SECTION EGA.1

INSTRUCTION
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT - TRANSCRIPTS

Procedure

TRANSCRIPTS

 

Student transcripts shall contain a record of each state-funded course attempted by a student at the transcripting institution, including Navarro College. This includes all courses for which the student was enrolled as of the official census date each term, including developmental education courses, courses that were not completed, courses that were dropped, and courses that were repeated.

 

The student transcript or an addendum to the transcript certified by the Registrar shall contain a record of the student’s status in regard to the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). The transcript will include the status for each section of a test taken for TSI purposes (reading, mathematics, writing) with information as to how the student met the TSI requirement. The information provided should enable receiving institutions to use the transcript or the addendum as a single source of information to determine the student’s TSI status.

 

Student transcripts created after September 1, 2000, will be maintained by the college in a format suitable for electronic interchange. The format of transcripts shall be the format that is used to store the most transcripts by Texas institutions of higher education as of September 1, 1998, or another format adopted by a majority of the members of the Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

 

Student transcripts or an addendum to the transcript certified by the Registrar shall identify all courses completed in satisfaction of the core curriculum as specified in 19 Administrative Code 4.28(h) and field of study.

 

HOLD ON STUDENT RECORDS

 

Grades and transcripts will not be released if the student has a “hold” on his/her records. Holds may be placed on a student’s record for:

 

  1. failure to meet admission requirements;
  2. financial reasons (returned checks, overdue loans, dorm damage charges, etc.);
  3. materials overdue at the Learning Resource Center; or
  4. other reasons deemed necessary by the college.
 
These holds can be released only after the cause of the hold has been satisfactorily cleared.

 

POLICIES FOR TRANSCRIPTING TRANSFER CREDIT

 

Students desiring to transfer coursework to Navarro College to be applied toward a degree or certificate must have their transcripts evaluated during their first semester of enrollment. Transcript evaluation is conducted by the Admissions and Records Office and approved by the appropriate Instructional Dean. Students are then notified in writing by the Admissions and Records Office concerning the status of the transfer credit. The following quantitative and qualitative limitations are used in determining the acceptability of transfer work:

 

A. Lower and Upper Division Coursework
Navarro College will evaluate and transfer courses for freshmen - and sophomore-level course work of the same level. If you wish to have upper-division coursework evaluated for degree purposes, contact your instructional dean. 

 

Credits earned at eligible institutions shall be transferred to Navarro College and transcripted in one of three ways:
1. Equivalent credit — the course transfers as the equivalent of a course taught at Navarro College.
2. By Title credit — the course is not the exact equivalent of a course taught at Navarro College; however, the course may substitute for a core requirement or a major requirement, depending upon the student’s degree objectives.
3. Enbloc credit — the course is in an area of study not offered by Navarro College; therefore, the credit hours and course transfer only as elective hours. Enbloc credit is not available for advanced placement or other examinations; training provided by non-collegiate institutions, such as Armed Forces and service schools; professional certification; or experiential learning.
 
B. Time Limitation for transfer work
Time limitation for transfer work refers to the amount of time that has transpired between the duration of time the student completed the coursework at a previous institution to the time the student is requesting the credit to be transferred to Navarro College. Certain Navarro College programs (e.g., Associate Degree Nursing) may have an established time limitation for accepting transfer credit; however, any credit earned at a previous institution must be comparable to the learning outcomes of an existing Navarro College course and must be current in nature and content. If a department or program determines the transfer coursework to be outdated and therefore unacceptable, the student may appeal for acceptance of these hours to the appropriate Executive Dean.
 
C. Grade Limitations for transfer work
Navarro College will transcript all coursework taken at other eligible institutions in which a grade of “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” was earned. Generally, the “D” grade is the minimum grade which will be accepted in transfer and applied toward a degree or certificate; however, certain programs (e.g. Associate Degree Nursing) may have more stringent grade requirements when applying transcripted credit toward a degree. Courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis will be transcripted but may not apply toward a degree or certificate unless prior approval is given by the appropriate Executive Dean.

 

Developmental/remedial coursework may be transcripted for advising purposes, but grades earned will not be calculated in the cumulative transfer GPA nor will the courses be acceptable toward graduation for any degree or certificate program.

 

D. Calculation of Transcript Grade-Point-Average
Navarro College will calculate a cumulative grade-point average for all transfer work for advising and placement purposes, but transfer hours and grade points will not be incorporated into the grade-point-average earned at Navarro College until the time of calculation of the graduation grade-point-average.

