Mar 29, 2024  
Jarvis Christian University 
  
Jarvis Christian University

Advanced Placement Program / Credit by Examination / Prior Learning Assessment



Advanced Placement Program

The Advanced Placement Program is a cooperative educational endeavor between secondary schools and colleges and universities. For students who are willing and able to apply themselves to college-level studies, the Advanced Placement Program enriches their secondary and post- secondary school experiences. It also provides the means for colleges to grant credit and placement. The College Board administers the Advanced Placement Program. The University will grant credit to individuals who achieve Advanced Placement scores of three or higher.

Credit by Examination

Jarvis Christian University provides an excellent opportunity for students to obtain college credit by examination. Credit is granted to individuals who achieve satisfactory scores on an examination from the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). There are general examinations and subject examinations. The University offers the opportunity for advanced placement. It is possible to receive a maximum of eighteen semester hours of college credit through CLEP. Under the advanced placement policy, regular tuition charges are waived. The Registrar’s Office will post the credit on the student’s permanent academic record upon receipt of documentation of a passing score and proof of payment.

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a national program of credit through standardized examinations that provides a student the opportunity to obtain recognition for college level achievement. All students who plan to sit for a CLEP examination must first obtain permission from their advisor, division dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs; then pay a fee to the Office of Business and Finance plus an additional pass-through fee set by the CLEP Testing Service. The student presents the receipt to the campus test administrator. The Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment will ensure that the CLEP fees have been paid and all authorizations are received in writing (advisor, division dean(s), and Vice President for Academic Affairs) before administering examinations. The passing scores for CLEP examinations are listed with the exams. Course credit is awarded for CLEP examinations and appears on transcripts. Courses passed by examination count toward graduation. However, no letter grade will be awarded and the grade will not be calculated in your total grade point average. If a passing score is earned, the Univerisity Registrar will enter the credit earned on the transcript as equivalent to the appropriate Jarvis Christian University course. Credit will be awarded to prospective Jarvis Christian University students only after they have enrolled at Jarvis. Colleges awarding credit based on CLEP examinations have the right to set their own passing scores; however, Jarvis Christian University follows the recommended scores established by the American Council on Education (ACE).

If you pass a CLEP subject examination for a course you are taking, you may (1) stay in the course and get the grade earned in class or (2) drop the course and receive credit by examination. If you drop the course to receive credit by examination, it must be dropped with a “W” by the official catalog final day for dropping a course for that semester. If the subject examination passed covers two courses, including a course you are taking, you may finish the course to earn a letter grade and quality points, and still receive credit by examination for the course you have not taken.

The College Board provides the retest policy for the College Level Examination Program. A failed test may be repeated no sooner than six months after the initial date of the examination. Credit cannot be granted for any examination repeated before a six-month period has elapsed. Credit is not permitted for courses previously taken for credit or audit. Courses taken by CLEP testing may not be used to substitute/credit courses in the major, concentration or minor. Credit earned by examination or CLEP testing may not be used to reduce the requirement that 25 percent of the semester credit hours required for degree completion must be earned through instruction at Jarvis Christian University.

For a listing of the course exams and equivalents currently approved for credit at Jarvis Christian University, please contact the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment.

Prior Learning Assessment

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) allows students to demonstrate knowledge equivalent to college-level coursework in a number of content areas for credit. Prior learning assessment is a process by which individuals identify, document, have assessed and gain recognition for their prior learning. Credit awarded for prior learning must be college-level; that is, the learning demonstrated must be equivalent to the quality, rigor and level of achievement ascertained in a college-level course.

Eligibility

All students who have been admitted to the college and are currently in good academic standing eligible to participate in prior learning assessment as it pertains to their program of study requirements.

Number of Credits to Be Awarded

PLA may be awarded in three broad categories–credit-by-examination, externally evaluated credit and portfolio assessment-and can only be awarded when it applies to a JCU Program of Study. A maximum of 24 credit hours may be awarded through PLA and used to satisfy degree requirements. Of the 24 credit hours, no more than 12 credit hours may be awarded toward the completion of major course requirements and no more than 12 credit hours may be awarded toward the completion of general education requirements and/or electives. If a specialized accrediting agency imposes a specific maximum for PLA credits, the limits set by the accrediting agency will be honored.

