Policies

Prior learning credit will not be awarded for audited courses.

Prior Learning Assessment Appeals Procedure Substitution or Waiver of Curriculum Requirements Credit for Prior Learning Students may seek credit for prior learning through (A) course work taken at regionally accredited and other approved colleges and universities; (B) non-collegiate training and experiences such as military service, participation in business/industry training programs, and earned professional certifications and licensures; (C) taking and achieving acceptable scores on standardized tests and examinations; and (D) taking and achieving acceptable scores on faculty-prepared examinations. Requests for the evaluation of credit for education and prior learning shall be made using the Transcript Evaluation eForm, located in SIS. Eastern Shore Community College Attention: Registrar 29316 Lankford Highway Melfa, VA 23410 (Official documents delivered electronically shall be directed to registrar@es.vccs.edu .) There is no limit on the number of credits that may be awarded, but credit awarded for prior learning may not be used to fulfill the residency requirement for graduation. No grades, scores, or grade points will be recorded on the student’s permanent record for credits earned through prior learning assessment. College Transfer Credit Official transcripts are required for evaluation, except for any coursework taken at a Virginia Community College System (VCCS) college. Students requesting transfer credit from non-regionally accredited institutions must submit course syllabi and course descriptions for review by the Chief Academic Officer and faculty in the discipline. Upon approval of the Chief Academic Officer, transfer credit will be awarded consistent with ESCC policies addressing the acceptance of transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions. Transfer credit may be awarded for course work completed at international colleges and universities that are accredited or approved by the appropriate Ministry of Education or another governmental agency. Course Specific Credit: All courses that are applicable in the student’s curriculum will be transferred as closely to the VCCS course equivalents as possible. Transfer credits awarded may affect financial aid eligibility. Required Grades: Only courses with grades of “C” or higher will be accepted for transfer credit. Courses with grades of “P” (for a pass/fail course) or the designation “Cr” (for credit) will be accepted for transfer if the transcript indicates the equivalent of a “C” grade or higher as required to assign a “P” or “Cr” grade. Sequence Quarter Courses: Sequential quarter courses (two or three quarters) in which one or more grades of “D” were earned may be transferred as a sequence at full credit if the grades for the sequence average at least a grade of “C”. SDV 100-College Success Skills: Credit for College Success Skills ( SDV 100 ) may be granted to transfer students who have completed associate or bachelor’s degrees through the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) process. Where applicable, credit is awarded in accordance with The American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (CREDIT), the ACE Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services as reflected on the official Joint Services Transcript (JST), or the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS), or another college-approved organization.

Upon successful completion, credit is granted by Credit for Prior Learning.

If transferring credits do not satisfy the First Writing Requirement, UVA agrees to accept and apply credits toward student graduation requirements and students will be required to take an institutional writing course. Precalculus may not satisfy general education and may not receive transfer credit.

They do not result in the awarding of an academic credit, but completers may be eligible to earn credit for prior learning in an academic program.

Prior Learning Assessment Appeals Procedure The Registrar notifies students via their VCCS student email accounts when the evaluation of prior learning is completed. Students may appeal decisions regarding the transferability of prior learning. To initiate appeals, students should direct a letter along with supporting documentation to the Chief Academic Officer within 15 business days of official notification of the evaluation results. Substitution or Waiver of Curriculum Requirements Students may seek a course substitution for previously completed collegiate-level credit courses, or a waiver for documented knowledge and skills required in their curricula. Substituted courses must cover the same content or otherwise meet the spirit of the courses being replaced. Course substitutions granted are curriculum-specific and may not apply to other curricula. Waivers, also curriculum-specific, do not result in the awarding of credit, and students may be required to take additional credits to make up the credits. Students may initiate the substitution or waiver process by completing Course/Waiver Substitution Request forms, gathering documented evidence or justification in support of the requests, and consulting advisors. Students seeking financial assistance for an ESCC course substitution must have the substitution approved and processed prior to registering for the substitute course. Students seeking a course substitution or waiver due to documented disabilities must first contact the Chief Student Affairs Officer to determine if additional documentation is necessary. Requests for students planning to graduate during the semester the substitution or waiver request is made shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to the last day of classes for that semester. Substitution or waiver requests will be reviewed by qualified faculty, who will determine if the requested substitution or waiver is appropriate given the student’s program plan, catalog year, and future educational or career goals. Course learning outcomes for each requested course waiver will be compared with the documented knowledge and skills attained by the student. A course successfully completed at ESCC or another college or university, and petitioned for substitution, will be reviewed for alignment with the content and/or spirit of the required course in the student’s program plan. Petitions for substitutions by individuals who, by reason of a disability, are unable to complete a requirement of the program pursued by the student, with or without reasonable accommodations, must be reviewed by the qualified faculty member in consultation with the Coordinator of Student Services. Pursuant to VCCS Policy 5.6.5.0.1, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (section 504 as amended), the student’s learning history, recent documentation of a disability that impairs performance in the course petitioned, and the nature and severity of the documented disability shall also be considered when rendering a decision. If the petitioned course is deemed essential to the student’s program plan, future educational or career goals, or related to licensing requirements, under no circumstances will the petition be approved. Further, a substitution is permissible only if the student is unable to complete the course with all applicable accommodation. When deemed that a substitution is a reasonable accommodation, the course to be substituted may only be approved by the Chief Academic Officer, in consultation with qualified teaching faculty, for the original requirement. As applicable, health or physical education requirements for degrees and certificates are waived for veterans with documentation of military experience. Student development courses ( SDV 100 or SDV 101 ) are waived for students who hold an associate degree or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Approved requests will be recorded on the student’s record in the Student Information System by the College Registrar Office. The student will receive notification once the substitution/waiver is complete (approved or unapproved). Students seeking to appeal a substitution or waiver request must file an appeal to the Chief Academic Officer within five working days of notification from the College Registrar. The student shall submit the initial request along with supporting documentation and rationale explaining the appeal request and provide any additional information that may be helpful in rendering a decision. The Chief Academic Officer shall render a decision and notify the student in writing within five working days of receiving the student’s appeal. The Chief Academic Officer’s decision is final. Add to My Favorites (opens a new window) Share this Page Facebook this Page (opens a new window) Tweet this Page (opens a new window) Print (opens a new window) Help (opens a new window) T

All enrollments at ESCC and all applicable transfer credits are considered, regardless of if aid was awarded or received. Transfer credits are not included in this calculation. Attempted credits from all enrollment periods at the College plus all accepted transfer credits are counted; whether the student received financial aid for those terms is of no consequence.

Credit for SDV 100 may be granted to transfer students who have completed associate or bachelor’s degrees through the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) process.

Learners enrolled in Workforce Development training programs are considered students of Eastern Shore Community College, but instead of working towards a degree, transfer credits, or other academic mileposts, are awarded industry credentials or certificates upon successful completion of their training.

Students who desire to earn credit for a previously audited course must re-enroll in the course for credit and pay normal tuition to earn a grade other than “X.” Advanced standing credit will not be awarded for a previously audited course.