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Recognition of Prior Learning

Formal Prior Learning is assessed through the process of Transfer Credit for individual courses, institutional agreements that recognize transfers of a block of courses, and Letters of Permission.

At the present time, Ambrose University does not have the capacity to recognize Informal Prior Learning.

The application for recognition of prior learning is made to the Office of the Registrar, who will bring a recommendation to the appropriate Academic Affairs committee. There is a fee for this assessment (see Registrar/Registration Fees).

Transfer Credit

A new student may apply for transfer credit for previous undergraduate-level studies at recognized accredited institutions. The Office of the Registrar, in consultation with the relevant faculty as needed, will evaluate the application for transfer credit and official transcripts upon a student’s admission to a program. The student is responsible to provide Ambrose with an official English translation of a transcript and course syllabus.

To be considered for transfer, a course must be equivalent or near to the equivalent of a degree requirement, or fit within the maximum number of elective credits allowed in a degree. The earned grade in the transferring course must meet the minimum grade requirements of the degree. While there is no limitation to the age of courses accepted for transfer credit, older course content may be assessed to be out of date, rendering certain courses inadmissible for transfer credit.

Ambrose has formal agreements for transfer with other institutions in Alberta which may be found on the Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT) website: www.transferalberta.ca.

Transfer credit may be given for International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) courses taken in high school. For IB, only Higher Level courses with a grade of 4, 5, 6 or 7 will qualify for evaluation. AP grades of 3, 4 or 5 will qualify for evaluation.

Transfer credit may be given for College Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations, administered by The College Board in the USA.

Transfer credit will be considered for courses taken at an ABHE accredited institution for the Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) degree and is subject to the conditions of transfer. Transfer credit for courses students have taken at an ABHE accredited institution will be considered on a case-by-case basis for Ambrose Arts and Science programs. The criteria provided in the Recognition of Prior Learning: Unaccredited Institutions policy (below) will be the basis for such transfer decisions. If Ambrose grants transfer credit from ABHE accredited institutions, other qualification certification boards may not recognize it.

You may register for courses before we complete any necessary transfer credit evaluation. However, you may miss out on transfer credit by doing so. Credit can be granted only once for similar course work, so you could end up registering and being required to pay for a course that would have been unnecessary if we had known that you could be offered transfer credit instead. Therefore, we advise you to register after your transfer credit evaluation is complete.

 

Reasons Transfer Credit May be Denied

  • The courses are not appropriate for your chosen Ambrose program
  • You have completed more junior-level courses than your chosen program permits
  • You have been taking more transfer courses than the maximum allowed by the program
  • The course does not meet the minimum grade requirement for transfer courses
  • The institution where the course was taken does not meet accreditation standards for transfer credit
  • The course is a Practicum, Internship and/or Mentoring course

See Conditions of Transfer below for more detailed information.

 

Letters of Permission

A current degree-seeking student may apply for a Letter of Permission, which permits them to take a course at another accredited institution for transfer into an Ambrose degree program. Such permission is subject to approval by the Office of the Registrar. To be eligible for a Letter of Permission, a student must have earned at least 15 credits at Ambrose and be in Good Standing.

In any given semester, a student may not enroll in more credits as a visiting student in other institutions than they do at Ambrose University without special permission.

 

Conditions of Transfer and Letters of Permission

Credit is given for formal prior learning at accredited institutions through transfer credit or letters of permission subject to the following limitations:

  • A student must meet Ambrose’s residency requirement to graduate from Ambrose: the completion of a minimum of 45 credits for all three year degrees and 60 credits for all four year degrees;
  • Transfer credit, including Letters of Permission, may not exceed half of the disciplinary coursers in any Arts and Science degree program;
  • All transfer credit evaluations are program specific. A change of degree program may therefore result in changes to transfer credits awarded;
  • An earned grade of not less than ‘C’ (according to the Ambrose grade scale) in the course being transferred is required for transfer eligibility;
  • Experiential learning courses such as practicums, internship, and field placements may be considered as specialized or open electives only, but not as practicum or field placement credit;
  • Transfer credits will not be awarded towards undergraduate diploma programs;
  • Letters of Permission will not be granted during the final semester of study;
  • Grades from transfer credits are not noted on transcripts and are not considered when calculating the student’s semester or cumulative GPA.
  • The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree does not allow for prior learning through credit transfer.

 

Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfer (ACAT)

Ambrose is a partner institution of Alberta’s articulated transfer system and fully supports ACAT’s mandate to ensure transferability of courses and programs within the province to the benefit of students. Ambrose University has formal agreements for transfer with other institutions in Alberta which may be found on the ACAT website: www.transferalberta.ca.

 

International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP)

Transfer credit may be given for International Baccalaureate (IB) or Advanced Placement (AP) courses taken in high school. Students who have earned IB or AP credits will be evaluated individually to determine what credit, if any, they may receive. For IB, only Higher Level courses with a grade of 4, 5, 6 or 7 will qualify for evaluation. AP grades of 3, 4 or 5 will qualify for evaluation. The application of transfer credit requires the submission of official IB or AP transcripts sent directly to the university.

 

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Transfer credit may be given for CLEP examinations, administered by The College Board in the USA. Contact the Office of the Registrar for further information.

 

Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) Accredited Institutions

Transfer credit will be considered for courses taken at an ABHE accredited institution for the B.Th. degree and is subject to the conditions of transfer listed above. Transfer credit for courses students have taken at an ABHE accredited institution will be considered on a case-by-case basis for Arts and Science programs. The criteria provided in the non-formal learning policy (below) is the basis of the transfer decision. Note that in granting this transfer credit, Ambrose is granting credit other qualification certification boards may not recognize.

 

Block Transfer Agreements

Ambrose has agreements with ABHE accredited institutions whereby certain courses are accepted as equivalent to B.Th. classes. These agreements are reviewed every five years.

Currently, we have agreements with:

  • Vanguard College, Edmonton Alberta
  • Horizon College, Saskatoon Saskatchewan

North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies (NAIITS): An Indigenous Learning Community

An agreement between Ambrose and NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community provides Indigenous-specific courses for Ambrose students that are designed and taught by qualified, primarily Indigenous instructors, using Indigenous methodologies within a contemporary context. For further information, see the course descriptions or contact the Office of the Registrar.

 

Recognition of Prior Learning: Unaccredited Institutions

Courses from unaccredited programs or non-credit courses will be considered for transfer on a course-by-course basis, based on course descriptions, learning outcomes, and other components of the course syllabus, as compared to the most recent offering of the equivalent Ambrose course. Typically, a qualifying course would require a Grade 12 entrance requirement, an instructor with a minimum of a Master’s degree, at least 60% of the course content in common with Ambrose course content, equivalent reading requirements, and assessments which demonstrate mastery of the skills and content in the course.

The B.Th. degree may include up to 9 credit hours of prior learning. Arts and Science degrees may include up to 6 credit hours. No recognition of prior learning in the B.Ed. program will be considered.

 

Capernwray Prior Learning Credit

Students who have successfully completed Capernwray or Youth with a Mission (YWAM) studies, may be awarded up to nine (9) credits of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR).This is evaluated at the point of admission.

 

Recognition of Prior Learning: Life and Work Experience

At present, Ambrose University does not have the capacity to recognize experiential learning acquired through life and work experience.

 
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