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Credit Evaluation

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Credit Evaluation Policies

Students entering Nevada State College may be awarded credit(s) for previous college or university course work, nationally administered examinations, and military service, according to policies established by the college and by the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Previous College Or University Work

Students who are transferring baccalaureate level course work from regionally accredited institutions of higher education may be granted credit for work completed that is equivalent to courses offered at Nevada State College, or that can fulfill core and/or major requirements, or as general electives. The amount of credits awarded will depend upon the following:

  1. Regional Accredited Institutions: Credits accepted in transfer must have been earned at an institution accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations listed below and recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or, the must have been earned at an institution that is a candidate for regional accreditation or, sponsored by a regionally accredited institution.
    1. Regional Accrediting Agencies:
      1. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), Middle States Commission on Higher Education
      2. New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institution of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)
      3. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), The Higher Learning Commission
      4. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
      5. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SAC-CC)
      6. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (WASC-JC)
      7. Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission (WASC)
  2. Nationally Accredited Institutions: Credits from nationally accredited institutions are generally not accepted for transfer at NSC. However, credits earned from specialized institutions offering associate, bachelor, or advanced degrees that are accredited, candidates for accreditation, or are sponsored by institutions that are accredited by one of the following national accrediting associations listed below and recognized by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) will be evaluated on an individual, course-by-course basis if requested by the student by means of petition.
    1. National Accrediting Agencies:
      1. Association of Biblical Higher Education Education Commission on Accreditation (ABHECA)
      2. Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools Accreditation Commission (AARTSAC)
      3. Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
      4. Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (CAATS)
      5. Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
      6. Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Accreditation Commission (TACCSAC)
  3. Duplicate credit or excess is not counted towards completion of a Nevada State College degree.
  4. The award of transfer credits at the point of admission is not a guarantee that all transferable course work will be applicable to every degree program. However, course work that is deemed transferable at the point of admission will, at minimum, be eligible for general elective credit.

Non-traditional Credit

Non-traditional credit includes, but is not limited to credit by exam and military service. The maximum number of non-traditional credits that may be applied towards a NSC degree may not exceed one half of the minimum number of credits required for that degree. An official copy of grades or test scores must be sent to the Office of Admission and Recruitment directly from the school, testing service, or reporting agency.

Veterans and students in active military duty in the United States Armed Forces who are receiving educational benefits, must, in addition to other post-secondary academic transcripts, submit all military transcripts for evaluation when applying for admission.

Contact Information for Non-traditional credit inquiries: Office of Admissions and Recruitment, 702-992-2130 or transfer@nsc.edu.

College Board Advanced Placement Examination (AP)

Unless otherwise noted, minimum subject examination scores must be 3, to earn elective or specific course equivalent credits. Test description and content are reviewed by the department offering the course(s) to determine the number of credits awarded as well as course equivalency.

Those students who successfully complete CBAPE examination in French, German, Latin, or Spanish will satisfy the foreign language requirements.

SUBJECT SCORE
Examination
Score 
Course Equivalence, credit
ART
Art History Test
3-5
ART 260, 3 credits
Studio Art: 3-D Design 3-5
Elective, 3 credits
Studio Art: 2-D Design  3-5  ART 107, 3 credits 
Studio Art: Drawing
3-5
ART 101, 3 credits
BIOLOGY
Biology Test
3
BIOL 101, 3 credits no lab
  5 BIOL 196, 4 credits no lab
CHEMISTRY
Chemistry Science Test
 3
 CHEM 121, 4 credits no lab
  4-5 CHEM 121 & CHEM 122, 8 credits no lab
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Computer Science A Test
3
CS 105, 3 credits
  4-5
CS 135, 3 credits
Computer Science AB Test
4-5
CS 135 & CS 202, 6 credits
ECONOMICS
Macroeconomics Test
3-5
ECON 103, 3 credits
Microeconomics Test
3-5
ECON 102, 3 credits
ENGLISH
Composition & Literature Test
3-5
ENG 101, 3 credits
Language & Composition Test
3
 ENG 101, 3 credits
  4-5 ENG 101, 3 credits and ENG 102, 3credits
A maximum of six credits may be awarded for AP exams in English
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Environmental Science Test
4-5
ENV 101, 3 credits
No credit granted for scores of 3.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Spanish Language Test
3
SPAN 113, 3 credits
  4-5 SPAN 113 & SPAN 114, 6 credits
French Language Test
3
 FREN 111, 4 credits
  4-5 FREN 112, 8 credits
GEOGRAPHY
Human Geography Test
3-5
GEOG 106, 3 credits
HISTORY
American History Test
3
HIST 101, 3 credits
  4-5
HIST 101 & HIST 102, 6 credits
If three credits are granted, HIST 101 does not satisfy the Core Curriculum requirement for Constitution alone, but must be taken with HIST 102 or PSC 100. If six credits are granted, HIST 101 and HIST 102 do not satisfy the Core Curriculum requirement for Constitution alone, but must be taken with PSC 100.
European History Test
3-5
HIST 106, 3 credits
U.S. History Test
3 HIST 101, 3 credits

