Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, Transfer Credit/Advanced Standing, Articulation Agreements and Exemption

1. Purpose

This procedure outlines how a student or prospective student may make application for credit for prior learning which has occurred either inside or outside of the formal classroom environment.

2. Application

This procedure applies to all Loyalist College students and prospective students.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Pathways Coordinator: The role of the Pathways Coordinator is to: conduct the initial meeting with the candidate, provide the candidate with options in regard to transfer credit, exemption, challenge exam and/or portfolio development and make recommendations regarding faculty assessors who do the portfolio review and assessment. The Pathways Coordinator will track the documentation throughout the process.

Faculty PLAR Expert: The role of the faculty PLAR expert is to advise the candidate in regard to the process of portfolio creation. The faculty PLAR expert will assist the Pathways Coordinator in identifying the appropriate faculty to complete the assessment.

Faculty Assessor: The faculty assessor for PLAR is the content expert, normally the faculty currently teaching the course for which the candidate is seeking credit. As such, they define the parameters through which a candidate may seek credit and assess the level to which the candidate has achieved the outcomes cited in the course outline.

General Education Office: Loyalist College is committed to fair and transparent awarding of credit for general education. If a student has been awarded a credential from a recognized post-secondary institution, then, upon submission of the relevant transcript to Enrolment Services, the student will be granted a transfer credit.

A ’TC’ will be entered on the student’s transcript beside the applicable course(s).

If a student has fewer than the minimum three (3) general education courses designated clearly as such on their transcript, then the transcript will be proffered to the office of the Dean responsible for general education for analysis. If the transcript reveals that courses previously designated as part of a vocational program of study qualify as a general education course, then the student will be awarded the credit.

To qualify, the course must: fit into one (1) of the five (5) themes identified by the province, have no shared vocational outcomes with the program in which the student is currently enrolled, is not skillsbased, and is not an essential employability course.

4. PLAR

• 4.1 The PLAR candidate contacts the Pathways Coordinator. The candidate identifies the course(s) they wish to PLAR.
• 4.2 The Pathways Coordinator downloads the appropriate course outline(s) which will identify the method(s) by which the course may be challenged: skills demonstration, challenge exam (written or oral) and/or portfolio.
• 4.3 The candidate confirms intent to proceed with the Pathways Coordinator and pays the current fee. If the candidate is currently enrolled, they must identify intent within the first 10 days of registration.
• 4.4 The Pathways Coordinator completes the Prior Learning Assessment: Portfolio/Challenge Evaluation Form and forwards it to the faculty assessor.
• 4.5 The candidate, with the support of the Pathways Coordinator, contacts the faculty assessor to complete the work required and submits it to the faculty assessor by a specified date.
• 4.6 Within 10 working days, the faculty assessor assigns a grade and enters it on the Prior Learning Assessment: Portfolio/Challenge Evaluation Form which is submitted to Enrolment Services so that the learners’ transcript can be updated. For transcript purposes, the College makes no distinction between credit awarded through PLAR or by having taken the course.
• 4.7 The Pathways Coordinator will inform the learner as to the status of the challenge and the grade awarded in a timely manner.
• 4.8 Candidates have the option of taking the course at a later date or appealing the grade. These options may result in the inability for the candidate to graduate with their cohort.
• 4.9 The grade awarded may be appealed. For more information about an academic appeal at Loyalist College, please refer to AOP 231 Academic Appeal Process.

5. Transfer Credit/Advanced Standing

• 5.1 The learner contacts Enrolment Services and submits their transcript for analysis.
• 5.2 If the learner is requesting a credit analysis for general education and the existing transcript clearly shows successful completion of general education courses, Enrolment Services amends the current Loyalist transcript to show a ‘TC’ beside the applicable general education course(s). If general education courses are not clearly marked, the transcript will be sent to the office of the Dean responsible for general education to analyze if courses previously designated as part of a vocational program of study qualify as a general education course. If yes, then the student will be awarded the transfer credit.
• 5.3 If the learner is requesting a credit analysis for advanced standing, then the Pathways Coordinator will work with the coordinator of the appropriate program who performs that analysis based on the learner’s transcript and the current course outlines.
  • 5.3.1 The program coordinator completes the appropriate form and submits it to Enrolment Services.
  • 5.3.2 The Pathways Coordinator informs the learner of the status of the challenge in a timely manner.
• 5.4 If the learner is requesting the maximum transfer credits (75%) of the program), school Dean or designate approval is required.
• 5.5 Advanced standing course credit for a compulsory legal course in the Paralegal program can only be given for the same compulsory legal course previously completed by the student in an accredited program and advanced standing course credit can only be given for a maximum of 40% of an accredited program’s total courses (i.e., compulsory legal courses and other program courses). Except as specifically provided below, advanced standing cannot be used to reduce the number of hours established under the accredited program for field placements and advanced standing cannot be given for prior work experience. Prior work experience may be counted toward field placement hours where an institution requires more than the minimum number of field placement hours set out in the accreditation documents however, under no circumstances shall the number of field placement hours completed by the student under the supervision of the field placement supervisor during the course of the accredited program, be less than that set out in the accreditation documents.

6. Articulation Agreements

• 6.1 The learner contacts Enrolment Services to ascertain the details of, and processes attached to, signed articulation agreements.
• 6.2 If an articulation agreement exists, Enrolment Services amends the current Loyalist transcript to show a ‘TC’ beside the applicable course(s) as required.

7. Exemption (Internal Course – Outcome Based)

• 7.1 The learner contacts Enrolment Services and submits their Loyalist transcript for analysis.
  • 7.1.1 If the existing transcript clearly shows successful completion of general education courses, Enrolment Services amends the current Loyalist transcript to show an ‘EX’ beside the applicable general education course(s).
  • 7.1.2 If the learner is requesting a credit analysis for advanced standing, then the learner will be directed to the Pathways Coordinator who will work with the appropriate program coordinator who performs that analysis based on the transcript and current course outlines.
• 7.2 The program coordinator completes the appropriate form and submits it to Enrolment Services.
• 7.3 The Pathways Coordinator informs the learner of the status of the request in a timely manner.

8. Exemption (Established in-class Assessment)

The learner will be advised of standard process if available, by the Pathways Coordinator.

9. Related Documents or Links

• AOP 224 Evaluation of Student Performance
• AOP 225 Post-Secondary Admissions, Registration and Graduation
• AOP 231 Academic Appeal Process
• Transfer Credit/Exemption Rubric
• Transfer Credit/Course Exemption/PLAR Request Form
• PLAR Guide (April 2015)

10. References

• N/A