 

E. Calculation of Graduation Grade-Point-Average
Hours and grade points transferred to Navarro College and applied toward a degree plan for graduation purposes will be included in the overall calculation of the graduation GPA.

An overall 2.0 grade-point-average on coursework applied toward the degree plan is required for any degree or certificate awarded by Navarro College.

 

ACADEMIC FRESH START

 

A student may elect to claim academic fresh start and not use older grades as a part of their official grade point average, as prescribed by state statute. In this case, only the grades that remain a portion of their official grade point average will be considered in the calculation of the graduation grade point average.

 

LIMITATIONS OF TRANSFER WORK ACCEPTED FOR A DEGREE OR CERTIFICATE FROM NAVARRO COLLEGE

 

Twenty-five (25%) percent of all coursework required for a degree from Navarro College must be completed at Navarro College. Additionally, twenty-five (25%) percent of all hours in an applied major field must be completed at Navarro College for the student to receive a degree in the specified major.

 

TRANSFER FROM ANOTHER COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

 

Students transferring to Navarro College from other institutions of higher education must turn in official transcripts from all U.S. (and U.S. territories) institutions attended, to the Office of Admissions and Records. Transcripts must be no older than three years from the date the transcript was printed to comply with the state records and retention law, established by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Students seeking admission after having not attended for a year or longer must also submit a new application.
 
Credit for courses in which a passing grade (“D” or better) has been earned may be transferred to Navarro College from the following institutions:

 

A. Institutions that are regionally accredited
1. Higher Learning Commission
2. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education
3. New England Association of Schools and Colleges
4. Northwest Association of Colleges and School Commission on Colleges
5. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
6. Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission on Colleges
7. Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

 

B. Institutions that are not regionally accredited
Students transferring credits from these institutions will be evaluated by the Executive Dean on a case-by-case basis. Factors that will be considered relating to these courses include:
1. Course Grade;
2. Contact/Credit Hours;
3. Student Learning Outcomes;
4. Faculty Credentials;
5. Level;
6. Content;
7. Quality;
8. Comparability, and
9. Degree program relevance.
 
It shall be the student’s responsibility to provide all transcripts and documents necessary to evaluate any prior educational experience.

 

C. Foreign institutions not accredited by a regional postsecondary accrediting commission
Students who earn credits at foreign institutions not accredited by a regional postsecondary accrediting commission may have such credits transferred in by providing adequate documentation that the credit awarded represents post-secondary coursework relevant to the degree, with comparable and appropriate course content and level of instruction resulting in competencies at least comparable to those taught at Navarro College; and coursework taught by faculty who are qualified faculty. Such documentation may be obtained by having the foreign transcript evaluated by an external agency such as International Education Research Foundation, Inc., Los Angeles, California, or World Education Services, New York, New York, or other agencies approved by Navarro College. The external evaluation must be a detailed evaluation providing course competencies which can then be evaluated by faculty within the various disciplines to determine if exact course equivalencies exist. The student is responsible for arranging for credential evaluation, and is expected to pay all costs of translation and/or evaluation of foreign credentials. No credit is awarded in disciplines which are not within the regular curricular offerings of the institution or which are not appropriately related to the student’s current educational goals.
 
Student who register but fail to list on the admissions application other colleges or universities attended, or who are otherwise ineligible to attend Navarro College, will be subject to dismissal with forfeiture of all tuition and fees.

 

COMPETENCY-BASED INSTRUCTION

 

Competency-based learning refers to specially designed courses that are based on mastery of competencies, where students demonstrate achievement of individual competencies, knowledge, or skills before they move on to the next competency. Such courses typically have a flexible time frame for the learning of the competencies, allowing students to progress at a faster pace than in a traditional course format. Students will not progress to the next course until they demonstrate achievement of every competency and skill in the current course, as they progress through their education.

 

POLICIES FOR PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT (PLA)

 

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is defined as a process for assessing learning gained outside of a traditional academic environment. This could be learning acquired through military service, credit by examination, or portfolio assessment. PLA is a means of evaluating what a student already knows at the college-level derived from these experiences for college credit, certification, or advanced standing toward further education or training.

 

General Guidelines
Consistency with Navarro College’s Mission and Role: Credit awarded for prior learning shall be consistent with Navarro College’s educational mission and goals. Navarro College will only award credit for approved, non-developmental, lower division courses and programs that are offered by Navarro College and lie within the scope of its mission and role, as described in the Texas Education Code.

