Alternative Credit

Southern State acknowledges successful completion of approved programs at area high schools by awarding college credit through our advanced standing program. Southern State faculty and staff will identify and determine courses or combination of courses through a formal articulation agreement with the area high school in which the objectives are equivalent to those at Southern State.

Such advanced standing will count toward an appropriate degree at Southern State. An application for advanced standing is available in your area high school or Southern State's Department of Student Affairs on any campus.

You may be awarded credit for the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) sponsored by the College Board. Students must achieve scores as recommended by the commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education to be given credit for appropriate courses. Additional information about the CLEP program is available from the Records Office at Southern State or by contacting the College Board:

• P.O. Box 6600
• Princeton, NJ 08541-6671
• 800.257.9558
• clep@info.collegeboard.org

CLEP course alignments

The DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) Program is a nationally recognized testing program that gives you the opportunity to receive college credit for learning acquired outside the traditional college classroom. Southern State accepts the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations for the minimum score required and the amount of credit awarded.

The Prior Learning Assessment Credit program provides an opportunity for Southern State students to gain college credit for prior experience, training or public involvement. If you qualify, you may earn up to one academic year of credit (30 credit hours) through the program. With the approval of the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, these credits may be used in qualifying for an associate degree. Please note that if you earn credits through the program and later wish to transfer those credits to another institution, the receiving institution determines whether any or all credits earned through the program shall be counted in the transfer of credits.

To participate in the program you must:

• Be enrolled and have already completed at least six semester credit hours at Southern State;
• Be able to demonstrate that you have accomplished a minimum of five years of experience, training or public involvement directly related to the course or courses you wish to substitute; and
• Write a letter to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs stating your desire to participate, the reasons why you believe you qualify and the courses for which you wish to receive credit.

The Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs will then advise you of your opportunity to participate or of the denial of participation. If granted the opportunity, you will be advised of the procedure to follow in presenting prior experience, training or public involvement.

There is a non-refundable application fee of $45 due at the time you are notified that you have been granted the opportunity to participate in the program.

There is a fee of $15 per course credit hour for credits earned through the program. This fee must be paid before the Records Office will add the credit to the successful participant’s permanent record.

Students awarded PLA credits must still satisfy SSCC's graduation requirements. If receiving an associate degree, at least 20 semester hours of credit must be earned at SSCC. If receiving a one-year certificate, at least 18 semester hours of credit must be earned at SSCC.

Credit may be awarded for some courses/training provided by the armed forces. The Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services, published by the American Council on Education, is used to determine what credit may be granted. Transcripts and documentation of courses completed must be submitted to the Office of Admission.

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium

Southern State is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium. SOC, established in 1972, consists of national higher education associations and approximately 1,900 institutional members. SOC Consortium institutional members subscribe to principles and criteria to ensure that quality academic programs are available to military students including those on active duty, Coast Guard personnel, reservists, members of the National Guard, family members, civilian employees of the Department of Defense and veterans of all services.

As an SOC Consortium member, this institution ensures servicemembers and their family members share in appropriately accredited postsecondary educational opportunities available to other citizens. Flexibility of programs and procedures particularly in admissions, counseling, credit transfer, course articulations, recognition of non-traditional learning experiences, scheduling, course format and residency requirements are provided to enhance access of military students and their family.

Under certain circumstances, a proficiency examination can be arranged through consultation with a faculty advisor. This procedure provides the opportunity for you to enroll in other courses of choice while fulfilling basic requirements without adding to the total course load. The fee for the administration of a proficiency examination with subsequent "EM" notation of successful completion on your record is $45 per credit hour. For more information, see your advisor or contact the Records Office.

Southern State will acknowledge successful completion of approved Tech Prep programs at area high schools by awarding college credit through the college’s Tech Prep program. Credit received through the Tech Prep program will count toward an appropriate degree at Southern State. An application for Tech Prep credit is available in the area high school or the Department of Student Affairs at Southern State.

Some courses offered by business and professional organizations are considered the equivalent of college courses and you may receive transfer credit by submitting transcripts or certificates of completion from the training program to the Records Office. The National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs, published by the American Council on Education, is used to determine what (if any) credit can be granted to you.

Credit may also be awarded if you have successfully passed standardized testing/training for programs such as the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential for the Early Childhood Education program, or the Ohio Peace Officers Certificate for the Law Enforcement program. Documentation of completion must be submitted to the Office of Admission.

Students previously attending an accredited institution recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation may transfer courses as follows:

• Courses taken prior to Fall 2005 with a grade of "C minus" or above.
• Courses taken Fall 2005 or later with a grade of "D" or above.

A student wishing to transfer from another accredited college or university must be in good standing from the last college of attendance. To recognize fully they successfully completed A.A. degree and the A.S. degree, students who have an earned A.A. degree or A.S. degree from an Ohio public college, with an overall GPA of 2.0 or better, will receive transfer credit for all college level courses which they have passed. Students requesting transfer credit must have an official transcript from each of the previous colleges attended sent to the Office of Admission.

For more information on transferring, visit Transfer Students.