There are a variety of approaches to learning assessment. Here the focus is on the domain of higher education, the context in which learning takes place and its relevance for learning assessment. The issue of quality assurance plays a significant role in this exploration and has increased in importance when considering the landscape of learning assessment. It is suggested that both external and internal quality assessment serve as the two major quality assurance experiences when considering learning assessment. A case study of the University of California will be utilized to reveal the tension between these two approaches to learning assessment.