Alternative Ways to Earn Credits

Concordia University Texas recognizes the learning that takes place through external licensing organizations and agrees to award academic credit for the following licenses.

Credential	Licensing Organization	Documentation Required	Transfer Credit	Comments
EMT	Texas Dept. of Health, Bureau of Emergency Management AND National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT)	Copy of License Training transcript from non-credit program	Paramedic: BIO 3311and 3411 plus 12 hrs. upper level elective and 18 hrs. lower level elective Intermediate: BIO 3311 and 3411 Basic 6 hrs. elective	Includes in-state and out-of-state training begun Fall, 1999 or after. Training begun prior to Fall 99: Basic, same. Intermediate & Paramedic, no direct transfer— use portfolio assessment. Specialties like pediatric care or obstetrics—use portfolio assessment
Firefighter	Texas Fire Commission	License Training transcript from non-credit program	Basic: 9 hrs. elective	Firefighters are required to have the basic EMT license and should apply for this credit also. Advanced licenses or special competencies— use portfolio assessment.
Human Resource Professional	Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)	Current certification	PHR: BADM 3340 Human Resource Management SPHR: BADM 3340 Human Resource Management and BADM 4340 Organizational Staffing	Check certificate for currency; if expired, use portfolio assessment. Maximum combined award for both certificates is 6 hours. Advanced or specialized learning—use portfolio assessment
Texas Basic Peace Officer	TCLEOSE	License Training transcript from non-credit program	CRIJ 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice CRIJ 2328 Police Systems and Practices CRIJ 3302 Criminal Law KIN 1301 Personal Wellness	For additional advanced licenses and specializations— use portfolio assessment. Officers trained and licensed prior to 1981—use portfolio assessment
Real Estate Salesperson	Texas Real Estate Commission	License, Training transcript from non-credit program (now available on TREC website)	Elective: 8 hrs.	Inactive licenses (i.e. “between brokers”) qualify for this award. Expired licenses do not. Mandatory continuing ed. Courses for license maintenance, higher licenses and designations
Certified Legal Assistant	National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)	Certification	Elective: 12 hrs.	For CLA specialty exams, Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS), and Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE), use portfolio assessment.
Project Management	Project Management Institute	Certification	BADM 3330 Project Management	Students with this credential may have additional portfolio
ISTE Certification	International Society for Technology in Education	Copy of certification from ISTE	EDTC 5315 Foundations of Innovative Design	Certifications earned within the past 5 years are accepted.

 

Prior Learning Assessment Portfolio

Most of the knowledge with which people function on a daily basis is acquired outside the classroom — from parents, friends, personal reading, travel, experience on the job, etc.

"Life experience," "work experience," "experiential learning," "previous learning experiences," etc., are used to identify the growth which takes place over the course of an adult's lifetime. Concordia uses the term "acquired experiential learning."

Concordia, like most regionally-accredited institutions, does not award credit for life experiences. Credit is awarded for the learning acquired from life experiences. The acquired learning must be related to the Concordia curriculum and, specifically, to courses taught at Concordia. The important thing to remember is that a student's acquired learning will mean nothing to the Portfolio Reviewers unless the acquired learning can be documented. It is also important to be able to demonstrate that the skill(s), knowledge and competencies are at the college level.

Upon initial reflection, students may question whether they have anything in their background worthy of being awarded credit. A good principle to keep in mind is that life is filled with learning awaiting documentation. Your Student Academic Planner can assist you in determining what constitutes appropriate documentation of experiential learning.

The Portfolio Assessment Process

Earning credit through the development, submission and assessment of a portfolio is a way to showcase knowledge acquired through experiential learning. If a student decides to pursue this avenue, they must realize that the process will require a thoughtful review of the knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired and an understanding of what documentation is available to support the declaration of learning.

Information on completion of a Prior Learning Assessment portfolio is available from a Student Academic Planner. Concordia grants up to eighteen (18) credit hours for properly documented prior experiential learning that demonstrates achievement of all outcomes for specific courses in an approved Concordia major. PLA credit may not be used to satisfy Concordia distinctive courses, nor satisfy residency requirements for graduation. PLA credit is awarded on a Pass/No Pass basis. Concordia University does not grant block credit and will not award PLA credit based on internships, Independent Study courses or courses for which CLEP or other equivalency exams exist (as listed in the Concordia Academic Catalog). Maximum use will be made of national, standardized equivalency exams to award credit for prior experiential learning.

