This section describes how Cincinnati State processes requests to accept credit for educational work completed at other institutions or in other settings.
Advanced Standing Credit, General Policies (AC, CL, EC, EL, ET, EX, IB, TP, VO)
Advanced standing credit means that a student receives credit for completing a Cincinnati State course or cooperative education requirement by using one of the methods listed below to demonstrate successful completion of appropriate prior academic and/or work experience. Advanced standing credit is available to students who have been accepted into a degree or certificate program.
Students seeking advanced standing credit must follow College and divisional procedures published elsewhere in this Catalog and/or on the College website.
The types of advanced standing credit are:
External Proficiency Examination
The amount of credit given for an external proficiency examination is determined by the appropriate academic department.
- Credit may be awarded for Advanced Placement (AP) scores of three or higher. Credit is shown on the student’s record as AC. For more information, see "Courses Earned through AP Credit" in this catalog.
- Credit is awarded for College Level Examination Program (CLEP) scores. Students should have their CLEP test scores sent to the Cincinnati State Office of Admission for processing. Credit is shown on the student's record as CL. For more information, see "Courses Earned through CLEP Credit" in this catalog.
- Credit may be awarded for International Baccalaureate program scores of five or higher. Credit is shown on the student’s record as IB.
Internal Cincinnati State Proficiency Exam
Credit is shown on the student’s record as EC. For more information, and a list of courses available for test-out, see the Credit Available by Cincinnati State Exam section of this catalog.
Credit for Applicable Work Experience
Credit is shown on the student’s record as EX.
Credit for an External Certificate/Licensing Exam
Credit is shown on the student’s record as EL.
Credit for an External Formal Training Program
Credit is shown on the student’s record as ET.
Credit through Senior Vocational Teacher Referral
Credit is shown on the student’s record as VO.
Credit for Tech Prep Coursework
Credit is shown on the student’s record as TP.
Some types of advanced standing credit are not available in some degree or certificate programs.
Students should be aware that advanced standing credit awarded by Cincinnati State may not be applicable to degrees at other colleges or universities. A student who intends to transfer to another college or university should consult with a transfer advisor at that institution concerning the transferability of Cincinnati State advanced standing credits.
Students should make arrangements to apply for advanced standing credit as soon as possible after admission to a program.
Requesting Advanced Placement (AP Exam) Credit
Cincinnati State awards advanced standing credit to students who have completed Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school and have achieved an appropriate test score.
The State of Ohio, working through the University System of Ohio, has initiated policies to facilitate the ease of transition from high school to college as well as between and among Ohio’s public colleges and universities. For example:
- Students obtaining an appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) exam score are awarded the aligned course(s) and credits for the AP exam area(s) successfully completed.
- General Education courses and credits received are applied towards graduation and satisfy a general education requirement if the course(s) to which the AP area is equivalent fulfill a requirement.
- If an equivalent course is not available for the AP exam area completed, elective or area credit is awarded in the appropriate academic discipline and is applied towards graduation where such elective credit options exist within the academic major.
- Additional courses or credits may be available when a score of four or five is obtained. Award of credit for higher score values varies depending on the institution and academic discipline.
- In academic disciplines containing highly dependent sequences (Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – STEM), students are strongly advised to confer with the college/university advising staff to ensure they have the appropriate foundation to be successful in advanced coursework within the sequence.
Students should have their AP test scores sent to Cincinnati State’s Office of Admission for processing.
Requesting International Baccalaureate Credit
Cincinnati State awards credit to International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma graduates for higher level subjects passed at a satisfactory level. Minimum scores vary, by subject area, from five to seven.
Credit may be awarded based on the recommendation of the appropriate Cincinnati State academic department or division.
Students should have their IB test scores sent by the International Baccalaureate Organization to Cincinnati State’s Office of Admission for processing.
Requesting Other Advanced Standing Credit
To obtain advanced standing credit for all other types of prior learning, a student should:
- Obtain a Petition for Advanced Standing Credit from the Office of the Registrar.
- Meet with his/her program chair or academic advisor to determine eligibility for advanced standing credit, and to determine which faculty member should receive the completed petition and supporting documentation.
Note that in situations where coursework or equivalent experience is five years old or older, or where requisite skills may have been lost, courses previously taken, or equivalent experience, are subject to review by the program chair and dean. Courses or equivalent experiences that do not meet current program requirements and standards will not count toward degree or certificate requirements. - Pay the advanced standing credit fee at the College Cashier’s Office, where the petition is marked “paid.” This step applies to students seeking advanced standing credit either through internal proficiency exams or through documented valid academic or work experience. A separate fee is charged for each attempt to earn credit through an internal proficiency exam.
- Submit the completed petition and supporting documentation to the appropriate faculty member, as determined in Step 2.
After the petition and related materials are reviewed by appropriate division personnel, and the request for advanced standing credit is approved or disapproved, the petition is forwarded to the Office of the Registrar and the student is notified of the results.
Students cannot earn credit through an exam for a course already completed at Cincinnati State. A course is defined as “completed” if a grade of A, B, C, D, F, S, U, or W has been issued.
Waiver of English Composition Requirement Based on Earned Degree
A student who has earned an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited college or university will receive a waiver, which will satisfy the Cincinnati State English Composition requirement for all degree and certificate programs. The waiver will appear on the student’s transcript as “ENG REQC – Eng Comp Complete.”
To receive this waiver, an official academic transcript from the degree-granting institution must be submitted to Cincinnati State, using procedures described in the Admission section of this catalog.