 

Authority to Award Credit: Credit for prior learning shall be granted only upon recommendation of an Executive Dean and teaching faculty who are appropriately qualified. Individuals participating in the recommendation shall be named therein.

 

Methods for Awarding Credit: Credit for prior learning shall be awarded in accordance with consistent methods established by the awarding department/division and school and based upon documented learning. Transferability of awarded prior learning credit will be at the discretion of the receiving institution.

 

Evidence of Extra-Institutional Learning: Credit for prior learning shall be granted only for documented learning which ties the prior experience to the theories and data of the relevant academic fields. Such evidence may take the form of noncredit program documents (syllabi, competency descriptions, textbooks, etc.), competency examinations, skill demonstrations, learning portfolios, and/or other mechanisms approved beforehand by qualified faculty. No credit shall be granted without reliable evidence.

 

Comparability: Credit for prior learning shall be granted only for demonstrated learning outcomes and/or competencies comparable in nature, content, and extent to those that successful students achieve by participation in Navarro College’s approved non-developmental courses and programs. Comparability shall be based on the officially approved learning outcomes and competencies articulated in Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs).

 

Timeliness: Credit shall not be awarded for prior learning that is not current in nature and content. Because currency differs by field, the reviewing Executive Dean and teaching faculty shall determine whether the prior learning adequately satisfies current course learning outcomes and competencies.

 

Appropriateness of Amount of Credit: The amount of credit granted shall be consistent with standards articulated by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

 

Overall Proportion: As stated elsewhere in these procedures, twenty-five (25%) percent of all coursework required for a degree from Navarro College must be completed at Navarro College. Additionally, twenty-five (25%) percent of all hours in an applied major field must be completed at Navarro College for the student to receive a degree in the specified major. Therefore, credit awarded for PLA shall not exceed 50% of coursework required for a degree or certificate.

 

Transcript Integrity: To ensure transcript integrity, student transcripts at Navarro College will identify the source of awarded credit.

 

Grading of Awarded Credit: Credit awarded shall be ungraded course credit unless an adequate basis exists for assigning a grade.

 

Credit for Audited Courses: Navarro College shall not grant credit for courses taken on an audit basis at any institution.

 

Partial-Course Credit: Navarro College shall not award partial-course credit for prior learning. Only full course credit will be awarded for qualifying prior learning assessment.

 

Enrollment Status: Students must be currently enrolled at Navarro College and pursuing a Navarro College credential at the time that they seek credit for prior learning. Students are eligible to apply for awarded credit upon completion of fifteen (15) semester credit hours in residency at Navarro College with a minimum grade point average (GPA) or 2.0 or higher and in good standing.

 

Financial Aid Eligibility: Credit granted for prior learning is not eligible for financial aid or veterans’ education assistance, and such credits will not be counted toward full-time status for scholarship purposes. However, awarded credit will count toward the maximum time frame to graduation (150% of the credits necessary for graduation) for financial aid purposes.

 

Fees: Reasonable recording fees may be assessed by the Perkins Career Success Center and/or the evaluating department/division to offset the cost of evaluating prior learning for credit.

 

Posting of Procedures: Instructions for students wishing to apply for awarded credit and fees to be assessed will be published and kept current by the Perkins Career Success Center.

 

Applicable Fees
Students eligible to receive credit through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) must complete and submit the Application for Prior Learning Assessment through the Navarro College Perkins Career Success Center. There is no fee required to submit the PLA application.

 

APPLICABLE FEES
External Examination Fees (CLEP, DSST, ACT/SAT/IB)
$25 Test Proctoring Fee – Navarro College Testing Center (does not include testing fees paid to external entities)
Industry/Professional Certification (with crosswalk)
$0
Departmental Examination
$65 per SCH + applicable Lab Fees (based in accordance with lab fee schedule)
Portfolio Development and Evaluation Fee
$100 - Portfolio Development Course fee
$65 per credit hour for Evaluation

 

TYPES OF PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT (PLA)
Students who have completed courses through military or industrial training, or who feel they should be entitled to college credit based on other non-traditional learning experiences, may be awarded up to fifty percent of a degree or certificate based on the following procedures:
  • Military Experience (Joint Services Transcript, DANTES Subject Standardized Test)
      • Credit by Examination
    •      Departmental Examination
    •      SAT/ ACT / AP / IB Credit
    •      CLEP
  • Departmental Crosswalk Alignment
      • Portfolio Assessment
    •      Work Experience
    •      Community Service Experience
    •      Evaluated Credit
  • Industry/Professional Certification

 

Eligibility
To be eligible to earn course credit for non-credit learning experiences, student must be currently pursuing a Navarro College degree or certificate, have completed at least fifteen (15) semester credit hours, and have a GPA of at least 2.0.

