Policies

Intellectual Property Credits Curriculum Changes/Transfer Between Curricula Learning Support Studies Distance Learning Examinations Recognition (Academic) Repeating a Course Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress Academic Standing Academic Renewal Attendance Standard Classification of Students Computer Competency Requirements General Education Grading System Graduation Requirements/Procedures and Academic Requirements Credit for Prior Learning Policy Academic Calendar and Course Delivery Methods Germanna Community College follows a semester system that includes: Fall Semester Spring Semester Summer Terms The College Calendar is published in the Catalog & Student Handbook and is available on the college website.

Credit for Prior Learning Policy

Dental Assisting II students who are enrolled in the DAII classes and program placed in the career studies certificates in expanded functions dental assisting may receive credit for the Oral Anatomy and Operative Dentistry course through credit for prior learning procedures.

Credit for Prior Learning Policy Germanna Community College believes that a student’s prior college-level learning and experience can be recognized and applied to their program of study, potentially saving time and money. Credit for prior learning is only applicable towards curriculum requirements at Germanna Community College and does not fulfill the College’s residency requirement. If a student plans to transfer, the student must work with an advisor and/or counselor to review the transfer policies at the destination school. Official transcripts or documents can be sent by mail to Enrollment Services, Germanna Community College, 10000 Germanna Point Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22408. Electronic transcripts may arrive faster and can be sent to transcripts@germanna.edu . Credit for prior learning may be obtained in the following ways: Transfer Credit: Coursework transferred to Germanna Community College must represent collegiate coursework applicable to the student’s curriculum, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in Germanna’s curricula. Collegiate coursework from regionally accredited institutions typically meets the above criteria. The evaluation of transcripts is intended as a service to students who are pursuing academic programs at Germanna Community College. It is not intended as a means of credentialing students or providing documentation for job promotions, etc. Students must have completed at least one course at Germanna before an official transcript reflecting credit for prior learning will be issued. No credit will be given for courses with grades lower than C. Technical and computer classes taken more than five years ago will not be accepted for transfer credits. A student enrolling at Germanna Community College who has been awarded a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited American institution is eligible to be granted transfer credit for ENG 111 , ENG 112 , and SDV 100 in addition to other applicable credits. The student must be in a curricular program and must submit official transcripts showing the conferral date of the degree. A waiver consisting of 7 credits will then be posted by Admissions and Records, thereby negating the need to complete ENG 111 , ENG 112 , and an SDV class. Students must still complete an additional 7 credits toward their selected credential. An academic advisor can assist inidentifying appropriate course options to fulfill this requirement.These students will also be expected to know or learn different bibliographic writing styles that they may or may not have experienced before attending Germanna. Regarding transfer credit options for students who are applying with previous course work completed at an accredited college or university in a foreign nation whose language of instruction is English (ex. Canada, England, Australia, etc.), full credit should be given to course work with course equivalency to ENG 111 and/or ENG 112 where applicable. Regarding transfer credit options for students who are applying with previous course work completed at an accredited college or university in a foreign nation whose language of instruction is a language other than English, credit disbursement will be dependent upon the student’s ability to pass the VPT or other equivalent placement testing used by Germanna and the recommendation of three to five full-time English faculty members based upon a writing selection submission. If the student places into ENG 111 after completing the college placement test, the student will be given the option to submit a selection of no less than three collegiate-level writing examples. These writing examples are to be scholarly essays, at least one of which must include academic-level research and adhere to one of the primary formatting models (ex., MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). Credit can be awarded to the student for either ENG 111 alone or ENG 111 and ENG 112 together based upon the recommendation of the panel of full-time English faculty members. The student is responsible for providing Germanna with a transcript that has been evaluated by an international credentialing service (such as World Education Services/WES or Global Credential Evaluators/GCE). To transfer credit to another college or