Credit By Advanced Standing Policy

Credit By Advanced Standing Policy

Approved By and Date: Board of Trustees 10-10-2013
  Executive Leadership Team 06-10-2013
  ICORE 06-05-2013

The college recognizes and values knowledge and skills gained in many ways.  In addition to completion of credits at Stanly Community College (SCC) or the transfer of credits from other approved institutions of higher education, Advanced Academic Standing Credit may be earned by any or all of the following methods:

  1. SCC Credit By Proficiency Examination,
  2. College Level Examination Program (CLEP),
  3. Advanced Placement Examinations (AP),
  4. Professional Certification, and/or
  5. Service Related Experience and Training

Students who have gained knowledge and skills through continuing education courses, where no avenue for cross-walked credit exists, or work experiences alone may be eligible for advanced standing credit through the Credit By Proficiency Examination process.

Credit By Advanced Standing Procedures

Approved By and Date: Executive Leadership Team 08-08-2022
  ICORE 07-26-2022

There are several ways in which a student may receive credit by advanced standing.  Please note that these procedures award credit that may or may not be accepted at other institutions.  Stanly Community college adheres to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) residency regulation of at least 25% of the credit hours required for a certificate, diploma or degree must be earned through instruction offered by SCC. 

1. SCC Credit by Proficiency Examination  

Students who feel they are proficient in a subject may request to take a Proficiency Examination to receive credit for a course.  Students completing the exam successfully will receive a grade of “CE” on their permanent transcript to designate credit by proficiency examination. No quality points will be awarded; consequently, the GPA will not be affected. The academic rigor and learning outcomes for credit by proficiency examination will be equivalent to the academic standards for the course. Students requesting credit by proficiency examination must have an active application on file at Stanly Community College.  A maximum of five (5) courses may be awarded credit by proficiency examination. 

Students who fall into the categories below will not be allowed to attempt credit by proficiency examination: 

  • Students who earlier attempted credit by proficiency exam for the same course 
  • Students requesting credit by proficiency exam after the deadline of thirty (30) days prior the start of the term in which the intended course is offered or before the census date if the course is a prerequisite to a course in the following term.
  • Students who previously attempted the course. 
  • Students who are currently attending the course. 
  • Students who do not meet the prerequisites for the course. 
  • Students who do not have documented evidence related to the subject matter.  Examples may include a statement on company letterhead describing the work completed and the duration, employer-based training/certification. 

Students requesting credit by proficiency examination must make the request to their Success Coach at least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the semester in which the course is offered or after the census date if the course is a prerequisite to a course in the following term. The Success Coach will review the documented proof of experience related to the subject matter and ensure that the student meets the criteria for requesting a Credit by Proficiency Examination.  The request form is then signed by both the Success Coach and the student indicating that the form has been reviewed and that the student is aware that the credit earned through Credit by Proficiency Examination is only valid at Stanly Community College.   The request form and proof are then reviewed by the Program/Department Head for approval and to indicate how the learning outcomes will be met through the examination process.  Both the Program/Department Head and the appropriate Dean or AVP must approve and sign the form. 

If the student is not approved to take the exam, the Program/Department Head, Dean or AVP will notify the Success Coach, who will notify the student of the decision. 

If the student is approved to take exam, the Program/Department Head will indicate such on the Credit by Proficiency Exam Request Form and notify the student of the test date, time, and location.  The Program/Department Head will notify the Business Office with the student’s name, student ID, and the course prefix and number. 

At the time of the exam, the student will present with (1) a receipt showing payment for the exam and (2) a photo I.D.  After the student has completed the exam, the Program/Department Head will be notified.  Either the Program/Department Head or the exam administrator will place their signature and grade received on the CBE form, check registration status for the student, and sign the form. The completed form will be sent to the Enrollment Management Department representative who will enter the exam results in the student’s record. 

