Future Students:

Experiential Learning Credits

The following information is directly from the 2011-2012 College Catalog pg. 50-51. To download a full pdf version of the catalog, click here.

Experiential Learning Credits

In this area, the College awards credit for learning or competency acquired through non-collegiate experience when that competency is equivalent to courses which the College offers. This is consonant with board policy on non-traditional learning. The student may apply for credit under one or more of the following procedures, given in the preferred order of selection:

Credit by examination
Credit for programs by non-collegiate organizations
credits for life experience in lieu of:

field work requirements, or

cooperative work experience requirements

Credit by Exam

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

This testing program, administered by the College Entrance Examination Board, is designed to measure college level learning acquired outside the college classroom. Two types of CLEP examinations are offered:

a. The General Examinations provide a comprehensive measure of undergraduate achievement in five basic areas of liberal arts education: English Composition, Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Science/History.
b. The Subject Examinations measure achievement in specified undergraduate courses. These tests measure the understanding of fundamental facts and concepts, as well as the ability to apply such understanding to the solution of problems and the interpretation of materials.

For additional information, contact the office of the Dean of Learning and Student Development.

American College Testing Proficiency Examinations (PEP)
The ACT Proficiency Examination Program consists of 4‑7 examinations designed for the recognition of learning acquired outside the classroom. The PEP examinations are developed under the auspices of the Regents of the State University of New York and are used to fulfill degree requirements of the Regents External Degree Program.

PEP Examinations are available in the areas of arts and sciences, business, criminal justice, education, health and nursing. Each examination is designed to measure knowledge and competencies a person might gain in non-traditional ways.
For additional information, contact the office of the Dean of Learning and Student Development.

Military Subject Standardized Tests (SSTs)
The Office on Education Credit of the American Council on Education (ACE) evaluates USAFI and DANTES military subject standardized tests and makes academic credit recommendations as an advisory service to those interested in applying for or granting credit for educational tests taken in the armed services. These college-level exams, offered only to military personnel, show general educational development. MxCC will grant degree or certificate credits for equivalent courses or electives based on ACE recommendations.
For additional information, contact the Admissions Office.

Advanced Placement Program (APP)
The Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board allows advanced high school students to take freshman-level courses in the latter days of their secondary schooling and receive credit for them in college. End-of-year Advanced Placement Examinations consist generally of two parts: objective and free response. Composite grades are assigned on a 5-point scale.
For further information contact the Admissions Office.

Challenge Examinations
At the discretion of the appropriate division chairperson and the Dean of Learning and Student Development, a student may take a challenge examination in subject areas offered at MxCC not included in CLEP or PEP. The student must first apply to the dean and the division chairperson. If approved and a faculty member agrees to administer the exam, the instructor will prepare an examination that is presented to the department for approval. Upon such approval, the faculty member will administer the exam.

Credit will be granted with the grade of “Pass” only and will be treated in the same manner as transfer credit.

An Extension Fund Academic Evaluation Fee of $15.00, as approved by the Board of Trustees, will be charged for preparation, administration, and evaluation of each challenge examination.

Credit For Prior Learning Through Portfolio Development

Students who plan to apply for such credit must enroll in a four-credit course entitled ST122: Special Topics–Portfolio Development. The student develops a portfolio in which he or she describes the learning acquired through prior experiences, specifies learning outcomes, provides appropriate documentation, and requests college credit for that learning. An assessment committee reviews and evaluates the portfolio and then determines how many credits the student should receive. The credits gained through this evaluation process are applicable towards an associate degree at MxCC.

No credit shall be awarded via portfolio review outside of the subject areas encompassed by the approved curricula of the institution. No more than 50 percent of the credits required for a degree can be satisfied with credits awarded for prior experiential learning. For additional information contact the Dean of Learning and Student Development Office at 860-343-5866.

Criminal justice students employed in criminal justice occupations may, with permission of the coordinator of the Criminal Justice program, enroll in CJS*298 -Special Topics in Criminal Justice-Portfolio Development. This three credit course provides students with the opportunity to receive college level credit for life/work experience.

Credit for Programs or Courses Offered by Noncollegiate Organizations

1. Military Service School Courses and Military Occupational Specialties
MxCC gives credit for military training, experiences, and military occupational specialty (MOS) qualifications. The College follows the credit recommendations in the “Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services” developed by the Office on Education Credit of the American Council on Education.

2. Credit Recommended by The National Guide to Credit Recommendations of Non-collegiate Courses
MxCC grants credit for courses listed in “The National Guide to Credit Recommendations for Non-collegiate Courses” published by the American Council of Education. The ACE guide reports credit recommendations for approximately 1,000 courses offered by 80 organizations nationally, including business and industry, labor unions, government agencies, and professional and voluntary associations. The recommendations are based on evaluations conducted as part of ACE’s Program on Non-collegiate‑Sponsored Instruction by teams of faculty experts.

3. Credit Recommended by A Guide to Educational Programs in Non-collegiate Organizations
MxCC grants credit for courses listed in “A Guide to Educational Programs in Non-collegiate Organizations” published by the University of the State of New York Office on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction. (The Program on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction is conducted in New York State and other northeastern states by the State University of New York. The purpose of the program is to review formal educational programs and courses sponsored by non-collegiate organizations and to make appropriate credit recommendations. The 1977 edition of the Guide reports on 761 courses conducted by 67 organizations.)