university, please review their policy for advanced standing/credit for prior learning. Every school has a different standard for accepting transfer credit, credit by exam, and portfolio credit. Credit by Exam: Credit may be awarded for the successful completion of certain nationally recognized exams such as Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) and International Baccalaureate (IB) as well as approved institutionally developed challenge exams known as ABLE exams (Assessment by Local Examination). Assessment by Local Exam (ABLE) Using exams prepared by GCC faculty, Assessment by Local Exam (ABLE) allows students to receive credit for courses by demonstrating they have acquired the competencies through prior education or other experiences. In most cases, students must contact the department offering the exam to determine if they are qualified to take the exam; they may have to meet certain background requirements in order to qualify. There is no charge for ABLE exams or for having credit recorded on the student’s permanent record. Credits earned through ABLE exams do not count toward the College residency requirement and may or may not transfer to other institutions of higher education. Currently, GCC has one ABLE exam. The Student Development Assessment by Local Exam (SDV ABLE) allows students to receive one credit for the SDV course requirement by demonstrating they have acquired the competencies through prior education or other experiences. The Credit for Prior Learning option includes two parts: (1) the SDV ABLE EXAM on content covered in the SDV 100 course; and (2) the completion of a receipt form with signature acknowledging the student has received a copy of the College’s Student Handbook. To be eligible to take the SDV ABLE Exam option, students must be transferring into Germanna from another accredited institution of higher education with a minimum of 24 credits but with no completed degree. Students must meet additional criteria as well, so students should contact the Assistant Dean of Student Development in order to determine eligibility for this option. ABLE Exam GCC Course Credits SDV ABLE SDV 100: College Success Skills 1 Credit for Military Training: Military students can use Credit2Careers.org to learn about Germanna programs and potential credit awards for military training and experience. Credit may be awarded as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) as those credits fit into the specific curriculum selected by the student. Students with experience in the Army, Coast Guard, Marines, National Guard, and Navy must request a review of their military training and experience to be transcribed through the Joint Services Transcript , while students with experience in the Air Force must request their Community College of the Air Force transcript. Two physical education credits may be awarded to a student who can provide their DD214, if they are unable to retrieve transcripts any other way. Transcripts may be sent to: Office of Enrollment Services, Germanna Community College, 10000 Germanna Point Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22408 or transcripts@germanna.edu. Credit for Other Courses Credit may be awarded for courses that do not meet the College’s normal criteria for transfer per established articulation agreements or as recommended by the ACE, typically in the applied degree programs. See below for specific guidelines on articulated credit for particular programs. Official transcripts or documents can be sent from the issuing institution by mail to the Office of Enrollment Services, Germanna Community College, 10000 Germanna Point Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22408. Electronic transcripts may arrive faster and can be directed to transcripts@germanna.edu. Experiential Learning Portfolio Credit Students with a range of significant life experiences may already possess learning equivalent to college-level coursework. These experiences may be converted into one or more Germanna Community College courses, up to 15 credit hours, through the creation and evaluation of portfolios documenting the experience and how it meets course learning outcomes. Possible learning experiences meriting college credit include work, military service, volunteering, travel, and independent study. NOTE: Students should be aware that experiential learning credit through the portfolio process may not be accepted at all institutions. Those planning to transfer should verify the policies of their desired four-year institution BEFORE pursuing portfolio credit. Students interested in gaining credit for experiential learning should take the following steps: Review the course content summary for each course for which you would like to gain credit and verify that your experience meets all course outcomes listed. The Credit for Prior Learning Advisor can assist you in making this determination. Student will take a portfolio writing class and submit that portfolio for evaluation. The current option is an instructor-led, online course from another VCCS College. Industry Credentials and Certificates Germanna participated in a project to evaluate professional credentials for academic credit. The acceptable exams are listed in the Credit for Prior Learning Manual .

Technical/computer classes over five years old cannot be used as transfer credits.

