to 120 level one credits, it could be broken up into three differentially weighted units like this: Intrixiuctory 6 week unit = 10 credits at level 1 Main units of study =7x10 credit units at level 1 Project = Double 20 credit units at level 1 Total = 120 credits While the CNAA has provided the overall tariff, the actual credit rating of programmes of study is left to the professional judgement of tutors who will take into consideration the relative demands parts of programmes make on students (conceptual complexity). It is not just a question of hours of study being equated with number of credits; consideration must be given to the intended learning outcomes or objectives from particular units of study.
Nursing Standard. 8, 19, 28-30. doi: 10.7748/ns.8.19.28.s44
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