CREDIT for PRIOR LEARNING
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

The Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process offers you the opportunity to have your learning and work experience assessed and appropriate credit granted.
    At UCFV, there are several methods of documenting and demonstrating that your prior learning is equivalent to that which normally would be acquired through formal study in the public post-secondary system. Credits obtained through prior learning do not meet UCFV program residency requirements.
Currently, the following two PLAR options for gaining credit for prior learning are available. For more details about each of these two options, contact Assessment Services at 604-557-4006.

1)     Course challenges (75% course fee)
A course challenge is a method of obtaining credits through a specifically arranged process, by which you demonstrate mastery of the objectives of a course without actually taking the course. UCFV uses a wide range of challenge methods. The choice of method will depend on the course you challenge. For example, you may be asked to demonstrate your mastery by written exam, written assignment(s), project, oral interview, samples of your work, or other means. Not all UCFV courses can be challenged. Regulations related to course challenge are outlined in the Course Challenge section of this calendar.

Course challenge process
    •Contact Assessment Services or the department head in a relevant area to arrange a challenge assessment
    •Register in challenge section at Admissions and Records Registration (A&R) and pay the fees.
    •Complete the challenge assessment.
    •Your grade will then be submitted to A&R and will appear on your official student transcript.

2)     Portfolio assessment (75% course fee)
In the portfolio method of prior learning assessment and recognition, you identify, articulate, and document your learning in a portfolio format. The portfolio you prepare must include a short autobiography, a paper outlining your educational and career goals, a description of your specific learning outcomes, and documentation that provides evidence of your learning in the subject area in which you want to be assessed. Your completed portfolio is submitted to the appropriate faculty member for assessment.
To help you prepare a portfolio which is acceptable for assessment, UCFV also offers a credit course (ADED 200) in which you develop your portfolio.
The UCFV official transcript will indicate the number of credits derived through the portfolio assessment process. Credits awarded through portfolio assessment will not necessarily be transferable to other programs or institutions.
Normally, no more than 25 percent of the credits required in a program will be awarded for learning which is demonstrated and documented in a portfolio.
This PLAR option presently is available for some, but not all, UCFV courses and programs.

Portfolio assessment process
•    Contact Assessment Services for information
•    Register in a PLA-In-Progress section (cost is 75% of one 3-credit course, non-    refundable)
•    Meet with Assessment Services to start your portfolio process
•    Assessment Services will refer you to appropriate faculty who will act as your portfolio assessment advisor
•    Complete assessment process with a faculty advisor. Faculty will submit the results of your portfolio to Assessment services.
•    Come to A&R to pay for the credits granted (if more than the original 3 credits).
•    Review your transcript with A&R to make sure credit has been awarded appropriately.

Transfer credit
Many credit courses offered at recognized post-secondary institutions have been evaluated for equivalency by UCFV. These courses have been assigned formal transfer credit. The UCFV Admissions and Records office maintains a list of transfer credit arrangements. See Transfer credit process below, for details, or contact Admissions.
    In general, UCFV will honour courses with a P or better earned by a student at another institution recognized by the University College. Official transcripts will list the transfer credit awared.
    Normally, transfer credit cannot by used for more than 50% of the credits necessary to complete the requirements for a degree, diploma, or certificate. This limit may be increased to 75% for a program.
    Transfer credit allowed for previous work in a particular subject may or may not be applicable to a student’s program, and does not necessarily excuse the student from meeting the prerequisites or other requirements for entry into a course or program.
    Recognition by UCFV of studies completed elsewhere does not imply, or in any way guarantee, that the transfer credits will be recognized by another institution.

Transfer Credit Process
To apply for transfer credit a student should submit an Application for Transfer Credit to the Admissions and Records office and arrange for an official transcript to be sent showing completion of the courses.
    A minimun of six to eight weeks is required.
    Transfer credit arrangements are published in the B.C. transfer guide, available at www.bccat.bc.ca.
Transcripts are considered official when they are bearing the institution’s seal or authorized signature, and are in the original sealed envelope from the institution.
A certified translation is required for documents in a language other than English (some exceptions may be possible for documents in French).
Documents submitted become the property of UCFV. Only documents that are considered by UCFV to be irreplaceable will be returned to the student on request.

Advanced standing
For some UCFV courses, a student may demonstrate mastery of a subject area and be admitted directly to a higher-level course without completing prerequisite or corequisite courses. Advanced standing does not give the student credit for courses bypassed, nor does it preclude the necessity of obtaining credit for courses required by other institutions.

Advanced Placement program
Transfer credit and/or advanced standing will be granted to students who complete certain Advanced Placement Program examinations with grades of 4 or 5. These examinations are administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Transferable subjects are:

APP Examination           UCFV Recognition
Art History                       AH 101 and 102 (6 credits)
Biology                             BIO 111 and 112 (10 credits)
Calculus AB                     MATH 111 (4 credits)
Calculus BC                     MATH 111 and 112 (8 credits)
Chemistry                         CHEM 111 and 112 (8 credits)
Comp. Gov’t & Politics     POSC lower-level (3 credits)
Computer Science A         COMP 150 (4 credits)*
Computer Science AB      COMP 150 (4 credits)*
Economics                        ECON 100 and 101 (6 credits)
English                              no more than 3 credits given, but considered to exceed CPT score of 48
English — Language
                & Comp           ENGL 105 (3 credits)**
English — Literature
                & Comp           one of ENGL 120, 130, 150, 170 (3 credits)**
French                              FREN 101 and 102 (6 credits)
Geography                       GEOG 140 (3 credits)
German                            GERM 101 and 102 (6 credits)
History — American         HIST lower-level (3 credits)
History — European         HIST lower-level (3 credits)
Japanese                           JAPN 101 and 102 (6 credits)
Physics B                         PHYS 101 and 105 (8 credits)
Physics C (Electricity)       PHYS lower-level (3 credits)
Physics C (Mechanics)     PHYS 111 and 112 (10 credits)
Psychology                       PSYC 101 and 102 (6 credits)
Russian                             RUSS 101 and 102 (6 credits)
Spanish-language              SPAN 101 and 102 (6 credits)
Statistics                           MATH 104 (4 credits)

* Supplemental self-study work in C must be done before enrolling.
** Maximum 3 credits for both English Language and English Literature.

