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Progress Toward a Degree
A student may make progress toward a degree by:
- Completing courses at Alvernia College.
- Transferring approved course credits from other colleges and universities.
- Successfully completing a departmentally administered challenge examination for a course in the current catalog.
- Receiving credit for the following credentials in accordance with
the policies and procedures currently in effect at Alvernia College:
- American College Testing/Proficiency Examination Program (ACT/PEP)
- College Level Equivalency Program (CLEP)
- College Board Advanced Placement Tests (AP)
- Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)
- Dual Credit
- Life Experience Credits
- Nursing Competency Portfolio
- United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI)
Maximum Number of Credits/Charges
A maximum of 30 credits can be awarded through a combination of the options
identified in sections C and D above (R.N. diploma graduates are exempt from
this limitation). Processing and per credit fees are charged for challenge
examinations and life experience credits. Students planning to earn credits
through challenge examinations, CLEP and life experience must complete those
options prior to their last semester of course work at Alvernia.
Transferring Credits from Other College/Universities
A matriculated student who wishes to take a course at another college and transfer
the credit to Alvernia must obtain and complete a transfer credit approval
form from the office of the Registrar prior to enrolling at the other institution.
Transfer credits are not applicable to the repeat/delete option. No credits
will be transferred for courses in which grades below a “C”/2.0
(or equivalent at Alvernia) are earned. Credits that are transferred are entered
on a student’s permanent record without reference to the grade earned.
Grades are not transferred; only credits are recorded.
Consortium Classes
See Academic Opportunities for information.
Challenge Examination
An enrolled student may challenge certain courses by examination but cannot
challenge courses that have been audited or for which the student received
a grade of “F.” Students interested in this option should contact
the departmental chairperson to determine the courses available for challenge
and, if appropriate, to make arrangements for an examination. A grade of “C”/2.0
or better on the examination is required to obtain credit. A student’s
cumulative GPA is not changed by the examination because no grade is recorded
for a course completed in this manner. A student pays both a tuition charge
and an administrative fee for credits earned through a challenge examination.
College Level Equivalency Program (CLEP) /Advanced Placement
(AP)
Information regarding CLEP examinations is available in the Registrar’s
Office. As a participant in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance
Examination Board, Alvernia College awards college credit to high school students
who do advanced work in high school and score well on Advanced Placement Examinations.
In general, credit is given for AES recommended scores.
Dual Credit
Students may have concurrently enrolled in a class that counts for both the
high school requirements and college credits. To receive credits for these
courses, the student must submit an official transcript from the college
offering credits. These transcripts should be sent to the Alvernia College
Admissions Office.
Life Experience Credits
Request for credit for specific courses based on documented life experience
is initiated with the chairperson of the department directly involved. A
student pays a tuition charge for credits earned through life experience.
There are two ways by which students may earn life experience credits:
- Life experience credits may be granted for full course credit as identified in the current college catalog. A student must be in good academic standing and must have earned 12 credits at Alvernia to submit a request for life experience credits. Each department is responsible for determining which courses are appropriate for life experience credits.
- Life experience credits are also offered as General Electives upon entrance to Alvernia through portfolio review. See COL 210 in the Programs and Courses of Study section of this catalog for details.
Updated: March 29, 2005