Prior learning pathways at FCC allow students the opportunity to earn credit for college-level learning, thus accelerating their progress toward graduation. A PLA evaluation is conducted of a student’s work experiences, workplace training, professional licensure and certifications, military training and service, volunteer activities, life experiences, credits earned by standardized testing, and volunteering and community service activities which demonstrate college-level learning. Credit for PLA is not awarded for experience alone, but for a combination of experience and college-level learning. Students seeking credit for prior learning should call the Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator at 301.846.2587 for more information.
Portfolio Assessment
The portfolio development process allows students an opportunity to demonstrate college-level knowledge acquired from work, independent reading, training programs, volunteer activities, and other life experience. A portfolio is an organized collection of essays, documentation, and artifacts demonstrating learning through work and life experiences that satisfies a specific FCC course. Following development the portfolio is submitted to the college for credit review by faculty. Students pay an assessment fee for the portfolio to be reviewed equivalent to a one-credit course and will be assessed 50% of the current tuition per credits rewarded. No more than 15 credits may be earned through portfolio assessment. For additional information, contact the Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator at 301.846.2587.
Institutional Departmental Exams
If no CLEP or DSST exam (see charts below) is available for the subject in which a student is knowledgeable or skilled, students may contact the Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator to discuss the possibility of credit by course examination. A credit by examination may be taken only once. If the student passes a credit by examination with a grade of “C” or better, they will earn the stipulated number of credits for the course. A student’s transcript will show credit for the specific courses that were taken on a credit-by-examination basis. No grade will be recorded, but credits may be counted toward degree requirements. Students pay an assessment fee of 50% of the current tuition per credit prior to taking the departmental exam. If a student is enrolled in a class for which they subsequently request a departmental examination, no refund for the course is available. No more than 15 credits may be earned through departmental examinations. For additional information, contact the Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator at 301.846.2587.
Certificate & Licensure Evaluation
FCC accepts many industry-standard certificates and licensure for college credit. Currently students enrolled in a minimum of three credits can take advantage of agreements in programs including accounting; computer science; criminal justice; emergency management; fire service administration; hospitality, culinary, and tourism; medical assistant; police science; and surgical technology. For additional information, contact your program manager, department chair, or the Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator call 301.846.2587.
Credit by Examinations CLEP/DSST/IB/AP/Cambridge
College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Standardized Subject Tests (DSST)
CLEP and DSST are national credit-by-examination programs providing individuals the opportunity to earn credit in a non-traditional format. General and Subject exams are available in many different disciplines. FCC’s Testing Center administers CLEP and DSST exams by appointment. For more information about taking a CLEP or DSST exam, contact the Testing Center at 301.846.2522.
FCC also accepts CLEP and DSST and awards credit based on the exam taken and score earned. Refer to the following charts for exams accepted by FCC. For more information, contact Career and Academic Planning Services at 301.846.2471 or a Transfer Evaluator at 301.846.2595.
Advanced Placement Examination
These subject matter exams sponsored by the Educational Testing Service are generally administered through high schools at the culmination of AP course offerings. The program provides a practical way for high school students to receive advanced standing credit in college for college-level courses completed in high schools. Applicants for admission who have taken AP examinations should have an official copy of their scores sent to the FCC Registration & Records Office in Jefferson Hall.
Cambridge AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education)
The Cambridge AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Education) program is an international, advanced secondary curriculum and assessment program equivalent to the British system of “A-Levels and AS-Levels.” To qualify for college credit, students must earn an appropriate passing score on the nationally administered exam. Students interested in determining if they have earned FCC equivalent credit should contact FCC Registration & Records Office in Jefferson Hall. A Cambridge AICE score report at the pass level is generally sufficient for the awarding of equivalent FCC credit.
International Baccalaureate
FCC will evaluate International Baccalaureate (IB) subject examinations with scores of 5, 6, or 7. The Students may be awarded up to 30 credits toward the associate degree, but those planning to transfer need to consult with potential transfer institutions regarding each institution’s policy on required scores and credits awarded. FCC does not assess any fees or tuition for International Baccalaureate (IB) evaluations and credit awards. To request an official candidate score report to be sent to FCC, see the International Baccalaureate website at http://www.ibo.org. Students must have official results sent to the FCC Registration & Records Office in Jefferson Hall.
