Transfer Course Credit Policies in Higher Education

1. Transfer Course Credit – Institutions of Higher EducationCredit for Prior LearningIndustry Recognized Credentials/Test Credit AGC – February 2016

2. Presentation Outline • Team Members • History + Issues/Concerns • Solution • Information Collection • Policy Statements • Questions

3. Team Members • Katie Daniels • Amy Koning • Anna Rose • Casey Behling • Diane Patrick • Patti Trepkowski • Bryan Vliem

4. History + Issues/Concerns • Original Policy: Currently exists as the Transfer Policy (8.29) • Policy language identifies the practice of awarding credit from accredited institutions, foreign institutions, experiential learning and non-traditional adult learning programs. • Specific criterion focuses on accepting course transfer credit. • Procedures section of the policy identifies the specific instances from which GRCC may award academic credit. • Issues/Concerns • Lack of specificity around Credit for Prior Learning, Challenge Exams, Testing Credit, Credit for External Credentials, Credit for Industry Recognized Credentials

5. History + Issues/Concerns • Issues/Concerns cont.: Specific list of ways students can bring in credit is listed in the procedures. List is not comprehensive and will change. Policy statements need to allow for changes.

6. Solution • Solution: Three policies, one for each of the primary ways in which students may receive academic credit • Policies • Industry Recognized Credentials/Test Credit Policy (new) • Transfer Credit Policy – Institutions of Higher Education (8.29 -revised) • Prior Learning Assessment Policy (7.15 - revised) – add language from Transfer Credit Policy about Challenge Exams Prior Learning Assessment • Votes – one for each policy

7. Information Collection • Fall 2015 Collected Feedback from: • Associate Deans • Registrar’s Office • Instructional Support • Formed team to review submissions and create a proposal for AGC

8. Original Policy StatementTransfer Course Credit Policy – Institutions of Higher Education (8.29) • Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) abides by transfer policies created by the governing bodies of the institution, in accordance with all federal compliance guidelines. GRCC Transfer Polices incorporate policies regarding credit awarded from accredited institutions, foreign institutions, experiential learning and non-traditional adult learning programs. GRCC offers full disclosure of all transfer policies. All GRCC Transfer Policies contain a statement of criteria established by the institution regarding transfer of credit earned at another institution. • Transfer credit is awarded for: • Courses from appropriately recognized institutions • Courses with grades of “C” or higher (Transfer Policy only) • 100 – 300 Level courses

9. Revised Policy StatementTransfer Course Credit Policy – Institutions of Higher Education (8.29) • Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) awards course credit for equivalent courses from accredited and international institutions of higher education.When alignment between a course from another institution of higher education and a GRCC course has been established by the academic department in which the course resides and the College, the GRCC Registrar’s Office award credit for the course, if the following guidelines are met: • the student earned a grade of “C” (2.0) or higher in the course • the level of the course being transferred in is 100-300

10. Revised Policy StatementTransfer Course Credit Policy – Institutions of Higher Education (8.29), cont. • Credit will only be awarded for courses that are one or more credit hours • Students will be given the amount of credit earned at the previous institution • The standard formula for conversion of quarter hours to semester hours will be used • For courses that are graded pass/fail, “pass” will be considered equivalent to a “C” (2.0)

11. Original Policy StatementPrior Learning Assessment (7.15) • Prior Learning Assessment is an alternative approach for analyzing prior learning in a non-academic setting and to grant credit for that learning in a non-academic setting.

12. Revised Policy StatementPrior Learning Assessment (7.15) • Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) awards course credit for college level learning in alternative settings . When a student is able to demonstrate competency in Course Learning Outcomes for a particular course through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) from a portfolio evaluation by a subject matter expert or a GRCC Challenge Test, the GRCC Registrar’s Office will award credit for the course, if the following guidelines are met: • There is not another way to grant the student credit for the course through an external credential, test, or exam (i.e., AP, CLEP) • If a Challenge Test exists for a course, it should be used instead of a PLA portfolio evaluation

13. Revised Policy StatementPrior Learning Assessment (7.15) cont. • Credit is evaluated for and awarded in the context of the program/degree in which they are enrolled • Credit must be aligned with a course and may only be awarded once for the same learning within a student’s program/degree • Credit will not be awarded for General Education courses • Students have been made aware that the credit awarded by the college is typically not transferable to other institutions.

14. Proposed New Policy StatementIndustry Recognized Credentials/Test Credit Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) awards course credit for external nationally recognized industry or professional credentials and accredited or nationally recognized exams and tests. When alignment between a credential or test and a GRCC course(s) has been established by the academic department in which the course(s) resides and the College, the GRCC Registrar’s Office will award credit for the course(s), if the following guidelines are met: • The course alignment with external credential has been formally documented in the Registrar’s Office prior to student request for course credit. • The credential is current/valid at the time the credit is awarded (has not expired) • Students provide original verification to the GRCC Registrar’s Office • All established requirements (for example, minimum acceptable test scores) are met.

15. Questions/Clarifications Questions?

16. Feedback from Department • Send directly to kdaniels@grcc.eduby Monday, March 15th • Thank you!