 

Military Experience
Navarro College is committed to ensuring our military service members and veterans receive credit for their college-level knowledge gained through their service to our country. A student may receive credit for formal military training or coursework sponsored by civilian organizations. One (1) to four (4) hours of physical education activity credit may be awarded for basic training in the military depending upon the years of military service completed. Navarro College will award credit for associate degree-level work as recommended in the Joint Services Transcript (JST). Since the recommendations made in the JST are general in nature, such credit may be counted as electives or to meet general education requirements, but cannot be used in lieu of specific course requirements unless equivalency can be established. The College also grants credit for coursework completed through The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program. The decision regarding equivalency rests with the appropriate Executive Dean. Students who are awarded credits on this basis will have the subject area and credit earned recorded on their official transcript after they have completed fifteen (15) semester hours in residence at Navarro with a grade-point-average of 2.0 (“C”) or better. No credit is awarded for military training in disciplines which are not within the regular curricular offerings of the institution or which are not appropriately related to the student’s current educational goals.

 

Credit by Examination
When a student feels he or she possesses knowledge equivalent to that required for the successful completion of a certain course offered by Navarro College, the student may receive credit for the course by satisfactorily completing the appropriate examination and payment of the appropriate fee. Examinations are open to all students who have been accepted for enrollment at the college. Students who achieve a satisfactory score on the examination will have the course and earned credit recorded on their transcript after completion of fifteen (15) semester hours in residence at Navarro with a grade-point-average of 2.0 or better. Credit earned through this program is awarded on a pass/fail basis only. Students are not permitted to receive credit by examination for courses in which they have previously earned a passing grade or previously attempted to obtain credit by departmental exam.

 

The following exams may be taken for credit or transferred into Navarro College if the student has already taken an exam:
  • Departmental Examination
  • Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)
  • SAT/ACT
  • AP (Advanced Placement)
  • IB (International Baccalaureate) Exam
  • CLEP
 
Departmental Examination
Students desiring to challenge a course by a departmental examination must complete the Prior Learning Application with the Perkins Career Success Center and then request permission to test from the appropriate Executive Dean. If the course is approved for challenge by departmental examination, the dean will notify the testing center and arrange a date for the test to be administered. Please note departmental examinations WILL NOT be administered for subjects in which a CLEP or DANTES (DSST) examination exists.

 

The student will:
  1. Complete Navarro College PLA Application
  2. Pay applicable fees to the Business Office
  3. Take the paid receipt to the Testing Center at the scheduled test time arranged by the dean.
 
The Testing Center will forward test results to the Office of Admissions and Records for student notification and posting to the Navarro College transcript.
 
Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)
The College also grants credit for coursework completed through The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program. The decision regarding equivalency rests with the appropriate Executive Dean. Students who are awarded credits on this basis will have the subject area and credit earned recorded on their official transcript after they have completed fifteen (15) semester hours in residence at Navarro with a grade-point-average of 2.0 (“C”) or better. DANTES transcripts are submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records for evaluation. The Office of Admissions and Records then posts equivalent course credit to the student’s official transcript as applicable.
 
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
Students who receive satisfactory scores on sections of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) may be awarded credit for specified courses. A listing of those courses and required scores will be kept on file in the Counseling Center, Testing Center, and office of the Executive Dean of Academic Studies. If a student makes the following score on the verbal sub-test of the SAT, the following credit hours may be awarded:
MINIMUM SCORE
CREDITS
COURSE EQUIVALENT
Verbal 600
3
ENGL 1301
Verbal 650
6
ENGL 1301 & 1302

 

American College Testing Program (ACT) Examination
Students may receive college credit for specified courses based on their scores on sub-tests of the ACT. A listing of courses and required scores will be kept on file in the Testing Center, Counseling Center, and office of the Executive Dean of Academic Studies. If a student makes a satisfactory standard score on the sub-test of the ACT, the following credit hours may be awarded:

 

MINIMUM SCORE
CREDITS
COURSE EQUIVALENT
English 30
3
ENGL 1301
English 34
6
ENGL 1301 & ENGL 1302
Math 30
3
MATH 1314
Biology 30
4
BIOL 1406

 