IB Exam | FCC Course Equivalent/Credits Awarded |
---|---|
IB English (HL) | 5+ = ENGL 102 5+ and Completion of full-diploma option = ENGL 101 & ENGL 102 |
IB Math (HL) | 5+ = MATH 120 (3) and MATH 185 (4); Placement into MATH 195 |
IB Math (SL) | 5+ = MATH 165 (4); Placement into MATH 175 or MATH 185 |
IB Math Studies | 5+ = MATH 101 (3) |
IB Biology (HL) | 6+ = BSCI 150 & BSCI 160 |
IB Biology (SL) | 6+ = BSCI 100 |
IB Chemistry | 5 = CHEM 101; 6+ = CHEM 101 and CHEM 102 |
IB Physics (SL) | No credit |
IB History of the Americas | 5 = HIST 201 or HIST 202; 6+ = HIST 201 & HIST 202 |
IB History of Europe | 5+ = HIST 102 |
IB Economics (SL) | 6+ = ECON 200 & ECON 202 |
IB Spanish | 5+ = SPAN 101 & SPAN 102 |
IB French | 5+ = FREN 101 & FREN 102 |
IB Latin | 5+ = LATN 101 & LATN 102 |
IB Music | Determined by program manager |
IB Art | 5+ = ARTT 104 |
IB Computer Science | 5+ = CMIS 106 |
Full IB Diploma (indicates successful completion of the Theory of Knowledge course and the Extended Essay) | ENGL 101 |
American Council on Education (ACE)
ACE offers a Credit Recommendation Service and is a resource that connects workplace learning with colleges and universities by helping adults gain access to academic credit for formal course evaluations acquired outside the traditional classroom setting. Credit may be granted for educational programs that have been completed successfully at non-college institutions and applied to students program of study. ACE also evaluates military training and experience. FCC does not assess any fees or tuition for the evaluation or awarding of ACE credits. ACE now provides a working transcript which includes free digital transcripts and badges. Visit acenet.edu for more information.
National Credit Recommendations Services (NCCRS)
Evaluates training and education programs offered outside of the traditional college classroom setting provided by industry, state, and federal government employers, professional organizations and other agencies and translates them into college credits. FCC does not assess any fees or tuition for the evaluation or award of NNCRS credits. Students must request an official transcript from NCCRS be sent directly to the Registration and Records Office in Jefferson Hall.
Military Training & Service
FCC will evaluate military training and service and award credit where applicable. Military transcripts are issued to Air Force personnel [Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript] and Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy personnel (Joint Services Transcript) and document their military training, experience, and service. Some military education and/or training may be eligible for credit. FCC does not assess any fees or tuition for the evaluation or awarding of CCAF or JST credit. Students must request to have an official CCAF transcript or JST sent directly to the Assistant Registrar at transferevaluation@frederick.edu. No more than 45 military training and service credits can be used to fulfill degree requirements.
CLEP Exams
Examinations | Score Needed | Credits | Course Equivalent |
---|---|---|---|
General Examinations | |||
College Mathematics | 50 | 3 | MATH 101 |
Humanities | 50 | 6 | ARTT 105, ENGL 205 |
Social Sciences/History | 50 | 6 | SOCY 101, HIST 101 |
Subject Examinations | |||
Business: | |||
Financial Accounting | 50 | 6 | ACCT 100, ACCT 101 |
Information Systems & Computer Applications | 50 | 3 | CMIS 101 |
Business Law | 50 | 3 | BMGT 211 |
Principles of Management | 50 | 3 | BMGT 227 |
Principles of Marketing | 50 | 3 | BMGT 225 |
Composition & Literature: | |||
American Literature | 50 | 6 | ENGL 203, ENGL 204 |
College Composition | 50 | 3 | ENGL 101 |
Analyze & Interpret Literature | 50 | 3 | GEELCT (Gen Ed Elective) |
Foreign Languages: | |||
French, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | FREN 101, FREN 102 |
French, Level 2 | 50 | 12 | FREN 101, FREN 102, FREN 201, FREN 202 |
German, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | GERM 101, GERM 102 |
German, Level 2 | 50 | 12 | GERM 101, GERM 102, GERM 201, GERM 202 |
Spanish, Level 1 | 50 | 6 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102 |
Spanish, Level 2 | 50 | 12 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 201, SPAN 202 |
History & Social Sciences: | |||
American Government | 50 | 3 | POSC 104 |
Human Growth Dev. | 50 | 3 | EDPS 210 |
Introductory Psychology | 50 | 3 | PSYC 101 |
Introductory Sociology | 50 | 3 | SOCY 101 |
