Pine Technical College
Policy and Procedure

Policy Number: 230 Date: 9-18-06 Revision Date: n/a
Division/Department: Student Services Authors: Kathy Arola, Robert Baker, Nancy Mach, Mary Jo Mettler, Laureen Williams
Subject: Advanced Placement Credit

Authorities:
M.S. 120B.13, MnSCU Board Policy 3.15, 3.17, 3.21

Purpose:
In keeping with MnSCU policy 3.15, PTC may grant credit based on student performance on Advanced Placement (AP) examinations.

Definition: Advanced Placement: Advanced Placement (AP) is a program of the College Board through which a secondary student completes college-level courses that are designated as AP in high schools. A student may earn college credits by demonstrating a specified level of performance on AP examinations. The AP examinations, which are scored on a 5-point scale, can be taken by any student who feels prepared by independent study or other preparation as well as by students who complete AP courses.

Policy:
Pine Technical College grants credit for scores of 3 or higher on AP examinations according to the following procedure.

Procedure:
Part 1. Credit for Advanced Placement
As specified in Board Policy 3.15 and as requried in M.S. 120B.13, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities shall grant lower division course credit for scores of 3 or higher on Advanced Placement (AP) examinations

Part 2. Equivalent Course Credit.
Pine Technical College grants equivalent course credit for a specific lower division college course for each AP examination that covers substantially similar material. In most cases, the same number of credits is granted for scores of 3, 4, and 5. For courses that are highly sequential in nature (for example, mathematics) the college may grant more credit for a score of 4 or 5 when it represents greater mastery of the material. Equivalent course credits may be applied to certificate, diploma and/or degree programs as either a required course or as an elective course. The equivalent course table is located in the curriculum folder on the network shared drive.

Part 3. Elective Course Credit.
Pine Technical College grants a minimum of three (3) elective course credits when a student presents a score of 3 or higher on an AP examination that covers material that is not substantially similar to an existing course offered by the college. Elective course credits may be applied to certificate, diploma and/or degree programs as an elective course.

Part 4. Credit Limit.
Pine Technical College does not limit the total number of credits a student may earn through AP examinations so long as the total of earned credits does not contradict the intent of MnSCU Board Policy 3.17 and PTC's Residency Policy 219 (Graduation Requirements) that establishes the number of credits taught by the faculty recommending the awarding of the diploma or degree.

Part 5. Transfer of Credit.
A student who transfers to another institution within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system will have credits granted for AP examinations evaluated in accordance with MnSCU Board Policy 3.21 Undergraduate Credit Transfer.

Part 6. Implementation.

Subpart A. Student Responsibility
1. A student must provide an official report of AP examination scores from the College Board to the college in order to receive credit.

2. As per Policy 209R Grade and Credit System, the grade ‘CR’ is given for a credit course in which student elects to test out or submit experience documentation based on standard class assessment. The grade of ‘CR’ is not computed in the GPA.

Subpart B. College responsibility.
1. A list of courses determined to be equivalent to each AP examination and the number of credits granted for each examination.

2. The Registrar or Transfer Specialist completes and records the transfer request from the Transfer Evaluation Form.

3. There is not a limit on course credits granted based on AP examination score. Students are informed via Pine Technical College's web site and the student handbook.

Responsibilities:

Dissemination:

Reviewed by Leadership Team: 10/30/06
Reviewed by Faculty Shared Governance: 10/25/06

Approved: Date: 10/30/06
Robert L. Musgrove, Ph.D.