In addition, UCFV will grant unassigned credit for other AP courses with a grade of 4 or 5 that are accepted at other B.C. public universities or university colleges. See the transfer guide at www.bccat.bc.ca
To obtain transfer credit, official AP score results from the College Board should be submitted to the Admissions and Records office with an Application for Transfer Credit.

International Baccalaureate program
Transfer credit and/or advanced standing will be granted to students who complete higher level International Baccalaureate courses with a grade of 5 or better. Transferable subjects are:

IB examination             UCFV recognition
Biology                           BIO 111 and 112 (10 credits)
Chemistry                       CHEM 111 and 112 (8 credits)
English A1                      One of: ENGL 120, 130, 150, 170
English A2                      ENGL 105 (3 credits)
History                           HIST lower-level (6 credits)
Mathematics                   Individual assessment
Philosophy                     PHIL lower-level (6 credits)
Physics                          PHYS 101 and 105 (8 credits)

In addition, UCFV will grant unassigned credit for other higher level IB courses with a grade of 5 or better that are accepted at other B.C. public universities or university colleges. See the transfer guide at www.bccat.bc.ca
To obtain transfer credits, official IB certificates or diplomas should be submitted to the Admissions and Records office with an Application for Transfer Credit.

Letters of Permission
Students currently enrolled in a UCFV certificate, diploma, or degree program who plan to take academic work at another institution to count toward their programs should request a Letter of Permission. The Letter of Permission request should be submitted to Admissions and Records well before registration for the course in question. Forms are available from the UCFV Admissions and Records office.
    Letters of Permission will be issued only to students in good academic standing (students must meet the minimum GPA required for their program, or maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher if the program does not specify a minimum). Students must ensure that any outstanding fees are paid, and any library holds are cleared.

Visiting students
Students from other post-secondary institutions who plan to attend UCFV as visiting students should contact their home institution for permission. Visiting students to UCFV must submit a UCFV application form, the application fee, and the Letter of Permission
(if applicable) from the home institution. A recent transcript and Request for Transfer Credit form is also required if you have taken a prerequisite course at another institution.

Transfer to Other Institutions
You can begin your university studies at UCFV and then transfer to another university or university college to complete your degree.
    If you plan to take UCFV courses with the intention of transferring later, you should apply for one of the following (whichever suits your goals most closely):
• General Arts
• General Science
• General Studies
• Associate of Science degree
• Engineering Transfer
    In many arts and science subjects you can complete a four-year bachelor’s degree at UCFV; for others you can complete one or two years at UCFV and then transfer to finish the degree elsewhere.
    The transferability of individual UCFV courses to B.C. universities is explained in transfer guides. The B.C. Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) produces an online guide for transfer students, at www.bccat.bc.ca. BCCAT also publishes a booklet, “Tips for Transfer”. This booklet includes a transfer planning checklist, answers questions about transfer, and provides many useful hints for transfer students. Copies are available from Student Services or online at the BCCAT website.
    In order to do your UCFV course planning, you must be familiar with the degree program at the university to which you wish to transfer. A UCFV educational advisor can assist you in understanding the university calendars, and planning your UCFV courses.
University regulations vary with respect to transfer, but the following guidelines generally apply:
•     Students usually complete a full first year (30 credits/10 courses) before transferring.
•     Grades less than C are not assured of transfer credit.
•     A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 (C average) is required.
•     Some universities impose quotas on the number of students admitted to certain programs. In such cases, grade point averages well above the minimum will be required.
•     Students may not normally transfer more than 60 credits towards a four-year degree (residency requirement)
•     Transfer credit is always evaluated by the post-secondary institution from which the credential is to be obtained. Therefore, if you have credit from a previous post-secondary institution, plan to take additional credits at UCFV and then transfer to another university to obtain a credential there, the course work at the first post-secondary institution is not evaluated by UCFV.
•     Some institutions may recalculate your grade point average, including all attempts of any repeated courses.
•     Universities only give credit for upper-division courses (300- and 400-level) on a case by case basis. These courses are not generally included in formal transfer guides.

In summary: You can transfer to many different arts, science, and professional degrees at other universities. In order to do so, you must choose courses that are fully transferable to the receiving institution. Obtain calendars from the university to which you wish to transfer, and consult with a UCFV educational advisor in Student Services to assist with appropriate course planning.
Note: Transferability in the Course descriptions section can change at any time. It is the student’s responsibility to check transferability of coursework in the B.C. Provincial Transfer Guide available online at www.bccat.bc.ca and/or by contacting the institution.

Professional program preparation
You can begin your studies toward a career in teaching, law, medicine, veterinary medicine, dental hygiene, etc., at UCFV.
    If you require assistance planning your program, make an appointment with an educational advisor in student services to discuss your program plan.
Contact Student Services:
    Abbotsford: 604-854-4528
    Chilliwack: 604-795-2808
 

Back to General Information index
Calendar home page/index