TYPES OF PRIOR LEARNING

• Completion of courses at another higher education institution, to include Dual Enrollment

• Prior Learning Assessments through exam

• Military Training and Education

• Prior Learning Assessment through portfolio review

Transfer Credit from other Colleges and Universities

A student who has attended another college or university prior to attending the College of Coastal Georgia, to include dual enrollment programs, are required to submit official transcripts from those institutions prior to enrollment.

Transferable hours are defined according to the policies of the University System of Georgia and the College of Coastal Georgia. These hours include transferable hours earned at all postsecondary institutions attended. Transfer GPA is defined as the GPA calculated on all transferable hours plus all attempted but unearned hours at regionally accredited institutions in courses applicable to transfer programs at the receiving institution. Institutional credit courses will be counted in attempted hour calculations used to determine financial aid eligibility. Students completing non-transferable associate degrees at regionally accredited institutions will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Transfer students:

• Must submit transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Failure to report previous college attendance is considered to be sufficient cause for cancellation of any credits earned and possible expulsion from the College of Coastal Georgia;

Must be in good academic standing and eligible to continue or return to any previous institution attended, with a minimum transfer GPA of 2.0. Students who are on academic probation or suspension from a previous school may be requested to provide additional information and subject to an interview by appropriate college personnel before being considered for admission to the College, and may be admitted with a probationary status.

Prior Learning Assessments through exam

A student may earn credit for certain courses through examination. The student may attempt credit by examination only once per course. Students may not receive more than 25% of credit hours towards degree by prior learning assessment.   Forms of Prior Learning Assessment through exam include:

Advanced Placement Exams (AP)

Students that earned a sufficient score on an Advanced Placement (AP) test in high school can receive college credit.  The table below outlines each AP exam for which we award college credit, along with the AP test score required in order to earn credit for various college courses.

CLEP/DANTES

College-Level Examination Program. CLEP is a national computer-based standardized examination which allows the student to obtain college credit for specific courses designated by the College of Coastal Georgia. A list of available examinations, appointments, and fee information may be obtained from the testing office at 912-279-5809.

MILITARY ADVANCED STANDING

All military veterans who present a copy of their DD-214 to the Office of the Registrar for evaluation may be eligible for institutional credit for GLOB 1001 Global Issues. 

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT

Students who believe they have mastery of course content through non-traditional courses or career experience can prepare a portfolio to prove their course mastery to be reviewed by the College. Additionally, students with transcripts from prior institutions which do not include specific letter grades for a course (e.g., a performance level is assigned) can request credit for such courses on an individual basis through the prior learning assessment process.

Students wishing to pursue prior learning assessment (PLA) through portfolio review will follow the following steps.

Step 1:  The student should contact their advisor to discuss whether PLA is an appropriate course of action that may aid in the completion of their program of study. 

Step 2:  The student will be interviewed by the School to determine if any courses are appropriate for prior learning credit.   During this interview, the student will be asked to describe the work or volunteer experience, training, courses, or other learning experiences where course requirements were met.  To prepare for this informal interview, the student should consult the College Catalog to determine what courses for which they believe they have learned the course content. The student must be confident that he or she can demonstrate experience and proficiency in the material covered by the course for which permission is being requested. 

Step 3:  For any courses in which the School Dean has determined PLA may be appropriate, a faculty member will be appointed as a “PLA Assessor” to help the student develop a narrative describing how they have met the learning outcomes and document the artifact material to provide his or her qualifications to receive credit for the course.  At the time that the narrative is submitted, students must also pay the associated PLA fee to the Bursar’s Office. 

Step 4:  The PLA assessor will review the portfolio submitted by the student and recommend whether PLA credit should be awarded.