Concurrent Studies
Concurrent Studies are for students currently enrolled in a bachelor degree program at Macquarie University and would like to concurrently undertake unit/s at another Australian University to count towards the requirements for the Macquarie degree. To apply for Concurrent Studies you must be taking some Macquarie University units, in the year in which you are taking concurrent studies at another university.
Upon satisfactory completion of the unit/s and submission of an original transcript, credit will be assessed. However, it is important to be aware of the conditions which apply to concurrent studies and the way credit is calculated or you may find you are not eligible for credit.
Please note that Cross Institution Study at Macquarie University is different to Concurrent Studies at Macquarie University. Cross Institution Study at Macquarie University refers to a student studying a degree at another institution intending to study individual units at Macqaurie University.
Application Procedures
Conditions of Concurrent Study
Credit For Previous Studies Calculation Formula
Procedures For Gaining Advance Approval For Exemption
Request For Letter To Other Institution
Application Form For Concurrent Studies 
Application Procedures
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Conditions of Concurrent Studies - Please read the Conditions of Concurrent Enrolment prior to applying for concurrent studies.
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Calculate Number of Credit Points of Credit For Previous Studies - Using the CPS Calculation Formula determine the number of credit points you expect to gain from your studies at the external institution.
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Determine Exemptions In Advance - Follow the Procedures For Gaining Advance Exemptions to determine if your are eligible to gain the exemptions for the subjects you intend to do at the external institution. If advanced approval for an exemption is obtained then you can either submit the completed form at the Student Enquiry Service to be attached to your student file (keep a photocopy for yourself) or keep the form in a safe place yourself and submit it when you ask for credit to be calculated after you receive the results for the concurrent studies.
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Request A Release Letter - Follow the procedures to Request For A Release Letter from Undergraduate Studies Section at Macquarie University to give to your intended institution if they require one.
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Purchase an Official Transcript - If your intended institution requires Macquarie University Transcripts then you must order one at the Cashier's Office.
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Arrange For Cross Institution Study At Intended Institution- Contact the Institution in which you would like to concurrently study at and complete their procedures to apply and enrol for cross institution study.
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Enrol At Macquarie University - Enrol as usual at Macquarie University in units offered by Macquarie University.
- Submit Official Transcript to Macquarie University - Once you have completed your units at the external institution you must submit an 'Official Transcript' and 'Advance Approval for An Exemption Form' to gain credit and exemptions for the relevant subjects at Macquarie University.
Conditions
- You must be enrolled at Macquarie University, ie. you must be taking some Macquarie University units, in the year in which you are taking concurrent studies at another university
- Unit/s must form part of a BACHELOR degree course offered by an Australian university
- Credit will NOT be granted for :
- Open University Australia (OUA) units offered by Macquarie University
- Individual TAFE units
- Continuing education units or
- Units for postgraduate diplomas or degress and some other courses
- SUMMER SCHOOL Bachelor degree units offered by the University of Sydney are accepted. Other summer school units may not be approved. To seek approval, complete the “Advance approval for an exemption” on Page 5 of the Concurrent Studies Application Form .
- General credit is calculated upon successful completion of concurrent unit/s by converting the credit point value of the unit/s undertaken to a roughly equivalent credit point value at Macquarie University. You should calculate the expected credit point value of your unit using this Calculation Method.
- Credit will only be granted at 100 or 200 level and unit/s undertaken at higher levels will be assessed for credit at 200 level
- Specific exemptions for units in a study pattern is determined by the academic staff member delegated by a Department or Division to make these decisions. To replace a specific unit/s in a study pattern at Macquarie University with a similar one from another university complete the form “Advance approval for an exemption”on Page 5 of the Concurrent Studies Application Form . It is a requirement of granting specific exemptions that the credit point value calculated for the unit done elsewhere is equal to or greater than the credit point value of the unit from which you wish to be exempt. For example: if you wish to gain exemption from a 4 credit point unit at Macquarie University the unit done elsewhere must be equivalent to 4 credit points or more at Macquarie University.
