Frequently Asked Questions

General questions

What does 'HEAR' stand for?
What does a HEAR look like?
In what format will the HEAR be produced?
Do I need to 'opt-in' to receive a HEAR?
When will I be able to see my HEAR via MUSE?
What is 'Section 6.1'?
Will the HEAR replace the degree certificate?
Are other universities giving HEARs to their students?
What's the difference between the HEAR and the Sheffield Graduate Award (SGA)?
What's the difference between a HEAR and a CV?
If the HEAR includes so much extra information, won't it be impossible to digest?
Can students who started at Sheffield before September 2012 get a HEAR?
Will postgraduate students who start in September 2012 be able to get a HEAR?
Will HEARs be issued for integrated Masters programmes?

Questions about extra-curricular recognition

How does the University decide what extra-curricular activities and awards can be included?
What extra-curricular activities will be verified at Sheffield?
How do I get an extra-curricular activity in my HEAR?
Is there a deadline for applying for HEAR recognition?
What happens if I don't have any extra-curricular activities to include in Section 6.1?
What happens if I take Leave of Absence but continue to engage with a verifiable activity - will this activity be included in my HEAR when I complete my course?

General questions

What does 'HEAR' stand for?

'Higher Education Achievement Report'.

What does a HEAR look like?

Go to the What a HEAR Looks Like page to view some exemplars.

In what format will the HEAR be produced?

Go to the When and where can I get it? page for more information.

Do I need to 'opt-in' to receive a HEAR?

No. HEARs will be issued to all undergraduate students as a matter of course, starting with the cohort of undergraduates who arrive at Sheffield in September 2012. However, students are encouraged to consider how they can make the most of their HEAR, e.g. by thinking about engaging in extra-curricular activities that the University or its Students' Union can verify, to help them demonstrate wider experience and skills.

When will I be able to see my HEAR via MUSE?

From the end of 2012-13 you will have access an 'internal' HEAR via MUSE, so you can view your achievements as they build up throughout your university career.

Please note that the HEAR is only applicable to undergraduates who are studying for a defined qualification at the University of Sheffield. Incoming Study Abroad and Erasmus students will not therefore receive a HEAR. However, Study Abroad and Erasmus students will be able to access their results online in the same way as all other undergraduate students, and will also, at a later point, be issued with an official statement of results confirming their achievements during their period of study at Sheffield.

What is 'Section 6.1'?

'Section 6.1' is the section in the HEAR that contains information about extra-curricular student achievements. The University of Sheffield is committed to verifying a wide range of extra-curricular activities, to allow as many students as possible to showcase and evidence the breadth of their skills, experience and knowledge.

Will the HEAR replace the degree certificate?

No. However, it is likely to replace the Academic Transcript (list of modules and grades) and European Diploma Supplement (more detailed transcript which also gives details of the particular higher education system in which a student has studied), which the University currently produces on request, since the HEAR will be given to all completing students and incorporates both the above documents, plus further information still.

Are other universities giving HEARs to their students?

Yes, over half the higher education sector is now involved in HEAR development work. For more information visit the National HEAR Project page on our staff HEAR website and the National HEAR Website.

What's the difference between the HEAR and the Sheffield Graduate Award (SGA)?

The HEAR is a new kind of degree transcript that will be issued to all undergraduate students as a matter of course, starting with the new cohort of undergraduates who have arrived to study at Sheffield in 2012-13. The HEAR includes a section for recording extra-curricular activities and achievements that can be verified by the University, and therefore allows students who have engaged with activities outside of the curriculum to be given recognition for their wider involvement.

The Sheffield Graduate Award (SGA), on the other hand, is a prestigious award scheme run by the Careers Service which students have to register to complete. The award programme, which is endorsed by employers from a range of industries, requires students to engage with a wide spread of extra-curricular activities and also reflect on the skills they have gained from doing these activities and plan for their continuing personal development. Completing the award therefore represents a substantial achievement, and is a way for students to demonstrate that they have gained lots more skills and experiences during their time at university in addition to what they have learned on their course.

