Credit for Prior Learning
Assessment of prior learning is a means of demonstrating that a person has previously acquired college level knowledge. As a KCC student, you may have prior learning reviewed and assessed by college personnel to earn college credit that applies to your program.
You may earn credit through any one or a combination of the following:
- Advanced Placement Program (AP)
- College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
- College-sponsored proficiency examination
- Review of recognized professional license or certificate to advise for potential credit-by-examination possibilities (credit is not advanced based on license or certificate)
- U.S. Armed Forces Institute courses/training recommended by the American Council on Education (military transcript required)
- Career programs completed at the Kankakee Area Career Center or Livingston Area Vocational Center which are articulated with KCC courses
- Transfer credit evaluations for classroom, correspondence or independent study courses taught at colleges accredited by The Higher Learning Commission or other regional accrediting associations.
- National Certifications: Child Development Associate (CDA)
KCC does not award credit for life experience; however, you may want to explore this option for advanced degree programs. Credit may not be awarded twice for the same learning.
If you would like to seek credit for prior learning, contact an advisor in Student Services or the director of Admissions and Registration for additional information and proper procedures for requesting an evaluation. Transfer credit requests are reviewed by the director of Admissions and Registration and will take 8 - 10 weeks to complete.
Advanced Placement (AP) exams, sponsored by the College Board, give high school students the opportunity to complete college-level studies.
High school students who have completed one or more AP exams must have their scores sent directly to KCC before credit can be evaluated and awarded. KCC accepts limited credit hours by exam, so please check with the Office of Admissions and Registration before taking multiple AP exams. KCC accepts the following exams for credit:
Humanities
| AP Examination | Minimum score | Credit granted | Equivalent course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art History | 3 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 1613 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | Elective |
| French Language | 3 | 3 | FREN 2713 |
| German Language | 3 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| Latin | 3 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| Spanish Language | 3 | 4 | SPAN 2514 |
| Spanish Literature | 3 | 3 | SPAN 2913 |
| Studio Art: 2-D Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1513 |
| Studio Art: 3-D Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1813 |
| Studio Art: Drawing | 3 | 3 | ARTS 1503 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
Social & Behavioral Science
| AP Examination | Minimum score | Credit granted | Equivalent course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics: Macro | 3 | 3 | ECON 1553 |
| Economics: Micro | 3 | 3 | ECON 1563 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | Elective |
| Government & Politics: Comparative | 3 | 3 | PLSC 1553 |
| Government & Politics: United States | 3 | 3 | PLSC 1513 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG 1513 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 1813 |
| U.S. History | 3 | 3 | Elective |
| World History | 3 | 3 | Elective |
Mathematics
| AP Examination | Minimum score | Credit granted | Equivalent course |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus AB | 3 | 5 | MATH 2515 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | MATH 2524 |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 | MATH 1774 |
| Precalculus | 3 | 3 | Math Elective |
Science
| AP Examination | Minimum score | Credit granted | Equivalent course(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 3 ‑ 4 | 4 or 8 | BIOL 1514, BIOL 1514, BIOL 1524 |
| Chemistry | 3 ‑ 4 | 4 or 8 | CHEM 1614, CHEM 1614 & CHEM 1624 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | COSC 2513 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | COSC 2513 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | BIOL 1584 |
| Physics 1: Algebra-based | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1514 |
| Physics 2: Algebra-based | 3 | 4 | PHYS 1524 |
| Physics C | 3 ‑ 4 | 4 | PHYS 1514, PHYS 2614 |
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a national credit-by-examination program which gives high school and college bound students of a wide range of ages the opportunity to earn college credit for what they already know, regardless of how that knowledge was acquired.
