Credit for Prior Learning is special credit earned through American Council of Education (ACE), ACT, Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations, CLEP, Credit by Examination, Dantes DSST Exams, Independent Study, Directed Study, Military Service Credit, and Prior Learning Assessment.

NOTE: Students submitting credit for prior learning must keep in mind the Maximum Time Frame policy. See Financial Aid Section.

Advanced Placement 

SENMC awards credit for advancement placement exams according to the NM Advanced Placement Policy (NMAC 5.55.8).

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

SENMC accepts the College Level Examination Program of the college Entrance Examination Board. 

Up to 6 credit hours in each of the five CLEP 

Credit by Examination

Any enrolled student with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 currently attending classes may, with permission of the appropriate department, challenge by examination any undergraduate course in which credit has not been previously earned except an independent study, research or reading course, or any foreign language course that precedes the final course in the lower-division sequence. The manner of administering the examination and granting permission shall be determined by the department in which the course is being challenged.

1. Students may not enroll in a single course, challenge it by examination, and drop it during the drop/add period, unless they enroll in an additional course.
2. A student desiring to apply for special examination may obtain the necessary forms from the Registrar's Office.
3. The fee for challenging a course is the same as the approved tuition rate.
4. Courses may not be challenged under the S/U option. 

Directed Study

A Directed Study course is a permanent catalog course delivered on an individual basis when the course is not offered that term or has low enrollment. Directed studies are approved under extenuating circumstances to provide an opportunity to complete a required course.

1. Directed studies must be approved by the department chair and instructor of the course.
2. Directed study courses will appear on the student's transcript with the specific course title.
3. There can be no change in the basic content of the course. The subject code, description, title, grading policy, credits, and course content cannot differ from the permanent course. 
4. Registration after published drop/add dates is not permitted. 
5. A student desiring to apply for Directed Study may obtain the necessary forms from the Registrar's Office.

Independent Study

Independent study provides enrolled students who are capable of and sufficiently motivated to undertake an independent study course in areas not covered by class offering, with limited oversight of a faculty member. Only students with 15 credit hours earned with a 2.0 cumulative GPA are eligible to enroll in independent study courses. No student is entitled to enroll in independent study and enrollment requires the consent of an instructor who agrees to supervise and evaluate the student’s learning activities in the course.

1. The topic and outline must be agreed upon by the student with the approval of the instructor and the department chair.
2. Independent study course will appear on the students transcript.
3. Independent study course may not be taken instead of, or to modify a regular course offering.
4. Registration after published drop/add dates is not permitted.
5. A student desiring to apply for special examination may obtain the necessary forms from the Registrar's Office.

Military Service Credit 

Southeast New Mexico College will award academic credit to United States military personnel for courses and Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), based on the American Council of Education Guide (ACE) as well as through national standardized tests such as CLEP, AP, PEP and DANTES. Military Training and Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) must have a recommendation evaluation by ACE (in the ACE Guide) for credit to be awarded. Courses accepted for transfer credit become part of the student’s official SENMC transcript and academic record. If a student wishes to appeal a decision regarding the acceptance of military training/ education and/or MOS for academic credit, the student must submit a written statement of appeal to the Registrar's Office. The Registrar will review with the department chair the merits of the appeal and render a decision. The decision of the Department Chair is final. Only Primary MOS (s) are eligible for academic credit in the initial review and evaluation. Credit for Duty and/or Secondary MOS may be eligible for academic credit if the student petitions the college’s Registrar's Office. Primary MOS is the primary specialty of a soldier and reflects the broadest and most in-depth scope of military experience. Veterans, active-duty personnel, National Guard, and Reservists who are current students or students applying for admission to Southeast New Mexico College may be granted academic credit on a case-by-case basis upon evaluation of military transcripts - the Joint Service Transcript (jst.doded.mil) and the Community College of the Air Force transcripts. Course equivalencies and credit hours awarded for a particular SENMC degree are determined by Department Chair for that program. Credit hours may be awarded for specific courses toward degree requirement, or as elective credit. The number of credit hours awarded will be determined by the Registrar and Department Chair for the program.

Prior Learning Assessment

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) allows students to receive college level credit as evidenced by state and national industry licenses, certifications and recognized for-credit-exams. SENMC will evaluate evidence of learning and award academic credit towards a certificate or an associate degree program. 

1. Students who are admitted to the college and are enrolled in a certificate or degree program are eligible to participate in PLA
2. A student can earl PLA credit for multiple classes if they have relevant industry credentials, experience, or knowledge.
3. Students who have PLA credit must still meet the 15 credit hour requirement for residency at SENMC. Credits earned through prior learning assessment are never considered part of this requirement. 
4. A student desiring to apply for PLA may obtain the necessary forms from the Registrar's Office.
5. Program specific crosswalks are developed and implemented when appropriate. 
6. PLA assessment will be reviewed and approved by a subject matter expert (SME).