New undergraduate students who complete the SGA will have this achievement recorded in their HEAR. The SGA is only one of the extra-curricular achievements that can be verified for the HEAR, however; the HEAR will recognise many other forms of non-academic learning and achievement as well. To find out what other extra-curricular activities can be verified for the HEAR click here.

What's the difference between a HEAR and a CV?

The HEAR is not a replacement for a CV or job application statement. Instead it will sit alongside these as a complementary document, providing evidence of the range of knowledge, skills and experience students have developed at university, where such information can be verified.

If the HEAR includes so much extra information, won't it be impossible to digest?

The HEAR follows the same structure as the European Diploma Supplement, so its format is already familiar. However, the national HEAR Implementation Steering Group has acknowledged the need to develop a guide to using the HEAR, and to circulate this widely both within HEIs, and also to schools, further education colleges, careers services, students and employers. A national Guide for Students has already been developed, and a national Employers’ Guide is also nearly complete.

Can students who started at Sheffield before September 2012 get a HEAR?

No, unfortunately not. This is because the HEAR requires us to collect additional student information that is not recorded at the moment. We will be in a position to start collecting a more comprehensive set of student information in 2012-13. If we were to try and produce the HEAR for students who are already here, there would be blanks in the document that we would be unable to fill - especially regarding extra-curricular activities.

Will postgraduate students who start in September 2012 be able to get a HEAR?

No, the HEAR is currently only available for undergraduate students.

Will HEARs be issued for integrated Masters programmes?

Yes.

Questions about extra-curricular recognition

How does the University decide what extra-curricular activities and awards can be included?

In order to be included, an activity must meet a number of general criteria (defined in the Institutional Protocol for Section 6.1) and be approved by the HEAR Advisory Board. One of these criteria requires an activity to be verifiable. Not every activity can be verified, but where it is feasible to do so, the University is committed to giving you the opportunity to gain recognition for your wider learning and achievements.

The University cannot generally verify activities that take place outside the University, e.g. part-time work. However, both the Sheffield Graduate Award and the Skills for Work Certificate can be included in the HEAR, and allow you use external activities to achieve these awards.

What extra-curricular activities will be verified at Sheffield?

A searchable database of all the activities that can be verified is available here.

How do I get an extra-curricular activity in my HEAR?

1. Do the activity!
2. Make sure you complete all the requirements for obtaining recognition. Your activity manager will confirm these with you, including any deadlines for completing required tasks.

Once HEAR criteria have been met, activity managers will confirm to the University which students have fulfilled the requirements, and a statement about your activity will be added to your HEAR. These statements are standardised statements written by the University, to ensure that the recognition given to students is consistent and fair. They are based on HEAR criteria but also include general information about the activity and, where possible, an indication of the skills and experience you will have developed.

Is there a deadline for applying for HEAR recognition?

It depends. There is a separate process for each activity that can be included in the HEAR. To gain recognition for some activities you may be asked to complete certain tasks/submit an application by a particular deadline; but for other activities this is not required. You can look up the criteria you have to meet for each activity by going to the online database of verifiable activities. If you are unsure about any HEAR deadlines relating to any of these activities you should contact the activity organiser.

What happens if I don't have any extra-curricular activities to include Section 6.1?

A standard text will be included at the top of Section 6.1, to explain that the list of activities and awards included in this section is not exhaustive, and that students may very well have other achievements that the University has not been in a position to verify. Students will be encouraged to include details of such additional achievements in other documentation such as their CV, Sheffield Graduate Development Programme portfolio, or job application statements.

What happens if I take Leave of Absence but continue to engage with a verifiable activity - will this activity be included in my HEAR when I complete my course?

Yes, extra-curricular activities and achievements undertaken during Leave Of Absence will not be excluded from the HEAR, because students on Leave of Absence still retain full membership of the Students' Union, including full access to its facilities and services and full voting rights.

N.B. Extra-curricular activities undertaken during Leave of Absence cannot be used towards the achievement of the Sheffield Graduate Award, because this award is specifically designed to recognise the attainment of wider skills and experience alongside academic study.