Australian Qualifications Framework
Encyclopedia
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) provides the hierarchy of educational qualifications in Australia
. It is administered nationally by the Australian Government
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Few qualifications outside the system are accepted by employers or for entry to tertiary study. The main exceptions are information technology vendor certifications and the International Baccalaureate.
s, and is equivalent to the High School Diploma
of North America
and the A-Levels of the United Kingdom
. Students completing the SSCE are usually aged 16 to 18 and study full-time for two years (years 11 and 12 of schooling). In some states adults may gain the certificate through a Technical and Further Education
college or other provider.
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.
Universities Australia generates a nationally standardised final score for each SSCE student called the
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
.
Universities and other Higher Education
providers typically use this mark as the main criterion in selecting domestic students.
Prior to 2010, this was called the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER) in Victoria,
and the University Admissions Index (UAI) in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and the Tertiary Entrance Rank
(TER) elsewhere.
Competing qualifications outside the Australian Qualifications Framework are the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Accelerated Christian Education
(ACE) Year 12 Academic Certificate. The IB is well accepted by universities. ACE has lesser support, and students may also have to additionally pass a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
(VET), organised under the National Training System
, and Higher Education
sectors in Australia. Courses are primarily taken by those aged over 18, however in some vocational and general academic courses a minority of students enter at the minimum school-leaving age of 16, although from May 2009 Federal Government policy calls for young people to be in education, gainful employment, or training until age 17 (Year 12 qualification) with tightening of income support payments to age 20 if not undertaking further training. This tends to happen particularly at Technical and Further Education
colleges (TAFE), and is less likely to happen at a university
or a private institution.
The two sectors form a continuum, with VET at the lower end and Higher Education at the higher. VET courses are typically short, practical in nature and delivered by a TAFE college or Registered Training Organisation at a certificate
to diploma
level. Higher Education courses take three years or longer to complete, are academic in nature and are delivered by universities
at degree
level. There is significant overlap, however; a TAFE college may offer degrees and universities may offer certificates and diplomas. A number of private institutions 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 Education courses recognised towards other courses (and for those under 21 towards an 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. For instance, a Diploma of Agriculture might be recognised as the equivalent of the first year of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree; a unit of Letter Writing in a Certificate IV of Writing might be recognised as a unit towards a Bachelor of Business degree; experience in aged care might be recognised towards a Certificate in Community Services.
Certificates I-II provide basic vocational skills and knowledge, while Certificates III-IV replace the previous system of trade certificates and provide training in more advanced skills and knowledge. A Certificate IV is generally accepted by universities to be the equivalent of six to twelve months of a Bachelor's degree
, and credit towards studies may be granted accordingly.
These courses are usually delivered by TAFE colleges, community education centres and registered private training providers.
, Advanced Diploma and Associate degree level take between two to three years to complete, and are generally considered to be equivalent to one to two years of study at degree level.
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 universities, TAFE colleges, community education centres and private RTO's (Registered Training Organisations).
Honours may be awarded atop a Bachelor degree after an additional year of study for three-year degrees or, in the case of four-year degrees, for performance at credit or distinction average level. An Honours degree is denoted by "Hons" in parentheses following the degree abbreviation, for example BA (Hons). Honours degrees requiring an additional of study generally involve a resarch project and require the completion of a thesis
during the optional fourth year of study.
These courses are almost exclusively delivered by universities.
Vocational certificates and diplomas tend to be more practically-oriented courses than their academic counterparts.
These courses are usually delivered by universities and private providers.
usually requires two years of full time study to complete. A completed Bachelor degree, sometimes with honours, is a prerequisite for admission. The pattern of study generally takes one the following three forms:
Masters degree (extended) are permitted to deviate from the 'Master of ...' naming convention. Those in legal practice may use the name Juris Doctor
, but do not allow a graduate use of the honorific title 'doctor', whereas those in medical practice, physiotherapy, dentistry, optometry and veterinary practice are allowed to be named 'Doctor of ...' and in most cases permit a graduate use of the title 'doctor'.
Master's level courses are delivered by universities and a limited number of registered providers.
is awarded by a university either "by research" or "by publication". This generally requires the completion of a major thesis
, which has to be assessed externally by experts in the field of study. Additionally, there are professional doctorates, which require less research and are partially assessed by coursework or projects. Entry into an Australian Doctorate requires an honours degree or "honours equivalent", a Masters degree is usually considered equivalent.. Holders of Doctoral degrees are permitted to use the title 'doctor'.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is administered nationally by the Australian Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Few qualifications outside the system are accepted by employers or for entry to tertiary study. The main exceptions are information technology vendor certifications and the International Baccalaureate.
