Addendum - Credit for Prior Learning

Credit for Prior Learning

General Provisions for Credit for Prior College Level Learning 

The Alamo Colleges District (ACD) provides students the opportunity to receive equivalent college semester credit hours earned through Advanced Placement and prior learning means. Credit or competencies are awarded only for evidence of learning, not for experience or time spent. Credit by Prior Learning options include:

•    College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
•    Advanced Placement (AP)
•    International Baccalaureate (IBD) Diploma Program
•    Credit not awarded during initial review
•    Internal examination for credit
•    Credit for certification and training
•    Institutional review of external training, licenses or certifications
•    Credit for military training (DANTES military course equivalency)
•    ACE recommendation for course equivalency
•    Continuing education course conversion  

Prior Learning Credit Hour Limits

ACD encourages students who have participated in these areas to apply for credit for the appropriate equivalent course through our credit for prior learning processes. ACD, within appropriate departmental guidelines, reserves the right to determine the acceptable transfer credit to a maximum of forty-five (45) semester credit hours once the student has earned six (6) college semester credit hours at the student's home College. In other words, credit earned for prior learning is banked until you earn at least six (6) college semester credit hours at the student's home College. If a student is awarded the maximum of 45 credit hours, the student must complete the remaining 15 credit hours at their home campus to be awarded an associate degree. A student can receive no more than 75% of the total credits for any certificate or degree through this process.

Grades and Transcription of Credit for Prior Learning

Credit hours earned by examination and/or awarded through this process will receive a CR grade which will not be included in a student's GPA computation; however, the semester credit hours are counted for graduation. Credit by prior learning will not be awarded once a grade has been earned in the same course, excluding I and W.

Credit Transferability

Students planning to transfer to other institutions of higher education should consult with those institutions of higher education regarding their policies on granting prior learning credit.

Matrix of Available Prior Learning Opportunities

All opportunities to receive credit by prior means are listed in the associated credit by for prior learning matrix.  https://www.alamo.edu/credit-for-prior-learning/

Acceptance of Credit for Prior Learning

Each of the Alamo Colleges has autonomy to determine which courses are eligible for credit for prior learning and which methods are available to receive credit for each course that is eligible. 

Communication of Outcomes

All decisions made to transcribed credit for prior learning should be communicated directly to the student through their student email account within 20 business days of the decision being finalized.

Residency

Students must achieve residency at their home campus (the campus where credit was awarded through this process) to receive any award, certificate, or degree. Residency is defined as 25% of the credits required for any award, certificate, or degree. Credits transcribed through this process are not considered residency credits. 

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The College recognizes the credit-granting scores recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). The credit is treated as equal to a grade of CR in the corresponding course (but is not included in GPA calculations). Military-connected students needing an evaluated degree plan to obtain Military Tuition Assistance (TA) or Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) funding may have transfer credit for CLEP posted to their student record in advance of receiving six (6) college semester credit hours. Eligible students must submit a request for CLEP review to the Enrollment Services/Admission and Records Office. Acceptable CLEP credit will be posted to the student record after the census date for the first term of attendance. 

No more than forty-five (45) semester credit hours can be earned through any method of credit for prior learning and will be transcribed once the student has earned six (6) college semester credit hours at the student’s home college.

Advanced Placement (AP) Program

Students taking the Advanced Placement (AP) test will earn equivalent college credit from the College when attaining the scores indicated and the credit is treated as equal to a grade of CR in the corresponding course (but not the GPA calculations).
No more than forty-five (45) semester credit hours can be earned through any method of credit for prior learning and will be transcribed once the student has earned six (6) college semester credit hours at the student’s home college.
 

The College Board

AP Credit-Granting Scores and Semester Hour Recommendations²

² Students taking the AP test will earn equivalent college credit from any of the colleges in the Alamo Colleges District when attaining the scores indicated and the credit is treated as equal to a grade of CR in the corresponding course (but is not included in GPA calculations). AP credit is not applied to the transcript until the student has successfully completed 6 regular college credits at any of the colleges in the Alamo Colleges District and students may not earn more than forty-five (45) total hours from any testing equivalency source.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Program

The College will grant at least twenty-four (24) semester credit hours or equivalent course credit for approved courses in appropriate subject areas to an entering first- year student for successful completion of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBD).
For examined subjects, a grade of CR (prior learning credit only) will be posted and not included in GPA. Fewer than twenty-four (24) semester credit hours will be awarded if the student received a score of less than four (4) on an examination administered as part of the diploma program (Students should refer to their colleges course matrix for detailed information). One course from the IBD program may not substitute for multiple credit courses unless the content of the IBD course and its learning outcomes cover the course learning outcomes of all courses being substituted. 

IBD Exam Options

Higher Level (HL) 240 teaching hours - minimum of three (3) subjects and not more than four (4)
Standard Level (SL) 150 teaching hours - minimum of two (2) and not more than three (3)

NOTE: Each student may receive credit for only one class or the identified pair of classes for each category for a possible total of 27 credits.

No more than forty-five (45) semester credit hours can be earned through any method of credit for prior learning and will be transcribed once the student has earned six (6) college semester credit hours at the student’s home college.
Specific scoring information is provided in the appendix matrix.

International Baccalaureate Diploma
Credit Matrix for the Colleges of the Alamo Colleges District
IBD students must provide an official transcript with exam title and score.

