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Transfer of Credit to Clover Park Technical College

Programs may have exceptions to the maximum credits accepted in transfer due to special articulations or consortium agreements. These exceptions will be noted in the program description section of this catalog.

Credit from Colleges and Universities

Clover Park Technical College curriculum is based on current industry standards. Transfer credit from an accredited institution may be accepted if the course work:

  1. Was college level.
  2. Was graded as “C” (2.0) or better. NOTE: Some programs may have a higher standard.
  3. Technical Courses must meet the program’s requirements as described in the Clover Park Technical College Catalog.
  4. General Education Courses do not have a required time limitation, unless specified by an individual program. Requirements can be found in the program description of this catalog.
  5. Transfer credit combined with all sources may constitute no more than 75 percent of the credits needed for program completion.
  6. Transfer of credit for programs with license requirements are subject to current licensing laws.

High School Learning Experience/Dual Credit

Credit/dual credit may be accepted for high school learning experience where formal articulation agreements are in place. Courses that have Dual Credit Articulation agreements are marked with an asterisk * in both program and course description. Please contact Enrollment Services at 253-589-5638 for specific agreements.

Military Experience

Credit may be accepted for military experience or education based on the Joint Services Transcript (JTS) and guidelines from the American Council on Education. Please request an evaluation of your JST from the Enrollment Services Office located in Bldg. 17, Rm. 130, at the Lakewood Campus.

Academic Credit for Prior Learning (Formerly Known As Prior Learning Assessment [PLA] Credit or Prior Experiential Learning)

Four categories for academic credit for prior learning have been established: Prior Experiential Learning (Portfolio Review), Credit by Examination, Extra-Institutional Learning, and Course Challenge. All options are explained below.

Prior Experiential Learning (Portfolio Review)

Instructors will evaluate the prior learning portfolio of a student in relation to the competencies of the program and may award credit for demonstrated learning outcomes appropriate to the subject, course, or program offered. Credit for prior learning portfolio may constitute no more than 25 percent of the credits needed for program completion.

Students who wish to receive credit for prior learning will complete the Request Form available from the Enrollment Services Office and pay the following fees for assessment services: $50 evaluation fee and $20 transcription fee for each course for which prior learning credit is requested.

Credit by Examination/CLEP and DSST Credit

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a way to earn credit for comprehensive knowledge you may have acquired through independent or prior study, cultural pursuits, work, or other life experiences. If you successfully pass the CLEP tests, you may receive credit for completing certain certificate or degree requirements.

Clover Park Technical College (CPTC) accepts the following subject tests when passed with the recommended American Council on Education (ACE) score: College Mathematics, College Algebra, Introductory Psychology, and English Composition. Information about CLEP tests and testing sites can be obtained on the College Board website at www.collegeboard.com.

DSST (formerly known as DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) is also accepted as a way to earn credit for prior knowledge or experience. The subject must be equivalent to CPTC courses and will be accepted according to the ACE recommendations for passing and credit value. Information about DSST tests and testing sites can be obtained online at www.dantes.doded.mil.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Clover Park Technical College grants credits to students who have earned a score of three or more on the Advanced Placement Tests of the College Board in the subject areas listed on the Course Equivalency Guide (visit www.cptc.edu/transfer-to and scroll to “Advanced Placement”). For more information about AP study and testing, please see the AP counselor at your high school or go to www.collegeboard.com and search for Advanced Placement. When you take your test, be sure to indicate that the results should be sent to CPTC.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

International Baccalaureate students who have earned successful IB higher-level test scores may request college credit for IB higher-level work that is the equivalent of CPTC degree and certificate course requirements. For more information, please contact the Credentials Evaluator at 253-589-6003 or email evaluator@cptc.edu.

Credit by Extra-Institutional Learning

Knowledge and skills acquired outside the institution and objectively verified through third-party certifications, industry- recognized testing/training, and crosswalks. Students who wish to receive credit for by extra-institutional learning will complete the Request Form available from the Enrollment Services Office.

Credit by Course Challenge

Challenge examinations are sufficiently comprehensive to determine that the student has the same knowledge and skills as those students who enroll in, and successfully complete, the course. A student should have previous training, private study, work experience, or other bona fide qualifications indicating the student has knowledge or abilities equivalent to course completers. Students who wish to receive credit for course challenges will complete the Request Form available from the Enrollment Services Office and pay the following fees for assessment services: $50 evaluation fee and $20 transcription fee for each course for which a course challenge is requested. Should the course challenge be unsuccessful, the student will be required to take the course.

Alternative Credit Options

CPTC accepts many alternative credit options for completion of degrees and certificates; however, if your plans include transfer to another college or university, they may not provide the same credit, and you should check with their admissions office to determine your best options for meeting your educational goals.

Second Baccalaureate Degree General Education Requirements

Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by one of the following agencies:

  • Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS)
  • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

will have met the general education requirements (basic and distribution areas) for a baccalaureate degree from a Washington State community or technical college. Students must still complete program-specific general education degree requirements if not otherwise satisfied.

Nothing in this policy is intended to restrict the institutional prerogative to evaluate and award additional credit through its existing policies and practices.