1. (a) The institution shall establish specific written standards for student admissions for each educational program. These standards shall be related to the particular educational program. An institution shall not admit any student who is obviously unqualified or who does not appear to have a reasonable prospect of completing the program and shall describe in its admissions policy the criteria used by the institution to determine whether each student is qualified for admission to the educational program (“qualified candidate for admission”). In addition to any specific standards for an educational program, the admissions standards must specify as applicable that:

   1. (1) Each student admitted to an undergraduate degree program, or a diploma program, shall possess a high school diploma or its equivalent, or otherwise meet the institution's criteria for a qualified candidate for admission, including minimum levels of prior education, preparation, skills, or training.
   2. (2) Each student admitted into a post-baccalaureate degree program shall possess a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. If a graduate program leads to a profession or an occupation requiring state licensure and the licensing agency does not require that a member of the profession or occupation possess a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent, this subdivision does not apply.

2. (b) The institution shall specify the maximum credit it will transfer from another institution for each educational program, and the basis upon which the transferred credit will be awarded.

   1. (1) Except as limited by subdivision (c) of this section, a maximum of 75 percent of the units or credit that may be applied toward the award of a bachelor's degree may be derived from a combination of any or both of the following:

      1. (A) Units earned at institutions approved by the Bureau, public or private institutions of higher learning accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the U. S. Department of Education, or any institution of higher learning, including foreign institutions, if the institution offering the undergraduate program documents that the institution of higher learning at which the units were earned offers degree programs equivalent to degree programs approved by the Bureau or accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the U.S. Department of Education;
      2. (B) Challenge examinations and standardized tests such as the College Level Placement Tests (CLEP) for specific academic disciplines.
   2. (2) No more than 20% of graduate semester units or the equivalent in other units awarded by another institution may be transferred for credit toward a Master's degree. An institution may accept transfer credits only from the institutions of higher learning described in subsection (1)(A).
   3. (3) No more than 30 graduate semester credits or its equivalent awarded by another institution may be credited toward a doctoral degree. This subdivision does not apply to graduate programs that lead to a profession or an occupation requiring state licensure where the licensing agency has a regulation permitting a different standard.

3. (c) If credit for prior experiential learning is to be granted, the policy for granting such credit shall be included in the institution's catalog.

   1. (1) An institution may grant credit to a student for prior experiential learning only if:

      1. (A) The prior learning is equivalent to a college or university level of learning;
      2. (B) The learning experience demonstrates a balance between theory and practice and;
      3. (C) The credit awarded for the prior learning experience directly relates to the student's degree program and is applied in satisfaction of some of the degree requirements.
   2. (2) Each college or university level learning experience for which credit is sought shall be documented by the student in writing.
   3. (3) Each college or university level learning experience shall be evaluated by faculty qualified in that specific subject area who shall ascertain (1) to what college or university level learning the student's prior experience is equivalent and (2) how many credits toward a degree may be granted for that experience.

   4. (4) The faculty evaluating the prior learning shall prepare a written report indicating all of the following:

      1. (A) The documents in the student's record on which the faculty member relied in determining the nature of the student's prior experience;
      2. (B) The bases for determining that the prior experience (i) is equivalent to college or university level learning and (ii) demonstrates a balance between theory and practice; and

      3. (C) The bases for determining (i) to what college or university level the experience is equivalent and (ii) the proper number of credits to be awarded toward the degree for that experience.

         (5)(A) The institution shall designate at least one administrator to be responsible for the review of faculty determinations regarding the award of credit for prior experiential learning.

      4. (B) The administrator shall document the institution's periodic review of faculty evaluations to assure that the faculty written evaluations and awards of credit comply with this section and the institution's policies and are consistent.

   5. (6) The amount of credit awarded for prior experiential learning shall not be related to the amount charged the student for the assessment process.

      1. (B) Of the second 60 semester units (i.e., credits 61 to 120) awarded a student in an undergraduate program, no more than 15 semester credits may be awarded for prior experiential learning.
      2. (C) Of the first 30 semester credits awarded a student in a graduate program, no more than 6 semester credits may be awarded for prior experiential learning.
      3. (D) Of the second 30 semester credits (i.e., credits 31 to 60) awarded a student in a graduate program, no more than 3 semester credits may be awarded for prior experiential learning.
      4. (E) No credit for experiential learning may be awarded after a student has obtained 60 semester credits in a graduate program.

      (7)(A) Of the first 60 semester credits awarded a student in an undergraduate program, no more than 15 semester credits may be awarded for prior experiential learning.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 94803, 94877 and 94885, Education Code. Reference: Sections 94885 and 94909, Education Code.

History

1. New section filed 8-17-92 as an emergency; operative 8-17-92 (Register 92, No. 34). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL 2-13-93 pursuant to Education Code section 94337(a) or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

2. Certificate of Compliance as to 8-17-92 order transmitted to OAL on 2-3-93; disapproved by OAL on 3-24-93 (Register 93, No. 14).

3. New section refiled 4-12-93 as an emergency; operative 4-12-93 (Register 93, No. 16). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL 10-9-93 pursuant to Education Code section 94337(a) or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

4. Certificate of Compliance as to 4-12-93 order transmitted to OAL on 10-6-93; disapproved by OAL on 11-22-93 (Register 93, No. 49).

5. New section refiled 11-17-93 as an emergency; operative 11-17-93 (Register 93, No. 47). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 5-16-94 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

6. Certificate of Compliance as to 11-17-93 order transmitted to OAL with amendment of subsection (a) 3-11-94 and filed 4-19-94 (Register 94, No. 16).

7. Renumbering and amendment of former chapter 2, article 12 heading to chapter 3, article 2 (sections 71770-71865) and amendment of section heading, section and Note filed 2-1-2010 as an emergency; operative 2-1-2010 (Register 2010, No. 6). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 8-2-2010 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

8. Renumbering and amendment of former chapter 2, article 12 heading to chapter 3, article 2 (sections 71770-71865) and amendment of section heading, section and Note refiled 7-30-2010 as an emergency; operative 7-30-2010 (Register 2010, No. 31). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 10-28-2010 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.

9. Editorial correction of Histories 1 and 3 (Register 2010, No. 34).

10. Certificate of Compliance as to 7-30-2010 order, including further amendment of subsection (b)(2), transmitted to OAL 10-7-2010 and filed 11-18-2010 (Register 2010, No. 47).

11. Amendment of subsections (a)-(a)(1) filed 1-27-2023; operative 4-1-2023 (Register 2023, No. 4).