FREE college credit for training and learning gained outside a college classroom!
Welcome! CPL is college credit awarded for college-level skills and knowledge gained
outside a college classroom. Your knowledge and skills might be gained through experiences
such as:
Military training
Industry training
State/federal government training
Apprenticeships, internships, work-based learning, or other industry-based experiential
learning
Validated volunteer and civic activities (e.g. Peace Coprs)
CPL does not include knowledge and skills already assessed and awarded credit through
regionally accredited colleges.
To get started with CPL...
Set up an appointment with a counselor
Apply for CPL
Meet with your Professor if applying for Credit by Exam or Portfolio Review
Students can locate the CPL Petition (Course Credit for Prior Learning) in etrieve forms, and begin the process by uploading their documentation, providing a description
of what they completed, and identifying why the course is equivalent. That information
is then routed for consideration by Columbia College discipline faculty as follows:
Meet with a counselor to review process and determine eligibility (not required but
highly recommended!)
Student initiates Course Credit for Prior Learning Petition in etrieve.
Columbia College Admissions and Records determines student is eligible and within
the limitations on CPL in making their request.
A counselor reviews the request to evaluate and determine transferability, grading
policies, and appropriate method of CPL selected by student and applicability to their
education plan; Counselor meets with student as needed.
Division Dean forwards CPL request to discipline faculty and follow up as needed.
Discipline faculty's decision is routed back to Admissions and Records to be recorded
on the student transcript if awarded.
Admissions and Records notifies the student via email, and ends the process. If unable
to be awarded, the process also ends with Admissions and Records notifying the student.
Click the button below for the Course Credit for Prior Learning Petition.
The Yosemite Community College District (YCCD), in accordance with YCCD Board Policy 4235 , may grant credit for prior learning (CPL) experiences for students who satisfactorily
pass an authorized assessment. Authorized assessments may include the evaluation of
approved external standardized examinations, Joint Services Transcripts, student-created
portfolios, industry-recognized credential documentation, and credit by examination.
YCCD allows a student to demonstrate competence in and earn credit for a YCCD course
or curricular requirement with evidence of:
A satisfactory evaluation of Joint Service Transcripts (JST).
A satisfactory completion of an examination administered by other agencies approved
by the District.
Approval of industry-recognized credential documentation in accordance with standards
set by the department.
Approval of a student-created portfolio in accordance with a rubric for the course
or coursesdeveloped by the department.
Satisfactory completion of an institutional examination, known as Credit by Examination,
administered by the college in lieu of completion of an active course listed in the
current college catalog.
A satisfactory score* on an Advanced Placement (AP) examination. YCCD Board Policy 4236: Advanced Placement (AP) Credit governs the awarding of AP credit.
A satisfactory score* on a district-approved high-level International Baccalaureate
(IB) examination. Students will receive credit when:
Official IB transcripts are on file at the college.
The student achieved a minimum acceptable score on the IB examination as recommended
by the District’s IB equivalency guide.
A satisfactory score* on the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Students requesting
Credit for Prior Learning using the College Level Examination Program shall receive
credit for completing a satisfactory score on a District-approved College Level Examination
Program under the following circumstances:
Official CLEP transcripts are on file at the college.
The student achieved a minimum acceptable score on the CLEP examination as recommended
by the District’s CLEP Equivalency Guide.
* Satisfactory minimum scores for standardized, external examinations, including AP,
IB, and CLEP, should conform to the thresholds established by the current California
State University Systemwide Credit for External Examinations guidelines. Determining
how to apply credit from such exams towards local degree requirements occurs at the
college-level.
The student must have a current application on file and be in good standing in the
District. A student is in good standing when the cumulative college grade point average
is 2.0 or better, and the student has completed fewer than 50% of the overall units
attempted with grades of “W,” “I,” and “NP”
Current students must have an education plan on file.
Credit will only be granted for a course currently offered at Columbia College as
evidenced by the current college catalog.
Meet with a counselor to discuss eligibility for CPL.
The student cannot be currently enrolled in the course sought for Credit for Prior
Learning.
The student is not currently enrolled in nor has not received credit for a more advanced
course in the same subject.