Currently, CLEP testing is not available through KCC, but KCC does accept certain CLEP exams as long as scores meet minimum requirements. Information on CLEP exams, testing sites, etc., can be found by going to the College Board website's CLEP information page. Overall, KCC accepts limited credit hours by exam so please check with the Office of Admissions and Registration before taking multiple CLEP exams. Also, students must have their scores mailed from CLEP directly to KCC before credit can be evaluated and awarded. KCC accepts the following exams for credit:
Composition & Literature
| Examinations: | Minimum Score: | Credit Granted: | Equivalent Course: |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Literature | 50 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| Analyzing and Interpret. Lit. | 60 | 3 | ENGL 1623 |
| English Composition with/without essay | 50 | 3 | ENGL 1613 |
| English Composition w/ essay | 60 | 6 | ENGL 1613 and ENGL 1623 |
| English Literature | 50 | 3 | Humanities Elective |
| Freshman Comp with/without essay | 50 | 3 | ENGL 1613 |
| Freshman Composition w/ essay | 60 | 6 | ENGL 1613 and ENGL 1623 |
| Humanities | 50 | 3 | HUMS 1513 |
Foreign Languages
| Examinations: | Minimum Score: | Credit Granted: | Equivalent Course: |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Level 1 | 50 | 4 | FREN 1514 |
| Level 2 | 62 | 12 | FREN 1514, 1524, and 2514 |
| German Level 1 | 50 | 4 | GERM 1514 |
| Level 2 | 63 | 8 | GERM 1514, GERM 1524 |
| Spanish Level 1 | 50 | 4 | SPAN 1514 |
| Level 2 | 66 | 12 | SPAN 1514,1524, and 2514 |
History & Social Sciences
| Examinations: | Minimum Score: | Credit Granted: | Equivalent Course: |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Government | 50 | 3 | PLSC 1513 |
| Human Growth and Development | 50 | 3 | PSYC 2553 |
| Intro to Educational Psychology | 50 | 3 | EDUC 2513 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | 3 | ECON 1553 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | 3 | ECON 1563 |
| Introduction to Psychology | 50 | 3 | PSYC 1813 |
| Introduction to Sociology | 50 | 3 | SOCY 2513 |
| Social Sciences and History | 50 | 3 | Elective |
| United States History I | 50 | 3 | HIST 2513 |
| United States History II | 50 | 3 | HIST 2523 |
| Western Civilization I (to 1648) | 50 | 3 | HIST 1513 |
| Western Civilization II (1648 to present) | 50 | 3 | HIST 1533 |
Science & Mathematics
| Examinations: | Minimum Score: | Credit Granted: | Equivalent Course: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculus | 60 | 5 | MATH 2515 |
| College Algebra | 50 | 3 | Math Elective |
| Trigonometry | 50 | 3 | MATH 1803 |
| College Mathematics | 50 | 4 | MATH 1704 |
| Biology | 50 | 4 | Elective |
| Chemistry | 50 | 4 | Elective |
Business
| Examinations: | Minimum Score: | Credit Granted: | Equivalent Course: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Info System & Comp App | 50 | 3 | COSC 1513 |
| Principles of Management | 50 | 3 | BSNS 2553 |
| Principles of Accounting (ends 2007) | 50 | 4 | ACCT 1514 |
| Financial Accounting (starts 2007) | 50 | 4 | ACCT 1514 |
| Introduction to Business Law | 50 | 3 | BSNS 1653 |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | 3 | MKTG 1553 |
Proficiency Exams
As a student, you can petition for a proficiency examination to earn credit for a course. If you pass the exam, course credits will be added to the total credits on your transcript as Credit by Proficiency “PR”. The following conditions apply:
- You must have a current admissions form on file
- You have not already completed the course for a grade. Conversely, you may not retake a course for a grade if you earned a “PR” for the course previously.
- You have not already completed a higher-level course in the same discipline, as determined by the division chair or program coordinator.
- You may take a proficiency exam for a specific course only once.
Steps to proficiency a course by exam
- Meet with the appropriate division chairperson or program coordinator to determine if you are eligible and to obtain the necessary petition.
- Bring the completed petition to the Accounting Office and pay the examination fee.
- The division chair will schedule the exam for a mutually-agreeable time to both you and the test administrator within 10 days of payment.
- You will receive course objectives, the name of the textbooks and learning materials used in the course, a description of the type of proficiency exam.
- Once the test has been taken and scored, Admissions and Registration Office will notify you in writing of the results.
The registrar may grant exceptions.