4-5
HIST 101 & HIST 102, 6 credits
If three credits are granted, HIST 101 does not satisfy the Core Curriculum requirement for Constitution alone, but must be taken with HIST 102 or PSC 100. If six credits are granted, HIST 101 and HIST 102 do not satisfy the Core Curriculum requirement for Constitution alone, but must be taken with PSC 100.
World History Test
3-5
Elective, 3 credits
MATHEMATICS
Calculus AB Test
3-5
MATH 181, 4 credits
Calculus BC Test
3-5
MATH 181 & MATH 182, 8 credits
Statistics Test
3-5
PSY 210, 3 credits
MUSIC
Music Theory Test
3-5
Elective, 3 credits
PHYSICS
Physics Test
4-5
PHYS 151 & PHYS 152, 8 credits no lab
Physics B Physics Algebra & Trig Based Test
3-5
PHYS 100, 3 credits

Physics C Electricity & Magnetism

Physics Calculus Based Test

3-5
PHYS 152, 4 credits no lab
POLITICAL SCIENCE
US Government Test
3-5
PSC 101, 4 credits
Does not satisfy Core Curriculum requirement for Constitution alone, must be taken with PSC 100 or HIST 102 or HIST 217.
Government & Politics Comparative Test
3-5
PSC 211, 3 credits
Does not satisfy US or NV Constitution requirement
PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology Test
3-5

PSY 101, 3 credits

  

College Level Examination (CLEP)

Credits may be awarded for each examination with scores that meet the minimum score requirement recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). Schools and/or academic departments determine the equivalent course level, the number of credits to award, and whether the exam meets college or degree requirements.

On July 1, 2010, CLEP replaced the following exams:

  • English Composition is replaced by College Composition Modular
  • Freshman College Composition is replaced by College Composition Modular
  • English Composition with Essay is replaced by College Composition

SUBJECT EXAMINATION
Examination
Score       
Course Equivalence, Credit 
BIOLOGY
General Biology
 50+
BIOL 101, 3 credits no lab
BUSINESS
Information Systems & Computing Applications
50+ 
IS 101, 3 credits
Introductory Business Law
50+
BLW 302, 3 credits
Principles of Accounting
50+
ACC 201 & ACC 202, 6 credits
Principles of Management
50+
MGT 301, 3 credits
Principles of Marketing
50+
MKT 210, 3 credits
CHEMISTRY
General Chemistry
50+
CHEM 108, 3 credits no lab
ECONOMICS
Principles of Microeconomics
50+
ECON 102, 3 credits
Principles of Macroeconomics
50+
ECON 103, 3 credits
EDUCATION
Introduction to Educational Psychology
50+
Elective, 3 credits
ENGLISH
American Literature
50+
ENG 241, 3 credits
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature
50+
ENG 298, 3 credits
College Composition
50-63
ENG 101, 3 credits
  64+
ENG 101 & ENG 102, 6 credits
College Composition Modular
50+
ENG 101, 3 credits
*English Composition
50-63
 ENG 101, 3 credits
  64+
ENG 101 & ENG 102, 6 credits

