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Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is a process whereby skills and knowledge earned outside a traditional classroom are evaluated for the purpose of awarding college credit. Types of learning included under CPL include exemption credit, articulated credit, and experiential learning. CPL does not include transfer of college level credits earned at other post secondary institutions- information on transfer credit can be found in Procedure V-40.12.
In order to receive a certificate/ diploma/degree from Spartanburg Community College (SCC) students must complete a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the total hours of the certificate/diploma/degree through graded (A, B, C, D) instruction offered by the College. Students may earn CPL credit for up to but no more than 75% of their program. The amount of CPL credit that may be applied to a specific certificate/diploma/degree may be more restrictive depending on the program of study. The College grants CPL credit for program requirements as described below.
Corporate and Community Education - Students may receive CPL credit for certain courses successfully completed in the SCC Corporate and Community Education Division. Validation of student competencies may include written examinations, industry certifications, or other assessment methods.
Articulation Credit
Professional Certifications - Students may receive articulated credit for professional, industry-approved certifications. For each professional certification, the appropriate department chair will determine the SCC course equivalencies and corresponding certifications required for credit. The student must submit his/her original professional certification to the appropriate department chair. The department chair will complete the authorization form, attach a photocopy of the certification or credential, and submit it to the Registrar’s Office.
Exemption Credit
American Council on Education (ACE) College Credit Recommendation Service
The College recognizes the American Council on Education College Credit Recommendation Service. The College will evaluate course work for exemption credit if the course content is comparable to the content of a program course or courses offered by the College. The student must present documentation of course completion through an American Council on Education approved agency before the College will evaluate the course work.
Service Members Opportunity Colleges (SOC)
Spartanburg Community College is a member of the Service Members Opportunity Colleges (SOC). Students having academic credit earned at other institutions while on active duty will have their credit evaluated and transferred on a case-by-case basis.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Students may receive exemption credit for AP courses completed at the secondary level. The College awards exemption credit for AP Examination scores of 3 or higher. The College must have on file an official copy of the AP Examination score report in order to award credit.
Technical Advanced Placement (TAP)
Students may receive exemption credit for program requirements through the validation of competencies gained at secondary schools. Students seeking exemption credit through TAP should contact the secondary school department head or counselor, or the College program department head. Validation of student competencies may include written examinations or other assessment methods.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Credit for subjects in which students are knowledgeable, can be gained through successful completion of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. Spartanburg Community College does not administer CLEP exams but will accept CLEP exams scores administered by other institutions if scores meet minimum standards. SCC does not give credit for CLEP general examinations. An official copy of the CLEP examination score is required.
Credit by Examination
Students may receive exemption credit for previous academic work or relevant work experience through formal written or practical examinations. Students may not attempt credit by examination for courses in which they have been previously enrolled (either for credit or audit) or in which they have previously attempted credit by examination. Students seeking exemption credit by examination should contact the program department chair of the area in which the student seeks credit who will determine eligibility, provide the authorization form, and schedule an exam date. After an exam date has been scheduled, the student should pay the appropriate fee at the Business Office. The student must present the authorization form and the receipt to the subject-area department chair in order to take the exam. The exam results will be submitted to the Registrar’s office by the department chair/faculty. The fee for credit by exam is non-refundable.
International Baccalaureate Credit
Students (first time freshmen) may receive SCC credit for scores of 4 or higher on selected International Baccalaureate Examinations. The amount of college credit awarded for an IB course will be equivalent to the credit hour value of the college course for which the IB credit is being accepted. The College must have on file an official copy of the IB Examination score report in order to award credit.
Mixed Enrollment Courses
Spartanburg Community College may choose to enroll both credit and Corporate and Community Education (CCE) students in the same course. Please contact the CCE office for additional information if you are enrolling in a credit course as a CCE student.
Experiential Learning
Credit by Portfolio
Students may receive experiential learning credit for knowledge acquired through work or other experiences external to academics through development of a portfolio documenting those experiences. Credit by portfolio is limited to learning experiences in which no other CPL methods exist to validate the learning.
Students seeking credit for experiential learning should contact their program department chair, who will determine the students eligibility and provide the authorization form. The department chair, in consultation with subject area faculty, determines the courses that are eligible for credit by portfolio and the requirements of the portfolio, which will vary according to each student’s individual experiences. The student must submit a proposal outlining the courses he/she wishes to earn credit for and the types of documentation he/ she will present in the portfolio. Once the proposal has been accepted by the department chair, the student should pay the appropriate experiential learning fee at the Business Office.
A teaching faculty member in the subject area in which credit is sought will evaluate the portfolio to determine whether the outcomes of the course(s) for which credit is sought have been documented. The authorization form and the receipt should be presented to the faculty providing the evaluation.
Students may receive credit for a maximum of twenty-five percent (25%) of required program semester hours for experiential learning.
Fees
No fee is charged to post credits to the transcript for exemption and articulated credits except credit by exam or portfolio. Students attempting to earn exemption credit through credit by exam must be formally accepted by Spartanburg Community College and a pay $50 non-refundable fee for each exam. Students who wish to earn portfolio credit (experiential learning) must pay $50 per course portfolio reviewed.This is a non-refundable fee, even if the reviewer determines after reviewing the portfolio that the student is not eligible for credit.
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