Credit by Examination, Prior Learning Assessment, Awarding Credit
BLINN COLLEGE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS MANUAL
SUBJECT: Credit by Examination, Prior Learning Assessment, Awarding Credit
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 6, 2022
BOARD POLICY REFERENCE: EGA(LEGAL) and EI(LEGAL)
PURPOSE
Blinn College District offers, for selected courses, credit by examination opportunities to earn credit that recognizes individual efforts and achievement for prior learning and work experience. The College also grants undergraduate course credit to entering freshmen students who have successfully completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program, who have achieved required scores on one or more examinations in the Advanced Placement (AP) Program or the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).
I. AWARDING ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) / COLLEGE LEVEL EXAM PROGRAM (CLEP) CREDIT
Blinn College District will accept hours for credit by examination earned through the College Board Advanced Placement Program (AP) and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). The Blinn College District Office of Admissions and Records evaluates all AP/CLEP transfer credits. There is no charge for this service. The following are the parameters for awarding credit:
- The Blinn College District will award a maximum of 30 semester credit hours by examination.
- Students must present evidence of completion with acceptable scores of AP/CLEP exams along with a completed application for credit.
- A grade of “CR” will be awarded on transcripts for credits awarded by exam.
- The request for credit may be made at any time while the student attends the Blinn College District but will not be awarded if the student has attempted, is enrolled in, or has completed the course for which credit is being sought.
- Credit earned by examination may not be used to meet the minimum (25%) residence requirement for a degree or certificate.
- Students should understand that each college and university has its own policy with respect to credit earned by examination and that any such credit allowed by one institution may not necessarily be accepted by another.
II. AWARDING INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) CREDIT
The International Baccalaureate Diploma is an international program of courses and exams offered at the high school level. In keeping with Senate Bill 111 passed in 2005, the Blinn College District will grant credit (CR) for IB exams with certain required scores.
Texas institutions of higher education must award 24 hours of course specific college credit in subject appropriate areas of all IB exam scores of 4 or above as long as the incoming freshmen have earned an IB diploma. However, course credit does not have to be awarded on any IB exams where the score received is a 3 or less. This may mean that such students will not receive 24 hours of college credit, even if they have an IB diploma.
Students must have an official IB transcript sent to the Blinn College District. All IB students must show proof of meeting the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements prior to their enrollment at Blinn College District.
For a list of IB Examinations and course credit please visit the IBD website.
III. PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND WORK EXPERIENCE
Each college or university has its own policy for credit earned by examination and any such credit allowed by one institution may not necessarily be accepted by another. Students are responsible for verifying credit acceptance with the receiving institution before deciding to pursue credit by examination. See the appropriate counselor and department head for these opportunities.
To earn credit for prior learning and/or work experience the Blinn College District offers Credit by Examination opportunities to earn credit that recognizes individual efforts and achievement. Additionally, active licensure, industry certification, and specific criteria for individual programs may be presented for experiential learning credit (see specific program web page for more detail).
IV. DIVISIONAL EXAMS AND REQUIREMENTS
Each program within the Blinn College District designs and administers exams based on the rigors and requirements of the course. Credit by exam processes are established by each division within the Blinn College District which are available for specific courses as outlined by course listing from each division. Each student must seek divisional permission to submit an application to obtain course credit by divisional exam.
To ensure students petitioning for credit by exam understand the program policies and procedures, divisional staff will interview the student to:
- Determine student eligibility – enrolled in an academic program past the official reporting date or have completed required SCH’s as outlined in the policy and procedures.
- Veteran Affairs – student receiving VA benefits must comply with VA rules and regulations.
- Understand the credit by exam process – have read and understand the policies and guidelines outlined for the exam process.
- Identify exam options – texts and industry standards are the written and/or performance exams based on to meet course objectives.
- The request for credit may be made at any time while the student attends the Blinn College District but examinations may not be taken for courses in which students are currently registered, or for courses in which students have received grades of “incomplete” (“I”), withdrawal (“W”), and fail (“F”).
- If approved the exam must be taken within 30 days of the approval date and scheduled by the appointed proctor.
- Examinations may only be attempted once unless approval is provided by the department head and approved by the appropriate dean. A second attempt may not be taken in less than one year from the date of the first attempt and only with division approval.
- Credit by exam may include an actual demonstration of competency to a predetermined skill level.
Students must pay all costs required to obtain course credit by examination.
V. CREDIT LIMITATIONS
- Students may receive a maximum of 33% of the certificate or associates degree Semester Credit Hour (SCH) by successfully passing an end of course comprehensive semester exam in the course for which students are requesting credit. In technical areas of study, students may receive a maximum of 70% of the certificate or associates degree Semester Credit Hour (SCH) by successfully passing an end of course comprehensive semester exam in the course for which students are requesting credit of a certificate or associates degree. Student requests above 33% requires to obtain approval from the Vice Chancellor of Technical and Community Education. Credit earned by examination may not be used to meet the minimum (25%) residence requirement for a degree or certificate.
VI. AWARDING CREDIT
- Students must be enrolled in the Blinn College District at the time credit is awarded. However, with the approval of the Registrar and the appropriate division dean, former Blinn College District students may be awarded credit by comprehensive examination. Former students who wish to receive credit by examination must meet all other requirements regarding the awarding of these credits.
- For students to receive credit, they must have completed no less than six (6) SCH’s at Blinn College. Students may be enrolled in 6 SCH’s at the time examinations are taken.
- A minimum of grade “C” is required to earn credit by division examination.
- Semester credit hours earned through Credit by Exam or Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) designated as “CR” on the transcript.
- Credit by Exam or PLA is not computed for GPA purposes and no letter grade will be given on students’ transcripts.
- Credit by Exam or PLA may not be taken for courses in which students are currently registered, or for courses in which students have received grades of “incomplete” (“I”), withdrawal (“W”), and fail (“F”).
- For a student to receive credit, they must pay any costs associated with proctoring and awarding such credit. Each division will determine these costs as appropriate.
- Credit earned by examination may not be used to meet the minimum (25%) residence requirement for a degree or certificate.
Additional information on Credit by Examination is available in the Blinn College District Catalog.