| AQF Level | Description | Qualifications | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 10 | Graduates at this level have systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of learning, and specialised research skills for the advancement of learning or professional practice. |
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| Level 9 | Graduates at this level have specialised knowledge and skills for research or professional practice. |
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| Level 8 | Graduates at this level have advanced knowledge and skills for highly skilled professional work. |
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| Level 7 | Graduates at this level have broad and coherent knowledge and skills for professional work. |
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| Level 6 | Graduates at this level have broad knowledge and skills for highly skilled paraprofessional work. |
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| Level 5 | Graduates at this level have specialised knowledge and skills for skilled paraprofessional work. |
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| Level 4 | Graduates at this level have theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for specialised skilled work. |
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| Level 3 | Graduates at this level have theoretical and practical knowledge and skills for work. |
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| Level 2 | Graduates at this level have knowledge and skills for work in a defined context. |
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| Level 1 | Graduates at this level have knowledge and skills for initial work and/or community engagement. |
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Senior Secondary Certificate of Education
The Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE) is the graduation certificate awarded to most students in Australian high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s, and is equivalent to the High School Diploma
High school diploma
A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and the A-Levels of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Students completing the SSCE are usually aged 16 to 18 and study full-time for two years (years 11 and 12 of schooling). In some states adults may gain the certificate through a Technical and Further Education
Technical and Further Education
In Australia, training and further education or TAFE institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses, mostly qualifying courses under the National Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/Australian Quality Training Framework...
college or other provider.
The curriculum, assessment and name of the SSCE is different in each state and territory
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
. The government of each determines these themselves, although the curriculum must address mutually agreed national competencies.
| State | SSCE title | Abbreviation |
| New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
Higher School Certificate | HSC |
| Victoria Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively.... |
Victorian Certificate of Education Victorian Certificate of Education The Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases... Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning is a 'hands-on' option for students in Years 11 and 12 in Victoria, Australia.The VCAL gives students practical work-related experience, as well as literacy and numeracy skills and the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life... |
VCE VCAL |
| Queensland Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean... |
Queensland Certificate of Education Queensland Certificate of Education The Queensland Certificate of Education is the certificate awarded to students completing their secondary schooling in Queensland. The QCE was introduced in 2008, to replace the Senior Certificate... |
QCE |
| South Australia South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland... |
South Australian Certificate of Education South Australian Certificate of Education The South Australian Certificate of Education is awarded to students who have successfully completed their senior secondary schooling in the state of South Australia.... |
SACE |
| Western Australia Western Australia Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east... |
Western Australian Certificate of Education Western Australian Certificate of Education The Western Australian Certificate of Education is the credential given to students who have completed Year 11 and Year 12 of their secondary schooling in the state of Western Australia, Australia, and is intended to become the Western Australian certificate within the Australian Certificate of... |
WACE |
| Tasmania Tasmania Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart... |
Tasmanian Certificate of Education Tasmanian Certificate of Education The Tasmanian Certificate of Education, or TCE, is the main credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete senior high school level studies in Tasmania, Australia... |
TCE |
| Australian Capital Territory Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory... |
Australian Capital Territory Year 12 Certificate | |
| Northern Territory Northern Territory The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions... |
Northern Territory Certificate of Education Northern Territory Certificate of Education The Northern Territory Certificate of Education is the credential awarded to High School students who successfully complete senior high school level studies in the Northern Territory, Australia.-The NTCE structure:... |
NTCE |
Universities Australia generates a nationally standardised final score for each SSCE student called the
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank is the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate-entry university programs in Australia, it was gradually introduced during 2009 and 2010 to replace the Universities Admission Index, Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank and Tertiary Entrance...
.
Universities and other Higher Education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
providers typically use this mark as the main criterion in selecting domestic students.
Prior to 2010, this was called the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER) in Victoria,
and the University Admissions Index (UAI) in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and the Tertiary Entrance Rank
Tertiary Entrance Rank
The Tertiary Entrance Rank was a tertiary entrance score used in several Australian states and the Northern Territory as a tool for selection to universities in Australia...
(TER) elsewhere.
Competing qualifications outside the Australian Qualifications Framework are the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Accelerated Christian Education
Accelerated Christian Education
Accelerated Christian Education is an American educational products company which produces the Accelerated Christian Education school curriculum. The home office is in Nashville, Tennessee, with a customer service and distribution center in Lewisville, Texas. According to a study, by 1980 there...
(ACE) Year 12 Academic Certificate. The IB is well accepted by universities. ACE has lesser support, and students may also have to additionally pass a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education sectors
There has been growing overlap between the Vocational Education and TrainingVocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
(VET), organised under the National Training System
National Training System (Australia)
The National Training System is the Australian system for vocational education and training under the Australian Quality Training Framework , in which employers, the States of Australia, and the Commonwealth Government, formalise a curriculum available for Registered Training Organisations to...
, and Higher Education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
sectors in Australia. Courses are primarily taken by those aged over 18, however in some vocational and general academic courses a minority of students enter at the minimum school-leaving age of 16, although from May 2009 Federal Government policy calls for young people to be in education, gainful employment, or training until age 17 (Year 12 qualification) with tightening of income support payments to age 20 if not undertaking further training. This tends to happen particularly at Technical and Further Education
Technical and Further Education
In Australia, training and further education or TAFE institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses, mostly qualifying courses under the National Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/Australian Quality Training Framework...
colleges (TAFE), and is less likely to happen at a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
or a private institution.