**Freshman College Composition

including essay

 50-63
ENG 101, 3 credits
  64+
ENG 101 & ENG 102, 6 credits
English Literature
 50+
ENG 235, 3 credits
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Environmental Science
50+
ENV 101, 3 credits no lab
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
College French
50-58

FREN 111 & FREN 112, 6 credits
  59+

FREN 111, FREN 112, FREN 211, &

FREN 212, 12 credits

College German
50-58
Elective, 6 credits
  59+
Elective, 12 credits
College Spanish
50-58

SPAN 113 & SPAN 114, 6 credits
  59+

SPAN 113, SPAN 114, SPAN 213, &

SPAN 214, 12 credits
HISTORY
US History I: Early Colonization to 1877
50+
HIST 101, 3 credits
US History II: 1865 to the Present
50+
HIST 102, 3 credits
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648
50+
HIST 105, 3 credits
Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present
50+
HIST 106, 3 credits
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT & FAMILY STUDIES
Human Growth & Development
50+
PSY 201, 3 credits
MATHEMATICS
Calculus
50+
MATH 182, 4 credits
College Algebra
50+
MATH 124, 3 credits
College Algebra-Trigonometry
50+
MATH 128, 5 credits
Trigonometry
50+
 MATH 128, 5 credits
POLITICAL SCIENCE
US Government
50+

PSC 101, 4 credits

does not fulfill NV Constitution
PSYCHOLOGY
Introduction Psychology
50+
PSY 101, 3 credits
SOCIOLOGY
Introduction Sociology
50+
SOC 101, 3 credits
  

DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DANTES/DSST)

Credits may be awarded for each examination with scores that meet the minimum score requirement recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). Schools and/or academic departments determine the equivalent course level, the number of credits to award, and whether the exam meets college or degree requirements.

Military Education, Training, and Occupation Experiences

Baccalaureate level courses/training taken by students in the military may be awarded credits based on the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendation. Schools and/or academic departments determine the equivalent course level, the number of credits to award, and whether the exam meets college or degree requirements.

The following are military credits that are currently awarded with specific course equivalents at Nevada State College.

 ACE Exhibit Number
  NSC Course Equivalent
  Applicable to Degree Program
 MOS-42A-001  ENG 101
  Core Curriculum
   and IS 101
  Business Administration, B.S.
 Management, B.A.S.
 NER-ETR-002  IS 101
  Business Administration, B.S.
 Management, B.A.S.
 NEC-9502-001
 NEC-9502-002
 NEC-9502-003
 NEC-9502-004
 CER-MTS-001 		 

 EDSC 321
  Secondary Education with a concentration in
 Biology
 English
 History
 Mathematics
 Physical Sciences
 

Military Service

Veterans who have served a minimum of 12 months on active duty in the United States Armed Forces and were honorably discharged, may, upon request, be granted a maximum of 4 general elective credits. A copy of the Report of Separation (DD 214) must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Recruitment when applying for admission.

Nevada System of Higher Education Transfer Rights and Responsibilities for Students and Institution

Transfer credit for courses taken at other NSHE Institution is governed by policies established in the Board of Regents Handbook, Title 4, Chapter 14, Sections 15, 16, and 17. When transferring course work from other NSHE institutions:

  1. The completion of the associate of arts, associate of science, and associate of business degree at a community college automatically fulfills the lower-division general education requirements at any other NSHE institution (Title 4, Ch. 14, Section 15.1.a).

  2. Baccalaureate level courses included as part of the associate of arts, associate of science, or associate of business degree will transfer to any other NSHE institution at a minimum as general elective credit (Title 4, Ch. 14, Section 15.1.d).

  3. Completion of the associate of arts, associate of science, or the associate of business degree does not guarantee satisfaction of all State College or university lower-division requirements except for the lower-division general education requirements (Title 4, Ch. 14, Section 15.1.e).

  4. All undergraduate courses in the NSHE must be common-course numbered with equivalent courses offered throughout the System. An NSHE transfer guide or common course numbering master file shall be maintained by the Office of the Chancellor and published on the Web (Title 4, Ch. 14, Section 16.1 and 16.2).