Advanced Placement (AP) Examination
Students who earn a score at or above the level established by the national AP standard may receive credit for specified courses. A list of courses and required passing scores will be kept on file in Counseling Center, Testing Center, and office of the appropriate Dean. The following chart describes credit awarded for successful AP scores:
AP EXAMINATION
MINIMUM SCORE
NAVARRO COLLEGE
CREDIT HOURS
Studio Art - Drawing
3
ARTS 1316
3
Studio Art - 2 Dimensional Design
3
ARTS 1311
3
Studio Art - 3 Dimensional Design
3
ARTS 1312
3
Art History
3
ARTS 1303
3
Biology
3
BIOL 1406
4
Calculus - AB
3
MATH 2413
4
Calculus - BC
3
MATH 2413 & 2414
8
Chemistry
3
CHEM 1411
4
Computer Science - A
3
COSC 1301 or
COSC 1436 or
BCIS 1305
3
Economics - Macro
3
ECON 2301
3
Economics - Micro
3
ECON 2302
3
English Language/Composition
3
ENGL 1301
3
English Literature and Composition
3
ENGL 1301, 1302
6
Environmental Science
3
ENVR 1401
4
French Language
3
FREN 1411, 1412
8
Government & Politics - US
3
GOVT 2305
3
History - US
3
HIST 1301, 1302
6
Music Theory
3
4
MUSI 1311, 1316
MUSI 1311, 2311, 1312, 2312
6
12
Physics 1
3
PHYS 1401`
4
Physics 2
3
PHYS 1402
4
Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism
3
PHYS 2426
4
Physics C: Mechanics
3
PHYS 2425
4
Psychology
3
PSYC 2301
3
Spanish Language & Culture
3
4
5
SPAN 1411,1412
SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311
SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312
8
11
14
Spanish Literature & Culture
3
SPAN 2311, 2312
6
Statistics
3
MATH 1342
3

 

International Baccalaureate (IB) Examination
In compliance with SB 111, students admitted for the Fall 2006 semester and after will be granted a minimum of 24 hours credit if they have earned the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and have no scores lower than a four (4) on the Standard Level and Higher Level Exams. If a student has earned IB credit on individual exams, but has not earned the IB Diploma, credit will be awarded for a score of five (5) on the Standard Level Exam and a score of four (4) on the Higher Level Exam as shown on the following equivalency chart:

 

IB SUBJECT
SL SCORE
HL SCORE
NAVARRO COLLEGE
CREDIT HOURS
English A1
5
4
5+
ENGL 1301, 1302
ENGL 1301, 1302, 2332, 2333
6
12
French A2 or B
5
4
FREN 1411, 1412
8
Spanish A2 or B
5
4
5+
SPAN 1411, 1412
SPAN 1411, 1412, 2311, 2312
8
14
Business & Mgt
5
4
BUSI 1301
3
Economics
5
4
ECON 2301, 2302
6
History
5
4
5+
HIST 1301, 2311, 2312
HIST 1301, 1302
3
6
Philosophy
5
4
PHIL 1301
3
Psychology
5
4
4
PSYC 2301
SOCI 1301
3
3
Social & Cultural Anthropology
5
4
ANTH 2346
3
Biology
5
4
5+
BIOL 1406
BIOL 1406, 1407
4
8
Chemistry
5
4
5+
CHEM 1405, 1407, 1411
CHEM 1405, 1407, 1411, 1412
4
8
Physics
5
4
5+
PHYS 2425
PHYS 2425, 2426
4
8
Mathematics (HL only)
  
4
MATH 1314
3
Computer Science
5
4
COSC 1301 or
COSC 1436 or
BCIS 1305
3
VIsual Arts
5
4
ARTS 1301
3
Music
5
4
MUSI 1306
3
Theatre Arts
5
4
DRAM 1310
3

 

CLEP Examination
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a national program that offers students an opportunity to obtain credit in certain courses. Intensive reading, on-the-job experience, continuing education courses, or electronic delivery courses may have prepared the student to earn college credit. Students may take CLEP tests at Navarro College or any other location. Credit will only be awarded based on Navarro College’s criteria and required scores. A listing of available current CLEP examinations and minimum required passing scores will be kept on file in the Counseling Center, Testing Center, and office of the appropriate Dean.

