Some nursing courses are available for Credit by Examination. Students interested in this option may follow the Policy on Credit by Examination outlined below. Credit by examination may be attemped only once per eligible course and must be attempted prior to enrolling in the course. Credit by examination may be attempted only after the student meets admission requirements for the College and Nursing Division.
Nursing Division
Policy On Credit by Examination
Generic Students
Applicants should submit requests for credit by examination in writing to the department head for nursing. Courses available for credit by examination by qualified applicants are as follows:
NUR 102 Nursing Care Skills I
NUR 104 Nursing Care Management I
NUR 105 Pharmacology for Nurses
(Other nursing courses may be attempted for credit by examination in special circumstances after the applicant submits sufficient documentation. Credit hours awarded through credit by examination must not exceed 25% of total curriculum hours.)
Guidelines for Credit by Examination
1. The applicant must meet admission requirements for the College and the appropriate level of the Nursing Program, as well as satisfy the course’s pre/co requisite requirements to be eligible to complete credit by examination as stated in the Trident Technical College College Catalog/Student Handbook.
2. The applicant must submit a letter of request to complete the credit by examination for a specific nursing course to:
Department Head for Nursing
Trident Technical College
7000 Rivers Avenue
P O Box 118067
Charleston, SC 29423
The letter should be sent by certified mail or hand delivered to the Nursing Division office in room 206 of the 630 building. The letter must be submitted no later than the first four weeks of the semester before the semester in which the credit by examination will be taken. The letter should contain a statement describing the rationale for the opportunity to attempt credit by examination, a profile of the applicant’s background, a current address, a telephone number, and a social security number.
3. The department head will review the request, and the applicant will be notified within thirty (30) days of receipt of the letter regarding the decision to allow the attempt.
4. The applicant whose request is approved will obtain a “Credit by Examination” form from the Admissions and Records office and have it signed by the lead instructor for the course to be attempted and by the dean of nursing.
5. The non-refundable Credit by Examination fee, paid prior to testing, is determined by the College and paid to the Business office (410 building) after completion of the above form.
6. The applicant will then make an appointment with the lead instructor to review the credit by examination procedure and schedule the test. Materials for preparation will be discussed at this time. The lead instructor will advise the applicant of the requirements for a successful attempt. The credit by examination of a clinical course will have both theory and clinical components.
The applicant must present a completed Credit by Examination form with the payment receipt number to the testing center in order to take the theory component.
The applicant must pass the theory component of the examination with a minimum score of 71%. Upon successful completion of the theory component of the exam, two faculty members will administer the clinical component. A grading system of satisfactory/unsatisfactory will be used to determine the applicant’s proficiency on the clinical component. To successfully complete the examination, applicants must pass both the theory and the clinical components.
7. The lead instructor will notify applicants via e-mail of the outcome when testing results are available. Applicants will be given an appropriate time frame to expect results.
8. Each course Credit by Examination may be attempted only once. An applicant may not attempt a course in which he/she has earned a previous grade including a “W.” An applicant enrolled in a course may not attempt Credit by Examination for that course after the drop/add period. The only exception is the applicant who audits a course.
9. Applicants who plan to attempt Credit by Examination for more than one clinical nursing course must be successful on each attempt of a nursing course that is a pre-requisite for the next nursing course in order to continue the Credit by Examination process. If the applicant is unsuccessful in the NUR 102 Credit by Examination attempt, he/she must wait until the established date of admission to enter the program.
Revised, February 2005
Curriculum and Instruction Committee
Nursing Division approval March 2005
