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Transfer Credit Policy

Ref. No. Executive sponsor Policy steward Approval authority First approved Last reviewed Effective date Next review
21.11 Vice President, Academic and Equity Director, Enrolment and Registrar Executive Council Sept. 20, 2022   Sept. 20, 2022 Sept. 2023
  1. Purpose
    1. NSCC values supporting student mobility through the recognition of prior learning.
    2. The purpose of this policy is to:
      1. Provide criteria for demonstrating, evaluating and acknowledging academic credits earned at external post-secondary institutions to determine equivalencies to NSCC courses and outcomes.
      2. Establish internal NSCC course transfer credits.
  1. Scope
    1. This policy applies to students in College credential program.
  1. Definitions
Term Definition
Advanced Standing An academic status granted by NSCC to a student who hold a sufficient number of equivalent credits from a post-secondary institution to meet all program learning outcomes for the first academic year of a 2-year program.
Articulation Agreement A formal agreement between two or more approved post-secondary institutions documenting the transfer policies for a specific academic program.
College Credential Program A program of study that recognizes the successful completion of all program requirements within College approved timelines by providing a student with a credential.
Course Outline The document that outlines the learning requirements and outcomes of a course.
Currency The period during which the course content and course learning requirements are valid and accepted as relevant to the program of study.
Equivalent Course A course from the College or another approved post-secondary institution that satisfies all learning outcomes of a required course within a college credential program.
Learning Contract A formal agreement negotiated between and signed by a student and an instructor. Each contract specifies the learning goals to be achieved, how success will be measured, the obligation of the signatories, and the timeframe within which the terms must be met.
Non-Credit Courses that are not recorded on the student’s transcript and cannot be considered for transfer towards credit courses in a college credential program.
Official Transcript The official document that records the student’s academic record bearing both the signature of the Director, Enrolment & Registrar, and the official college seal.
Private Career College A private business that offers occupational training programs. These schools are privately owned and operated businesses.
Residency Requirement The minimum percentage of total credits that must be completed through enrolment in NSCC credit courses for a NSCC credential.
Transfer Credit Awarded for courses completed, on the basis that the learning outcomes are equivalent and current to the courses within a student’s program of study.
  1. Policy
    1. Eligibility
      1. Transfer credit will be granted only to students registered in a college credential program.
      2. Students requesting recognized prior learning must meet the residency requirement.
    2. Assessment
      1. Generally, courses being considered for transfer credit must have been earned within the last six (6) calendar years. Some courses may specify a shorter period of currency.
      2. Courses must be essentially equivalent in terms of content, credit hours, and rigor.
      3. Only courses completed successfully will be considered for transfer credit.
      4. NSCC reserves the right not to accept transfer credits.
    3. Applying for Transfer Credit
      1. It is the student’s responsibility to:
        1. Request a transfer credit using the Transfer Credit Request form.
        2. Provide an official transcript, course outline(s), and other required supporting documentation used to assist in the transfer credit assessment process.
      2. Students are encouraged to:
        1. Apply for transfer credit prior to the date outlined on the academic calendar. Applications received after this date may be accepted but course enrolment for the semester will be recorded on the student’s transcript, and a grade assigned as appropriate.
        2. Remain enrolled and attend the course until notified of the outcome of a transfer credit.
      3. All transcripts and other documents filed in support of a transfer credit request become the property of NSCC and will not be returned unless they are deemed irreplaceable.
      4. Requests to assess out-of-country credentials will be considered on an individual basis and may require additional documentation.
    4. Transcripts and Honours Calculations
      1. External Transfers
        1. External transfer credits will appear on a student’s official transcript with a grade of “CR”.
        2. Transfer credits are not included in honours calculations.
      2. Internal Transfers
        1. Students who transfer from one NSCC program to another will automatically be given credit in all courses identical to both programs.
        2. These courses will be considered for honours.
        3. Students who transfer from one NSCC program to another can also request transfer credit for internal courses that are equivalent in content and rigor.
    5. Exceptions
      Exceptions to this policy may be approved by the appropriate school dean in consultation with the Director, Enrolment & Registrar. Decisions regarding exceptions are final and not subject to a student appeal.
  1. Policy Supports
21.12 Transfer Credit Procedures
23.11 Grading Policy
23.01 Program Progression Policy
25.01 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) Policy
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