Recognised Prior Learning
Interested in continuing your studies at AFDA?
RPL stands for Recognition of Prior Learning. It arises from an international tendency in this century to increase students’ access to education, by articulating various types and levels of education with each other, so that there can be lifelong learning and no-one is barred from higher education.
In South Africa, it was a core principle of the White Paper on Higher Education in the late nineties, and again in the January 2012 Green Paper for post-school education and training issued by The Department of Higher Education and Training.
“For South Africans, RPL means the doors of learning shall be opened.”
You can RPL into 1st, 2nd, Honours year or MFA
All higher education institutions in South Africa must have a policy and procedure to assess prospective students’ RPL to see if they can enter the courses with a reasonable chance of success.
Students with matric exemption to study a Bachelors degree may enter into the first year of degree studies. AFDA’s alternative routes to access degree studies are:
-
- You can study a 1-year AFDA Higher Certificate (HC) programme (i.e. HC in Film, Television and Entertainment Production; HC in Performing Arts*, or the HC in Radio and Podcasting*), and on successful completion of the Higher Certificate programme you will be able to study any of the AFDA 3-year degrees in the following year. *Please confirm if your preferred campus is offering this programme.
2. The AFDA Entrance Exam, adopted by the AFDA Senate, for those candidates who have passed matric; and
3. RPL from other relevant and equal qualifications. Please view some of the ways to access AFDA degree studies through RPL below. To enquire if you qualify, please send your preferred campus an email with your enquiry or request a consultation using the following details:
https://afda.co.za/contact-us/ or https://apply.afda.co.za/Book-a-consultation.html
RPL into 2nd year of a Bachelors degree
The minimum requirements to bridge into 2nd year are that you’ve completed 1st year at a registered university in a relevant field and have no outstanding credits.
OR
You have 5 years relevant experience in the industry with key responsibilities and roles; AND
That you pass a formal assessment of the discipline you want to enter.
To find out more about Discipline specific RPL processes, please contact your nearest AFDA campus.
RPL into Honours
The minimum requirements to bridge into Honours are that you’ve completed a BA at AFDA or a registered university in a relevant field and have no outstanding credits.
OR
You have 5 years relevant experience in the industry with key responsibilities and roles; AND
That you pass a formal assessment of the discipline you want to enter.
To find out more about the RPL processes, please contact postgrad@afda.co.za
For Example:
- A BCom and production experience can give you access to study BA (Honours) in Motion Picture Medium with Producing as a major elective discipline; or
- An architecture qualification and design experience can be assessed to give you access to the Production Design discipline; or
- If you have a degree in which you learned about language, texts and writing and/or if you applied it in your work experience (e.g. as a journalist) you may be successfully assessed to enter into the Scriptwriting elective discipline in Honours; or
- If you have a degree with fashion modules you may be successfully assessed to enter into the Character Design and Styling elective discipline in Honours.
RPL into Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
The minimum requirements to bridge into Master of Fine Arts is that you’ve completed an Honours at a registered university in a relevant field and have no outstanding credits.
OR
You have 10 years relevant experience in the industry with key responsibilities and roles; AND
That you pass a formal assessment of the discipline you want to enter.
To find Discipline specific RPL processes, please contact postgrad@afda.co.za.