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What is a HEAR?

HEAR is designed to provide greater detail on what you have studied, and detail all the modules (including the type of assessment and individual element marks), you have taken. It is a national requirement that the HEAR includes any fail marks, the number of attempts taken to pass a module and any academic offences.

The HEAR is also a recognised European Diploma Supplement and meets all European Diploma Supplement requirements for information (“Diploma Supplement is being issued in a widely spoken European language, given automatically and free of charge to every student upon graduation”).

Section 6 of the HEAR also records (if applicable) any additional roles, (such as Guardian Angel or Student Staff Consultative Committee representative), that you have undertaken.

Both your degree certificate and your HEAR are provided free to you following the completion of your programme. Should you require further copies of your HEAR, a small charge will be levied and should you lose your degree certificate a replacement may be requested subject to conditions.

The HEAR is a detailed, standardised and authenticated record of students higher education achievements. It is neither a replacement for traditional degree certificates or degree classifications nor is it a ready-made CV. It will enrich rather than replace.

Produced to a standard national template to ensure consistency, HEARs are electronic documents (we do always provide at least one hard copy for each student free of charge), that are compiled throughout a student’s entire higher education programme. HEARs provide a fully rounded picture of the student’s higher education experience. They do this by recording:

  • Specific content of the programme studied
  • Knowledge and understanding that the programme will have provide (summary of programme)
  • Skills, both intellectual and practical that have been developed
  • Information beyond the academic such as recognised (verified) University associated activities

The HEAR is prepared and signed off by each university and with the student’s permission, may be accessed by employers.

(See www.agr.org.uk for the handbook “HEAR the whole story? aimed at employers, and www.HEAR.ac.uk for further information on the HEAR generally).