Credit for Prior Learning

Credit by Waiver

Credit by Waiver is a means of achieving CPL through competency reports, proficiency certificates or training records for skill verification and is subject to evaluation by other institutions and may not be accepted for transfer credit.

You must be accepted for admission at SCC in a degree program and enrolled in credit classes to apply for Credit by Waiver. Submit your Credit by Waiver application with supporting documents to request this CPL. It is free to apply for Credit by Waiver.

Credit by Waiver includes:

• Verifiable Job Experience: Job related activities and special training experiences which may be applied to an academic program. To qualify for CPL at SCC, these experiences must be directly related to the learning outcomes of a course relative to the academic program or degree. These experiences are from a non-academic source and are not eligible for academic credit through the transfer process.
• Industry Certification: CPL for eligible professional certification programs and industry training is based on successful completion of a professional certification or state licensure examinations. Industry Certification is eligible to any student who has applied to SCC and meets this requirement.
• Non-credit Coursework: Non-credit students at SCC wanting to continue their education on a career pathway toward a Certificate or Associate Degree may apply for articulated credit within three years of completing the non-credit course or degree. This CPL option is for SCC programs only and is not transferable to other institutions.
• Military Transcript Assessment: If you served in the military, submit a Joint Services Transcript from your branch of service to your academic advisor. They will determine if any of your military training or learning applies to required courses for your degree at SCC.
  Follow these instructions to request your military transcript: 
  
  • Army, Navy, Marines or Coast Guard: Submit a request at Joint Services Transcript.
  • Air Force or Space Force: Submit a request at Community College of the Air Force. You can pay for express delivery if you are trying to meet a deadline.

Credit by Examination

Credit by Examination is a means of achieving CPL through a nationally recognized or college-approved external agency. Credit by Examination is subject to evaluation by other institutions and may not be accepted for transfer credit.

YYou must be accepted for admission at SCC in a degree program and enrolled in credit classes to apply for Credit by Examination. Submit your Credit by Examination application to the division responsible for teaching the course. The completed application for Credit by Examination must be submitted to Registration & Records to add "PX" credit (Passed by Examination) to the transcript. No grade points are awarded for Credit by Examination and will not be included in the cumulative GPA. 

Nationally recognized exams for Credit by Examination include:

• Advanced Placement (AP): Request official examination scores be sent to SCC.
• College-Level Examination Program (CLEP): Developed by the College Board, CLEP is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program to help you earn college credit for what you already know at a fraction of the cost. There are 33 introductory-level examinations you can take to accelerate your education. CLEP subject exams cost $90 per exam plus a $25 proctor fee. If you plan to transfer to another college, you will want to see which CLEP exams transfer and minimum CLEP scores. Contact the Lincoln Campus Testing/Assessment Center at 402-437-2626 for information about CLEP testing.
• Other National Exams: SCC may consider other national exams with approval from the Division Dean. You will need to work with program faculty to determine if your CPL with other national exams meets the student outcomes of a particular class.

Challenge Exams

Challenge Exams are developed and evaluated by SCC faculty to assess your understanding and demonstrate competency of course content. Exam format is at the discretion of the faculty and may be written, oral, hands-on demonstration or a combination of all three. 

By taking advantage of CPL, you will: 

• Save Time: You can earn up to 75% of the credit required for an SCC degree or certificate.
• Save Money: On average, graduates with 12 or more CPL credits save at least $1,500.
• Graduate: If you earn CPL, you are 17% more likely to graduate.

CAEL (2020, Nov. 1) New Research from CAEL and WICHE on Prior Learning Assessment and Adult Student Outcomes. CAEL. https://www.cael.org/resouces/pathways-blog/new-research-from-cael-and-wiche-on-prior-learning-assessment-and-adult-student-outcomes

You must meet the following requirements to take advantage of CPL:

1. Accepted to SCC
2. Enrolled in an SCC program participating in CPL
3. Apply CPL to courses in certificate, diploma or degree programs which satisfy graduation requirements
4. All work assessed for CPL must meet or exceed “C” (2.0) level work
5. CPL cannot be used to establish in-state tuition requirements

CPL has the following stipulations:

• May not exceed three-fourths of the total credit hours required for the credential you are seeking
• May be awarded full credit toward coursework; partial credit is not allowed
• May count toward your maximum time frame and satisfactory academic progress completion rate for financial aid purposes
• Will be listed as CW or PX on your SCC transcript based on the type of CPL
• Will not be given a letter grade or computed in your GPA
• Will not be listed as part of your semester enrollment
• Will not be counted toward your part-time or full-time enrollment
• Cannot duplicate previously awarded credit
• CPL cannot be removed from your SCC transcript once it is awarded

Start by completing the Student Interest Form.

Student Interest Form

For additional assistance or information, contact us at CPL@southeast.edu.