Credit Not Awarded During Initial Review

When students transfer credit from an institution that they have previously attended to the Alamo Colleges, the student’s transcript is evaluated and credit for courses that have previously been awarded for the transferring institution are automatically transcribed for the student.
In some cases, one or more courses that may be eligible for transcription are not automatically awarded and must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate Chair or discipline faculty.
Students seeking course equivalency reviews for credit not awarded during initial review must initiate the process by contacting the Admissions and Records office at their home campus. Upon completion of the review, students will be notified of the decision for each class within 20 business days via their student email account.

Internal Examinations for Credit

In specific approved courses students may request to take an Internal Exam to receive credit for a course. Students desiring to take an internal examination cannot have received a grade of any kind for the course with the exception of a withdrawal grade (in person, online, hybrid, remote format). If the examination is passed with a score of 70% or higher, students will receive credit for the course and have a “P” (pass) grade transcribed for the course. All internal examinations will be proctored in an ACD course exam center. The appropriate discipline Subject Matter Expert will review the score of the examination and provide a recommendation to the appropriate Dean who will forward the final decision to A&R. Admissions and Records will record the grade as appropriate and inform the student of the outcome.
No more than forty-five (45) semester credit hours can be earned through any method of credit for prior learning and will be transcribed once the student has earned six (6) college semester credit hours at the student’s home college.
 

Credit for Certification or Training

In specific approved courses students may request to receive credit for a course based on previous documented training including apprentice programs and by holding an industry recognized certification. Students requesting credit must provide documentation of training, certification, and licensure to the appropriate chair or discipline lead for review and approval. If the chair or discipline lead approves, the documentation is forwarded to the appropriate dean for signature. The appropriate dean will review the documentation and provide a final decision to Admissions, Records and Registration. Admissions; Records, and Registration will record the grade as appropriate and inform the student of the outcome.
No more than forty-five (45) semester credit hours can be earned through any method of credit for prior learning and will be transcribed once the student has earned six (6) college semester credit hours at the student’s home college.
 

Continuing Education Course Conversion to Workforce Courses (Mirror Courses)

To provide an entry for students wishing to transition from the continuing education portion of their education to the academic credit continuation of their education, students may request a conversion of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to college credit for specific career and technical courses. Course learning outcomes and competencies for the continuing education courses will be compared to those required of academic courses in the course inventory under the direction of the appropriate academic dean and approval by the academic vice president. Credit will be awarded according to the agreed upon crosswalk between each of the ACD colleges and ACD CE department.  Continuing Education Units (CEUs) earned outside of the Alamo Colleges will be evaluated under the criteria in Section VII. Credit for Certification or Training or Section VIII. Credit by Subject Matter Expert Review.
Conversions of CEUs to academic credit must be requested within three (3) years of completing the continuing education course. Grades will be posted as CR and not included in GPA.
No more than forty-five (45) semester credit hours can be earned through any method of credit for prior learning and will be transcribed once the student has earned six (6) college semester credit hours at the student’s home college.
Under exceptional circumstances the six (6) hours may be waived, such as when students are taking a complete course of study in a given contract period with Continuing Education. 

Credit by Subject Matter Expert Review 

ACD students who feel that their previous work experience can demonstrate mastery of the content of one or more courses may prepare and submit sufficient documentation and/or evidence that aligns their experience and skills with the learning outcomes of specific courses.  After admission to the College, students should consult with the appropriate academic Department to determine whether prior learning may be applicable for college credit. Students must be enrolled in the current semester for which they are applying for such credit. 
The assessment of prior learning may be requested by individuals seeking to obtain college-level credit for experience and/or training received in a relevant work environment. The Application for Work Experience Credit may be obtained from the office of the appropriate academic chair. 
 
Sources of prior learning may include: 

• Prior employment 
• Letter from current or former employer on official company letterhead 
• Certification/licensure/credentials equivalents 
• Needs to demonstrate current, updated and active credentials  
• National ACE guidelines 
• Military service 
• DANTES military course equivalency 
• Special agreements 
• MOUs, in-house training/DOL curriculum cross-walked 

 
The college will designate a guide to assist students in the process of identifying the college courses that would be eligible to match their prior learning as evidenced by documentation, verification of experience, and/or sufficient justification. Before prior learning credit can be awarded and posted on a student’s official college transcript, final approval must be obtained by the appropriate Faculty, Department Chair, Academic Dean, and Vice President for Academic Success. In the event that the objective evidence that the reviewer is looking for in the submitted material is not present, a subjective decision on the basis of the preponderance of evidence will be necessary. Such decisions will be made by one or more subject matter experts (SMEs), those decisions will be considered final. The prior learning assessment will ensure that the level of the prior experience commensurate with the rigor (in terms of content and contact hours) of the course being considered. All decisions made to transcribe credit by this process should be communicated directly to the student through their student email account within 20 business days after final submission of the student’s documentation and/or evidence and those decision will be final. 
An appropriate course for documenting prior learning is not guaranteed, and approval of such prior learning is not automatic. 
Credits earned by this method are posted on the transcript as equivalency credit (non-graded). The College will retain a copy of the documentation with the student’s permanent file. 
No more than forty-five (45) semester credit hours can be earned through any method of credit for prior learning and will be transcribed once the student has earned six (6) college semester credit hours at the student’s home college.
 

Matrix of Credit for Prior Learning

All opportunities to receive credit by prior means are listed in the associated credit for prior learning matrix.

https://www.alamo.edu/credit-for-prior-learning/