Credits acquired by CPL cannot be not used to satisfy unit load requirements for the
Selective Service deferment, Veterans, or Social Security benefits.
Credits acquired by examination cannot be used to satisfy the 12 semester hours of
credit "in-residence" required for an Associate degree for Columbia College.
Meet with a counselor to discuss the limitations on CPL.
Students will not be charged for the receipt of Credit for Prior Learning, except
when prior learning is assessed through the colleges’ Credit by Examinationprocesses. Fees for credit awarded through Credit by Examination shall not exceed
per-unit current tuition ratesfor in-state, out-of-state, or international students.
Students planning to transfer should be aware that any CPL credit granted by Columbia
College will also be subject to evaluation by the transfer institution. The District
cannot guarantee that CPL granted by the District will also be granted by the transfer
institution. Applicability of CPL credits toward the baccalaureate degree is ultimately
determined by the transfer institution. Meet with a counselor to discuss transferability
of CPL Credit.
Grading shall be according to the regular grading system in accordance with YCCD Board Policy 4230: Grading and Academic Record Symbols.
Courses shall be graded using the college's grading system established by Title 5 and published in the respective college catalog.
Students shall be offered a “Pass/No Pass” option if that option is ordinarily available
for the course.
Students shall be given the opportunity to accept, decline, or appeal the grade assigned
by the faculty. Any change of grade shall follow YCCD Board Policy 4231: Grade Changes.
Meet with a counselor to discuss the grading policy for CPL.
Students interested in CPL using Joint Service Transcripts shall receive credit as
recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) Directory and approved by the
appropriate Columbia College discipline faculty under the following circumstances:
Students interested in CPL using a student-created portfolio shall receive credit
as recommended by the appropriate program faculty designee in accordance with the
following procedure:
The student will have completed the Credit for Prior Learning assessment petition.
A department-approved portfolio assessment rubric will be on file for the course.
The student will meet with the appropriate program faculty designee to receive further
instructions for student-created portfolio assessment.
The student will submit all portfolio documents to the appropriate program faculty
designee.
If the appropriate program faculty designee determines the student-created portfolio
adequately evidences mastery of the course content as set forth in the Course Outline
of Record, the appropriate faculty shall sign the petition with the appropriate grade
and forward it to Enrollment Services/Admissions & Records to be kept on file and
recorded on the student transcript.
The appropriate program faculty designee shall determine whether or not a student
requesting Credit by Examination is sufficiently well-prepared to warrant being given this opportunity. This determination
is based upon a review of previous course work and/or experience. Students earn course
credit through Credit by Examination are encouraged to informally discuss the matter
with the appropriate program faculty designee and course instructor prior to initiating
the formal process. All steps must be completed in the order listed or the Petition
for Credit by Examination shall not be processed. The Petition for Credit by Examination
must be completed prior to the end of the current semester or session. The District
will award college course credit for successful completion of a Columbia College examination
administered by the appropriate departmental faculty under the following circumstances:
Credit by satisfactory completion of an examination administered by the College in
lieu of completion of a course listed in the current Modesto Junior College or Columbia
College Catalogs.
Students may demonstrate that they have met the mastery of the course content as set
forth in the Course Outline of Record of a District course through learning in the
work place, foreign language proficiency, or some other process outside the conventional
academic setting by receiving a passing grade on an examination administered by the
appropriate instructional department/program. Credit by Examination may require demonstration
of other skills, or the completion of assignments in addition to a formal examination.
Upon completion of an education plan, students interested in Credit for Prior Learning
using Credit by Examination shall receive credit as recommended by the appropriate
program faculty designee under the following circumstances:
Credit by Examination Procedure
It is highly recommended that the student meets with an academic counselor to discuss
CPL options. An appointment to meet with a Columbia College Counselor can be made
through Starfish or by calling 209-588-5109.
The student shall meet with the appropriate program faculty designee for further instructions
for Credit by Examination.
Should the program faculty designee determine that the Credit by Examination assessment
evidences the student’s mastery of the course content as set forth in the Course Outline
of Record, the appropriate faculty shall sign the petition with the recorded grade
and forward to Admissions & Records to be kept on file and recorded on the student
transcript.
The department/program must keep the student’s completed exam materials on file for
three years.
