Placement & Credit for Prior Learning

Carteret Community College recognizes the vast knowledge and skills of its diverse student population through prior learning assessment. This gives the College an opportunity to assess course credit for experiential learning, non-credit course completion, professional development, licensure/certification and credit-by-exam. Participants benefit from reduced program costs and time toward degree completion.

Placement & Credit for Prior Learning is a process for assessing learning gained outside a traditional academic environment. This could be learning acquired through military service, industry recognized credentials, or non-credit courses.

To be eligible to earn Placement & Credit for Prior Learning credit, a student must be currently or previously enrolled at Carteret CC and meet all admissions requirements. They should not have previously taken or attempted the course that is the same as the Placement & Credit for Prior Learning credit for which they are applying. Placement & Credit for Prior Learning credit is only awarded when it applies to Carteret CC programs of study.

• Placement Testing
• Direct Placement into College Gateway Courses
• High School Articulation Agreement
• Advance Placement (AP Examinations)/ International Baccalaureate (IB Examinations)
• Credit for Prior Learning
• Industry Certification & Licensure
• Credit by Exam/College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• Carteret CC Noncredit Hour to Credit Hour Crosswalks

Placement Testing

For students whose unweighted high school GPA is below a 2.8, the College uses the NROC placement test to determine placement in math and English, or the student can be placed into developmental English and reading courses based on the existing unweighted GPA. You can schedule your placement testing appointment through the MAPS Center by contacting MAPS@carteret.edu or calling 252-222-6236. The tests are computerized and timed. Placement testing is offered in scheduled group settings, and a photo ID is required.

Applicants/students may only take a placement test twice within a calendar year. Prior to taking a placement test the second time, students are encouraged to visit the MAPS Center for tutoring assistance. To have placement test scores sent to another college, a written request must be made through the Registrar’s Office. Students with alternate needs or concerns related to placement testing should contact the testing coordinator at MAPS@carteret.edu or (252) 222-6236.

Placement Test Exemption

Students or applicants who meet any waiver criteria will not need placement testing.

Placement Guides

English Placement Guide

Math Placement Guide

*Students below a 2.8 high school unweighted GPA who score a 4 or 5 on the Math 3 EOC should be placed in the gateway math course for their major.

There are no ACT or SAT score equivalencies for Developmental Courses. A student can be exempt from taking the placement test with the minimum ACT or SAT scores required to place in college level English and Math.

It is possible for a student to take either Elementary Algebra (EA) and Intermediate Algebra (IA) sections of the ASSET or just the IA section to determine Algebra placement. Determining which section/sections were taken is vital in determining correct placement.

Direct Placement into College Gateway Courses

Associate degree, diploma, or certificate applicants to Carteret CC must provide evidence of academic readiness in reading, writing, and math to be placed into college-level courses. Students will be placed into courses based on unweighted high school GPA of 2.8 or higher or through CCRG scores.

Academic readiness may also be established through completion of a placement test. Placement test results indicate the appropriate level of study for an applicant. Special credit, non-degree seeking applicants may be required to test or provide transcripts in order to satisfy prerequisite requirements for courses in which they wish to enroll.

College Readiness Benchmarks

College Readiness* Benchmarks on Approved Diagnostic Assessment Tests

 In addition to the diagnostic assessments, colleges may use the following SAT and ACT scores recommended by the testing companies as benchmarks for college readiness:*

* Eligibility may be demonstrated by achieving the required scores on a single test or by combining test scores from any of the approved assessments. For example, a student may combine a 19 on PLAN math with an 86 and an 80 on ACCUPLACER sentence skills and reading to demonstrate college readiness.

** PLAN and PSAT scores recommended by ACT and College Board as indicators of college readiness.

*** The Reading and English part of the NCDAP is an integrated assessment of reading and English skills; meeting the composite cut score for placement into ENG 111 is one way to demonstrate college readiness to participate in the College Transfer Pathway. 

Student will take the subject-area State Board approved assessment(s) to determine placement.

Direct Placement into MAT 172, Precalculus Trigonometry

A student may place directly into MAT 172, Precalculus Trigonometry if the student has scored 70 or higher on the ACCUPLACER College-Level Math (CLM) test.

Direct Placement into MAT 271, Calculus I

A student may place directly into MAT 271, Calculus I if the student has met at least one (1) of the following criteria within the past five (5) years:

• A score of 2 or higher on the AP Calculus AB Exam;
• A grade of C or higher in an AP Calculus course and an unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or higher;
• A score of 90 or higher on the ACCUPLACER College-Level Math (CLM) test;
• A score of 46 or higher on the trigonometry section of the ACT Compass Math Placement Test;
• A score of 580 or higher on the old (prior to March 2016) SAT Math and a grade of C or higher on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Pre-Calculus course or an equivalent course from another state;
• A score of 600 or higher on the new (March 2016 and beyond) SAT Math and a grade of C or higher on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Pre-Calculus course or an equivalent course from another state;
• A score of 27 or higher on the ACT Math and a grade of C or higher on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study Pre-Calculus course or an equivalent course from another state; or
• A score of 560 or higher on the SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2.

