The University embarked on an Academic Reform in 2021 to align our credit system with local and international standards. As part of this transition, the curriculum structure under the 5-credit System will be gradually phased out and replaced by a new 3-credit-unit System.
For the past few years, the School of Open Learning has been actively communicating the details and timeline of this transition to all affected students through regular announcements and emails. We understand that each of you is progressing at your own pace in your distance learning journey, and we are here to provide continued support as we approach the final stages of this planned phase-out.
Our primary goal remains to support you in achieving a successful academic outcome. To assist with your final planning, please refer to the definitive programme phase-out schedule for key dates.
Consistent with our longstanding advice, the University strongly encourages you to aim for completion of your current programme under the 5-credit system. To help you plan effectively as we near the deadline, we have outlined three supportive pathways below.
Our consistent and strongest recommendation has been to complete your original programme under the 5-credit system before its final conferment date. This remains the most direct path to your intended award.
Action: To facilitate the formulation of study plans, please review the Course Enrolment Guide of your programme provided by the University and make reference to the course presentation schedule; enrol and complete all courses prescribed under the Programme Regulations (5-credit System) and fulfil the credit requirements by the 'Last Term to Complete Course(s)' listed on the programme phase-out schedule.
Support: Your Programme Leader is available to help you formulate a realistic and effective final study plan to reach this goal.
If completing your original programme by the deadline becomes challenging, you may wish to consider an alternative award under the 5-credit system: a lower award of your discipline, an Associate of General Studies (AGS) or a Bachelor of General Studies (BGS). Please take note of the last conferment date of the alternative award that you are considering. For AGS, the last conferment is before December 2026 (all courses are required to be completed by 2026 Summer Term) and for BGS, the last conferment is before December 2027 (all courses are required to be completed by 2027 Summer Term).
Advantage: A lower award is easier to achieve while AGS/BGS allow for a broader selection of courses to meet graduation requirements, enabling you to earn a formal qualification. After graduation, you can use this lower award to upgrade to a higher award under the 3-credit-unit System.
Note: Credits obtained in a lower award will be assessed for relevance towards a higher award. The number of credits to be recognized will be subject to review and approval.
If you are unable to meet the requirements of the previous options and wish to continue your studies, you may consider applying to transfer to a related programme under the new 3-credit-unit System.
Process: Your application will be reviewed on an individual basis by the relevant Programme Leader. As part of this process, we will assess each of the 5-credit courses you have successfully completed and map them against the requirements of your chosen new 3-credit-unit programme. If your application is approved, the list of completed courses recognized will be communicated to you and you will only need to complete remaining courses to fulfil the graduation requirement of the new programme. The number of credits recognized will depend on their relevance, content alignment, and learning outcomes in relation to the new programme’s curriculum.
Note: Please note that not all programmes under 5-credit System have a direct counterpart under 3-credit-unit System. Additionally, owing to curriculum update during the Academic Reform, it is common for not all of your previously completed courses to be recognized. The number of credits transferred will depend on their relevance to the new programme’s requirements. You are encouraged to review the Programme Requirements (3-credit-unit System) to understand potential course equivalencies and specific course enrollment requirements before submitting an application.
Our Continued Commitment to You
The University and the School of Open Learning are fully committed to supporting you through this final phase of the transition. We strongly advise pursuing the first option—completing your current programme—to ensure the smoothest academic progression and achieve your original goal without delay.
We encourage you to take proactive steps in your final planning. Please reach out to our dedicated academic advising team for personalized guidance tailored to your unique progress.
