Dual Credit / Credit by Assessment

Dual Credit / Credit by Assessment

Credit by assessment is often a departmental challenge assessment (cognate or performance) that allows high school students to demonstrate prior learning relevant to a particular body of knowledge. The demonstration of proficiency of knowledge of the learning outcomes for a particular college-level course is validated by the college faculty, and upon enrollment of the student into the particular college, the student is awarded “transfer” credit by the college faculty. All academic credit by examination requests must be made to the division dean and approved by the vice president for Academic Affairs. To be eligible for consideration for credit by examination, examination requirements must be completed as designated by the division.

The high school career technical instructors and Walters State Community College instructors review course materials to determine duplicative course outcomes and then develop articulation agreements and policies which can result in opportunities for high school students to receive college credit. These agreements allow 11th and 12th grade high school students to take a college level assessment.

 

Dual Credit Requirements

  • High school instructors will analyze the post-secondary competencies/skills needed by students to successfully pass/master one or more post-secondary level courses.
  • Based on this analysis, instructors may recommend qualified students attempt a Dual Credit Exam at Walters State. Students will need to apply for a Dual Credit Examination and be approved before taking an exam.
  • Students must have a minimum high school GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  • Students must be currently enrolled in high school as an 11th or 12th grader.

 

Receiving Dual Credit at Walters State

To receive dual credit at Walters State, students must apply for and receive approval to take a dual credit exam. Students that pass a dual credit exam can then request to receive college credit at Walters State. Please see below for more details.

 

Apply for Dual Credit Exams

  • Complete a dual credit application to be considered for a dual credit exam
  • Print a copy of the dual credit exam application
  • Obtain the following signatures on the printed copy of your application that grant approval for testing:
    • High School Instructor – Verifying Your Eligibility
    • Counselor – Verifying Your GPA
    • Parent or Guardian – Verifying Approval to Take the Test
  • Bring the signed dual credit application on the date of the test. Please make a copy for your own records.

Please note, you can attempt a dual credit exam for a specific course only once.

 

Testing at Walters State

Students wishing to take the dual credit exam at Walters State will be issued a User Name and Password upon their arrival to campus.

This set of credentials will give a student access to the online dual credit exam.

 

Review Test Results

Test results will be sent to the the following individuals or locations:

  • Student
  • Secondary School
  • Post-Secondary School

Grade Assignment

A grade of A, B, C, D, or F will be given.

Grades are assigned based on:

  • Post-Secondary Dual Credit Exam Scores
  • Required National Exam Scores
    special condition
  • Instructor Objective Assessment
    special condition

 

Request College Credit

Students tha pass a dual credit exam can request to receive college credit.

 

Procedure for Obtaining College Credit

  • Complete a Walters State Application
  • Request in writing to the Executive Director of Dual Enrollment, that the grade be applied to your college transcript
  • Pay a $25.00 processing fee to the Cashier's Office

 

 

Statewide Dual Credit

Statewide dual credit provides high school courses which are aligned to post-secondary standards. All statewide dual credit courses are approved by the Consortium for Cooperative Innovative Education before they can be offered as a part of the state’s current pilot program.

Statewide dual credit courses are taught and the online challenge exam is taken on the high school campus. All students enrolled in a statewide dual credit course take the online challenge exam, which is used to assess mastery of the post-secondary level learning objectives. Tennessee high school and post-secondary faculty work together to develop the learning objectives and challenge exam for each course, which are tie to current post-secondary learning outcomes.

 

Procedure for Obtaining Credit

Upon matriculation, it is the student’s responsibility to contact Student Enrollment Services to provide his or her statewide dual credit course and exam information in order for post-secondary credit to be awarded. Student Enrollment Services will then verify a passing score in the Early Post-secondary Data System and award appropriate credit as determined by the institution. A student will receive a Passing Grade (P) for awarded credit.

 

Statewide Dual Credit Courses Tested/Articulated Credit

 

Walters State Equivalency to Statewide Dual Credit Courses

Statewide Dual Credit Course Walters State Equivalency
Agriculture Business

AGRI 1010

Criminal Justice

CRMJ 1010

Greenhouse Management

AGRM 2310

Health Information Technology

MDTR1015

Pre-Calculus

Math 1710 and 1720

Psychology

PSYC 1030

Sociology

SOCI 1010

Statistics

MATH 1530