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NUMBER: 16-1-9 APPROVED DATE: 12-07-1999

BASED ON POLICY NUMBER AND TITLE: 16-1-0 ADMISSIONS

PURPOSE:  To outline the parameters for awarding experiential learning credit.

  1. RESTRICTIONS

    Awarding credit for experiential learning in selected courses is subject to the following
    restrictions:
    1.  Experiential credit may not be an option in some academic programs due to accreditation and licensing requirements.  Experiential credit also may not be available for some courses in which the faculty of the program has deemed that type credit inappropriate.
    2. The College grants experiential credit only for courses currently offered and applicable to the student’s major.
    3. The College awards experiential credit only for documented learning that demonstrates achievement of all outcomes for specific courses in an approved program in the current catalog.
    4. The College awards experiential credit only to students currently enrolled in another credit course.
    5. Credit may not be granted for a course in which the student has already earned a grade, including a "W" or "AU," unless the experience occurred and the competencies were documented after course completion.
    6. Experiential learning credit does not carry quality points and therefore does not affect the student's GPA.
    7. Experiential credit may not duplicate credit already awarded and will apply only to remaining courses planned for the student’s program.
    8. The College grants no more than 25 percent of program completion requirements for experiential learning credit.
    9. The Registrar's office clearly identifies the amount of credit awarded as experiential learning credit on a student's academic record.   The student receives no grade for experiential learning credit.
    10. Each academic division may impose additional restrictions, such as the format for documenting learning experiences. When division-specific restrictions exist, the restrictions must be written and available to students upon request.
    11. The awarding of credit through experiential learning is contingent upon many factors not limited to but including minimum age, length of time  prior to enrolling or resuming education, or specified number of years of work or public service experience.
    12. Exceptions to this procedure may be made with the approval of the Vice President for the Division of Education or designee

  2.   PROCESSES FOR AWARDING EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CREDIT

    1. To request credit for experiential learning, students must contact their academic advisor.  The academic advisor, with assistance from other appropriate departmental personnel, evaluates the request. If credit is not granted, the process concludes, unless the student appeals as outlined below in "E".  If the evaluation warrants granting credit, the advisor completes the "Credit Through Experiential Learning" form and obtains the student's signature.
    2. The academic advisor then routes the "Credit Through Experiential Learning" form to the appropriate department head and academic dean for approval. The academic dean for the division offering the equivalent course must grant approval  to award experiential learning credit.
    3. The academic dean submits the "Credit Through Experiential Learning" form to the Registrar's office for the awarding of credit. The Registrar signs the "Credit Through Experiential Learning" form and returns copies to the routing distribution.  The Registrar awards the appropriate credit on the student's academic records.
    4. Each academic dean must maintain documentation about any experiential learning credit granted. Such documentation must clearly describe, and establish the validity of, the process and criteria for awarding experiential learning credit. Upon request from another institution, the Registrar shall provide documentation (copies of the "Credit Through Experiential Learning" form) pertaining to the evaluation process and criteria for awarding experiential learning credit.
    5. If an advisor, department head, or academic dean denies a student's request for experiential learning credit, the student has the right to appeal to the next appropriate level of supervision, up to and including the Vice President for the Education or designee. The decision of the Vice President for Education or designee is final.
    6. On an annual basis, the Vice President for Education or designee shall review all experiential learning credit granted as well as the procedures for awarding such credit.

Updated: 06-27-2008

Reviewed: 01-11-2019

Updated: 02-14-2019

Updated: 07-28-2020

Updated: 06-01-2022