Policies

College-Level Examination Program (“CLEP”): College course credit will be granted to students who participate in CLEP Subject Examinations and achieve the minimum passing score of 50 as recommended by the American Council on Education.

A score of 2 or higher on the AP Calculus AB Exam.

A grade of C or higher in an AP Calculus course and an unweighted HS GPA of 3.0 or higher.

College Board Advanced Placement Program (“AP”): College course credit will be granted to students who pass the AP examinations with a score of three, four or five.

Advanced Placement (AP) course credits, awarded for a score of three or higher, are acceptable as part of a student’s successfully completed AFAVA degree under the AFAVA to BFA AA.

Verification could include (but is not limited to) a bachelor degree plan published by the university, a career pathway plan, career information published in the Occupational Outlook Handbook and/or information published in the North Carolina Career Cluster Guide, etc. With approval of the high school principal or his/her designee and the college’s chief academic officer or chief student development administrator, a student who completes a College Transfer Pathway, while still enrolled in high school, may continue to earn college transfer credits leading to the completion of the Associate in Arts, Science, Engineering, AGE-Nursing, or AFA-Visual Arts.

Credit for Prior Learning The College may award curriculum CPL when the documentation of prior learning meets or exceeds a demonstration of learning outcomes at the College’s standards for awarding credit for the corresponding curriculum course. The College shall award CPL in a manner consistent with State Board regulations. To be eligible to receive CPL, students must 1) meet all admission requirements for their program of study; 2) be enrolled in a curriculum program to which the credit will directly apply; and 3) request a prior learning assessment consistent with Procedure 5.2.9.1. CREDIT THROUGH APPRENTICESHIP The College shall award CPL based on statewide articulation as approved by the Curriculum Course Review Committee for related instruction provided by external entities for registered apprenticeship programs. All apprenticeships must be approved and registered with the North Carolina State Apprenticeship Agency through ApprenticeshipNC. The College, participating employer, and North Carolina Community College System shall cooperatively put together an apprenticeship agreement that will require at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning plus an additional amount of classroom instruction. Upon successful completion of a registered apprenticeship, the individual will receive work-based learning course credit. CREDIT THROUGH CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURES Students seeking CPL via industry recognized and/or state regulated credentials will complete a request form for a prior learning assessment, attach supporting documentation that substantiates credential attainment, and submit it to the designated college official or office for consideration. Designated faculty/staff should review the request form and supporting documentation to determine whether the student is eligible to receive academic credit. Students are responsible for providing evidence of their valid (non-expired) certification(s) which must have been issued within five (5) years prior to their request for articulated credit. Students must be enrolled in the associated program to receive course credit. HIGH SCHOOL TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARTICULATION AGREEMENT CREDITS North Carolina Department of Public Instruction high school courses that are listed in the High School to Community College Articulation Agreement are eligible for Combined Course Library curriculum course credit. The North Carolina High School to Community College Articulation Agreement provides a seamless process that joins secondary and postsecondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs of study. Tri-County Community College has agreed to grant advanced placement and course credit to Cherokee, Clay and Graham County high school graduates for successful completion of designated courses at high school. Students must meet the criteria for awarding credit below: Process to Document and Award Credit ​To receive articulated credit, students must enroll at Tri-County Community College within two years of their high school graduation date, and meet the following criteria: Final grade of B or higher in the course and A score of 93 or higher on the standardized CTE post assessment *The above criteria is subject to change in accordance to state and local policies. High school students who enroll in a Career and College Promise pathway may earn articulated college credit as described in this agreement while enrolled in high school, if the CTE articulated college credit is part of their Career and College Promise pathway. Tri-County Registrar will verify eligibility and acceptance of articulated courses listed on the high school transcript. Students may be asked to submit supporting documentation to receive credit. TCCC will follow the criteria of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges in awarding credit. *For more information on Career Pathways or the NC Articulation Agreement visit the following website http://www.ncperkins.org/course/view.php?id=4 or contact the Tri-County Career and College Promise (CCP) Coordinator or a local high school guidance counselor. MILITARY EDUCATION AND TRAINING Servicemen and veterans may be awarded college credit for service schools they have attended. The service schools must be accredited by a regional accrediting agency. Before applying for credit, contact the service school(s) and ask them to which regional accrediting agency they belong. Contact Student Services for more information. Joint Services Transcript (“JST”) is an academically accepted document approved by the American Council on Education (“ACE”) to validate a service member’s military occupational experience and training along with the corresponding ACE college credit recommendations. When the College receives an official copy of a JST, the Registrar will review and apply appropriate course credit. The Chief Academic Officer will be consulted if there is need for further discussion regarding proposed course credit. ​ STANDARDIZED EXAMINATIONS The College may award CPL credit for the following standardized examinations: College Board Advanced Placement Program (“AP”): College course credit will be granted to students who pass the AP examinations with a score of three, four or five. Cambridge Assessment International Education: College course credit will be granted to students who score a grade of e/E or better based on the AS and A Level exam(s) taken. College-Level Examination Program (“CLEP”): College course credit will be granted to students who participate in CLEP Subject Examinations and achieve the minimum passing score as recommended by the American Council on Education. DANTES Subject Standardized Tests: College course credit will be granted to students who score at or above the credit-granting score recommended by the American Council on Education. International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: College course credit will be granted to students who earn a grade of 70% or higher in courses taken from a recognized international institution, validated by a US credentialing agency. REQUESTING CHALLENGE/PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION CPL may be awarded through examinations created and administered by academic units that offer the course. The examination is constructed to allow the student to demonstrate mastery of the learning outcomes of the course. If a department offers credit by examination, no eligible student can be refused the opportunity to take the exam for course credit. A student must meet all pre-requisite requirements before they are eligible to take the challenge/proficiency examination for a course. Students meeting challenge exam eligibility requirements, as provided by the State Board, state and federal law, and this policy, are responsible for submitting a challenge examination request. As defined in the State Board of Community Colleges Code, developmental courses, supplemental courses, and courses including clinical practice are not eligible for challenge exams/proficiency. Official documentation from the training provider or credentialing entity shall be provided to the College to validate the training. PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT PROCESS CPL may be awarded through a portfolio assessment process managed by an academic department of the College. A portfolio is “a formal communication” presented by a student as a request for prior learning credit. Prior learning assessment by portfolio assessment will follow a course-equivalency credit model. Students demonstrate college-level learning by submitting a portfolio consisting of an organized collection of evidence that demonstrates mastery of the learning outcomes of a specific course offered at the College. To submit a portfolio for assessment, students must contact the department offering the course and follow the schedule established by the department. Courses eligible for credit by portfolio assessment are determined by the department. All portfolio assessments will be completed by discipline-appropriate faculty trained in assessing portfolios for credit. Departments offering prior learning assessment by portfolio will establish rubrics to guide faculty assessment and scoring. CREDIT THROUGH PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING PREFIX COURSES Courses in the Combined Course Library with a Public Safety Training (PST) prefix may be used for awarding prior learning credit for industry-recognized public safety training and/or credentials. Credit shall be considered for public safety training that meets the criteria outlined in the Public Safety Training course descriptions listed in the Combined Course Library.

