Advanced Standing: Credit for Prior Learning
Students may be awarded credit for prior educational experiences in which college-level learning may be verified through documentation or assessment.
A maximum of 45 credit hours may be transferred for any one associate degree, of which not more than 30 credits may have been earned through nontraditional or non-collegiate sources. A student may not use a credit-through-examination procedure, which includes challenge or competency examinations (such as Advanced Placement, College-Level Examination Program, International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge Assessment) and portfolio assessment for the purpose of improving a grade or removing a withdrawal or incomplete from the academic record. A 15-credit limit per degree exists for any combination of portfolio or challenge exams.
Prince George's Community College has created a database to assist students in understanding how their credit will transfer. Please note that this is a planning tool for students and advising and is not a guarantee of credit. Courses are added to this database regularly, so check back often.
Transfer Credit for Work at Other Colleges and Universities
Students who enroll at Prince George’s Community College after completing one or more semesters at another college or university may be eligible to receive credit toward their community college degree or certificate without regard to the age of the prior credits. Students in the nursing program are subject to certain limitations with regard to the age of prior credits, as outlined below. The following guidelines apply:
- Credit must be earned at a college or university that is accredited or holds a Candidate for Accreditation Status from an agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education.
- The student must arrange to have official transcripts from United States colleges previously attended sent to the Office of Records and Registration. No evaluation of transfer credits will be done until official transcripts are received from each source from which credits are to be transferred. Transcripts should be emailed directly from the institution to transfercredit@pgcc.edu or mailed to Prince George’s Community College, Transfer Evaluator, 301 Largo Road, Largo, MD 20774.
- The student must submit a syllabus to transfercredit@pgcc.edu if they are attempting to receive credit for an internship or other experiential learning (such as research, capstone, or special project) completed at another institution.
- Credit is transferable if a passing grade is earned (and all other credit eligibility criteria are met), provided it is applicable to the student’s program of study at Prince George's Community College as per catalog requirements.
- Students petitioning for admission to one of Prince George’s Community College’s nursing programs must have completed all prerequisite science courses no more than ten years before petitioning.
- Courses that are ineligible for transfer credit at Prince George's Community College include, but are not limited to, developmental courses, ESL courses, English composition courses taken at a non-U.S. institution, teacher education courses, and allied health and nursing courses. These courses are not subject to an appeal process.
The transcript evaluation process will begin once official copies of all transcripts from previous institutions and score reports for credit for prior learning examinations (such as Advanced Placement, College-Level Examination Program, International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge Assessment) are received. If a student is attempting to receive credit for an internship or other experiential learning (such as research, capstone, or special project) completed at another institution, a syllabus must be submitted before the transfer evaluation process begins.
Students with credit from U.S. institutions can expect to receive a full transfer evaluation via email within 20 business days of submission of all documents listed above. Students with credit from non-U.S. institutions can expect to receive a transfer equivalency report within six weeks of receipt of all official transcripts, the Request for Transfer Evaluation form, and all requested supplemental material (such as syllabi). Students can also access their Transfer Equivalency Report in Owl Link by clicking the Academics link (graduation cap) on the left-hand navigation panel and then clicking on Transfer Summary.
Transfer credit is not awarded for non-degree students. Non-degree students may bring a copy of their unofficial transcript to their advising appointment in order to obtain any applicable prerequisite waivers that they may qualify for based on prior learning experiences.
Prince George's Community College will honor waivers of required courses by the sending institution due to the student’s demonstrated proficiency. Still, an equal number of credits must be earned in other coursework in order to meet the published credit hour requirement for graduation in the student's chosen program.
International Transcript Evaluation
In addition to following the policies and processes noted above, students with credit from outside of the United States must arrange to have their official transcripts sent to an evaluation agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) for translation and credit recommendations. The College recommends that students use the World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny & Associates evaluation agencies, but urges students to consider the transcript evaluation requirements of their desired four-year institution if they wish to transfer in the future when choosing a NACES evaluation agency.
An official copy of the original transcript is required in order to award transfer credit. If it is not included with the transcript evaluation, it must be sent separately. Students seeking to transfer credit from an international institution are responsible for providing all course descriptions and/or syllabi (in English).
The evaluation process will begin once all official transcripts and course syllabi have been received. Please contact transfercredit@pgcc.edu for more information.
Transfer Evaluation Process
When evaluating course equivalencies, the College considers the course content, course learning outcomes, institution accreditation, and other standards. Transfer coordinators collaborate with faculty and use catalogs from other colleges, a state-wide shared list of equivalencies, and recommendations from entities such as The American Council on Education and the Joint Services transcript. Course syllabi may be requested for additional review in cases where no equivalency can be determined. International transcripts are evaluated in accordance with the recommendations made by agencies that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.
