®
The Credit Assessment Funnel: How NonTraditional Credit Assessment Reviews Become
Part of Individual Student Degrees
Christine Carter, Senior Evaluator
ccarter@tesc.edu
Kristin LoBasso, Senior Evaluator
klobasso@tesc.edu
Objectives
• To explain how evaluators research, formulate and
institute global equivalencies for non-traditional credit.
• To identify & provide examples of non-traditional credit
as well as the resources used to create Thomas Edison
State College (TESC) equivalencies.
• To demonstrate how students view their non-traditional
credit within the TESC evaluation/degree and on their
transcript.
Thomas Edison State College
• Provide flexible, high-quality, collegiate learning
opportunities for self-directed adults
• Founded to provide diverse and alternative methods of
achieving a collegiate education
• Exists exclusively to serve the needs of adults, the
majority of whom bring with them credit from varied
outside sources
• More than 20,000 students currently enrolled
• Evaluation upon application
• Updates on demand
• Credit from varied sources – both traditional and nontraditional
Evaluation Staff
• Highly trained
• Multiple technological platform
• Establish and maintain course equivalencies for
traditional and nontraditional coursework based on clear
and consistent criteria
• Generate and update individual student evaluations that
clearly reflect transfer coursework and are in alignment
with TESC academic policies.
Equivalencies
• What are equivalencies?
• Why are they important?
Traditional Credit:
Steps to Establishing Equivalencies
1.
2.
3.
4.
Accredited institution
Official transcript
Resources used to establish equivalency
Creating the equivalency
Traditional Credit:
Resources
Institutional Database
TESC
Courses
Spreadsheet
Online
Resources
Transcript
Key
Traditional Credit – Creating the Equivalency
HEAL 325
Health Aspects of Human
Sexuality (3:3:0)
Covers biological, behavioral,
and sociocultural factors in
human sexual behavior.
George Mason University
TESC PSY-301
Human Sexuality
Sexual behavior is strongly
influenced and in part controlled
by social considerations.
Students will examine areas
such as gender identity, legal
aspects of sexual behavior,
cross cultural patterns of
sexuality and forms of sexual
relationships.
Non-Traditional Credit:
Steps to Establishing Equivalencies
1. Type of non-traditional credit
2. Official source/documentation
3. Resources used to establish
equivalency
4. Creating the equivalency
Non-Traditional Credit - Types
1. Programs/Courses reviewed by credit
recommendation organizations
2. Testing options
3. Center for Academic Program Reviews
(TESC)
4. Military education & training
American
Council on
Education
The National Guide
to College
Credit for
Workplace
Training lists
training with
A.C.E.
recommended
credit.
http://www2.acenet.edu/credit/?fuseaction=browse.main
/
NCCRS
http://www.nationalccrs.org
Non-Traditional Credit - Types
1. Programs/Courses reviewed by credit
recommendation organizations
2. Testing options
3. Center for Academic Program Reviews
(TESC)
4. Military education & training
CLEP exams
collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html
DSST exams
www.getcollegecredit.com
Excelsior
Exams
www.excelsior.edu
Non-Traditional Credit - Types
1. Programs/Courses reviewed by credit
recommendation organizations
2. Testing options
3. Center for Academic Program Reviews
(TESC)
4. Military education & training
TESC
Academic
Program
Review
http://www.tesc.edu/degree-completion/Licenses-Certifications.cfm
Non-Traditional Credit - Types
1. Programs/Courses reviewed by credit
recommendation organizations
2. Testing options
3. Center for Academic Program Reviews
(TESC)
4. Military education & training
TESC
Military
Website
http://www.tesc.edu/military
Non-Traditional Credit – Official Source/Documentation
1. Programs/Courses Reviewed by Credit
Recommendation Organizations
2. Testing Options
3. Center for Academic Program Reviews
(TESC)
4. Military Education & Training
Documentation – Credit Recommendation Organization
ACE
Documentation – Credit Recommendation Organization
NCCRS
Documentation – Testing
Documentation
Center for APR
FAA License:
Air Traffic
Control Specialist
Documentation
– Military
Education &
Training
Navy/Marines
Non-Traditional
Credit:
Resources
Institutional Database
ACE
NCCRS
DSST
Military
Education &
Training
http://militaryguides.acenet.edu/CourseSearch.asp
TESC Center for APR
Licenses &
Certifications
Non-Traditional Credit
Establishing the Equivalency
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
ACE
NCCRS
DSST
APR - FAA License
SMART
APR – Nuclear Power School
ACE
INS-371:
Risk Management
Insurance to protect
business enterprises:
accident and health,
burglary, business
interruption,
consequential losses,
employer liability,
fidelity and surety
bonds, floater policies
group, social security,
estate planning,
workman’s
compensation
NCCRS
HEB-301 Advanced Hebrew
Advanced emphasis on oral
expression and composition of
increasing sophistication,
proceeding from concrete
observations to theoretical and
abstract discussion.
DSST
AST-101
Introductory
Astronomy
Explores the broad
range of astronomy
concepts and
principles, placing
emphasis on the
scientific evidence
that astronomers
use to support their
conclusions.
Licenses – FAA Air Traffic Control
Licenses –
FAA Air Traffic
Control
Military - SMART
BIO-251 Microbiology for Health 4
credits
CLB-211 Diagnostic Bacteriology 4
credits
CLB-311 Clinical Microbiology 4
credits
CLB-312 Clinical Parasitology 3
credits
CLB-241 Hematology I + Lab 5 credits
CLB-341 Hematology II 5 credits
CLB-350 Immunology 4 credits
CLB-251 Immunohematology + Lab 4
credits
CLB-202 Clinical Microscopy 5 credits
CLB-231 Clinical Chemistry 6 credits
CLB-232 Clinical Chemistry II 6 credits
CLB-371 Pathophysiology 3 credits
APR of Nuclear Power School
APR of Nuclear Power School
Student Information
Detailed description of
how to interpret the
evaluation and whom to
contact with questions.
Evaluation Credit Summary
Courses Required for Degree
Transfer Credit Sources
NCCRS course
HEB-301 is
fulfilling 4 credits
within the
Humanities,
General
Education
requirement.
Courses Required for Degree
DSSTAstronomy
Fulfills 3 credits of
General Education
Electives.
FAA License
Credit
Fulfills entire Area
of Study (other
than a required
TESC course).
Courses Required for Degree
ACE Course
INS-371
Fulfills 3 credits
of Free
Electives.
One Last Step – Academic Policy
Non-Traditional Credit
Degree Options
Institutional Policy
Evaluation
Staff
Individualized,
Student-focused
Evaluation
QUESTIONS?
Christine Carter, Senior Evaluator
Office of the Registrar
609-984-1141, ext. 3447
ccarter@tesc.edu
Kristin LoBasso, Senior Evaluator
Office of the Registrar
609-984-1141, ext. 3410
klobasso@tesc.edu