Thread: "Non-Transcriptable" certificates

So I'm taking a few classes at Foothill College and in some programs I see this term being used for various certificates.

I got a response from someone in the administration but I was not satisfied with the response. All they said was that because of some laws passed, these certificates would not appear on your transcript.

Somehow I think this all has to do about money but I am left wondering why not.

Here's a sample web page from the school:
Degrees, Certificates & Transfer Programs

Still confused.

Your thoughts?

I will do my best to explain. I'm a community college teacher and one of the program I teach is a certificate program. I currently teach in a curriculum certificate program. The credits do show up on the transcript and college credit is awarded but it isn't transferable credit, meaning it can't transfer into a bachelor's degree. The same courses can be transferred into our AAS degrees, which are traditionally non-transferable. Now, I used to teach in the continuing education division in a certificate program. These courses were not awarded college credit, but showed up on the students continuing education transcript. Of course none of these were transferable for college credit to our degree programs or another school or degree program.

Usually the standards of course content and grading isn't as stringent for Con Ed classes. For curriculum certificates students are not usually required to take placement tests and meet minimum educational requirements by taking general education courses. Since this means the content can vary widely from one institution to another they don't usually transfer. I have known some schools to award credit by exam credit for courses only after talking with the instructor to find out the level of the course content and comparing the students grades. But this is usually only done on a case by case basis only after the student requests it.

This being said doesn't mean that employers don't give credit for taking certificate programs. They still have great value for a lot of students and employers but are usually not considered degree level course work. I hope this helps.

This is something that drives my wife and I nuts. She is finishing up a medical billing/coding and medical office management online course. She had to take a fairly comprehensive anatomy & physiology course at the beginning, and her textbooks are excellent and the coursework is actually quite good. There's a lot about the history of government regulation of healthcare, government regulations in general, specific medico-legal issues, all kinds of stuff. It's not easy, it is very well done, very thorough, and very rigorous, and yet no credit!

Note: We knew it was zero credit when she applied, but after she took it for a while and we looked into it more, it seems more in-depth than some college courses I've come across, to be honest. I took a history class that consisted of the teacher talking at a VERY high level for an hour, no depth at all, followed by him putting in a tape from the History channel and walking out for the next hour! That's why it's frustrating. I actually think if they submitted it for ACE credit they may really be considered for a full 3 semester hours. But maybe I'm just biased.

Originally Posted by dcan

submitted it for ACE credit they may really be considered for a full 3 semester hours. But maybe I'm just biased.

It costs money for the school to submit to the ACE program, plus the college has guidlines that allow it to grant credit or not under the terms of their accreditation....so the point is kinda moot. But I feel your pain.

In my line of work (marianne can confirm) there is a great deal of continuing education that I have to undergo regularly to keep my license and none of it qualifies for college credit (though it's ften taught at a college)

I have to sit for a 1 day refresher for ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and another day for PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) every 2 years. Basic Life Support gets renewed in ther somewhere. International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) is every 2 - 3 years. and on top of that you have to get 24 - 36 additional hours every 2-3 years depending upon rather the license is NREMT or a particular state. Heck, to practice in NYC as a medic you have to take and pass a test every 2-3 years.

Certificate programs are useful and important in many lines of work. As mentioned these are usually introductory programs or Con Ed that is required for licensure. Not every class can, or should, be eligible for college credit.

I'll join in since this has also been my field forever. I teach in an AAS program as well as an adult ed department (and I'm opening a culinary trade school hoping to secure ACE evaluation for my courses...anyhooooo)

It's one of those things that are hard to understand. It's NEVER about rigor, and ALWAYS about accreditation. Simply, the college doesn't have the authority to make the CE/Adult ed courses for credit. Only colleges taught through academic departments can be for credit. The word credit, believe it or not, is a state regulated word. I, for instance, can't use the word credit in m school. I can use alternate words- like unit, hour, etc but not credit. From dept to dept, it matters. That's why people here sometimes get confused (rightfully so, I was confused, and that was after over 4 years IN ADVISING at my college!)

This is why dcan's A&P example is a good one. Any course offered through an AAS/AOS or continuing ed/adult ed department is absolutely 100% not a general education course. Titles confuse people. You would "think" that a course "called" A&P that "uses" A&P books "should be" equivalent to A&P from the bio dept. Nope. Why? Accreditation. Only courses that come from gen ed departments can be gen eds. Only courses that come from credit approved departments can offer credit.

If I take a course from a continuing ed/adult ed department, it can (in theory) be taught by anyone because that department is "outside" regulation. As a result, those courses can never flow UP into credit courses (ACE aside) in a college hierarchy. Shame on me if I title it something that sounds like a credit course (and people do) but that has nothing to do with anything.

Sorry if this post isnt up to par, I'm hot the AC is off, I can't find my coffee and I'm cranky!