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Credit

Students can earn additional credit using any of the following:

Transcripts from Other Colleges

Students must submit official (sealed) transcripts from all regionally accredited colleges or universities attended to the Admissions and Records office to meet requirements of degrees, certificate of achievements, and general education certification. Official transcripts should be submitted prior to submitting graduation petitions and certification requests.

Unofficial transcripts may be used when meeting with a counselor to verify or clear prerequisites, however official transcripts are always required when using academic work for graduation or certification.

Students can receive transfer credit for work completed at other regionally accredited post-secondary education institutions. Transcripts are evaluated based on the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (AACRAO) guidelines.

At the time of graduation, the grade point average of all work attempted at all other accredited institutions of higher education is calculated into the grade point average at SJCC to determine eligibility for graduation and honors.

All transcripts become the permanent property of San José City College and will not be returned to or copied for the student.

Credit from Foreign Colleges and Universities

Students who have earned credit at colleges and universities outside the United States may receive credit. Foreign transcripts must be first evaluated by a San José City College approved agency. A list of approved agencies as well as the policy and procedures for receiving credit for foreign educational work may be picked up in the Admissions and Records office.

Procedures

The student must:

  1. Provide copies of the original transcript and an approved agencies evaluation
  2. Obtain an Evaluated Foreign Transcript petition from the Counseling Ofice or from a counselor
  3. Complete the Elective Unit Credit portion of the petition and obtain the approval and signature of a counselor who will turn in the petition to the Admissions and Records office
  4. Complete (if desired) the Couse Equivalency Credit and/or General Education Requirement Credit portion of the petition, review with the counselor, and for each course attach a course description, topics covered, hours (lecture and/or lab), and prerequisite(s)
  5. The counselor will forward the petition with its attachments to the appropriate Division Dean who will consult with the appropriate faculty who will approve or deny the credit request(s) based on the documentation presented. The Dean will sign the petition and return the petition to the counselor who will forward it to the Admissions and Records office
  6. The Admissions and Records office will maintain a copy of the evaluation in the student's file and send a copy to the student

Please Note: International or foreign coursework cannot be used in CSU GE-Breadth certification. The individual CSU campus may opt to give students credit for foreign coursework, but community colleges do not have that prerogative. Foreign coursework may be applied to IGETC if the foreign institution has the United States regional accreditation (subject to college faculty evaluation). All other foreign coursework cannot be applied to IGETC. Students are advised that when transferring to another college or university, the transfer institution may conduct its own foreign transcript evaluation which may award credit and equivalency differently than SJCC.

Credit and Military Service

Upon submission of a copy of the DD-214 (Discharge) Persons who have completed a minimum of 185 days of active duty in the United States Armed Forces may receive one unit of credit for Physical Education, three units for Health Education, and two units for Military Service. Additional units, for certain military technical schools, may be granted upon evaluation of the Military transcripts DD-214. Veterans receiving V.A. benefits must file the DD-214 with the Office of Veterans’ Affairs within the first eight weeks of the semester. Credit granted for military schools is based upon the recommendation of the American Council on Education.

Credit For Prior Learning

Board Policy 4235

Ensuring equitable access to educational opportunities, course credit may be earned by students who satisfactorily complete an assessment of prior learning. The District Chancellor shall consult with the Academic Senates and rely primarily on the recommendations of the Academic Senates to establish administrative procedures to implement this board policy.

Administrative Procedure 4235

Credit for Prior Learning may be obtained by one of the following methods:

  • Achievement of a score of 3 or higher[1] on an Advanced Placement Examination administered by the College Entrance Examination Board.
  • Achievement of a satisfactory score that qualifies for credit by examination in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP).
  • Achievement of a satisfactory score on a high-level International Baccalaureate (IB) examination
  • Credit by satisfactory completion of an examination administered by the college in lieu of completion of a course listed in the college catalog.
  • Achievement of an examination administered by other agencies approved by the college.
  • Assessment approved or conducted by proper authorities of the colleges.
  • Evaluation of Joint Services Transcripts (JST)
     
  • Evaluation of student-created portfolios
     
  • Evaluation of industry-recognized credential documentation
     
  • Documentation of industry recognized training received while incarcerated
     
  • The JST transcript evaluation and military service/training will be based on the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendation and discipline faculty approval.
     
