(a) Completion.--Each public institution of higher education shall complete all of the following by June 30, 2008:
(1) Participate in the development and implementation of equivalency standards pursuant to section 2004-C(c)(1).1
(2) Establish and maintain records and data detailing the credits transferred to and received from other public institutions of higher education as the department may prescribe.
(3) Make any reasonable changes and modifications to its foundation courses, including the strengthening of the courses, to ensure equivalency of those credits among the public institutions of higher education, as recommended by the Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee.
(4) Agree to accept for transfer foundation courses determined to meet equivalency standards under section 2004-C(c)(2).
(b) Repealed by 2020, June 5, P.L. 223, No. 30, § 15, effective in 60 days [Aug. 4, 2020].
(c) Other duties.--Each public institution of higher education shall do all of the following:
(1) Agree to accept with full junior standing the associate of arts or associate of science degree into a parallel baccalaureate program as outlined in paragraph (3) by the timelines established by the Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee but no later than December 31, 2011. For purposes of this paragraph, an associate of arts or associate of science degree is a degree designed primarily for transfer to a baccalaureate institution and must contain a minimum of 60 credits.
(2) Submit to the Department of Education interim reports outlining the actions that the public institution of higher education has undertaken or intends to undertake to comply with paragraph (1).
(3) As a member of the Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee established in section 2004-C:
(i) Consult with the Department of Education on a process and timeline, subject to approval by the department, to identify the associate of arts or associate of science degree aligned with the graduation requirements of the parallel baccalaureate degree in all public institutions of higher education in consultation with faculty and personnel.
(ii) Identify associate of arts or associate of science degree programs for transfer with full junior standing into a parallel baccalaureate degree in consultation with faculty and personnel in those degree programs by December 31, 2011.
(iii) Identify modifications that may be required in existing associate or baccalaureate degrees to satisfy external accreditation or licensure requirements in consultation with faculty and personnel. Approved modifications shall recognize all competencies attained within either the associate or baccalaureate programs.
(iv) Define requirements, in consultation with faculty and personnel, for education degrees, including early childhood education degrees, leading to certification to be included in an associate degree and to be accepted for transfer with full junior standing into a parallel baccalaureate degree program.
(d) Credit for prior learning.--Each public institution of higher education shall do all of the following:
(1) Adopt and make public uniform standards for determining academic credit for prior learning as outlined in paragraph (4) within 18 months of the effective date of this subsection.
(2) Agree to award academic credit for prior learning, which is determined to meet the standards established under section 2004-C(c)(6) and apply the credit toward graduation, unless prohibited by external accreditation or licensure.
(3) Submit to the department interim reports outlining the actions that a public institution of higher education has undertaken or intends to undertake to comply with paragraphs (1) and (2).
(4) As a member of the Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee established in section 2004-C:
(i) Consult with the department on a process and timeline, subject to approval by the department, to develop uniform standards for determining academic credit for prior learning, in consultation with faculty and personnel.
(ii) Develop and implement uniform standards for determining academic credit for prior learning, in consultation with faculty and personnel.
(iii) Participate in submitting a status report to the department, the Education Committee of the Senate and the Education Committee of the House of Representatives.
(5) For each academic year, report to the department all of the following:
(i) The total number of students awarded credits for prior learning, including Advanced Placement Program exams, International Baccalaureate Diploma Program exams and College-Level Examination Program exams, Dantes Subject Standardized Tests and Cambridge advanced exams.
(ii) The total number of credits awarded to students for prior learning, including Advanced Placement Program exams, International Baccalaureate Diploma Program exams and College-Level Examination Program exams, Dantes Subject Standardized Tests and Cambridge advanced exams.
(iii) The number of credits awarded to matriculating students who present Advanced Placement Program, International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and College-Level Examination Program exams, Dantes Subject Standardized Tests and Cambridge advanced exams that meet the standards established under section 2004-C(c)(6) and, of those credits, the number of credits applied toward major requirements and the number of credits applied toward elective requirements.
(iv) Any other information related to awarding of credit for prior learning as requested by the department or the Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee, including the usability of transfer credits.
Credits
1949, March 10, P.L. 30, No. 14, art. XX-C, § 2002-C, added 2006, July 11, P.L. 1092, No. 114, § 10.2, imd. effective. Amended 2011, June 30, P.L. 112, No. 24, § 31, effective July 1, 2011; 2017, Nov. 6, P.L. 1142, No. 55, § 15, imd. effective. Affected 2020, June 5, P.L. 223, No. 30, § 15, effective in 60 days [Aug. 4, 2020]. Amended 2022, July 8, P.L. 620, No. 55, § 43, imd. effective.
