MPHEC report highlights need for action on credit transferability
The Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC) released a report on Monday, Portable Learning: University Students Granted Credit for Prior Post-Secondary Education, which highlights the significance of transfer students at Maritimes Universities. Almost one-in-five students entering our universities each year are awarded credits for past courses at another post-secondary institution.
Nova Scotia students welcomed the report as yet more clear evidence for the need to ensure credit mobility, but are frustrated at this issue’s persistence.
“There has been a consensus on the need to act on credits transfers seemingly for ever, but still we’re talking about it. It’s a perfect example of why we need more accountability and system thinking: you have to wonder if universities have little incentive to resolve this issue since they receive more funding the longer students are studying”, says Jonathan Williams, StudentsNS Executive Director. “Every time we unjustifiably reject credit transfers, we waste student time and money and the public money that helps fund their education, while also often delaying students’ entry into the workforce.”
The report notes that commerce and business programs have taken the lead in allowing transferability of credits. However, most transfer students are in the humanities, arts and social sciences.
“Business schools are setting the standard, while other faculties are dragging their heels and need to step up”, says Kyle Power, StudentsNS Chair. “Students don’t accept such large discrepancies between the transferability of credits in different faculties, they’re not justifiable.”
Though useful, the study was limited particularly in only reporting successfully transferred credits and not the rate at which credit transfer requests are rejected. It also did not discuss the difficulty students may face getting credits recognized.
“When I transferred to the Mount, I had to provide a lot of documentation to show NSCAD was a legitimate school with courses other than studio art, and after a month or so they accepted that and took the credits”, says psychology student, Kayti Baur. “Shouldn’t schools in the same city know each other’s programming?”
For interviews and additional information, please contact:
Jonathan Williams (Executive Director)
Phone: 902.422.4068
Email: engagement@studentsns.ca