Competency Based Proficiency Examination 

Students who are enrolled in a CBE (Competency Based Education) degree program are able to receive credit based on Prior Learning Assessments. Prior Learning Assessments must be completed before registering for a course(s) within a CBE degree program. Students completing the proficiency successfully will receive a grade of “CE” on their permanent transcript to designate credit by proficiency examination. No quality points will be awarded; consequently, the GPA will not be affected. The academic standards for credit by proficiency examination will be equivalent to the academic standards for the course. 

Students must meet the prerequisites for the course. 

Students will work with their CBE advisor in determining the logistics of a Prior Learning Assessment. The Prior Learning Assessment will be submitted to the Program/Department Head by the CBE Advisor. The Program/Department Head will set up the assessment and the PLA results will be forwarded to the Enrollment Management Department representative who will enter the exam results in the student’s record. The CBE Advisor will also be advised of the results. 

If approved, and prior to the exam, the student must remit a non-refundable payment of $25 for each exam to the College’s Business Office in Albemarle or the Crutchfield Campus. If the student wishes to pay online, the student must first contact the Business Office at 704-991-0228. The student will receive a receipt (or notification) for payment which must be presented at the time of the exam. 

2.  College Level Examination Program (CLEP) 

Stanly Community College awards credit to students who have passed certain College Board's College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations at an acceptable level. These tests may be taken prior to enrollment or after a student has actually begun studies at the college. The following table outlines the credit acceptance and course equivalency: 

CLEP Examination 

Min. Score 

Hours 

SCC Course 

Credit By Exam 

COMPOSITION & LITERATURE 

 

 

 

 

College Composition 

50 

ENG 111 

 

American Literature 

50 

ENG 232 

 

English Literature 

50 

ENG 242 

 

SCIENCE & MATHEMATICS 

 

 

 

 

Biology 

50 

BIO 110 

YES 

Chemistry 

50 

CHM 131 

YES 

College Algebra 

50 

MAT 171 

 

College Mathematics 

50 

MAT 143 

 

Pre-Calculus 

50 

MAT 172 

 

Calculus 

50 

MAT 271 

 

HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCES 

 

 

 

 

American Government 

50 

POL 120 

 

History of US I (Early-1877) 

50 

HIS 131 

 

History of US II (1865-Present) 

50 

HIS 132 

 

Macroeconomics 

50 

ECO 252 

 

Microeconomics 

50 

ECO 251 

 

Intro Psychology 

50 

PSY 150 

 

Intro Sociology 

50 

SOC 210 

 

BUSINESS 

 

 

 

 

Financial Accounting 

50 

ACC 120 

 

Intro to Business Law 

50 

BUS 115 

 

Principles of Management 

50 

BUS 137 

 

Principles of Marketing 

50 

MKT 120 

 

3. Advanced Placement Examinations (AP) 

The College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) sponsors an advanced placement program that enables high school students to complete college-level courses while still in high school. The CEEB examinations are offered in the high school by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Stanly Community College will grant credit for the Advanced Placement tests conducted by the CEEB. Successful completion of the exam (score of 3 or higher) is required for awarding credit. Students desiring credit must have their scores submitted to the Enrollment Management Department for evaluation. 

4. Professional Certification 

Students enrolled at Stanly Community College who hold a current professional or vendor certification - for example, Microsoft, CISCO, etc., (not SCC certificate) - that correlates with course content for a curriculum class may submit a “Credit for Current Certification Request Form” to the appropriate Associate Vice President for the course. The student will be required to provide proof of current certification. The program head will then determine if the certification meets the requirements necessary to give credit. 

5. Service-Related Experience and Training 

Certain departments – for example, Criminal Justice and Cyber Crime, may recognize combinations of professional certification, years of service-related experience, and history of military training, agency training, or continuing education course completion. Students should inquire with the Program/Department Head for departmental policies associated with credit opportunities for related experience and training. 

The Joint Services Transcripts provided after review by the American Council on Education (ACE) are reviewed for course specific equivalencies when credit for past military training is requested. 

