4.3.1 Acceptance of Transfer Students

1. Course work transferred or accepted for credit toward an undergraduate degree must represent collegiate course work relevant to the degree, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled in the BRCC degree program.
2. Any such earned credit must meet the minimum BRCC academic standards of a grade of “C“ or better, and must parallel the content of similar courses offered. The maximum amount of credit allowed to be transferred is 75% of the BRCC curriculum. Any course taken at a North Carolina Community College System institution will be accepted for the equivalent course, per state board code, except as specified in section C below. For all others, the following criteria will be considered in determining the acceptability of the transfer course work:
   1. Accreditation of the school by a regional or national accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. Accreditation does not guarantee acceptance of transfer credit.
   2. Equivalency of course descriptions and learning outcomes and analysis of course level, content, quality, comparability, and degree program relevance. It shall be the student’s responsibility to provide documentation of this equivalency, which may include, but is not limited to, syllabi, course catalogs, course outcomes, etc.
   3. Use of recognized guides, such as those published by the American Council on Education, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and the National Association of Foreign Student Affairs.
   4. If the school was not accredited by a regional or national accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education at the time the course was taken, additional documentation will be required. It shall be the student’s responsibility to provide any additional documentation requested.
   5. For skills-based courses, particularly those in the advanced technology programs, demonstration of skills may be a component of the evaluation process.
3. The responsibility for determining transfer credit from other colleges and universities rests with the Registrar,  Counseling Staff and Academic Deans. When there is doubt about the appropriateness of transfer credit or when a student wishes to appeal a transfer credit decision, the transcript will be reviewed by the appropriate faculty member(s) and Dean, whose decision will be final. In such cases, the Dean will note the decision in the student's academic file. Time limits may be imposed in certain situations, such as for health sciences program courses. Student Services and the appropriate dean will maintain a list of courses that have time limits for transfer.
4. When a student transfers from an institution of higher education to Blue Ridge Community College, the following steps will be implemented:
   1. The student fills out an application for admission and is responsible for providing an official high school transcript and an official transcript from any other post-secondary institution. The student should allow at least one month for the transcript evaluation process prior to registering for classes.
   2.  The student may request credit for prior learning by submitting the Request for Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) form with the appropriate Academic Dean or Chair. Additional documentation supporting the credentials previously earned, apprenticeships, certifications and licensures, military credit, etc., will be required in order to submit the Request for CPL form. 
   3. The counseling staff evaluates the transcript and credit is accepted in accordance with Blue Ridge Community College's program offerings and the procedure stated above. No credit for a course with a grade lower than a "C" may be transferred. The transcript evaluation is conducted in cooperation with the appropriate faculty member(s) and Dean, as applicable.
   4. The student is given placement test(s), if applicable.
   5. The student continues with the registration procedure.

Blue Ridge Community College recognizes the following additional opportunities for awarding transfer credits:

1. College Board Advanced Placement Program (AP): College course credit will be granted to students who participate in the AP and pass the Advanced Placement examinations with a score of three, four, or five. Students must submit a College Action Report to the student services office for consideration of granting college credit.
2. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP): College course credit will be granted to students who participate in CLEP Subject Examinations and achieve the minimum passing score as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). Students must submit a CLEP transcript to the student services office for consideration of granting college credit.
3. Credit for Prior Learning (CPL): The College follows procedures consistent with the State Board code. See procedure 4.3.3
   
   1. CPL may be used to fulfill program requirements except for mandatory institutional requirements. Examples may include but are not limited to, requirements of external agencies that specifically prohibit the use of CPL to fulfill the program requirements.
   2. No more than seventy-five percent (75%) of the credit hours required for graduation from a curriculum program of study may be earned through CPL.
   3. To be eligible to receive CPL, students must meet all of the following criteria:
      • Meet all admission requirements for their program of study.
      • Be enrolled in a curriculum program to which the credit will directly apply; and
      • Request a prior learning assessment consistent with the college’s CPL procedures and provide all documentation by the published deadlines
4. Educational Experiences in the Armed Services: Servicemen and veterans may be awarded college credit for service
   schools they have attended. The service schools must be accredited by a regional accrediting agency. Before applying for credit,
   contact the service school(s) and ask them what regional accrediting agency they belong to. Contact Student Services for more
   information.
5. Professional Certification: Blue Ridge Community College currently recognizes 1) the Automotive Service Excellence
   certification (A.S.E.) and awards credit in the Automotive Technology curriculum program; 2) Basic Law Enforcement Training
   certification and awards credit in the Criminal Justice Technology curriculum program; 3) Emergency Medical Technology
   certification and awards credit in the Emergency Medical Science curriculum program; and 4) Fire Fighter certification and
   awards credit for the Fire Protection Technology curriculum program. A handout outlining specific course credit for certification
   levels is available in Student Services

6. Continuing Education (CE) to Curriculum (CU) Transfer Credit: Continuing Education course work related to curriculum instruction may be transferred or accepted for credit towards curriculum courses in specific programs. Students must have earned a minimum letter grade of a “C,” passed the final assessment with a proficiency of 70% or better, or successfully passed the applicable credentialing exam. The appropriate Dean will approve Continuing Education course material prior to official granting of curriculum credit and the “Non-curriculum to Curriculum Articulation Form” will be completed based on approval from the Dean that all appropriate learning outcomes have been met. Faculty teaching courses for which CE to CU credit may be awarded must meet all SACSCOC credential requirements. In order to meet the requirements for a curriculum credential, the minimum number of credit hours that must be completed in curriculum at Blue Ridge Community College is 25% of a certificate, diploma, or degree.