Spanish Placement Testing

The purpose of Spanish placement testing at Carteret Community College is to determine the level at which a student is currently performing and to place that student in the course that matches the student’s performance. The goal is to maximize learning and success.

Students wishing to complete the Spanish placement test will schedule an appointment through MAPS where the placement test will be administered. Non-course (NC) credit will be awarded to determine appropriate placement based on student performance.

Guidelines for Spanish placement:

Any student may begin in SPA 111: Elementary Spanish I, if desired.

Students who have taken two (2) consecutive units of high school Spanish in the last 

two years and have earned a grade of C or better may automatically start in SPA 112: Elementary Spanish II. Students wanting to confirm they are prepared to take SPA 112: Elementary Spanish II may take the Spanish placement test.  A score of 370-450 places a student in SPA 112.  A score of 451-536 places a student in SPA 211.  A score of 537 or higher places a student in SPA 212.

Any student desiring to enroll in SPA 211: Intermediate Spanish I or SPA 212: Intermediate Spanish II without meeting the prerequisite courses must take the Spanish placement test to confirm readiness.

Native speakers, and others who are Spanish speaking, must take the placement test for proper placement.

High School Articulation Agreement

Articulation agreements between Carteret Community College and the Carteret County Public School System (CCPSS) provide a seamless academic pathway from high school into Carteret CC programs. Articulated courses are high school courses that result in the same learning outcomes as a similar Carteret CC course. The CCPSS and community college faculty have examined the course competencies and agreed upon their equivalency.

Applied Sciences Local Articulation Agreements

Process to Document Credit

The official high school transcript and all official standardized CTE post-assessments are required to verify that the criteria to award credit for articulated courses are met. Where indicated, students must submit supporting documentation to the community college.

To receive articulated credit, community college officials are responsible for verifying eligibility and acceptance of articulated courses on the high school transcript.

Criteria to Award College Credit

The following criteria are used to award college credit for identified high school courses:

1. Final grade of B or higher in the course; and
2. Score of 90 or higher on the standardized CTE post-assessment.

To receive articulated credit, students must enroll at the community college within two years of their high school graduation date and submit written request to Registrar’s Office to have their transcripts evaluated.

Table of Articulated Credit

 Advance Placement (AP Examinations)

Carteret Community College awards credit for successful completion of Advanced Placement® examinations in high school. To receive AP credit, students must provide the Registrar with official score reports from the College Board. Please see  College Board AP Exams for information about how to request an official score report.

AP Credit

 International Baccalaureate (IB Examinations)

Carteret Community College awards Credit for Prior Learning credit based on successful scores on the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Exam (IB), but not for courses on a foreign transcript, unless the student has earned a degree and the credit is detailed by credit hour and course level. Carteret Community College accepts foreign transcript evaluations from only WES (World Education Service) and AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Registrar’s Officers).

The IB Diploma will be recognized and Credit for Prior Learning credit awarded for higher-level examinations if a score of 5 or higher is achieved. To receive credit for higher-level exams, students must have the IB Organization send scores directly to the Registrar’s Office.

Credit for Prior Learning

Criteria Governing Credit for Prior Learning

The following eligibility criteria apply to all forms of Credit for Prior Learning:

• To be eligible for Credit for Prior Learning, a student must be a high school graduate, or equivalent, or 18 years or older, and or dual enrollment (CCP student), and must declare a program of study leading to a degree/diploma/certificate before transcript evaluation takes place. This excludes special credit (non-degree seeking) students.
• Non-Coursework Placement credit will be awarded for special credit students and dual enrollment students (CCP) who need the credit to meet prerequisites.  Credit by Placement  is different than Credit by Exam.

Students wishing to obtain Credit for Prior Learning are responsible for providing the College with appropriate official documentation for use in determining Credit for Prior Learning credit. See section on Foreign Credits Earned for details.

The following limitations apply to the awarding of Credit for Prior Learning:

• The minimum standards for graduation require a passing grade in all courses in a curriculum and the successful completion of any specific curriculum requirements, such as a cumulative grade point average. Candidates for degrees, diplomas, and certificates must complete a minimum of 25 percent of their required course work at Carteret CC. The requirement to complete 25 percent of required course work at Carteret CC may not be met by any form of Credit for Prior Learning covered in this document.

