Moraine Park Technical College awards Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) for previous college coursework, work/life experiences related to the student’s program of study, successful completion of a national recognized exam or institutional challenge exam, industry certifications related to Moraine Park Technical College coursework, and military training/experience.
All Credit for Prior Learning requests are subject to approval by Associate Dean responsible for the corresponding course area.
Credits earned through credit for prior learning processes are subject to Moraine Park Technical College’s residency rule which requires students pursuing a degree, diploma or certificate to complete at least 25% of the graduation requirements through actual courses taken at MPTC.
Previous College Coursework (Transfer Credit)
Previous college coursework from accredited postsecondary institutions can be used to fulfill program requirements through the transfer credit process.
- The submission of an official college transcript is required to process and apply transfer credit to the student record. Official college transcripts are transcripts sent directly from prior institution to Moraine Park Technical College, submitted by student in sealed envelope from prior institution, or submitted to Moraine Park Technical College electronically from the prior institution.
- Transfer credits must be applicable to student’s current program of study.
- Coursework must have a minimum grade of “C” or better. Grades of C- or CD do not meet this requirement. Some programs may have differing grade requirements.
- Courses appear on the student record as a Moraine Park Technical College equivalent course or as elective credit.
- Grades for transfer coursework include the “T” designation (for transfer) and are not included when calculating a student’s grade point average (GPA).
- Transfer credit is awarded at no charge to the student.
- Transfer equivalencies are maintained via the College Source’s Transfer Evaluation System (TES) and can be viewed through the College Source Transferology website.
- Transfer equivalencies are also maintained in the school’s student information system.
International Transcripts
- Academic transcripts from non-U.S. colleges and universities are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Transcripts must be official (sent directly to Moraine Park Technical College from the college/university or translation agency).
- Transcripts must be translated into English by an approved translation agency and contain the following:
- Student Name
- Name of course completed
- Final grade received
- Academic terms of attendance
- Approval by the Moraine Park Technical College Registrar is required for transcript to be eligible for transfer credit.
- Transfer courses must fulfill a requirement within the student’s intended program of study.
- Student may be requested to provide course information (course description/course syllabi) for review purposes. Any documents submitted must be in English. Any translation to English must be completed by an approved translation agency.
Military Training/Experience
College credit is be awarded for military training/experiences relevant to the student’s program of study.
- The submission of an official Joint Services Transcript (JST) or Community College of the Air Force official transcript detailing the student’s military training and experiences is required to process and apply transfer credit to the student record.
- The American Council on Education (A.C.E.) credit recommendations are used as a basis for determining college credit awarded.
- Military training and experiences must fulfill a requirement within the student’s program of study.
- Grades for military credit appear on the student record using a “P” (for pass) designation and are not included when calculating a student’s grade point average (GPA)
- Credit for military training/experience is awarded at no charge to the student.
Industry Certifications (Advance Standing Credit)
Students holding industry recognized certifications may be awarded college credit for that certification through the Advance Standing process.
- Students submit proof of industry certification through the Advance Standing Credit Request Form located on Moraine Park Technical College’s Credit for Prior Learning webpage.
- Industry recognized certifications must be equivalent to course(s) within the student’s current program of study and are subject to Associate Dean approval.
- Grades for Advance Standing Credit appear on the MPTC Student Record using an “M” (for met) designation and are not included when calculating a student’s grade point average (GPA).
- Advance Standing Credit is awarded at no charge to the student.
Completion of Institutional Challenge Exam or National Exam (Credit by Exam)
College credit is awarded for successful completion of an institutional challenge exam or standardized national exam.
Institutional Challenge Exams
Challenge Exams are institutional tools developed by Moraine Park Technical College instructors independently or in collaboration with other Wisconsin Technical College System institutions.
- Challenge Exams are subject to approval of the corresponding Associate Dean.
- A listing of currently offered Challenge Exams can be found on Moraine Park Technical College’s Challenge Exam webpage.
- A schedule of upcoming Challenge Exam testing dates is posted on Moraine Park Technical College’s Challenge Exam webpage.
- Students are allowed one attempt per each Challenge Exam.
- Students cannot be under MPTC academic suspension.
- Students cannot have a previously recorded grade (except for a “W” withdrawal grade) for the course related to the exam they attempt.
- Students utilize the Request Form located on the Challenge Exam webpage to schedule a Challenge Exam.
- Students are assessed a nonrefundable $50 fee for each Challenge Exam attempted.
- Credits awarded for Challenge Exams appear on the MPTC Student Record using an “E” (for exam) designation and are not included when calculating a student’s grade point average (GPA).
National Exams
College credit is awarded for successful completion of Advance Placement, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST) Advance Placement Exams.
- A list of national exams eligible for college credit is maintained on Moraine Park Technical College Credit for Prior Learning webpage.
- Submission of an official exam score report is required for credit to be awarded.
- A minimum score (see below) must be achieved to receive credit.
- Advanced Placement-minimum score of “3” or higher
- CLEP-minimum score of 50
- DANTES/DSST-minimum scores range from 45-48 dependent upon exam
- Credit is only awarded for exams corresponding to a course requirement within the student’s current program of study.
- College credit earned via a national exam is awarded at no charge to the student.
- Credit awarded for national exams appears on the student record using an “E” (for earned) designation and is not included when calculating a student’s grade point average.
Work/Life Experience Credit (Credit via Experience)
College credit is awarded for students with work/life experiences relevant to their program of study.
- Credit via Experience requests are subject to approval by corresponding Associate Dean.
- Credit via Experience is dependent upon course content, the request will be assessed through the completion of a portfolio or skills demonstration.
- Individuals requesting Credit via Experience must be accepted into a current program of study.
- Credit via Experience can only be requested for courses fulfilling requirements within the student’s current program of study.
- Process guidelines and a Credit via Experience Request Form is posted on Moraine Park Technical College’s Credit via Experience webpage.
- A nonrefundable $90 processing fee is assessed for each Credit via Experience course request.
- When approved, college credits awarded through Credit via Experience process are applied to the student record once the student completes six (6) additional Moraine Park Technical College credits with a grade of “C” or better in each course.
- Credit awarded through the Credit via Experience process appears on the student record using an “O” (for Occupational Experience) designation and is not included when calculating a student’s grade point average (GPA).