The British Horse Society (BHS) exam structure is being updated this year to offer students a more flexible education.
Units will be introduced for stages one, two, three and preliminary teaching tests. Other qualifications will follow suit in the future.
Each unit can be taken separately and “banked” until full qualification is achieved, allowing students to progress at their own pace.
For candidates doing the whole syllabus at once, should they fail a section, they will only have to retake that unit.
“The idea behind the new structure is to make the exam system more accessible and flexible for the individual,” said Alison Coleman, BHS press officer.
Units will be given a credit rating. Each credit equals 10 hours of work, including practical, theory, homework and revision.
This rating is designed to help the candidate and their tutor assess how much study is involved and to plan achievable goals.
This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (10 March, 2011)