6. Continuing Education to Curriculum Credit 

Students who receive Continuing Education training at Stanly Community College may request curriculum credit for approved courses under certain conditions as listed below. 

  • The continuing education course requires at least the same student learning outcomes as the curriculum course as documented on the course syllabus. 
  • The continuing education course is at least equivalent in hours of instruction to the curriculum course as documented on the course syllabus. 
  • The credentials of the continuing education course instructor meet the College’s Faculty Credential Policy for the equivalent curriculum course. 
  • The continuing education course requires assessment of course work, evaluation of performance by exam, and attendance as documented on the course syllabus. 
  • Only Stanly Community College continuing education courses that have been pre-approved will be considered for curriculum credit equivalency. Continuing education courses approved for transfer to curriculum will be designated by adding the suffix TR to the course number. For example, WLD 310604TR would indicate a course section that is approved for transfer to curriculum (same SLOs, contact hours, and faculty credentials).WLD 310604 would indicate the course section did not meet the requirements for transfer to curriculum. 
  • Only continuing education units with a grade of “S” (satisfactory or equivalency to a grade of “C”) that have been earned within the last five (5) years as documented on a Stanly Community College transcript will be considered for transfer equivalency. 
  • No more than seventy-five percent (75%) of a degree, diploma, or certificate may be earned with continuing education units that have been accepted for curriculum credit; the final twenty-five percent (25%) of any credential must be earned by completing curriculum education credit courses. 
  • Students requesting curriculum credit must meet admission requirements and be admitted into an associate in applied science degree, diploma, or certificate program of study, for which the curriculum equivalent is a requirement. 
  • No course substitutions are permitted. These continuing education courses will only be applied to their curriculum equivalent and may not be used to substitute for required coursework in any program. 
  • The “Request for Evaluation of CE Units to Curriculum Credits” form must be used to apply for the conversion of continuing education units to curriculum credit. 

Additional Notes regarding Continuing Education to Curriculum Credit 

  • Students who register for curriculum courses will pay curriculum tuition and fees. Students who register for continuing education courses will pay continuing education tuition and fees. Students may not change their registration type beyond the posted schedule adjustment period. 
  • Students who register for curriculum credit may be eligible for federal financial aid and/or veterans benefits. Students who register for continuing education units are not eligible for federal financial aid and/or veterans benefits. Students will not be retroactively awarded financial aid for continuing education courses converted to credit. 
  • When continuing and curriculum education classes meet simultaneously with the same instructor, the instructor will complete and submit, to the Enrollment Management Department, continuing education and curriculum education attendance and final grade rosters. Continuing education students will earn a grade of “S”, to represent satisfactory completion of all course work at a level corresponding to a “C” or higher in the equivalent curriculum course. Grades of “U” will be given for course work below the level of “C” in the equivalent curriculum course. Curriculum students will earn letter grades as detailed in the College catalog and outlined in the course syllabus. 
  • When continuing education students are participating in a continuing education course that is approved for potential curriculum credit equivalency, instructors will assign a grade of “S”, to represent satisfactory completion of all course work at a level corresponding to a “C” or higher in the equivalent curriculum course. Grades of “U” will be given for coursework below the level of C in the equivalent curriculum course. 

This procedure for granting curriculum credit for continuing education courses is effective beginning with the Spring 2015 semester. 

The College reserves the right to modify the Credit by Advanced Standing procedures in the interest of students’ academic progression in the event of a declared state of emergency by federal, state, or local government officials or for other extreme circumstances as determined by the College’s Executive Leadership Team.  Modifications may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Increase the number of courses for which credit can be awarded by proficiency exam. 
  • Allow students who were enrolled in a course but were not able to successfully complete it to attempt a proficiency exam. 
  • Remove the requirement that proficiency exam requests must be made thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the semester in which the course is offered. 

 

Revision: 5/22/2017, 01/27/2020, 01/14/2022 (procedures)