Credit for Prior Learning

Credit by Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) Examination, and College Level Examination Program (CLEP)  

LBCC recognizes the Advanced Placement (AP) Program and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the College Board and the International Baccalaureate Examination Program (IB).

Students are required to order official copies of their College Board Advanced Placement (AP) and/or International Baccalaureate(IB) transcripts and have the transcripts sent to LBCC’s Office of Admissions and Records. Course credit is granted for AP examinations with a score of three, four, or five in those instances in which the department concerned has determined that the material covered is comparable to a specific course offering within that department. AP credit is granted for the fulfillment of LBCC degree requirements. However, when a student transfers to any other college or university, that institution routinely reevaluates AP units in accordance with its own internal policies. Thus, AP units are indicated as such in official records and may not transfer as LBCC courses. Specific course credit will be granted for the IB examinations in alignment with score standards of the California State University System credit lists for International Baccalaureate exams and the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates (ICAS) Cal-GETC standards.

AP, IB, and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credit for the Associate Degree for Transfer is approved through the general education certification for transfer to colleges or universities that accept Long Beach City College’s certification. 

Credit by Examination

Credit by Examination is a provision whereby a student who is enrolled in the college and is in good standing may, with departmental approval, take an examination to earn credit in a specific course. The student must have prior approval of the department head and school dean before being allowed to take the examination for credit. Courses eligible for Credit by Examination will be determined by the department in which each course is offered. The department shall determine how many times credit by examination is offered to an individual student per semester and how many times students are allowed to attempt to pass the exam.

  1. The department concerned also determines specific standards of student eligibility. The method of evaluation, including a copy of any written exam or a description of its contents, must be approved by the department and kept on file in the department and in the office of the school dean. For courses identified in the High School Articulation Project, a description of the contents of the examination, as developed and approved in the articulation process, must be kept on file in the department.
  2. Students who take an exam for credit will be given the grade earned or credit depending upon the department policy. For high school articulated courses, students will be given the grade earned or receive a “credit” grade depending on the method of grading for the course; if the student does not pass the examination, no notation will be made on the transcript and no credit will.
  3. Units earned through Credit by Examination may be counted toward the 12-unit residency requirement for the associate degree. *pending regulatory change in Title 5 SECTION 55050.
  4. No fee will be charged for students to take Credit by Examination.

Credit by College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

LBCC recognizes the CLEP examinations of the College Board under the following conditions:

  1. Students are required to order official copies of their College Board transcripts with the appropriate CLEP scores and have the transcripts sent to LBCC’s Enrollment Services Office.
  2. Specific course credit will be granted for the CLEP examinations in those instances in which the department concerned has determined that the material covered is comparable to a specific course offering within that department.
  3. In situations where comparable courses are not offered by a department, CLEP scores may be applied toward General Education.
  4. CLEP credit is granted for the fulfillment of LBCC degree requirements. However, when a student transfers to any other college or university, that institution routinely reevaluates CLEP units in accordance with its own internal policies for CLEP. Thus, CLEP units are indicated as such in official records and may not transfer as LBCC courses.
  5. CLEP credit for an Associate Degree for Transfer is approved through the General Education certification for transfer to colleges or universities that accept LBCC’s certification.

A full version of the Procedure can be viewed at https://www.lbcc.edu/pod/lbccd-board-policies-procedures.

Credit for Work Experience Education

LBCC recognizes job experience as a valuable learning resource. Work experience education aims to provide students with an integrated instructional program that provides opportunities to connect academic curricula to applied experiential learning in the workplace.

To earn Work Experience credit, students must successfully fulfill measurable learning objectives prior to the completion of the semester. The process of establishing these learning objectives for the student employee involves the employer directly. The work experience instructor visits each job site to validate the learning environment and working conditions and to ensure good communication between the employer and the college.

Students must be enrolled in a Career and Technical Education program offered at the college and have met one of the following two requirements:

  1. Completed at least one-third of the units required for the program.
  2. Completed or be concurrently enrolled in a course in the same program.

Students must also participate in on-the-job learning experiences that contribute to occupational or educational goals and have the approval of the professor.

International students who wish to enroll in Work Experience education must receive a release from the International Student Office prior to enrolling in Work Experience. The office is located at the Liberal Arts Campus, Building A, 562-938-4745.

Work Experience education units meet the eligibility requirements for veterans’ benefits, Social Security, and financial aid. Work Experience operates without regard to race, age, sex, religion, skin color, national origin, handicap, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, medical conditions such as cancer-related illness, or status as a veteran. Additional information on the program and enrollment is available at the Academic Services Office located on the Liberal Arts Campus.

Credit for Educational Experience in Military Service

LBCC presently requires three units Lifelong Understanding and Self-Development (Area 7) under the General Education Requirements for an associate degree. Veterans may be granted these three units of credit toward graduation if they served on active duty for at least 12 continuous months. A student who wishes to receive these credits must have a copy of their DD-214 and file number from the Veterans’ Administration to request such credit. Please contact the Veterans Affairs Office at LAC in Building A or at TTC in Building QQ for additional assistance.

Students who have a Joint Services Transcript (JST) will have their transcripts evaluated. Students may bring their JST to their first counseling appointment or upload directly into MAP https://veteransmapsearch.azurewebsites.net/default.aspx. Student’s will have the right to accept, deny, or appeal any credit recommendations made by that evaluation.

In order to be eligible for Credit for Prior Learning, a student must: 

  1. Be in good standing with the District, 
  2. Be currently registered in the District, and 
  3. The student is not currently enrolled in the course to be challenged. 

Current students must have an educational plan on file. The eligible course must be listed in the Long Beach City College Catalog. Credits acquired by prior learning are not applicable to meeting unit load requirements for Selective Service deferment, Veterans, Financial Aid, or Social Security benefits.