  • Discipline faculty shall determine credit course equivalency for students who complete public services academies (police academy, fire academy, and correction academy, etc.).
     

The determination to offer Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) rests solely on the discretion of faculty within their discipline.

Credits acquired by examination are not applicable to meeting of such unit load requirements as Selective Service deferment, Veteran's or Social Security benefits.

While credit may be granted by the College, acceptance of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) units varies by transfer institution. Please refer to the transfer institution’s CPL policies.

Credit may be awarded for prior experience or prior learning only for individually identified courses with subject matter similar to that of the individual’s prior learning, and only for a course listed in the college catalog. Not all courses are eligible for credit for prior learning. Award of credit may be made to general education, major requirements and electives if necessary for a student to meet their goals.

Determination of Eligibility to Receive Credit for Prior Learning:

  • The student must be currently registered at the college and in good standing,
     
  • The course is listed in the college catalog,
     
  • The student is not currently enrolled in the course to be challenged.
     

Credits acquired by credit for prior learning shall not be counted in determining the 12 semester units of credit in residence required for an Associate degree.
 

PROCEDURES:

  • The student’s academic record clearly indicates that the credit was earned by assessment of prior learning.
     
  • There may be other limits on student and course eligibility for credit for prior learning.
     
  • Upon completion of his/her educational plan pursuant to Education Code Section 78212, student shall be referred to the college’s appropriate authority for assessment of prior learning if the student is a veteran, reservist, including National Guard, an active-duty member of the armed forces, holds industry-recognized credentials, or requests credit for a course based on their prior learning.
     
  • Students shall be given the opportunity to accept, decline, or appeal the grade assigned by the faculty and in cases of credit by examination, pursuant to AP 4231, and AP 4230.

[1] Transfer institutions policy can vary.

 
1

Transfer institutions policy can vary. For additional information, students are advised to see a counselor.

 

College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Program (CEEB) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

College credit will be granted to students who provide the college with official test results showing minimum passing scores for either CEEB (AP) or CLEP examinations. Credit shall be posted on the college transcript when a student has completed 12 units of study in the San José/Evergreen community college district. Advanced Placement (AP) scores must be sent directly to the Admissions and Records Office from the College Board.

Non-Collegiate Courses

Upon presentation of certificates from non-collegiate agencies, credit may be granted. Credit will be granted according to the recommendation approved or listed in the instructional guide for non-credit courses published by the American council on education. The total number of units that can be earned through credit for military service, credit by examination, CEEB (AP), CLEP, and non-collegiate courses shall not exceed 30 units.

Please refer to the Course Description and Information page for scores accepted by SJCC:

http://catalog.sjcc.edu/course-descriptions-information/

Limits on Pre-Collegiate Basic Skills Units

Per title 5, section 55035, “… no student shall receive more than 30 semester units (or 45 quarter units) of credit for remedial coursework. Students having exhausted the unit limitation shall be referred to appropriate adult noncredit education services provided by college, adult school, community-based organization, or other appropriate local provider with which the district has an established referral agreement.

The following students are exempted from the limitation on remedial coursework described in subsection of the section:

  1. Students enrolled in one or more courses of English as a second language (ESL);
  2. Students identified by the district as having a learning disability…
  3. . . .any student who shows significant, measurable progress toward the development of skills appropriate to his or her enrollment in college-level courses.” Such students need to petition for a waiver of the limitation on remedial coursework with the counseling administrator on the campus.

“a student, who does not attain full eligibility status for college-level work…shall, unless provided with a waiver, be dismissed and referred to adult noncredit education courses.”

“a student may, upon successful completion of appropriate “remedial coursework,” or upon demonstration of skills levels which will reasonably assure success in college-level courses, request reinstatement to proceed with college-level coursework.” The request should be made to the counseling administrator on the campus.