When evaluating credit from a Maryland public institution, the College follows all requirements with regards to transferability, applicability to general education requirements, and applicability to other program requirements outlined in COMAR 13B.06.02.
Accepted credit for transfer is notated at the top of the student's transcript. Credit is listed by issuing organization, agency, or examination and includes the PGCC equated subject, course number, title, number of credits awarded, and whether the course meets a general education requirement.
Course Denials and Appeal Process
Transfer Course Denials
In the event that credit for a course from a Maryland public institution is denied, PGCC will collaborate with the sending institution to review the course and complete further analysis. The student does not need to take further action. After the analysis is conducted, the student will receive either an updated Transfer Equivalency Report or a notification that no changes were made to the initial review. This decision is considered to be final. When there is a denial of credit from a Maryland public institution, the entire process may take up to 80 business days (from the date that all materials outlined above are received).
When a transfer course from a Maryland public institution is denied, students will see a placeholder course of NT-0000 along with the reason for the denial in the grade field of the Transfer Equivalency Report. The following grade codes are used to indicate transfer course denial reasons:
NT1: Student has transferred the maximum amount of credits.
NT2: Unique discipline or course.
NT3: Does not meet the minimum course objectives or hours for credit.
NT4: Developmental course.
NT5: Graduate-level course.
NT6: Institution not accredited.
NT7: Unsatisfactory grade for institution.
NT8: Unsatisfactory grade for program.
NT9: Course taken multiple times (may only receive credit for a course once).
N10: Student did not provide syllabus as requested.
Students should contact transfercredit@pgcc.edu if they have any questions about transfer course denials.
Appeal Process
Students who believe that a course from an institution that is not a public institution in Maryland has been unfairly evaluated by Prince George's Community College may follow these steps to appeal:
- Contact the Transfer Credit Evaluator for an explanation of the decision by emailing transfercredit@pgcc.edu.
- If the student is not satisfied with the explanation, they may contact the department responsible for the course’s subject area and provide a course syllabus from the sending institution, and the department chair will re-evaluate while considering the additional information. Any decision made by the applicable academic department following a re-evaluation of the course or credit at issue is final.
Credit for Prior Learning Examinations (AP, CLEP, IB, and Cambridge Assessment)
Students may earn nontraditional credit through the Advanced Placement (AP), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Cambridge Assessment programs. A maximum of 30 college credits may be awarded for examinations and various educational and training activities conducted by such noncollegiate organizations as the military, businesses, and government agencies. Students who wish to have their AP, CLEP, IB, or Cambridge results evaluated for transfer credit should have official score reports sent directly to the College’s Office of Records and Registration.
All Maryland public institutions are required to award credit as follows:
Advanced Placement (AP) - Minimum score of 3.
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) - Minimum score of 50.
The minimum scores required for the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge Assessment Program exams may vary across institutions. The minimum scores required on these exams to be considered for credit at PGCC are:
International Baccalaureate (IB) - Minimum score of 4 (HL and SL).
Cambridge Assessment Program - Minimum score of E (A-Level and AS-Level).
The following tables explain how credit from these examinations will be articulated at PGCC. Credit will be awarded once official score reports are received. Students interested in transferring to other public institutions in Maryland are encouraged to contact their desired institution for individual course equivalencies and procedures for receiving credit.
Please note that private Maryland institutions or institutions outside Maryland may have different minimum score requirements to receive credit. Please email transfercredit@pgcc.edu if you have any questions.
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Challenge Examinations
Students who wish to earn college credit by demonstrating their prior mastery of the content of certain courses may participate in the College’s Challenge Examination Program. Challenge examinations are prepared and graded by college faculty members and administered by the Testing Center. If a passing score is obtained, credit is granted for the course, although no grade is assigned and the credit awarded is designated on the student’s transcript as having been earned by examination. A 15-credit limit per degree exists for portfolio and challenge exams. Students must be enrolled in an associate’s or credit certificate program in order to be eligible for credit from a challenge exam. For further information, including a list of available examinations, contact the Testing Center by emailing testingcenter@pgcc.edu.
Prince George's County Career and Technical Education
Prince George’s Community College, Prince George’s County Public Schools, Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce, and Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation participate in a consortium designed to ensure that high school students acquire more rigorous academic and technical competencies. A coordinated sequence of courses prepares students for lifelong learning and provides a choice of career options including employment, advanced study at Prince George’s Community College, and transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
Students who have completed an approved Career and Technical Education program in high school may be eligible for credit at the College, provided they enroll within two years of graduation and enter a program directly related to the high school program.
Contact Information
Office of Records and Registration
301 Largo Rd.
Largo, MD 20774
Email: transfercredit@pgcc.edu
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