  5. Each institution shall determine the acceptability of general elective transfer courses, and departmental, college, or other requirements or equivalents shall be forwarded to the appropriate department or college for course evaluation. If general elective credit from a non-NSHE institution is granted by one NSHE institution, then all NSHE institutions shall accept the credit unless the facts on which the original decision was based have changed. Appropriate consultation with the faculty is encouraged throughout the evaluation process (Title 4, Ch. 14, Section 17.3).

In Title 4, Chapter 14, Section 15.12, the Board of Regents mandated that there be a NSHE website outlining the transfer process and protections given to baccalaureate degree-seeking students. The following presents the policies and procedures that govern student transfers between NSHE institutions. It is intended to inform students of their rights and responsibilities and affirm institutional responsibilities. Students and institutional representatives should follow these policies when making transfer-related decisions.

Student Rights

Students have the right to:

  1. Receive automatic fulfillment of lower-division general education requirements at the universities, state college, and community colleges that offer select baccalaureate degrees upon completion of an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or an Associate of Business degree from a NSHE community college.

  2. Access information from the community colleges, state college, and universities about their transfer admission requirements, including documents required for admission, housing, and information about the institution’s costs, financial aid, and student services.

  3. Access information about the transfer of specific courses, credit hours, grades, and degree requirements. This includes information about transferring courses with grades below a “C,” courses students may have repeated, and credit previously granted by examination.

  4. Access and receive admission and transfer-related decisions in writing (electronic or paper) specifically:

    1. Acceptance by the community colleges (limited access programs only), state college, and the universities.

    2. Evaluation of courses and credits accepted for transfer credit and their courses equivalencies, if applicable.

    3. Outline of transfer courses and requirements which the transferred courses or credits will satisfy for the degree or program sought.

    4. Analysis of the number of semester credits required to complete a degree in the chosen major program of study.

    5. The NSHE institution's appeals process for transfer-related decisions.

  5. Appeal any NSHE institution’s transfer-related decision. The appeal process will be developed and maintained by each NSHE institution and published on the institutions’ website.

  6. Elect to graduate under the course catalog graduation requirements under any of the following options, provided that the course catalog at the time of graduation is not more than ten years old:

    1. The course catalog of the year of enrollment in a baccalaureate level course/program at a NSHE community college (valid transfer contract may be required.)

    2. The course catalog of the year of transfer into a baccalaureate level program at the universities, state college, or community colleges that offer select baccalaureate degrees.

    3. The course catalog of the year of graduation from a NSHE institution.

Warning: Changing majors may change the course catalog and graduation requirements, which may increase the time to degree completion.

Notice: Students have all the above rights and any others as summarized in the Summary of Board of Regents Transfer Policies. The summary can be accessed at the NSHE website at http://system.nevada.edu. Paper copies of this document are available upon request of the institution's admission office.

Student Responsibilities

Students have the responsibility to:

  1. Understand the transfer policies and procedures of the institution they are considering for transfer. Students should seek information from the institution they are transferring to regarding: core curriculum, prerequisites, major program requirements, degree requirements, admissions, financial aid, scholarships, housing, deadlines, restrictions, and other transfer-related criteria.

  2. Complete all materials required for application and submit the application on or before the published deadlines.

  3. Research how courses are applicable to degree and major requirements.

  4. Understand that if they change their major, not all courses taken will necessarily apply to their new major.

  5. Plan ahead and realize that appointments with advisors are necessary.

  6. Understand that after a break in their enrollment, status as an admitted student may be affected.

NSHE Institution Responsibilities

NSHE institutions will:

  1. Make transfer-related policies and procedures available on their websites.

  2. Make answers to frequently asked questions about transfer issues accessible for students and provide opportunities for appropriate follow-up appointments to students.

  3. Provide information on the approximate costs of attending the institution, including tuition, books and supplies, housing, and other related fees.

  4. Relay admission and transfer-related decisions to students in writing (electronic or paper); including information about the student’s appeal rights.

  5. Establish and make available upon request internal appeals processes to review transfer-related issues and decisions.

  6. Engage in continuous, authentic dialogue among NSHE institutions about transfer-related issues with the purpose of solving the challenges before they negatively impact students.