Course Credit and Placement

Credit by Examination

To receive credit by examination, a student must show convincing evidence of particular aptitude or knowledge in the course material. A written, oral, or performance examination is developed and administered by an instructor of the course. The examination is subject to the approval of the division director. If the student achieves satisfactory performance on the examination, a grade of "X" is recorded on the transcript. The "X" grade earns no quality points, but credit hours are given identical to the number of credit hours typically assigned to that course at Central Piedmont. For further information, see Policy 3.01 Credit by Examination.

Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs do not cover credit by examination.

Credit for Prior Learning

You may be able to earn Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) for college-level classes that you obtained through prior learning experiences, such as military service, fire certifications, industrial and corporate training programs, apprenticeship programs, or successful completion of standardized exams. See the Credit for Prior Learning website for more information. 

Course Credit Guidelines for Military Service

Central Piedmont approves academic credit for military basic training equivalent to specific physical education activity courses. Another military training deemed to be college-level is evaluated and academic credit may be awarded when it is considered equivalent to a specific course(s) in the North Carolina Community College System’s Common Course Library. Documentation of the training must be presented to Student Records in the form of the student's original discharge papers (DD Form 214 - Member 4 copy) or an official military transcript.

Placement Testing

For more information on Placement Testing, see Testing Center Placement Testing

Course Substitution

Course substitutions are permitted with final approval by the associate dean of the academic area where the replacement is sought. For students in Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) programs, substitution requests should originate with the advisor of the students’ active program of study. For students in College Transfer programs [Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), and Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A.)], requests should originate with the advisor of the related academic area.

Substitutions are approved and applied toward specific degrees, diplomas, or certificates; therefore, a student must be enrolled in the appropriate program of study and catalog year before a substitution can be given.

Students with questions about this process may consult with their faculty advisor or contact Academic Advisement at 704.330.6454. Military Families and Veterans Services students are approved only by the North Carolina State Approving Agency for two course substitutions per program. For more information, go to Policy 3.10 Audits, Substitutions, and Waivers.

Course Waiver

Course waivers for graduation are permitted upon the recommendation of the associate dean of the student's Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree program or the dean responsible for the specific course in the Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) Degree programs. No credit hours are granted.

General Education requirements may not be waived for any reason.

For more information, go to Policy 3.10 Audits, Substitutions, and Waivers.