 

The following are the minimum computer-based CLEP score requirements to receive college credit at Navarro College:

 

EXAMINATION
MINIMUM SCORE
NAVARRO COLLEGE COURSE
American Government
50
GOVT 2305
American Literature
50
ENGL 2326
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature
50
ENGL 1302
Biology
50
BIOL 1406 & 1407
Introductory Business Law
50
BUSI 2301
Calculus
50
MATH 2413 & 2414
Chemistry
50
CHEM 1411 & 1412
College Algebra
50
MATH 1314
College Composition
50
ENGL 1301 & ENGL 1302
College Mathematics
50
MATH 1332
English Literature
50
ENGL 2321
French Language
50
FREN 1411 & 1412
History of the US I
50
HIST 1301
History of the US II
50
HIST 1302
Human Growth & Dev.
50
PSYC 2314
Humanities
50
HUMA 1301
Info Systems
50
COSC 1301 or
BCIS 1305
Introductory Psychology
50
PSYC 2301
Introductory Sociology
50
SOCI 1301
Macroeconomics
50
ECON 2301
Microeconomics
50
ECON 2302
Natural Sciences
50
PHYS 1415 & 1417
Financial Accounting
50
ACCT 2401 & 2402
Pre-Calculus
50
MATH 2412
Principles of Management
50
BMGT 1303
Principles of Marketing
50
MRKG 1311
Spanish Language
50
63 (or higher)
SPAN 1411 & 1412
SPAN 2311 & 2312
Western Civilization I
50
HIST 2311
Western Civilization II
50
HIST 2312

 

Credit for CLEP, ACT, SAT, and/or AP is not automatically awarded but must be requested by the student by submitting scores to the Office of Admission and Records, who will award credit based on the above criteria. Evaluated/examination credit is awarded on a pass/fail basis only. Students are not permitted to receive evaluated/examination for courses in which they have previously earned a passing grade or previously attempted to obtain credit by departmental challenge exam.

 

When questions arise with regard to course equivalency, the decision as to whether equivalency exists rests with the appropriate Executive Dean in conference with members of the faculty teaching in the discipline.

 

Departmental Crosswalk Alignment
Navarro College recognizes that students can gain college-level knowledge and competencies through their work and life experiences. One way to gain credit for prior work and life experiences is through the alignment of those experiences with course student learning objectives through the use of departmental course crosswalks. The Perkins Career Success Center will evaluate documented prior work and life experiences to determine if they align with the requirements on the appropriate departmental course crosswalks. All credit is evaluated on a course-by-course basis and must be approved by the Executive Dean.
 
Portfolio Assessment
Navarro College recognizes that students can gain college-level knowledge and competencies through their work and life experiences. In order to obtain an award of credit by Portfolio, students must complete a Portfolio Development Course documenting college-level competencies acquired through educational, vocational, or personal experiences. The Perkins Career Success Center will coordinate the portfolio development process. All credit is evaluated on a course-by-course basis and must be approved by the department chair/program director in consultation with the appropriate Executive Dean.

 

The Portfolio may include (but is not limited to) the following elements:
  • Narrative (comparable to an end-of-semester term paper) that describes how the student meets the course learning objectives through his/her experience, what has been done, how the student knows what she/he knows, and how she/he links theory and application.
  • Documentation to prove that what the student says is supported by evidence. This could include letters from supervisors, videos, work product examples, brochures, certificates of completion, evidence of professional development program completion, and more.
  • Evidence of Work and/or Community Service Experience.
  • Industry/Professional Certifications
 
Portfolios will be limited to two submissions.

 

Industry/Professional Certification
Navarro College has established equivalent course credit for professional certificates and Texas state licensure. Certain licenses and certifications awarded from non-Texas institutions may be eligible for credit if a reciprocity agreement exists with the State of Texas. Such licenses or certifications may also be included in a portfolio assessment as outlined in these procedures.
 
Course credit is based on competencies demonstrated through successful completion of the professional certification or state licensure examinations. Students must provide evidence of an official, current Texas licensure or professional certificate to receive credit. Credit is generally awarded for introductory level courses only and will not be awarded for core curriculum. No more than fifty percent (50%) of the hours required for a degree or certificate may be earned by Industry/Professional Certification.

 

Grievance Procedure for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
Students who have a grievance related to the Prior Learning Assessment process must follow the “Grade Challenge Policy” found in the Student Handbook, the Academic Catalog, and Navarro College Board Policy Manual – FKD.1: Students – Student Rights and Responsibilities – Grade Challenge.

 

EXCEPTIONS TO PROCEDURE
Any deviations from the above procedures based upon exceptional individual cases must be recommended by the Executive Dean and approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs with appropriate and well documented justification for such action.

 

Approved: 2015
Updated: 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024
Reviewed: