Colorado Christian University Catalog

Attention: This catalog is for archival purposes only. Please see www.ccu.edu/catalog for current information.

6-2: NON-TRADITIONAL CREDIT

Advanced Placement Examinations (AP)

A high school graduate who has taken the Advanced Placement Examinations conducted by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) and who has passed with a score of 3, 4 or 5 may receive university credit. Credit awarded will be treated as transfer credit and will count toward graduation as applicable. Additional information about transferring AP credit may be obtained from the Admission or Registrar's Office.

Armed Forces Educational Credit

Veterans may receive undergraduate credit for Basic Training and other formal educational experience gained while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Basic Training is credited as physical education. Credit awarded will be treated as transfer credit and will count toward graduation as applicable. Veterans must submit an original of their ARTS transcript or other documentation of their experience to receive credit. To evaluate credit, the university uses the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services. College of Undergraduate Studies students should contact the veteran's office for more information.

College-Level Examinations Program (CLEP) and Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) Testing Policy

Colorado Christian University will accept credit as applicable in any program for students who score at or above established levels on many College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) examinations. Cut-off scores for granting credit will be those scores recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE).

Credit received will be treated as transfer credit and will count toward graduation as applicable. Information about specific CLEP and DANTES tests, equivalent courses, and scores may be obtained from the Teaching and Learning Center.

The following conditions apply for CLEP/DANTES tests:

A student may not receive credit by examination for a course in which he or she has been registered at CCU and received a "D," "F," "NC," "Audit," "W," or "Incomplete."
A student may earn a maximum of 45 credit hours by examination.
Exam credits are transfer credits, and therefore will not apply to the residency requirement for graduation.
A College of Undergraduate Studies student may not receive credit by examination for a subject in which the student has already successfully completed a higher-level course or test. For example, a student may not receive credit for Research Writing, and then receive credit for a subsequently taken test in English Composition. In other words, there must be an upward educational progression. Adult and Graduate Studies students will be considered on a case by case basis.
A student may not receive credit for an examination after already receiving credit for completion of an equivalent course or test. For example, a student may not receive credit for a standard, classroom-type English Composition course and then receive credit for a CLEP test for English Composition. This policy is intended to prevent duplicate credit for specific courses, not general areas of study.
A student must pay any special exam fees prior to taking the exam.

International Baccalaureate

Students who have participated in the International Baccalaureate Program in high school may be able to receive undergraduate credit for higher-level courses with scores of 4 or higher, depending on their chosen major. Information regarding score requirements and application of course work may be obtained from the registrar's office.

Prior Learning Credit (PLC)

The university may, in certain circumstances, award credit for skills developed in corporate training or other nontraditional educational experiences. Credit is awarded on the basis of careful evaluation of student portfolios that document content, quality, and extent of the learning experience. Students must register for PLC 400 which introduces non-traditional learning and instruction on building a portfolio. In addition, a fee is charged per credit for the evaluation of each portfolio whether credit is granted or not. Credit received will be treated as transfer credit and will count toward graduation as applicable toward a degree program. In assessing and accepting prior learning credit, the university adheres to guidelines and standards delineated by the Council for the Advancement of Experiential Learning (CAEL) and the American Council on Education (ACE).

Independent and Directed Study

Independent or directed studies may be available, with approval, to students upon request or upon institutional need. An independent study is intended to provide the student with an opportunity to investigate an area of academic interest not available through the regular curriculum. The investigation may include a planned program of readings or may involve research in some aspect of science. Independent studies are available to juniors or seniors with a 3.0 cumulative GPA. A directed study is a regular course offered based on institutional need or to assist a student in maintaining adequate progress toward completion of their degree. Directed studies are available to juniors or seniors with a 2.0 cumulative GPA. The studies require periodic conferences between the student and the instructor. Before the student registers for an independent or directed study, conference times that are mutually agreeable to the student and the instructor should be arranged. The conferences provide an evaluation of the student's progress in the study. A paper describing the student's findings is ordinarily required at the conclusion of the study. An independent or directed study must be concluded within the semester. Enrollment requires the approval of the dean or director under whose department the course is offered and the Registrar.. The Independent/Directed Study Form must be completed before the student can register or add the course and the student must complete registration before the add deadline. No student may take more than a total of 6 hours of directed study to meet graduation requirements.

Credit by Examination

Credit may be earned through examinations prepared by the university when there is reason to believe the student has had exceptional experiences outside of college that provide learning similar to that normally obtained through a classroom experience. The following policies apply:

Written application must be made to the dean of the school where credit is being sought.
A non-refundable fee must be submitted before the examination is taken.
Examinations may be attempted only once.
The instructor will furnish an outline of the material to be covered in the examination and a list of readings. The examination, which must be completed within a three-hour time period, will be administered by the Teaching and Learning Center.
If a passing grade is earned, the credit will be added to the student's transcript with a grade of Pass. If the examination is failed, no notation will be made on the transcript.
Credit earned through university-prepared examinations may count toward residency requirements for a degree.
University-prepared examination credit may be earned in subjects offered for credit in the current academic catalog.

Internship, Field Experience, Practicum, Thesis

Internships, graded Pass/Fail, are available to juniors and seniors; a sophomore may enroll for an internship only with the approval of the dean. Field experience does not extend beyond a regular semester. A practicum, thesis, or internship may extend beyond a regular semester as long as the specific dates are given on the Course Extension form. A field experience, practicum, or thesis is graded on the standard A–F grading scale.

Teaching Assistantship Credit (College of Undergraduate Studies)

One hour of credit per semester for assisting with teaching activities is available to seniors or exceptional juniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. A Teaching Assistantship Form must be completed with the instructor's signature before the student can register for the credit. Assistant teaching activities are limited to lower-division courses and are ordinarily limited to courses within the student's major. Teaching assistantship activities may include discussion-group leadership; supervised and limited preparation and delivery of lectures; tutoring of students in course work; laboratory preparation, supervision, and cleanup; and assisting in the preparation and grading of examinations. Approximately 30 clock hours of work during a semester is expected of a student earning one hour of credit. No tuition is assessed for teaching assistantship credit.

Co-Curricular Credit (College of Undergraduate Studies)

Elective credit may be earned for various co-curricular activities including intercollegiate athletics, student government, cheerleading, theatre, and musical ensembles. No more than 10 hours of co-curricular credit will count toward a degree program. Some school departments may restrict co-curricular credit—see the dean of the particular school for details. Training and participation in varsity intercollegiate team sports may be taken for credit only once per academic year. A maximum of 4 semester hours per sport may be counted toward graduation requirements.

Physical Education Credit (College of Undergraduate Studies)

A student may apply a maximum of seven hours of elective credit in physical-education activity courses toward a bachelor's degree. Activity courses include varsity sports, fitness for life, and sports courses, e.g., skiing. Some schools may restrict physical education credit—see the dean of the particular school for details.