What are Academic Credits, and Why Are They Awarded Per Subject?

The credit system in the education sector helps push standardisation in schools and institutes of higher education and provides them with a benchmark to measure their qualifications. It also helps to determine the amount of time a student has spent learning a subject.

In South Africa, the credit system determines the duration and complexity of each subject. It also helps determine the amount of credits a student needs to study to graduate to the next level, as per the requirements set by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Using credits also makes it easier for students to track their progress towards advanced subjects in the same specialisation. 

Continue reading to understand why are credits awarded per subject, how they relate to NQF levels and how they can affect graduation requirements. 

What Are Academic Credits?

Academic credits are determined by NQF guidelines and enforced in schools and universities in South Africa. Each credit is equal to 10 hours of learning. So, if a subject awards 5 credits, a student spends 50 hours learning. Academic credits help students and administration determine how well one is progressing in their educational journey. This is the reason credits are awarded per subject.

Students who pass grade 12 in South Africa receive a National Senior Certificate (NSC), an NQF level 4 qualification, and complete 120 credit points. Students must select subjects that contribute to 120 credit points or more. Subjects with a higher difficulty level tend to have higher credits associated with them, while easier electives have lower credit points assigned to them.

Students should spend more time studying for high-credit subjects critical for admissions. This is why credits are awarded per subject in grades 10-12. It prepares students for future educational advancement.

Why Are Credits Awarded Per Subject?

Credits are awarded per subject to help determine the difficulty level of each subject and also to provide students with a way to track their academic progress. Students must complete 360 credits to graduate from a three-year programme at the undergraduate level, which comes out to 120 credits per year. The credits help balance the student workload and allow adequate time to prepare for assessments and projects in an academic year.

Once we understand what are credits, it is easy to determine why are credits awarded per subject. Credits also help provide structure, requiring students to complete mandatory subjects before moving to advanced subject matter. The credit value assigned to each subject helps to determine its complexity.

Read the article on Understanding the Matric NQF Level in South Africa Here 

How Are Credits Distributed Across Subjects?

Factors such as subject matter complexity and study hours determine the credits allocated for each subject. This is why it is essential to understand how and why are credits awarded per subject. Mandatory courses also have higher credit points than electives. This is because the credit point allocated also considers the time spent in self-study, projects, assignments, etc. 

Therefore, students will notice that dissertations usually award the highest number of credit points due to their complex nature and the amount of time a postgrad student spends preparing them. 

Many universities offer pre-determined curriculums for each year that meet the maximum number of credit requirements. This is also why credits are awarded per subject. Students are then free to choose electives to meet their credit points for the semester or the year. Alternatively, universities can also allow students to pick their subjects based on the overall credit requirement for each topic, such as general science or mathematics.

Relationship Between Credits and NQF Levels

Since we understand why are credits awarded per subject, let us understand the relation between credit points and NQF levels. Students must meet the minimum credit requirements to qualify for each NQF level. This helps bring equality to the education system and assures that each individual is spending the required study hours at each level. 

The number of credits required at each NQF level is based on its advanced nature and the advanced skills and aptitude required to achieve it. It also provides students with the knowledge and skills to progress towards the next level and brings uniformity to the system. The table below will help demonstrate the credits required to achieve each NQF level in South Africa. 

What is the impact of credits on Admissions to Higher Education?

In South Africa, students choose the subjects they wish to appear for in the matric before they begin grade 10. These are divided into high-credit and low-credit subjects. The recognised high-credit subjects carry a weightage of 20 points. The subjects that students choose for their matric vary depending on their future field of study.

When the matric results are released, students must convert the score to the Admission Point Score (APS). University admission criteria are based on the overall APS score along with the required score for high-credit subjects. Once we understand why are credits awarded per subject, it is easier to understand their importance in higher education.

When universities review applications, they admit students who score high on these high-credit subjects. Someone who wishes to pursue business would enrol in high-credit subjects such as economics, accounting, and business studies. Those who wish to study engineering at university could choose from civil technology, electrical technology, mechanical technology, and engineering graphics and design.

How do Credits Affect Graduation Requirements?

All educational qualifications in South Africa require students to complete a set number of credit points to be eligible for graduation. If a student is a few credits short, they must enrol for an additional semester to fulfil their credit requirements. This assures that every person graduating has access to the same level of education and has achieved the same skills. This also helps us understand why are credits awarded per subject.

Higher education credit requirements are broken down year-wise, which helps students to manage the workload adequately. A diploma programme can be 240 to 360 credits; students must complete 120 credits each year. Upon completion, students are awarded an NQF level 6 qualification. 

The advanced diploma requires 120 credits. Upon completion, students are awarded an NQF level 7 qualification, the same level as a bachelor’s degree.

Similarly, a bachelor’s degree requires 360 credits to graduate, while a professional bachelor’s degree requires 480 hours to complete. Students are expected to choose 120 credits worth of subjects annually to fulfil the graduation requirements.

Conclusion

Academic credits are one of the most efficient ways to bring equality and uniformity to the education system. They also allow students to compare qualifications and curriculum across universities easily. At the same time, they allow higher education institutes to compare qualifications and improve the subject matter that they offer.

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