Office: U214 Phone: 217/351-2482 Fax: 217/353-2640 Admissions@parkland.edu
Office HoursMonday–Friday 8 am – 5 pm
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Credit for Prior learning
Parkland College offers several options to earn credits for prior learning. Students who have completed coursework at other regionally accredited institutions should submit their official transcript to Parkland for evaluation of transfer credits.
Additionally, students may receive credit through the following methods:
AP Seminar--course to be determined after review by Dean and Chair
Note: Parkland College does not give academic credit for AP scores below 3.
Updated July 2024
Through CLEP, a person can demonstrate knowledge that merits academic credit. On-the-job experience, military training, personal reading, correspondence courses, or telecourses are some of the sources that can prepare an individual to earn college credit.
Each educational institution determines its own policy regarding which CLEP tests it accepts, the minimum scores required to earn credit, and the amount of credit awarded. Individuals interested in participating in CLEP should find out about the acceptability of credits earned through CLEP at a particular college or university before taking a CLEP test.
Parkland College accepts CLEP scores of 50 or higher in the following exams for proficiency credit in selected courses:
CLEP Exam Course Credit
Introductory Psychology............................................................PSY 101
Introductory Sociology...............................................................SOC 101
Principles of Macroeconomics...................................................ECO 101
Principles of Microeconomics....................................................ECO 102
Western Civilization I...................................................................HIS 101
Western Civilization II..................................................................HIS 102
History of the U.S. I.......................................................................HIS 104
History of the U.S. II......................................................................HIS 105
College Composition Modular plus a written exam
evaluated as satisfactory by Parkland College faulty.................ENG 101
Please see Professional Testing for further information.
Request a proficiency exam by submitting the Petition for Credit by Examination form to the appropriate department chair. A separate petition is needed for each course where proficiency credit is requested.
If the department chair determines that the student is eligible and a proficiency examination is appropriate, the student will pay the required fee at the Business Office. The department chair will make arrangements for scheduling and grading the proficiency examination. After the examination, the division dean will approve or deny the petition based on the results of the exam.
Proficiency credit is counted towards graduation and is recorded on transcripts as a "P". Generally, proficiency credit can fulfill a maximum of 25 percent of a degree or certificate's graduation requirements. However, in certain career-oriented programs, it may fulfill up to 50 percent of a degree or certificate's graduation requirements. Contact the appropriate division dean for information about these exceptions. Proficiency credit is not included in a student's grade point average and does not count towards hours for determining a student's full-time status.
Students seeking credit based on existing licensure should submit the Petition for Credit by Examination form to the appropriate department chair. The same procedures are followed as above for a Credit by Examination request, except that the department chair will consult with the division dean to determine whether the licensure or certification was obtained in a structured, organized setting and is equivalent to the major components of the Parkland course. If so, the requirement of a proficiency exam is waived (through a proficiency fee may still apply).
Students should submit documentation of military training (Joint Services Transcript (JST) or transcript from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)) to admissions@parkland.edu to evaluation.
The Admissions and Records office will evaluate military course work as general elective (not GECC) credit or occupational elective credit based on the American Council of Education recommendation.
Students interested in direct course equivalency for military training should follow the procedure for proficiency credit (Credit by Examination). The department chair may require a proficiency exam. The proficiency exam fee is waived for military personnel.
House Bill 4330 requires that public universities in the State of Illinois accept the State Seal of Bi-literacy as equivalent to two years of foreign language coursework taken in high school and establish criteria for awarding equivalent course credit.
In accordance with HB 4330, students are required to be enrolled at the public university or community college and be the ones to initiate the request for foreign language course credit. Credit is not processed automatically upon receipt of a high school transcript. The student must submit his or her request within 3 academic years of graduating from high school by bringing the actual document bearing the State Seal of Bi-literacy (whether the diploma or the transcript) to Admissions and Records (U214). Upon receipt of the document, college credit for the first two semesters of the language will be awarded.