Macroeconomics | 50 | 3 | ECON 200 |
Microeconomics | 50 | 3 | ECON 202 |
US History I: Early Colonization-1877 | 50 | 3 | HIST 201 |
US History II: 1865 to the Present | 50 | 3 | HIST 202 |
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East-1648 | 50 | 3 | HIST 101 |
Western Civilization II: 1648-Present | 50 | 3 | HIST 102 |
Science & Mathematics: | |||
Biology | 50 | 4 | BSCI 100 |
Calculus | 50 | 4 | MATH 175 |
Chemistry | 50 | 4 | CHEM 100 |
College Algebra | 50 | 3 | MATH 145 |
Precalculus | 50 | 4 | MATH 165 |
Natural Sciences | 50 | 3 | GEBSCI or GEPHSC (Gen Ed Science, No Lab) |
Advanced Placement Exams
Test | Score | FCC Credit |
---|---|---|
Art-2D Design | 3 or better | ARTT ELECT (3) (Art elective) Students may request a portfolio review to possibly receive credit for ARTT 101, ARTT 106, or FILM 134, instead of the ARTT ELECT equivalency. • Contact Jason Santelli to review Photography portfolios • Contact Wendell Poindexter to review portfolios of hand-rendered mediums |
Art-Drawing | 3 or better | ARTT ELECT (3) (Art Elective) Students may request a portfolio review to possibly receive credit for ARTT 101 or ARTT 106, instead of the ARTT ELECT equivalency. • Contact Wendell Poindexter to review portfolios of hand-rendered mediums |
Art-History | 3 or better | ARTT 104 (3) |
Biology | 3 or better |
BSCI 100 (4) |
4 or better | BSCI 150 (4) | |
5 or better | BSCI 150 (4) & BSCI 160 (4) | |
Calculus AB | 3 or better | MATH 185 (4) |
Calculus BC | 3 or better | MATH 185 (4) & MATH 195 (4) |
Chemistry | 3 or better |
CHEM 100 (4) |
4 or better | CHEM 101 (4) | |
5 or better | CHEM 101 (4) & CHEM 102 (4) | |
Comparative Government & Politics | 3 or better | GEPOSC or GESOCSCI (General Education, Political Science or Social Science) (3) |
Computer Science A | 3 or better | CMIS 106 (3) |
Computer Science AB | 3 or better | CMIS 106 (3), CMIS 201 (3), & CMIS 202 (3) |
Computer Science Principles | 3 or better | CMIS ELECT (3) |
Economics-Macro | 3 or better | ECON 200 (3) |
Economics-Micro | 3 or better | ECON 202 (3) |
English-Lang/Comp | 3 or better | ENGL 101 (3) |
English-Lit/Comp | 3 | ENGL 102 (3) placement into ENGL 101 (0) |
Environmental Science | 3 or better | BSCI 105 (3) |
French-Language | 3 or better | FREN 101 (3) & FREN 102 (3) |
German-Language | 3 or better | GERM 101 (3) & GERM 102 (3) |
Government & Politics US | 3 or better | POSC 104 (3) |
History-European | 3 or better | HIST 102 (3) |
History-US | 3 or better | HIST 201 (3) or HIST 202 (3) |
5 or better | HIST 201 (3) & HIST 202 (3) | |
Human Geography | 3 | GEOG ELECT (Geography Elective) (3) |
Italian-Language & Culture | 3 or better | ITAL 101 (3) & ITAL 102 (3) |
Latin | 3 or better | LATN 101 (3) & LATN 102 (3) |
Music Theory | 3 or better | MUSC 103 (3) |
4 or better | Music majors: credit determined by program manager | |
Music Listening & Literature | 3 or better | MUSC 101 (3) |
Physics 1 | 3 or better | PHYS 121 (4) |
Physics 2 | 3 or better | PHYS 122 (4) |
Physics B | 3 or better | PHYS 121 (4) & PHYS 122 (4) |
Physics C Mechanics | 3 or better | PHYS 151 (4) |
Physics C Electricity & Magnetism | 3 or better | PHYS 252 (4) |
Psychology | 3 or better | PSYC 101 (3) |
Spanish-Language | 3 or better | SPAN 101 (3) & SPAN 102 (3) |
Statistics | 3 or better | MATH 120 (3) |
World History: Modern | 3 or better | HIST 122 (3) |
DSST Exams (DANTES)
Exam Title | Minimum Score | Course Equivalency | Credits |
---|---|---|---|
Art of the Western World | 400 | ARTT 105 | 3 |
Business Ethics and Society | 400 | PHIL 208 | 3 |
Criminal Justice combined with Intro to Law Enforcement | 400 (Students MUST take both exams and earn the minimum score in each exam) | CCJS 101 | 3 |
Environmental Science | 400 | BSCI 105 | 3 |
Fundamentals of College Algebra | 400 | MATH 101 | 3 |
Fundamentals of Counseling | 400 | HUMS 203 | 3 |
Health and Human Development | 400 | HLTH 150 | 3 |
Human Resource Management | 400 | BMGT 223 | 3 |
General Anthropology | 400 | ANTH 101 | 3 |
Introduction to Business | 400 | BMGT 103 | 3 |
Introduction to Geography | 400 | GEOG 101 | 3 |
Introduction to Geology | 400 | GEPHSC 1 (GenEd Physical Sci No Lab) | 3 |
Introduction to World Religions | 400 | HUMN 204 | 3 |
Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 400 | EDPS 210 | 3 |
Principles of Public Speaking | 400 | COMM 103 | 3 |
Principles of Statistics | 400 | MATH 120 | 3 |
Principles of Supervision | 400 | BMGT 227 | 3 |
The Civil War and Reconstruction | 400 | HIST 212 | 3 |