Award of credit through Credit for Prior Learning shall only be given for courses that can be found in the Combined Course Library for articulated general courses approved in the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA).

For technical courses (non-CAA courses), award of credit will be restricted to courses that apply to programs that Carteret Community College currently offers, and that appear in the College Catalog & Student Handbook.

In the case of exceptions, award of credit for non-transfer courses not part of a program of study appearing in our General Catalog can be awarded on a case-by-case basis. The Program Chairperson will work with the Division Dean enrollment advisors and Registrar’s office to find appropriate equivalencies.

• No credit shall be awarded that duplicates earned course credit at the College, at other institutions, or other credit awarded through Credit for Prior Learning.
• Credit is awarded for academic work in which the student earned a grade of C or better.
• Paralegal Technology students must complete at least 25% of required LEX courses at Carteret Community College. Credit earned through Credit for Prior Learning does not apply.
• Students may not apply for Credit-By- Examination (proficiency test) for a particular course if they have previously enrolled (either for credit or audit) in that course at Carteret Community College.
• The College maintains time limits on prior learning experiences for which Credit for Prior Learning may be granted. Award of credit will be subject to a five-year time limit for applied science and technical courses and some biological science courses. Courses include:
  ACC 132, NC Business Taxes
  ACC 140, Payroll Accounting
  ACC 150, Accounting Software Applications
  ACC 152, Advanced Software Applications
  BIO 163, Basic Anatomy & Physiology
  BIO 168 & 169, Anatomy & Physiology I & II
  BIO 271, Pathophysiology
  OST 138, Advanced Software Applications
  OST 148, Med. Coding Billing & Insurance
  OST 243, Med Office Simulation
  OST 247, Procedure Coding
  OST 248, Diagnostic Coding

* The appropriate Program Chair reserves the right to waive the time-limit based on student academic progress and work experience.

Courses with the following prefixes will be subject to the five-year time limit: CIS, CTS, DBA, NET, NOS, SEC, WEB.

The appropriate academic Dean, in consultation with the appropriate Program Chairperson, will determine if courses taken prior to enrollment can be used in the student’s current program of study.

• The official transcript shall specify the type of Credit for Prior Learning credit awarded, equivalent courses, and the number of credits awarded. Credit for Prior Learning credit shall be distinct from earned course credit.
• No grades, grade point average, or other indication of academic standing shall be associated with Credit for Prior Learning entries on the official transcript.
• Credit awarded through Credit for Prior Learning is applicable only to Carteret Community College’s curricular requirements. Students are cautioned that credits awarded through Credit for Prior Learning may not be accepted in transfer by other post- secondary institutions.

Military Training

Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES)

Carteret Community College will award credit for acceptable scores on DANTES college-level examinations as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). To receive credit for a DANTES examination, students are required to provide the Registrar’s Office with official score reports.

Documentation of Military Training

Carteret Community College may grant credit for military service training based upon the recommendations provided in the most current American Council of Education (ACE) Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services. To receive credit based upon competencies gained through military training, the student must submit an official copy of one or more of the following to the Registrar’s Office:

• Joint Services transcript
• Other official transcript recommended by ACE

Industry Certification & Licensure

Students requesting credit based on industry certification and licensure must submit appropriate documentation to the Registrar.

Certificates Credit

Licensures Credit

Credit By Examination

Students requesting to take Institutional Credit By Examination must provide documentation of proficiency in the subject along with their request. The Program Chairperson and Academic Dean review and approve submitted documentation before a test can be attempted.

Examples of acceptable documentation:

1. Employer-produced documentation of work experience
2. Non-regionally accredited post-secondary credit
3. Military credit that did not transfer
4. Corporate & Community Ed credit
5. Employee professional development

After receiving approval, students must register for the course they intend to challenge before the last purge date and before classes begin, and then must contact the Program Chairperson to schedule the examination. All Institutional Credit By Examinations must be taken before the first day of classes.

Please note:

1. Institutional Credit By Examination is not available for every course.
2. Institutional Credit By Examination may be administered through written, oral, practical examination, or any combination of these methods deemed appropriate for the course being challenged. Students who fail a specific Institutional Credit By Examination will not be permitted a second opportunity.
3. Students who do not successfully complete a course due to failure, official withdrawal, medical withdrawal, or violation of the College attendance policy will not be permitted to take a Institutional Credit By Examination for the course in question.
4. No more than 10% of the required credit hours in a student’s program can be by means of Institutional Credit By Examination.