Transferability

PLA credit cannot be transferred from another institution.

Prior Learning Assessment Options

Credit-By-Examination
Credit by examination may be earned through the College Board Advanced Placement Program (AP®), the College Level Examination Program (CLEP®) Subject Examination, International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Program; and DANTES Subject Standardized Test Program. Credit by examination may not be used to satisfy the minimum residence requirements for the degrees awarded at graduation. Credit-by-examination assumes the student has had no formal classroom instruction, as an enrolled student or as an auditor. JCU has established equivalent course credit for minimum passing scores.

  • College Level Examination Program (CLEP®)
  • College Board Advanced Placement (AP®) Program
  • International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Program
  • Prometric DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST) Program Portfolio Assessment

Portfolio assessment
enables student to document non-traditional learning experiences for review and evaluation by Jarvis Christian Uninversity  (JCU) faculty members. JCU will not award credit based solely on years of employment. Students must demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes for the course credit requested. In addition to documentation, students may be asked to display specific skills and/or complete an interview to assess content knowledge. Students seeking credit by portfolio assessment must register for a one credit hour, non-credit Portfolio Development course.

Credit Recommendations from Recognized External Evaluators
Credit recommendations are provided for credit after a recognized external evaluator reviews the training or learning material that is offered by the military, employers, or other educational or training institutions. The University will evaluate and consider credit recommendations from the following external evaluators. All credit received from external evaluators must be approved for transfer from a faculty advisor.

  • American Council on Education (ACE) National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training and the ACE Military Guide: expert evaluators review workplace training, military experiences and national exams for potential college credit matches.
  • College Credit for Heroes: partnership between the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to ensure that active duty, former and retired military personnel receive the credit they earned for their service to our country.

Procedures

Assessment Fees

Fees charged in relation to PLA are related to the assessment and transcripting processes and are not based on the number of credits awarded.

PLA Option: Fee

Credit-by-Examination: $25.00

Portfolio

Portfolio Assessment: $150.00
Required Portfolio Course: $75.00
Credit Recommendations: $25.00

Fees for all military students are waived

Transcription of PLA Credit

PLA credits should appear on students’ transcripts as ‘transfer’ credit and it is recommended that the following information be recorded in order to meet quality standards as well as to facilitate tracking and evaluation of PLA within the institution:

  • Course number (Campus course number that matches learning evaluated & credit awarded)
  • Course title (Campus course title that matches learning evaluated & credit awarded)
  • Grade (CR-Credit, No Credit (NC). The grade will not be calculated in the student’s grade point average (GPA).
  • Hours

Source (e.g., PLA: CLEP®, PLA: AP®, PLA: DSST, PLA: Portfolio, etc.)

Refund and Appeal

PLA fees cover administrative and assessment costs incurred by the College and are therefore, nonrefundable if credit is denied. If the student is denied credit, the student can appeal the decision by following the institution’s appeal process. No new additional information will be considered in the appeal process.

International Baccalaureate

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is a rigorous pre-university course of studies, leading to examinations that meet the needs of highly motivated secondary school students between the ages of 16 and 19. Designed as a comprehensive two-year curriculum that allows its graduates to fulfill requirements of various national education systems, the diploma model is based on the pattern of no single country but incorporates the best elements of many.

Jarvis Christian University will award credit for IB courses in which the student achieves an examination score of five or higher.

Credit for Military Schools

Credit for military schools will be granted according to the recommendations of the American Council on Education. Individuals must present official documents before an evaluation will be made.

Dean’s List

Recognition is given each semester to those students who have achieved a superior grade point average the prior semester. Students with grade point averages of 3.00 to 3.49 are placed on the Dean’s List. Students with incompletes do not receive recognition.

Distinguished Scholars

Recognition is given each semester to those students who have achieved a high grade point average the prior semester. Students with grade point averages of 3.50 to 3.99 receive distinguished honor status. Students with incompletes do not receive recognition.

Presidential Scholars

The Presidential Scholar award is the most prestigious undergraduate distinction granted by the College. Students with grade point averages of 4.00 receive presidential honor status. Students with incompletes do not receive recognition.