Advanced Placement/Transfer of Credit

For regularly admitted students who have earned credit from an accredited college or other educational institution that meets Columbus Technical College criteria for the institution, College staff will consider the coursework and the grade for advanced placement. The policy of this college is to grant credit for previous coursework from other institutions, as well as extra-institutional learning, that meets the quality of established standards of Columbus Technical College. Students receive credit in only areas that fall within the regular-curricular offerings of Columbus Technical College and that are related to the current educational goals of students.

Transfer Credit:

Students must complete the coursework accepted for credit at a college, university, or other postsecondary institution accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education at the time of the completion. Full credit will be awarded for courses taken under approved standards within the State of Georgia Technical College system. The College allows the following exceptions:

1. Transfer credit from foreign institutions not accredited by a regional postsecondary accrediting commission.
2. Transfer coursework completed at an institution accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
3. Credit for education accomplished in a non-collegiate setting that has been evaluated and recommended for credit by an organization generally recognized as an authority by the higher-education community.

Columbus Technical College must have the following documentation in order to make exceptions:

1. The awarded credit represents postsecondary coursework relevant to the degree with comparable and appropriate course content and level of instruction equal to that in the College’s program.
2. Faculty credentialed to teach at the appropriate level taught the coursework.

Students must have passed the course with a minimum grade of "C" or better or other grade that denotes successful completion and the course must correspond in description, credit hours, and competencies to courses offered at Columbus Technical College. Some courses have a time limit for transfer; there is a five (5) year time limit on all computer courses.

International:

International Credit – Course credit may be awarded for courses completed with a "C" or better, or its equivalent, from an international college, university, or other postsecondary institution that is authorized and/or accredited by applicable government and/or accreditation agencies in its own country. Credit will be awarded for courses, subject to the receiving institution assuring that state standards and applicable accreditation criteria are met.

International Articulation – Colleges may establish an Articulation Agreement or Joint Diploma/Degree Plan with an international college, university, or other postsecondary institution that is authorized and/or accredited by applicable government and/or accreditation agencies in its own country. Courses from an international institution must be evaluated to show that state standards and applicable accreditation criteria are met.

International Credit Evaluation – Colleges may choose to receive accurate evaluations of international credentials for comparability to US credits from private credential evaluation services. Refer to the US Network for Education Information (USNEI), a DOE administered website and public-private partnership that provides a list of possible credential evaluation services.

Residence Requirements for Degree/Diploma/Certificate:

Columbus Technical College requires that a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the course work of a particular program of study be completed at Columbus Technical College.

Designation of Credit:

• Columbus Technical College indicates exemption credit awarded by use of the letters, “EX” on transcript/permanent records.
• Transfer credit awarded is indicated on transcript/permanent records, by use of the letters “TR”, “TRA”, “TRB”, “TRC”. The third letter indicates the grade earned in the course; however, this grade will not be counted in the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA).
• Articulated credit awarded is indicated on transcript/permanent records by use of the letters “AC.”

Columbus Technical College reserves the right to test the proficiency of students for coursework and extra-institutional learning to be transferred. Columbus Technical College reserves the right to disallow transfer credit if students cannot demonstrate acceptable proficiency.

Standardized Exam Credit:

Columbus Technical College awards credit based on nationally normed exams including, but not limited to, the following:

• CLEP (College Level Examination Program) subject area examinations. Credit will be awarded based on score recommendations of the Council on College Level Services.
• PEP (Proficiency Examination Program) offered by the American College Testing Service.
• International Baccalaureate Credit- Credit will be awarded to students who have taken appropriate courses (determined equivalent to courses offered at a Technical College) in high school and achieve a score of 3 or more on the International Baccalaureate Examination. The IB Examinations are offered by the International Baccalaureate Examination Board.
• Advanced Placement Examinations – Credit will be awarded to students who have taken appropriate courses (determined equivalent to courses offered at Columbus Technical College) in high school and achieve a score of 3 or more on the Advanced Placement Examination offered by the College Entrance Examination Board.

Military Training Credit:

Columbus Technical College awards credit for training received in the Armed Forces provided the training is certified by the Guide to the Evaluation Experiences in the Armed Services, published by the American Council on Education or by the official catalog of the Community College of the Air Force or some similar document. Credit is given when training experience meets required competencies of courses offered at Columbus Technical College.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA):

PLA is a process for evaluating knowledge and skills in order to award college credit for learning from on the job learning, corporate training, independent study, military service, or volunteer service that is consistent with Columbus Technical College’s mission and ensures that course work and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to the institution’s own degree programs. The institution assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any course work or credit recorded on the institution’s transcript.

Institutional Exemption Exam:

Columbus Technical College allows students to exempt courses by demonstrating thorough mastery of written and/or performance test that have been developed locally and adequately demonstrate achievement of the necessary competency level. Information as to which courses have exemption tests and how to apply for them is published in Catalog and Student Handbook. An exemption fee, not to exceed 25 percent of tuition for the course, is charged for each course to cover the cost of administering the exemption exam. No fee is charged to students taking an exam to validate articulated credit from high school. A course exempted by examination applies to the amount of transfer credit allowed. Students may attempt to exempt a course only once.

Experiential Learning Credit:

Applicants of Columbus Technical College who have attained outside the sponsorship of legally authorized and accredited post-secondary institutions that meet Columbus Technical College criteria and who request academic credit will be considered for advanced placement. Applicants will receive no credit until they have met the following requirements through the Office of Admissions prior to registration for new students:

1. Admission into a Columbus Technical College program according to admissions policy.
2. Documentation for the extra-institutional learning on file with the Office of Admissions at Columbus Technical College.
3. An interview with the designated person in the Office of Admissions.
4. The designated person will make a recommendation based on information and documentation provided. This documentation may be in the form of American Council on Education evaluations/recommendations, certificates and licensures, on-site proficiency exams, and employer endorsements.
5. An admissions officer will consult with the Dean of the Division for which the credit will be awarded and the Program Director of the program responsible for teaching the particular course(s) at Columbus Technical College.
6. The Office of Admissions will forward to the students an unofficial copy of their Columbus Technical College transcript indicating the credit award.
7. The College will place the relevant documentation in the students’ files.
8. The credit award will be available to the faculty advisor through the computerized student-record system.