Acceleration for Program Completion (Procedure 3.0220)

 Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to describe mechanisms that students can use to accelerate completion of their degree or certificate program of study in accordance with Florida State Statute and Florida State Board of Education Administrative Rules. This procedure outlines the process for determining whether coursework taken in a noncredit forum is equivalent to credit coursework.

Procedure

1. Students at the College may select from the acceleration mechanisms listed below; 
2. Students must earn at least 25 percent of their credits in residence at the College in order to be awarded a degree by the College. 
3. Credit awarded by the College through an acceleration mechanism may or may not be accepted at other colleges or universities. 
4. Credit will not be awarded for examinations that duplicate coursework or other exam credits previously posted to a student’s academic record.
5. Institutional credit earned at other institutions will be identified on the student's transcript as Institutional Credit. The student is responsible for providing documentation of how such learning was evaluated and the basis on which such credit was awarded.
6. Approved Acceleration Mechanisms and Processes:
   1. College Level Examination Program (CLEP)- A series of tests developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and offered by testing centers throughout the nation. CLEP enables students to demonstrate their competencies in certain subjects and thereby earn college credit for particular courses without attending classes. To assist members of the community in taking advantage of this opportunity, the College serves as a CLEP national test center. Students interested in receiving college credit through the CLEP at the College must use the following procedures:
      1. Complete CLEP registration via CLEP.Collegeboard.org, print voucher and bring to the Assessment and Testing Center with a government issued photo ID. No appointments are necessary.
      2. Official scores from Educational Testing Services should be mailed to the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s Office. This office will determine the number of credit hours to be awarded based upon state guidelines and the examination results.
      3. To receive maximum benefits, it is suggested that students take advantage of this program prior to their initial registration.
      4. It is the student's responsibility to contact the institution to which they wish to transfer to determine the acceptability of CLEP credit.
      5. Gordon Rule courses given credit by CLEP shall be treated no differently from credit earned by students taking the course.
   2. The College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Program- The College cooperates fully with accredited high schools and colleges in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. AP courses are available to juniors and seniors in most Seminole County high schools. 
      1. To qualify for college credit, students must earn a score of three (3) or higher on the nationally administered examination. 
      2. The College needs an Official Grade Report in order to award credit. 
      3. Students are awarded credits only; they are not given grades for AP courses and AP courses are not included in the grade point average. 
      4. Students are responsible for making test arrangements with the College Entrance Examination Board, P.O. Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08541.
      5. Students should contact their high school guidance counselors regarding the cost of examinations and verification of examination centers. Additional information can also be obtained from the College’s Assessment and Testing Center.
      6. For additional copies of AP test results, write, AP Exams, P.O. Box 6671, Princeton, NJ 08541 or call, toll free 888-225-5427; or email apexam@info.collegeboard.org. There is a fee for AP copies.
   3. International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program- Students who successfully complete the International Baccalaureate examination with grades of four (4) or higher will be granted credit toward an associate degree. 
      1. An official IB transcript is required and must be received by the College’s Enrollment Services/Registrar’s office directly from the International Baccalaureate Office in New York.
      2. Awarded credit will appear on the student's permanent record as earned credit only, without any indication of grades or quality points. 
      3. Evaluations of IB examinations are made after the student has been admitted to the college.
   4. Defense Activity of Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES) Examination/DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST)/Defense Language Proficiency Test(DLPT)
      1. Students may request credit based on results of their DANTES examinations, including DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) and Defense Language Proficiency (DLPT) after they have been admitted to the College.
   5. Excelsior College Subject Examination Equivalents- Excelsior College Examinations (formerly known as Regents College Exams or the Proficiency Examination Program/PEP), are developed by Excelsior College using national committees of faculty consultants and national studies to assess how well the tests measure the performance of students in actual college courses. Excelsior College Examinations are approved by the American Council on Education and Excelsior College itself is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS).
      1. More detailed information about Excelsior College Examinations, including detailed test descriptions, can be found on-line at http://www.excelsior.edu.
      2. For official copies of the Excelsior or PEP exam call Excelsior College at their toll free number 888-647-2388 or write to: Excelsior College; Attention Business Office; 7 Columbia Circle; Albany, N.Y. 12203. There is a fee for transcripts.
   6. Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Examination Equivalents- The AICE program is an international, advanced pre-college curriculum and assessment program modeled on the British pre-college curriculum and "A-Level" examinations. 
      1. Florida's public colleges and universities provide college credit for successfully passed exams.
      2. Students in Florida's public secondary schools enrolled in AICE courses do not have to pay to take the exams.