- Units taken at another University do not count towards full-time status at Macquarie University or contribute towards a grade point average at Macquarie.
Credit For Previous Studies Calculation Formula
General credit for previous studies is calculated on a pro-rata basis ie. the proportion of the degree completed at another university is calculated in terms of 68 credit points at Macquarie University (except for Law where a proportion of 74 is calculated).
Basic Formula
Basic formula for calculating credit for previous studies: a/b x 68 = c
where
a = the credit point value of the unit or units at another university
b = number of credit points required for the 3 year Bachelor degree at the other university
c = amount of general credit for previous studies at Macquarie University
Example One
A student has completed one 200 level unit/subject worth 4 credit points out of the 108 credit points required for the 3 year Bachelor of Arts at the University of South Australia. Her credit for previous studies at Macquarie University is calculated as follows:
4/108 x 68 = 2.5 - 3 credit points of credit for previous study at 200 level
Note: where a calculation results in 0.5 of a point or above it is rounded up. In this case, 2.5 becomes 3.
Example Two
A student has completed two 200 level units/subjects each worth 4 credit points at the University of South Australia where 108 credit points are required for the 3 year Bachelor of Arts. The credit point values of the units are added together (4+4=8) prior to calculating the credit for previous studies.
8/108 x 68 = 5 credit points of credit for previous studies at 200 level
Note: when a student has completed more than one unit/subject at another university, the credit point values of the units are added together prior to calculating the credit for previous studies. In this case the amount of credit for previous studies for two units is not twice the amount granted for one unit.
Example Three
A student has completed two units/subjects each worth 4 credit points at the University of South Australia where 108 credit points are required for the 3 year Bachelor of Arts degree. One unit is at 100 level and the other is at 200 level. The credit point values of the units are added together (to make 8) prior to calculating the total general credit points for previous studies. Then the credit for previous studies at 200 level is calculated separately.
total credit for previous studies: 8/108 x 68 = 5 credit points
credit for previous studies at 200 level: 4/108 x 68 = 2.5 - 3 credit points
Procedures For Gaining Advance Approval For Exemptions
To seek an exemption from a specific unit in a study pattern , you must:
- consult with an academic advisor who has been authorised to grant exemptions, in the Department or Division which offers the unit from which you want the exemption
- complete and request approval on the “Advance Approval for an Exemption” form on page 5 of the Application For Concurrent Studies.
Points To Note
You can only seek an exemption if the number of general credit points you receive for the study done elsewhere is equal to or more than the credit point value of the unit from which you wish to be exempt
Examples:
- If you take a subject offered in the second year of a Bachelor degree course at UTS which is equivalent to 3 credit points at 200 level at Macquarie University (calculated using the formula on page 2) then you could seek an exemption from a 200 level, 3 credit point unit with a similar content at Macquarie. However if the unit you took at UTS was only equivalent to 2 credit points at Macquarie University then you may not be exempt from a 3 credit point Macquarie unit
- Likewise, a Law unit from UNE may only be equivalent to 3 credit points at Macquarie and therefore exemption from a 4 credit point Law elective unit at Macquarie may not be granted
Exemptions are not automatic
Academic staff members do not automatically grant exemptions for studies done elsewhere. Exemptions are granted according to the policies of individual Departments and Divisions. Some Departments/Divisions may have a policy of not granting exemptions for core units or other units. The academic staff member authorised to grant exemptions might consider that the content, level or assessment of the unit you have done elsewhere is not sufficiently similar to the content, level or assessment of the Macquarie University unit from which you want an exemption and therefore not grant you an exemption
If an authorised academic staff member approves an exemption in advance then you can either submit the completed form at the Student Enquiry Service to be attached to your student file (keep a photocopy for yourself) or keep the form in a safe place yourself and submit it when you ask for credit to be calculated after you receive the results for the concurrent studies
Request For Letter To Other Institution
If your intended university requires a letter from Macquarie University you can obtain one by completing the 'Request For Letter For Another University' on Page 6 of the Concurrent Studies Application Form.
Once completed you may lodge the form at Student Enquiry Service.