[NEW OP–initial posting 1/25/24]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 30.10: Conversion of Alternative Non-credit Activity to Semester Credit Hours

DATE: January 25, 2024

PURPOSE: The purpose of this operating policy/procedure (OP) is to specify the process by which students may convert alternative non-credit activity to semester credit hours at Texas Tech University.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in July of even-numbered years, or as needed, by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Registrar with substantive revisions forwarded to the Provost and Senior Vice President.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Rationale

Texas Tech recognizes that students may accumulate non-credit educational activities that could be considered for semester-hour credit conversion under certain circumstances. This OP will detail the requirements for various conversion credits.

2.  Definitions

Non-credit educational activities that may be considered for non-credit to credit conversion may include, but are not limited to, TTU Continuing Education Units (CEU), Prior Learning Assessments (PLA), and Micro-credentials (MC). Converted courses may only be applied toward a degree on TTU's Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) program inventory.

a.    CEUs are awarded by education and training providers to signify successful completion of alternative non-credit educational activities, programs, and courses intended to improve the knowledge and skills of working adults.

b.    Prior learning is a term used to describe learning or experience gained outside of the traditional academic environment. It is learning and or experience that did not occur with TTU instruction. PLA is the process by which an individual's experiential learning is assessed and evaluated for the purpose of granting college credit.

c.   Micro-credentials are more narrowly focused than a minor, certificate, or degree. MCs are designed to provide relevant skills needed for today's workforce and help students meet academic and career goals. They are intentionally explicit about skills and competencies mastered. The creation of new micro-credentials (not to include those micro-credential offerings derived from course content already assessed and approved) that could be converted to credit upon successful completion must be evaluated according to the same process as that required for any TTU for-credit credential, per OP 10.13, Strategic Planning and Assessment Reporting for Texas Tech University, Including All Academic Programs and Support Operations.

3.  Academic Unit Approval

Texas Tech University will consider the conversion of CEU, PLA, and MC experiences as described in section 4. Credit recommendations are developed by the discipline faculties and must be approved by the appropriate department chair, area coordinator, or school director. The determination will be based on compliance with the SACSCOC Comprehensive Standards sections 10.4, 10.7, and 10.8.

4.  Credit Conversion

a.    Only university-approved non-credit educational activities are eligible for conversion.

b.    To be awarded conversion credit, a student must first be admitted to the university in a degree-seeking program.

c.    The student initiates the conversion process with the academic advisor of their enrolled program.

d.    A maximum of twenty-one (21) credits (12 hours of micro-credential or CEU conversion and 9 hours of Prior Learning assessment) may be awarded for non-credit to credit activity for an undergraduate degree program. A maximum of six (6) credits may be awarded for non-credit education activities for a graduate degree program. The course credits will apply to courses and degree plans as approved by the department and the college academic dean and, for graduate classes, the Graduate School Dean.

e.    Non-credit educational activities will be assessed as follows:

(1)    Only TTU-approved CEU credits may be considered for conversion. The CEU must be taught by a credentialed instructor, including holding graduate faculty status for consideration of graduate credit, specific to the student learning outcomes of the instructional unit and must have equivalent rigor in assessment as the course instruction unit equivalent. CEUs are converted via a formula based on the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) standard that considers one (1) Continuing Education Unit (CEU) equals ten (10) contact hours of learner interaction in a structured continuing education experience (class, seminar, retreat, practicum, self-study, credentials, etc.). For conversion credit, the contact hours must meet the state contact hour requirements for awarding semester credit hours (Texas Administrative Code 19.1.4.a.4.6). (Example: 4.5 CEUs may be considered for 3 semester credit hours.)

(2)    Students seeking PLA units must meet the requirements of the academic department for which they seek to receive credit. The assessment of previous learning is developed by the faculties in the academic department or program. The evaluation of passing or failing the assessment is determined by the faculties and approved by the department chair, area coordinator, or school director, and, if related to satisfying requirements for a graduate certificate or degree, the Dean of the Graduate School.

(3)    The department faculties will define the MC conversion unit requirements. Each MC unit must be assessed with equivalent rigor as the unit is assessed in the for-credit course. MC units will be converted into semester credit hours by the academic department or program utilizing pre-determined stacked credential course equivalency designations. The sum of the instructional contact hours in the stacked MC to a for-credit course must meet THECB policy for contact hours. Only TTU-delivered MC units taught by a credentialed faculty member, including holding graduate faculty status if related to graduate courses, specific to the student learning outcomes may be considered for conversion.

5.  Costs

The tuition and fees associated with participating in and later converting non-credit educational activities are the sole responsibility of the student, including payment of graduate tuition for conversion to graduate coursework.

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