The two sectors form a continuum, with VET at the lower end and Higher Education at the higher. VET courses are typically short, practical in nature and delivered by a TAFE college or Registered Training Organisation at a certificate
Academic certificate
An academic certificate is a document that certifies that a person has received specific education or has passed a test or series of tests.In many countries, certificate is a qualification attained in secondary education. For instance, students in the Republic of Ireland sit the Junior Certificate...
to diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
level. Higher Education courses take three years or longer to complete, are academic in nature and are delivered by universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
at degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
level. There is significant overlap, however; a TAFE college may offer degrees and universities may offer certificates and diplomas. A number of private institutions 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 Education courses recognised towards other courses (and for those under 21 towards an SSCE). A process of Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of prior learning
Recognition of prior learning , prior learning assessment , or prior learning assessment and recognition , describes a process used by colleges and universities around the world to evaluate learning acquired outside the classroom for the purpose of assigning academic credit...
(RPL) has been implemented to allow competencies gained through work and other experience to be assessed and recognised. For instance, a Diploma of Agriculture might be recognised as the equivalent of the first year of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree; a unit of Letter Writing in a Certificate IV of Writing might be recognised as a unit towards a Bachelor of Business degree; experience in aged care might be recognised towards a Certificate in Community Services.
Certificates I-IV
Certificates I-IV are the basic post-secondary qualifications and prepare candidates for both employment and further education and training. There is no firm duration for these qualifications.Certificates I-II provide basic vocational skills and knowledge, while Certificates III-IV replace the previous system of trade certificates and provide training in more advanced skills and knowledge. A Certificate IV is generally accepted by universities to be the equivalent of six to twelve months of a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, and credit towards studies may be granted accordingly.
These courses are usually delivered by TAFE colleges, community education centres and registered private training providers.
Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Associate degree
Courses at DiplomaDiploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
, Advanced Diploma and Associate degree level take between two to three years to complete, and are generally considered to be equivalent to one to two years of study at degree level.
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 universities, TAFE colleges, community education centres and private RTO's (Registered Training Organisations).
Bachelor degree and honours
The Bachelor degree is the standard university qualification and is recognised worldwide. Most courses take three to four years to complete.Honours may be awarded atop a Bachelor degree after an additional year of study for three-year degrees or, in the case of four-year degrees, for performance at credit or distinction average level. An Honours degree is denoted by "Hons" in parentheses following the degree abbreviation, for example BA (Hons). Honours degrees requiring an additional of study generally involve a resarch project and require the completion of a thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
during the optional fourth year of study.
These courses are almost exclusively delivered by universities.
Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma
These qualifications are much like Certificates and Diplomas but must be completed by someone with a Bachelor degree or higher. Certificates typically take 6 months to complete, while Diplomas take 12 months.Vocational certificates and diplomas tend to be more practically-oriented courses than their academic counterparts.
These courses are usually delivered by universities and private providers.
Master's degree
A Master's degreeMaster's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
usually requires two years of full time study to complete. A completed Bachelor degree, sometimes with honours, is a prerequisite for admission. The pattern of study generally takes one the following three forms:
- Coursework - comprising coursework and project work, much like a Bachelor degree. In some fields also consists of a resarch component and requires the completion of a thesisThesisA dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
. In such fields, completion of only the coursework component without submitting a thesis usually results in a graduate diploma being awarded instead. - Research - comprising substantial research and completion of a major, externally assessed thesisThesisA dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
. - Extended - for preparation for professional practice in fields such as law, medicine and physiotherapy.
Masters degree (extended) are permitted to deviate from the 'Master of ...' naming convention. Those in legal practice may use the name Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
, but do not allow a graduate use of the honorific title 'doctor', whereas those in medical practice, physiotherapy, dentistry, optometry and veterinary practice are allowed to be named 'Doctor of ...' and in most cases permit a graduate use of the title 'doctor'.
Master's level courses are delivered by universities and a limited number of registered providers.
Doctorate degree
The highest qualification, a Doctorate degreeDoctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
is awarded by a university either "by research" or "by publication". This generally requires the completion of a major thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
, which has to be assessed externally by experts in the field of study. Additionally, there are professional doctorates, which require less research and are partially assessed by coursework or projects. Entry into an Australian Doctorate requires an honours degree or "honours equivalent", a Masters degree is usually considered equivalent.. Holders of Doctoral degrees are permitted to use the title 'doctor'.
External links
- "Australian Qualifications Framework" at Study in Australia
- Universities Australia - Credit Transfer Scheme - equivalency of Diplomas to one year of Bachelor's Degree study
- SSCE becoming ACE (DPC media release)
- Australian Government on discussing interstate differences