Recognition of Prior Coursework and Learning

Recognition for previous learning is given through advance credit and prior leaning assessment (PLA).  Advance credit recognizes learning obtained through formal coursework and enables transfer of course credit into your current program at Medicine Hat College. PLA recognizes learning acquired through noncredit coursework, workshops, and work or other experiences. In order to be considered for advance credit or prior learning, you need to have completed an application for admission to the College.

Click here for a chart outlining the process for Recignition of Prior Coursework and Learning.


Obtaining Advance Credit | Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfers (ACAT) |
Taking courses at other institutions for credit at Medicine Hat College | Obtaining a prior learning assessment | The prior learning assessment (PLA) process

Obtaining Advance Credit

Advance credit may be granted for courses completed at recognized, fully accredited universities, colleges, and technical institutes. Credit may also be assessed for advanced placement or international baccalaureate courses.

You can apply for advance credit by obtaining an Advance Credit form from the Registrar’s Office or by downloading one from the Medicine Hat College website and submitting your request to the Registrar’s Office in Student Services. Official transcripts must either be on file or accompany your request. Normally, you must have a C- or better in the courses that you wish to transfer to Medicine Hat College. However, a D (passing grade) may be accepted for courses taken at institutions that have collaborative programs with Medicine Hat College, such as Nursing and Addictions Counselling, where the partnering institution observes the Pan Canadian protocol.

Assessment of advance credit is completed on an individual basis and will depend on the accreditation of the sending institution and whether the course for which transfer is sought fits with your program requirements. For courses completed in Alberta, the Alberta Transfer Guide is the basis for assessment. Medicine Hat College also has arrangements with the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan and uses these arrangements to guide assessments of students presenting course work from Saskatchewan. Advance credit is approved by the Division Dean and Registrar and is recorded on your Medicine Hat College transcript.

Alberta Council on Admissions and Transfers (ACAT)

Students who are transferring in courses for advance credit or who are wishing to transfer to another institution should refer to the Alberta Transfer Guide, which lists all the course and program transfer agreements in effect between post-secondary institutions in Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. The Transfer Guide and other transfer information are available online at www.acat.gov.ab.ca. You can also call the infoline at (780) 422-9021 or toll free at 310-0000.

Taking Courses at Other Institutions for Credit at Medicine Hat College

If you intend to complete a course through another post-secondary institution while enrolled at Medicine Hat College that you intend to use for credit towards your program at Medicine Hat College, you will need to obtain approval from your Program Coordinator or Divisional Dean and the Register. The form is available from the Registrar’s Office (403) 504-3603. After you have completed the course, it is your responsibility to ensure that your transcripts are sent to Medicine Hat College and that you initiate the process for obtaining Advance Credit through the Registrar’s Office.

Obtaining a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Learning can be gained through experiences other than formal post-secondary courses such as through work, self-directed study, community work, non-credit courses, on-the-job training, corporate training programs, or other life experiences.

Prior Learning Assessment determines what you have learned and whether that learning equals or exceeds the knowledge, skills, and competencies defined in the learning outcomes of courses at Medicine Hat College. Prior Learning may be assessed by:

Challenge exams: You will have the opportunity to demonstrate that you have mastered the learning outcomes of the course without having to take the course. The instructor who teaches the course will set the exam. You must complete this exam before the deadline for adding classes.

Portfolio:  Your portfolio will consist of a collection of material to demonstrate what you know and can do, verifying you have mastered the learning outcomes of the course for which you are seeking credit. This form of Prior Learning Assessment is time consuming and you should initiate the process well in advance of the beginning of a semester.

The Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Process

• Check with the Registrar’s Office (403) 504-3603 to determine which option (advance credit or prior learning assessment) is best for you.
• Contact the Program Coordinator or relevant instructor to discuss the courses for which you are considering a request for prior learning assessment.
• Discuss the appropriateness of your request and assessment options with the Program Coordinator or relevant instructor and complete the Prior Learning Assessment application form.  Form can be obtained from the Registrar’s Office.
• The Program Coordinator or instructor obtains the approval of the Divisional Dean, which is recorded on the PLA application.
• Register in the course for which you are requesting prior learning assessment and pay half the tuition for the course.
• Complete the assessment options that have been agreed upon with the Program Coordinator/instructor. Once you have completed the assessment process, a grade is assigned to you, with the approval of the Registrar. The grade is entered on your transcript and is calculated in the grade point average for the semester. An unsuccessful attempt at prior learning assessment earns a NC (No Credit) grade that is not counted in the grade point average. If you earn a NC, you have the option of registering in the course at a later date and paying the regular tuition.