This system provides options for placement including high school academic record and GPA, SAT or ACT scores, GED scores, prior developmental coursework, transfer credit, etc. The student must submit an official transcript to receive transfer credit and to officially waive the need for placement testing.

The following grading system is used: Number Grade Letter Equivalent Quality Points 90 -100 A Excellent 4.0 80 - 89 B Good 3.0 70 - 79 C Fair 2.0 60 - 69 D Pass 1.0 Below 60 F Fail 0.0 I Incomplete SR Senior Audit TR Transfer Credit W Withdrawn WA Withdrawal Administrative X Credit by Exam Y Audit Each instructor determines grades based on his/her evaluation of student progress. TR (Transfer Credit) A grade of “TR” is earned if a student received a grade of “C” (2.0 grade point value) or better for a course with equivalent credit hours and content at another regionally accredited institution when official transcripts are provided. X (Credit by examination) A grade of “X” is earned when the student earns credit by examination for specified courses if he/she meet the required level of proficiency by achieving a score equivalent to a “C” or better on a written or other appropriate examination.

Credit awarded through articulation, bridge programs, prior learning assessment, or other non-graded credit does not provide a GPA basis and will not be used in determining honors eligibility determinations.

Students enrolled in a program of study abroad of which classes may be accepted as transfer credit at TCCC, may be considered also as enrollment at TCCC for the purposes of receiving financial aid.

According to the State Board Code of Community Colleges, Colleges may award curriculum “Credit for Prior Learning” (CPL) if a student is enrolled in an applicable program of study. Students in the Criminal Justice Technology program may receive Credit for Prior Learning for Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET).

The GPA calculation includes grades of A, B, C, D, F, U, I, M, NM, S, P, P1, P2, P3, and R. Transferred (TR), Audited (Y), Credit by Exam (X), and classes Never Attended (NA) are excluded from the GPA calculation.

