A professional certificate program of more than 150 hours of total nominal workload is credited in Professional Advancement Credits (PAC), where one credit equals 20 to 25 hours and the standard ratio is 22.5. To calculate the credits, total the workload from instruction, practical work, guided self-study at its factor and assessment, divide by the ratio and round once. A program with 290 workload hours earns 13 PAC at the standard ratio.
Professional certificates, diplomas, vocational programs and associate or bachelor level studies sit between a short course and a postgraduate degree. Providers need a clear and repeatable method to state their size, and learners and employers need to read the result. This guide shows the method with a worked example, explains the 150-hour boundary and lists points that reviewers check. It applies to providers authorized by the European Association for Higher Education Advancement (EAHEA).
Where PAC Fits
PAC is the EAHEA credit for professional certificates, associate and bachelor level programs and vocational training. It sits above the Modular Units of Competency (MUC), which cover short and modular study, and below the Institutional Learning Credits (ILC) for postgraduate and master’s level programs. The system gives learners a consistent measure of the size of a program, whatever the country or the delivery format.
The 150-Hour Boundary
A program of 150 hours or less of total nominal workload is credited in MUC at every level. PAC, ILC and EUC apply to programs above that limit. A professional certificate of 120 hours therefore carries MUC, and one of 290 hours carries PAC. Providers should check the boundary first, because the choice of system changes the hours per credit.
The Example Program
A professional certificate in project coordination runs over six months. Its timetable has these parts:
| Component | Planned Hours | Factor | Workload Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct instruction | 120 | 1.0 | 120 |
| Practical workshops and labs | 60 | 1.0 | 60 |
| Guided self-study | 120 | 0.75 | 90 |
| Assessment | 20 | 1.0 | 20 |
| Total | 320 | 290 |
Breaks, travel and waiting time are not part of the figures. Assessment counts at its real duration.
The Calculation
- The workload of 290 hours is above 150, so the program type points to PAC.
- The provider uses the standard ratio of 22.5 hours per PAC.
- 290 divided by 22.5 equals 12.89.
- Rounded once to the nearest whole credit, the result is 13 PAC.
If the program had several modules, each with its own hours, the provider would total the workload of all modules and round once. Rounding each module and adding the results can give a different and incorrect total. See the official rounding protocol.
What the Ratio Range Changes
| Ratio | Hours per PAC | Calculation | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest | 20 | 290 ÷ 20 = 14.5 | 15 |
| Standard | 22.5 | 290 ÷ 22.5 = 12.89 | 13 |
| Highest | 25 | 290 ÷ 25 = 11.6 | 12 |
A provider declares one ratio within the range of its system and uses it consistently. If it declares none, the standard ratio applies. See why a provider declares a conversion ratio.
Stating the Credits
- Name the system and give the credits in standard notation, for example “13 PAC.”
- Add the EAHEA notice that the credits are independent of ECTS, CATS and U.S. credit hours.
- Do not describe the program as a degree if it is not one. The name of a level, such as associate or bachelor, has a minimum workload that the program must reach. See level names and minimum workload.
- Keep the timetable and the hours calculation on file, so that a reviewer can repeat the result.
What Reviewers Check
- Is the system consistent with the type of program and the total workload?
- Does the workload come from a timetable and not from an estimate made for marketing?
- Is the self-study factor stated and used in the same way for similar activities?
- Was rounding applied once, on the total?
- Does the transcript carry the system name and the notice?
- Is there verified learning, with an assessment?
Limits
- Only an authorized provider may calculate, award, state and display EAHEA credits.
- The credits describe the size and level of a program. They do not make a certificate a degree and do not oblige another institution to accept them.
- EAHEA does not guarantee any admission, exemption, visa, permit or job.
The EAHEA Credit Calculator performs the same calculation. For a smaller program, read calculating EAHEA credits for a short course. Institutions that want to use the credits without accreditation can read about the ECS Provider Certificate.
Providers that want to state EAHEA credits without accreditation can read the requirements on the ECS Provider Certificate page of the credits site.
Frequently Asked Questions
When it is a professional certificate, associate or bachelor level program or vocational training of more than 150 hours of total nominal workload.
Between 20 and 25 hours of total nominal student workload. The standard ratio is 22.5 hours.
It is credited in MUC, because a program of 150 hours or less is credited in MUC at every level.
No. Add the workload of all modules, divide by the ratio and round once, on the total.
Yes. Credits require verified learning, and attendance alone earns none.
That is their decision. EAHEA credits are independent of other systems, and EAHEA does not guarantee acceptance.