Licensed Practical Nurses for Advanced Standing - LPN to RN - AAS - 156-02 The Advanced Standing (LPN to RN) applicant must meet the same admission requirements listed under Admission Requirements for All Nursing Applicants. The LPN to RN applicant must demonstrate application of knowledge of basic nursing concepts through performance on a standardized nursing achievement test. Applicant is responsible for the cost of the tests. Successful completion of the achievement test does NOT guarantee admission into the 200 level nursing program courses. The LPN to RN applicant must complete the standardized nursing achievement test (HESI) with a 750 or greater to apply to the program. HESI test dates are scheduled four to five times per year, may not be taken more than two times and must be scheduled through the nursing department. Dates for testing will be advertised on the nursing web page. Applications for LPN to RN AAS nursing program are due by March 15 or October 15. Upon meeting all admission criteria, applicants’ transcripts and nursing test scores will be evaluated to determine readiness and priority for admission. The number of qualified LPN to RNs offered admission is contingent upon space available in classroom, nursing laboratory, the program’s access to sufficient clinical spaces in the region’s healthcare settings, and the number of qualified nursing faculty. LPN to RN applicants offered admission must submit documentation of PN licensure, immunizations and other credentials including drug screen, liability insurance for RN nursing student, and health insurance as listed for students in the Associate in Applied Science: Nursing curriculum. Admission Requirements: All students will be required to demonstrate college readiness through transcript review or informed self-placement. Based on this review students may request or be required to enroll in prerequisite or corequisite math and/or English courses. View approved elective courses at the links below: UCGS Approved Course List General Education and Transfer Electives

A student who is not formally admitted to one of the curricula but who is classified according to one of the following student goals or conditions: updating employment skills for the present job developing skills for a new job career exploration personal satisfaction and general knowledge transient student (may take up to 15 credit hours before being required to change status) non-degree transfer student high school student (with College & high school approval only) general or curricular requirements pending (with College approval only) restricted enrollment (with College approval only) auditing a course (with College approval only) Freshman: Fewer than 30 credits completed in the designated curriculum. Sophomore: 30 or more credits completed in the designated curriculum, including relevant transfer credits.

Qualified individuals with a disability who can perform these essential functions with reasonable accommodations may be considered for admission to the program; however, they must contact a college accessibility counselor to determine what reasonable accommodations are appropriate to this setting. To learn more about the special admissions requirements, please click here . Basic Requirements and Competencies Applicants will meet the following basic requirements: Valid High School or Home School diploma or GED Acceptance as a student at Germanna Community College Math competency: eligible for MTH 154 with or without corequisite support Students transferring from another college or university will consult with the Enrollment Services Office for an evaluation of transfer credit. Official transfer credit evaluations will be completed when all official transcripts and a Request for Evaluation of Transfer Credit form are received by the Admissions and Records Office. To learn more about the special admissions requirements, please click here . Class size is limited, and not all qualified applicants can be accepted Students of the PTA program follow a structured curriculum pathway designed to progress from simple to complex and from basic understanding to competent performance.

To officially transfer college credit, you will need to submit a Request for Evaluation of Transfer Credit form to Germanna’s Admissions and Records Office.

Transfer credits are counted as credits attempted.

Students Wishing to Transfer Credits: Associate of Applied Science in Information Systems Technology is not designed to be a transfer program. Students should check with the college to which they plan to transfer for classes that are accepted by that institution.

Transfer Credit Criteria Transferred coursework must: Be collegiate-level coursework applicable to the student’s chosen curriculum. Contain course content and instruction equivalent to Germanna’s courses. Come from a regionally accredited institution. Grades of “C” or better are required for transfer credit. Any VCCS course in which a student earned a “C” or better will transfer as the same course at any other Virginia Community College (VCCS) institution. Grade point averages (GPAs) from previous institutions will not transfer. Students may be advised to repeat courses if it benefits their curriculum advancement.

Transfer Credit Evaluation Students transferring from another college or university should consult Enrollment Services to request an evaluation of transfer credits before registering for classes. Official transfer credit evaluations will be completed only after: All official transcripts have been received. A Request for Evaluation of Transfer Credit form is submitted to Enrollment Services.