Two routine ways in which prerequisite or co-requisite requirements are met are through: 1) credit by examination; or 2) transfer credit. Credit by Examination ​A student may petition the course instructor by written application for permission to seek course credit by examination. To obtain permission to take a credit by examination test, students should follow these steps: Meet with the department chair or instructor to discuss the expectations of the examination. Credit by examination sections are designated with particular section numbers and are distinct from other sections of the course. Transfer Transcript Evaluation ​The College recognizes the following additional opportunities for awarding transfer credits, which may be used to satisfy prerequisite requirements: College Board Advanced Placement Program (“AP”): College course credit will be granted to students who pass the AP examinations with a score of three, four or five. Non-curriculum to Curriculum Transfer Credit: Non-curriculum course work from the College related to curriculum instruction may be transferred or accepted for credit towards curriculum courses in specific programs. To review additional opportunities for awarding credits for prior learning, see the College’s Policy on Credits for Prior Learning, Policy 5.2.9.

Transfer Credit from TCCC Tri-County Community College offers options to graduates from its two-year associate degree programs and its two-year college transfer program. Graduates of these programs have the option of entering a career, continuing their education at a senior institution, or both. Academic work completed at Tri-County Community College that is covered by the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement will transfer into all other institutions in the North Carolina system of colleges and universities. The Comprehensive Articulation Agreement formulated by the North Carolina Community College System in conjunction with all senior institutions in the state system guarantees the general equivalency transfer of the core curriculum throughout the community college system. Graduation with an A.A., A.E., A.F.A., or A.S. degree from Tri-County Community College ensures that a student’s coursework will transfer into any senior institution in the system, credited with having finished all general education requirements, and awarded junior status in the receiving institution. Completion of the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree does not guarantee admission to a particular North Carolina public university, although admission is guaranteed to at least one of the North Carolina senior institutions. Students who complete an A.A.S. degree should consult with their advisor on the transferability of their coursework.

Transfer Credit to TCCC Course work transferred or accepted for credit toward an undergraduate degree must represent collegiate course work relevant to the degree with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in the College’s undergraduate degree program. Any such earned credit must meet the minimum College academic standards worth at least 2.0 grade points or better and must parallel the content of similar courses offered. A minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the total semester credit hours to graduate from any program must be taken at the College. The maximum amount of credit allowed to be applied toward a credential is seventy five percent (75%) of the College’s curriculum. Any course taken at a North Carolina Community College System institution will be accepted for the equivalent course except as specified herein. For all others, the following criteria will be considered in determining the acceptability of the transfer course work: Accreditation of the school by a regional or national accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. Accreditation does not guarantee acceptance of transfer credit. Equivalency of course descriptions, outcomes and analysis of course level, content, quality, comparability, and degree program relevance. It shall be the student’s responsibility to provide documentation of this equivalency, which may include, but is not limited to, syllabi, course catalogs, course outcomes, etc. Use of recognized guides, such as those published by the American Council on Education, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and the National Association of Foreign Student Affairs. If the school was not accredited by a regional or national accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education at the time the course was taken, additional documentation will be required. It shall be the student’s responsibility to provide any additional documentation requested. For skills-based courses, particularly those in the advanced technology programs, demonstration of student skills may be a component of the evaluation process. Courses will be re-evaluated at least once every two years. Decisions related to acceptance of credit will be made by the appropriate faculty member(s) and the dean of that program area, in consultation with the Chief Academic Officer. The responsibility for determining transfer credit from other colleges and universities rests with the Registrar. When there is doubt about the appropriateness of transfer credit or when a student wishes to appeal a transfer credit decision, the transcript will be referred to the appropriate faculty member(s) and Dean, whose decision will be final. In such cases, the Dean will note the decision in the student’s academic file. Time limits may be imposed in certain situations, such as for allied health program courses and technical and computer-related courses where content is no longer equivalent. The Registrar and the appropriate vice president will maintain a list of courses that have time limits for transfer. When a student transfers from a postsecondary institution to the College, the following steps will be implemented: The student fills out an application for admission and is responsible for providing an official high school transcript and an official transcript from any other postsecondary institution. The student should allow at least one month for the transcript evaluation process prior to registering for classes. The Registrar evaluates the transcript and credit is accepted in accordance with the College’s program offerings and the procedure stated herein. No credit for a course with a grade lower than a “C” may be transferred. The transcript evaluation is conducted in cooperation with the appropriate faculty member(s) and Dean, as applicable. The student is given placement test(s), if applicable. The student continues with registration procedure. The College recognizes additional opportunities for earning credit. Please refer to the section titled “Credit for Prior Learning.”