   7. German Abitur: Germin Abitur credit is internationally recognized and is the certification that a student has successfully completed the German college preparatory educational program and has scored passing grades on the Abitur examination. Based on the specific subject area and results of the Abitur exam, students in a degree or certificate program may receive 3 to 10 credit hours per subject area when a minimum grade of 8 is achieved. Credit earned through one examination program may not be duplicated by another examination or course and will appear on the student's permanent record as earned credit only, without any indication of grades or quality points. Official German Abitur scores must be submitted to the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s Office for awarding of credit. 
   8. Articulation Agreements – Seminole State College holds several types of articulation agreements between local school districts and the College, as well as between the College and bachelor degree-granting institutions, that benefit its students. Seminole State also articulates free college credit for students who have industry-recognized certifications in College-specified areas that are designated as related to the programs of study offered by the College.
   9. Credit for Industry Certifications- The Florida Department of Education has established state-wide articulation agreements for specified industry certifications. In compliance with the Department of Education, the College offers credits for certifications in areas such as Accounting, Automotive, Child Care, Construction Management, EMT, Fire Science, Health, Nursing, Office Administration, Paramedic and Information Technology. 
      1. Agreements are posted on the College’s Articulation Agreement web page at http://www.seminolestate.edu/articulation/listing.
   10. Statewide Articulation Agreements for Career Certificate and Gold Standard Career Pathways Industry Certifications to College Credit- The Florida Department of Education has established state-wide articulation agreements for completion of specified career certificate vocational programs. 
       1. Details are available on the FL DOE web site at http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/dwdframe/artic_frame_psav2aas.asp and http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/18461/urlt/gold.pdf. 
       2. Per local articulation agreements, programs offered at the College may give more credits than the minimum established by the FLDOE. Please see the College’s Articulation Web page Formal articulation agreements with other educational institutions - A list of all agreements, including scanned copies of agreements, is available at
          http://www.seminolestate.edu/articulation/college-credit  and http://www.seminolestate.edu/articulation/listing 
   11. Formal Internal Articulation Agreements - Formal internal articulation agreements exist between some programs at the College. Students may check with appropriate department chairs, program managers and the Articulation Web page at http://www.seminolestate.edu/articulation/listing for information.
   12. Specified Military Service Credit -  A student who has served continuously for six months or more of active duty in one of the military service branches may request college credit for training and experience in accordance with the recommendation of the American Council of Education (ACE). To receive ACE credit at Seminole State, the request must be for similar courses offered at the College.
   13. Institutional "credit-by-exam"- Credit-by-exam for a course is offered by some faculty in some departments. 
       1. Evidence of proficiency in a subject area, when presented to the appropriate department chair, instructor, or director, may qualify a student to request an examination for credit, if available.
       2. Students must use Procedure 4.0305 Institutional Credit by Exam to request an examination.
   14. Dual Enrollment/Early Admissions- Dual Enrollment is a program by which qualified high school students may enroll in college credit or vocational credit courses that apply toward their high school diploma. 
       1. Students shall be exempt from the payment of all application, registration, matriculation, laboratory, and textbook fees.
       2. To be eligible students must submit appropriate placement test scores, which meet course requirements and meet criteria specified in the Inter-Institutional Articulation Agreement posted on the College’s Web site at https://www.seminolestate.edu/media/articulation/2018-2019%20SSC%20SCPS%20Dual%20Enrollment%20Agreement.pdf
   15. Career Pathways - College Credit for High School Coursework: This partnership program between the College and Seminole, Orange and Osceola County Public Schools is designed to allow students to earn free college credit in technical areas that apply toward a related Associate of Science degree. Students may also use most of these credits towards the Associate of Arts degree in a related major. 
       1. In Florida, the Career Pathways program ties directly to the Gold Seal Scholarship. High School and College faculty in the discipline review curricula to ensure required outcomes are met.
       2. Students must complete a defined sequence of courses in high school with at least a B average in the sequence and also pass an assessment to be eligible for college credit for corresponding courses at the College. 
       3. For information on how to have college credit posted, visit the Career Pathways website at www.seminolestate.edu/career-pathways.
   16. Online courses– online coursework may include college credit coursework and massive open online courses (MOOCs).
       1. College Transfer Credit - Students completing college credit courses at regionally accredited institutions must provide official transcripts to the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s office. Coursework will be evaluated in accordance with Procedure 3.0200 Evaluation of Credit. 
       2. Massive open online courses (MOOC) – Students completing massive open online courses must initiate a review of prior learning through online courses prior to initial enrollment at the College. MOOC coursework will be evaluated in accordance with Procedure 3.0210 Transfer Credit from Non Regionally Accredited U.S. Institutions and/or Policy 4.031 Evaluation of Prior Experiential Learning.
   17. Prior Experiential Learning credit awarded through Policy 4.031
       1. Credit for prior experiential learning shall be awarded only for documented learning that demonstrates achievement of all outcomes for specific courses in an approved degree program.
       2. Credit shall be awarded only to matriculated students, and shall be identified on the student's transcript as credit for prior experiential learning. Upon request from another institution the College shall document how such learning was evaluated and the basis on which such credit was awarded.