Alternative Venues for Course Credit

1. Alternative Venues for Course Credit Mr. Jose Dela Cruz, Coordinator for Academic Affairs Projects Dr. Debbie Blanke, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

2. What is extrainstitutional learning? Learning attained outside the sponsorship of legally authorized and accredited postsecondary institutions. The term applies to learning acquired from work and life experiences, independent reading and study, the mass media and participation in formal courses sponsored by associations, business, government, industry, the military and unions. State Regents’ Policy: 3.15 Credit for Extrainstitutional Learning

3. What methods are acceptable for validating extrainstitutional learning for awarding credit? • Common methods are, while not exhaustive: • The College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Program; • Degree-relevant extrainstitutional learning credit awarded and transcripted by other accredited institutions; • Individual portfolios using Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) or other standardized guidelines; • Institutionally prepared examinations; and • Advanced standing (AS) credit. NOTE: Prior to the extrainstitutional learning credit being placed on the student’s transcript, the student must successfully complete 12 or more semester hours at the awarding institution.

4. What are Advanced Placement Courses? Advanced Placement courses allow students to take college-level course work in high school and receive credit from Oklahoma state colleges and universities. The courses cover a variety of academic subjects, such as art, biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, English, foreign languages, history, math and music. Students must take a national AP exam in the subject and achieve a certain score in order to qualify for college credit. NOTE: Each institution determines the number of credit hours awarded and the equivalent course that will show on the transcript based on the student’s exam score.

5. What is concurrent enrollment? An opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to enroll in college-level courses for a maximum of 6 credit hours per semester. Students may enroll concurrently in college courses that are part of a cooperative alliance. NOTE: To participate in concurrent enrollment, the student must meet the performance admission standards for the specific institution.

6. What is a cooperative alliance? Cooperative Alliances are voluntary partnerships between AAS degree-granting institutions and technology centers to allow qualified high school students and adults to earn college credit for certain technical courses reviewed by the higher education partner and taught by the technology center.

7. Cooperative Alliance Model:Community College Technology Center Goals are for more: • High school students to enter college; • Adults to begin and/or continue college; • Expanded access to college; and • Efficient use of public dollars.

8. What is the student’s benefit? High school and adult students are able to receive college credit for courses taken at a technology center and apply that credit toward an A.A.S. degree or college certificate.

9. What is a cooperative agreement program? A formal academic program offered by institutions in the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education that includes approved courses taught by a CareerTech technology center and leads to an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree or a college-level certificate in a technical or occupational field.

10. Statewide Nursing Articulation Agreement • In 1989, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 39 requested an analysis of nursing manpower needs. The State Regents established the ADN/BSN Taskforce on Articulation. At the August 16, 1991 meeting, the State Regents endorsed the ADN/BSN Articulation Agreement. • In 2000, the State Regents acknowledged revisions to the ADN/BSN Articulation Agreement and approved revisions to the LPN/ADN Articulation Agreement. • The agreement is a voluntary articulation agreement between State System BSN and ADN nursing directors and deans, allowing ADN transfer students to forgo upper-division nursing courses that duplicate completed lower-division courses. • The agreement is implemented in accordance with the State Regents’ 3.15 Credit for Extrainstitutional Learning policy.

11. Statewide Nursing Articulation AgreementADN/BSN The Revisions included: • Accepting ADN graduates from programs accredited by a USDE recognized accrediting agency (not exclusively NLNAC); • Removed the requirement that the student had to have graduated in the previous five years; • Added that the student must have passed the NCLEX, is in good standing, and is practicing as a Registered Nurse; • Removed the one-year work experience in clinical setting clause; • Removed the grade point clause; and • Added the student must meet all prerequisite and other program admission requirements.

12. Statewide Nursing Articulation AgreementLPN/ADN The Revisions included: • An increase from 15 to 22 credit hours from the LPN program that can be awarded towards the ADN under the following conditions: • Student must hold a valid LPN license in good standing and practices as an LPN; • Graduate of a program accredited by NLNAC; • The number of credit hour (up to half of the total nursing hours) will be determined by the institution; • Student must meet individual program admission requirements; and • Student must demonstrate knowledge via a) nursing practice experience or b) a refresher course or equivalent.

13. Statewide Nursing Articulation Agreementvs. Cooperative Agreements • Articulation Agreement: • Allows higher education institutions to accept the LPN Licensure (not simply courses or programs from the tech center) to suffice for up to half of the nursing courses or a maximum of 22 credit hours for the Associate Degreed Nurse credential. So, after the student has completed the technology center program and passed the NCLEX, then the student can ask the college to allow the credential to count for up to 22 hours of their associate degree program, saving them the tuition/time for those hours once they are seeking a college degree. • Many, if not all, technology centers offer the LPN program. Some are cooperative agreements with the Associate in Applied Science in Nursing at some colleges, while others are not. If students are enrolled in the LPN program and that program is NOT part of a cooperative agreement with a college, then those students are NOT eligible for the Oklahoma’s Promise Scholarship to cover the technology center tuition BECAUSE they are not degree seeking students at the time of their enrollment.

14. Statewide Nursing Articulation Agreementvs. Cooperative Agreements • Cooperative Agreements • Some institutions offer the nursing program as the Associate in Applied Science in Nursing. If they offer it as an AAS (not the AS), then the institution may or may not offer the program as a cooperative agreement with its technology center partner(s). ONLY those technology center students co-enrolled in an approved cooperative agreement for the AAS in Nursing can be approved for Oklahoma’s Promise Scholarship funds to pay the technology center tuition for the nursing program BECAUSE it counts directly into a degree program at the time of enrollment and they are degree seeking students.

15. Questions & Comments? Mr. Jose Dela Cruz: jcruz@osrhe.edu Dr. Debbie Blanke: dblanke@osrhe.edu