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Earning Credits

Earning Credits

Credit Hours/Credit Load

Credits for courses leading to degrees are given on a quarterly credit hour basis. In general, a class that meets one hour a week yields one credit; five hours a week yields five credits. Laboratory and activity classes may vary from this pattern.

Although an average of 15 credits per quarter is recommended for making normal progress toward a degree as a full-time student, Pierce College serves many students who, because of employment or family obligations, choose to attend part-time. We recommend that you work with your faculty advisor to plan the credit load that best meets your specific needs and educational goals.

Pierce College has established credit load guidelines to help you succeed in college. During fall, winter and spring quarters the maximum credit load is 22 credits; summer quarter it is 18 credits. High school completion students receiving VA benefits may carry 20 credits summer quarter.

Requests for exceptions to the maximum credit load limit should be made to your faculty advisor. Credit overload approvals for a specific number of credits must be indicated on your registration form and bear the signature of your faculty advisor and the division chair for that advisor.

Non-traditional credit

Credit for CLEP, DSSTs, and ACT Pep

Pierce College awards credit for non-traditional learning based on results of national tests, such as CLEP, DSSTs, and ACT Pep as appropriate to the student's program at Pierce and the scores received on the tests.

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Advanced Placement for Academic Transfer Courses

The Advanced Placement (AP) program is sponsored by the College Board and consists of college-level courses and examinations for high school students. About 15% of the nation's high schools offer college-level AP courses, providing those classes deemed most appropriate for their students. Pierce College accepts credit for work done in this program in accordance with standards set by the instructional divisions of the college.

Students who receive AP scores of three (3), four (4) or five (5) in the approved subject areas will be granted Advanced Placement credit at Pierce College. AP scores of four (4) or five (5) will be treated as course work receiving an "A" (4.0) grade and scores of three (3) will be treated as work receiving a "B" (3.0) grade. AP grades will be counted in the student's final degree evaluation. The table below indicates the amount of credit which may be awarded for each course. Advanced Placement credit and grades may also be used to fulfill degree requirements.

Advanced Placement credit may be earned in any of the following subject areas:

  • Art
  • English
  • Foreign Language (French, German, Spanish)
  • History
  • Mathematics (Calculus and Computer Science)
  • Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
  • Music Theory
  • Psychology
  • Political Science

There is no charge for Advanced Placement credit granted by Pierce College. However, prior to requesting an evaluation of Advanced Placement credits, a student must successfully complete 15 credits of college-level (courses numbered 100 or higher) work at Pierce College with a 2.0 or higher grade point average.

Students who wish to receive additional information about AP and how they may participate may request a free copy of the Guide to Advanced Placement from:

College Board Publication Orders
Box 2815
Princeton, New Jersey 08541

Process for receiving AP credit from Pierce College

  1. Complete a Pierce College Admissions Application and return it to the Pierce College Admissions Office.

  2. Arrange to take the Advanced Placement exams at a high school that participates in the AP instruction and testing program. Exams for Advanced Placement are given once each year, during the middle of May, in many high schools.

  3. Request copies of your official Advanced Placement transcript to be sent to Pierce College.

  4. Successfully complete 15 credits of college-level (courses numbered 100 or higher) work at Pierce College with a 2.0 or higher grade point average.

  5. Submit a Request for Credit Evaluation of Transcripts from Other Institutions form (PDF) to the Pierce College Evaluations Office. Indicate “Advanced Placement” as the transcript to be evaluated. You will be notified in writing regarding the AP credits which have been accepted by Pierce College. This process normally takes up to eight weeks. During peak graduation application processing periods, the process may take longer.

    Evaluations

AP exams and their Pierce College equivalents
Subject Minimum Score Required for Credit Amount of Credit Awarded Equivalent Course(s) at Pierce College
Art 3 5 Art 111 - Drawing
Biology 3 5 Biol 101 - General Biology
Chemistry 3 5 Chem 140 - General Chemistry
Computer Science 3 5 CIS 201 - Computer Science I
English Language & Comp 3 5 Engl 101 - Composition - Exposition
English Literature & Comp 3 5 Engl 102 - English Composition
French Language 3 5 Frnch 101 - Elementary French I
German Language 3 5 Germn 101 - Elementary German I
Government & Politics 3 5 Pols 202 - US Government & Politics
History, American 3 5 Hist 241 - US Hist: Colonial to 1840
History, Civilization 3 5 Hist 101 - History of Civilizations I
Mathematics, AB 5 10 Math 124 - Analytical/Geo/Calc I    AND Math 125 - Analytical Geom/Calc II
Mathematics, AB 3 and 4 5 Math 124 - Analytical/Geo/Calc I
Mathematics, BC 4 and 5 10 Math 124 - Analytical/Geo/Calc I    AND Math 125 - Analytical Geom/Calc II
Mathematics, BC 3 5 Math 124 - Analytical/Geo/Calc I
Music Theory 3 15 Music 110, 112, & 114 - Music Theory I, II, III
Physics B 3 5 Phys 114 - General Physics, Part I
Physics C 3 5 Phys 121 - Phys Sci/Engineering I
Psychology 3 5 Psych 110 - General Psychology
Spanish Language 3 5 Span 101 - Elementary Spanish I

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Credit by Examination

You may receive Pierce College credit for up to two courses per quarter by successfully completing an examination on the course subject material.

Credit by examination may be attempted only once for any given course and may not be used to improve a grade earned at Pierce College nor to challenge a course prerequisite for a course successfully completed. Credit by examination does not satisfy the graduation requirement that 25 of the last 45 credits be earned at Pierce. A per-credit fee is charged.

Further information and application forms are available through the testing center at Fort Steilacoom or Puyallup.

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SOC/SOCAD

For information about the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) and Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Associate Degree (SOCAD), see the Military programs Web page.

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Credit for Work Experience and Internships (Cooperative Education)

Pierce College's cooperative education program is designed to promote individual career development and self-awareness by combining classroom theory with planned and supervised work experience in vocational, academic or cultural activities outside the classroom. The goal of cooperative work experience is to help you develop employable skills - that is, personal attributes and skills that make you an asset to an employer.

Your current on-the-job work experience, if related to your academic or professional/technical studies, may enable you to obtain credit for "real life" experience in your chosen field. Credits vary with the number of hours worked and the frequency of conferences/seminars held with the faculty member. For additional information contact your faculty advisor or the cooperative education coordinator in the advising center at your college.

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Credit for VISTA, Peace Corps or AmeriCorps

Pierce College will grant 15 credit hours of elective credits for one year or more (at least nine months' active service) in VISTA, Peace Corps or AmeriCorps. To receive such credit, submit a resume of your VISTA, Peace Corps or AmeriCorps experience to the evaluations office for evaluation.

The credit granted may apply to any Pierce College degree and will be granted after you have earned 15 or more credits in residence at Pierce College. However, general credit of any nature cannot be used to fulfill the specific course requirements of any program.

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Credit for National Guard and Reserve Military Service

Pierce College will grant up to 15 quarter-hour credits toward the Associate in Technology - General degree for Reserve and National Guard military experience.

When you have completed basic and advanced training of at least 120 days in Armed Forces training school, you will be eligible for 5 credits. For each 24 days of reserve service (summer camps and weekend active duty for training) past the initial basic and advanced training, you will be eligible for one additional credit.

A maximum of 15 credits can be earned for a combination of all military service. These credits will be granted after you have earned an equal number of credits in residence at Pierce College. These credits cannot be used to fulfill a specific course requirement of any vocational program.