Students seeking Institutional Credit By Examination should contact the appropriate Program Chairs for assistance. Only technical- level tests will be available. University transfer/general education courses generally will not be available. Students interested in challenging courses will be referred to College Board to take College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP®) testing. Exception: For articulated computer, accounting, and biology courses subject to the five-year time limit, Institutional Credit By Examination will be made available. For Spanish and articulated math courses there will be a placement test available to place beyond the introductory level.

The form for requesting Institutional Credit By Examination is available in the Registrar’s Office.

CLEP

Carteret Community College awards credit for successful completion of CLEP® general examinations, based upon the American Council of Education (ACE) recommendations. Only subject examinations (not general examinations) will be considered for possible credit. Students must score at the 50^th percentile or higher in order to receive credit. Minimum scores are recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). To receive credit for a CLEP® general exam, students must provide the Registrar’s Office with official score reports from the College Board (CEEB). See  College Board CLEP® for information about how to request an official score report.

CLEP® Credit

Noncredit Hour to Credit Hour Internal Crosswalks

(WCE TO CU CROSSWALKS)

Noncredit coursework can be converted to credit (credit conversion) in some circumstances. To be eligible for credit conversion, you must meet the following conditions:

• Carteret Community College offers an equivalent course that is recognized as a credit course by the __________________.
• Carteret CC offers credit and noncredit courses in the same discipline.
• You successfully completed all modules for the noncredit courses in which credit would be awarded.
• The instructional program faculty approves the credit conversion.

If your noncredit coursework fulfills these conditions, contact the Registrar’s Office to request credit conversion.

Carteret Community College awards WCE TO CU credit for competencies gained through successful completion of the following courses:

• Nurse Aide I
• Nurse Aide II
• Emergency Medical Science
• Basic Law Enforcement Training
• Welding

NAS-101 Nurse Aide I

To receive Credit for Prior Learning credit for NAS-101, the student must provide the following documentation:

• Have completed a North Carolina state- approved Nurse Aide I (NA-I) training program with a minimum of 48 hours of patient care in a clinical setting under the supervision of a RN instructor.
  • North Carolina Community College System Continuing Education Course: NUR-3240
    • If the course was not completed at Carteret Community College, provide documentation that the course included a minimum of 48 hours of patient care in a clinical setting under the supervision of an RN Instructor.

OR

• Have current listing on the North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry with no substantiated findings.
  • Print out a detailed report at NC Department of Health & Human Services of your registry listing verification indicating “no substantiated findings.”
• Provide a letter from a registered nurse on employer letterhead documenting 60 hours of employment as CNA-I providing direct patient care under the supervision of the RN.

NAS-102 Nurse Aide II

To receive Credit for Prior Learning credit for NAS-102, the student must provide the following documentation:

• Have completed a North Carolina state- approved Nurse Aide II (NA-II) training program with a minimum of 80 hours of patient care in a clinical setting under the supervision of a RN instructor.
  • North Carolina Community College System Continuing Education Course: NUR-3241
• If the course was not completed at Carteret Community College, provide documentation that the program included a minimum of 80 hours of patient care in a clinical setting under the supervision of an RN instructor.

OR

• Have current listing on the North Carolina Nurse Aide II Registry with “no substantiated findings.”
• Print out a detailed report at NC Board of Nursing of the registry listing verification indicating “no substantiated findings.”
• Provide a letter from a registered nurse on employer letterhead documenting 80 hours of employment as CNA-II providing direct patient care under the supervision of the RN.

In addition, Carteret Community College will award credit for successful completion of American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Provide (CPR), which is part of the Nurse Aide I course.

Note: To receive Credit for Prior Learning credit for HSC-120 CPR, the student must provide the following documentation:

• American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Provider
  • Provide a front and back copy of a current completion card

Emergency Medical Science Certifications

An applicant must have documentation of successful completion of all courses listed in each Con. Ed. Field in order to be allowed curriculum credit in the associated curriculum field.

American Heart Association (AHA) certifications in ACLS and PALS may be accepted for Con. Ed.

Courses with approval from the Program Chair. All certifications must be current.

Welding Articulated WCE to CU Crosswalk

Courses for Welding Articulated Crosswalk

Prior Course Work- Quarter Hour Courses

Quarter hour courses must equate to the semester hour equivalent of the current required course (either by a combination of courses or as stand-alone by using the 3:2 ratio). A Program Chairperson will advise the Registrar how a combination of quarter hour courses count for a semester hour course of a different course title.

Quarter hour courses sharing the same course title as a semester hour course must also meet the semester hour standard established for the current curriculum (i.e. ENG 101 was a vocational-level composition course in the quarter hour system, not college transferable).

The College reserves the right to disallow credit if the course is deemed to be obsolete or outdated. Any student interested in being considered for prior course work equivalent credit must submit a request to their advisor.