Students are responsible for supplying clear and convincing documentation to support their PLA petition. Concordia may not accept documentation of experiential learning acquired while the student attended an institution that was not accredited by a regional accrediting association. Students may not petition for PLA credit using a course for which they have already received credit on a college-level transcript. Once submitted, the PLA petition is reviewed by selected faculty at Concordia University Texas. Final approval is given by the Vice President of Academic Operations and notification comes from the Office of Academic Operations. All material submitted with the PLA petition becomes the property of Concordia University Texas.

Students intending to submit a portfolio for PLA evaluation must submit it no later than six months prior to their anticipated date of graduation. The PLA assessment fee for each petition submitted must be paid in advance with a copy of the receipt included in the portfolio at the time of submission. PLA credit is awarded in the term in which the petition is approved by the Vice President of Academic Operations.

Concordia University Texas does not accept PLA-type credit from other institutions.

CLEP Exam Credit

Currently enrolled students may submit CLEP scores for evaluation for credit. Students must score at or above the ACE recommended passing grade on the appropriate CLEP examination (usually 50 but may vary with certain tests). Concordia University Texas will award equivalency credit for the following:

CLEP Examinations	Concordia Course Equivalent(s)
Financial Accounting	ACC 2301
Biology	BIO 1401
Principles of Management	BADM 3311
Business Law	BADM 3321
Principles of Marketing	BADM 3350
Chemistry	CHE 1341 & CHE 1342*
Principles of Macroeconomics	ECO 2301
Principles of Microeconomics	ECO 2302
College Composition	ENG 1316
Analysis and Interpretation of Literature	ENG 1317
American Literature	ENG 2303
English Literature	ENG 2305
French Language: Levels 1 and 2	FRE 1401 & FRE 1402 *
German Language: Levels 1 and 2	GER 1401 & GER 1402 II*
American Government	POLS 1303
History of the United States I	HIS 1301
History of the United States II	HIS 1302
College Algebra	MTH 1351
Pre-calculus	MTH 1352
Calculus	MTH 2401 & MTH 2402*
Human Growth and Development	PSY 2301
Introduction to Sociology	SOC 1301**
Spanish Language: Levels 1 and 2	SPN 1401 & SPN 1402*

*ACE recommended test scores will determine if Modern or Classical Language, calculus or chemistry credit will be awarded.

**Transfer credit for SOC 1301 will not satisfy the Concordia Common Experience: Experiential Learning requirement.

A maximum of 30 credit hours may be earned by examination for application toward the Bachelor Degrees. Concordia will determine the award of postsecondary academic credit for extra institutional credit-by-examination programs related to the student's educational objective at Concordia based on the most recent recommendations by the American Council on Education. Concordia assumes no responsibility for awarding credit for examinations taken that are not on the acceptable list for such credit.

Concordia University Texas accepts college credit for satisfactory scores on the College Board's Advanced Placement Examinations. Scores of 3, 4, or 5 = Satisfactory CE (Credit by Exam) Scores of 1 or 2 = Unsatisfactory No Credit. Admitted students who receive satisfactory scores in the subject areas indicated by the Advanced Placement Examinations will be awarded equivalency credit for the Concordia courses as indicated below:

AP Examination	Concordia Course Equivalent(s)
Biology	BIO 1401
Chemistry	CHE 1341 & CHE 1141
Computer Science	CIS 1300
Economics: Macro	ECO 2301
Economics Micro	ECO 2302
English Language Comp	ENG 1316
English Literature & Comp	ENG 1317
Environmental Science	ESC 1302 & ESC 1102L; ESC 1402
European History	HIS 2322
Gov't & Politics: USA	POLS 1303
Human Geography	HIS 1312
United States History	HIS 1301 & 1302
World History: Modern	HIS 2312
Latin (both tests)	Foreign Lang. Req.
Statistics	MTH 2301
Math: Calculus AB	MTH 2401
Math: Calculus BC	MTH 2402
Music Theory	Fine Arts Req.
Physics B	PHY 1401 & 1402
Physics 1	PHY 1401 or PHY 1441
Physics 2	PHY 1402
Physics C: Mechanics	PHY 1401 or PHY 1441
Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism	PHY 1402
Psychology	PSY 1311
Spanish Language	Foreign Lang. Req.

*AP Exam transfer credits do not fulfill experiential learning requirements in the Concordia Common Experience curriculum.

Admitted students who receive satisfactory scores in other Advanced Placement Examinations that do not have a Concordia equivalent will be granted three hours of credit. The Advanced Placement Examinations in this category include: Art History, Studio Art – all exams, Comparative Government, and French Politics.