Virginia Law

Article 3. Course Credit.

A. The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall implement policies that provide students called to active military duty during an academic semester with the opportunity to earn full course credit. Such policies shall provide, as one option, that such students who have completed 75 percent of the course requirements at the time of activation and who meet other specified requirements receive full course credit.

B. The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall, in accordance with guidelines developed by the Council, implement policies for the purpose of awarding academic credit to students for education, experience, training, and credentials gained from service in the Armed Forces of the United States.

C. The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall, in accordance with guidelines developed by the Council, implement policies that recognize the scheduling difficulties and obligations encountered by active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States.

2009, c. 190, § 23-9.2:3.7; 2012, cc. 167, 169; 2016, c. 588; 2022, c. 330.

A. Each public institution of higher education shall develop policies for counting credit received for successful completion of foreign language courses, including American Sign Language courses, either in a secondary school or another institution of higher education toward satisfaction of the foreign language entrance, placement, and course credit requirements of the public institution of higher education that are uniform across each foreign language program offered by the institution.

B. Each public institution of higher education shall count credit received for successful completion of American Sign Language courses at the institution toward satisfaction of its foreign language course credit requirements.

2011, c. 762, § 23-9.2:3.9; 2016, c. 588; 2017, c. 292.

A. The Council, in consultation with each public institution of higher education, shall establish a policy for granting undergraduate course credit to any entering student who has successfully completed a dual enrollment course. The policy shall:

1. Outline the conditions necessary for each public institution of higher education to grant course credit for the successful completion of a dual enrollment course;

2. Identify whether each dual enrollment course offered in the Commonwealth is transferrable to a public institution of higher education as (i) a Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program course credit, (ii) a general elective course credit, or (iii) a course credit meeting other academic requirements of a public institution of higher education, or if such course is not likely to transfer for course credit. The policy shall also require that each school division and comprehensive community college offering a dual enrollment course clearly specify such transfer information on any website, literature, or other materials describing or advertising the course;

3. Require each public institution of higher education offering a dual enrollment course to identify the equivalent non-dual enrollment course;

4. Ensure that the grant of course credit is consistent across each public institution of higher education and each such dual enrollment course; and

5. Require that the following information be made available on the online portal maintained by the System pursuant to subsection C of § 23.1-908: (i) a description of each dual enrollment course offered in the Commonwealth; (ii) the specific academic, career, or technical programs in the System that will accept the course credit and which specific comprehensive community colleges offer such programs; and (iii) if available, the pathway maps in which the dual enrollment course is included.

B. The Council and each public institution of higher education shall make the policy available to the public on their websites. The Council shall also forward the policy to the System for inclusion in the online portal maintained by the System pursuant to § 23.1-908.

C. The Council shall annually report to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health on the implementation of the course credit policy by each public institution of higher education.

2017, cc. 309, 316; 2018, cc. 832, 845.

A. The Council, in consultation with the governing board of each public institution of higher education, shall establish a policy for granting undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students who have taken one or more Advanced Placement, Cambridge Advanced (A/AS), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), or International Baccalaureate examinations. The policy shall:

1. Outline the conditions necessary for each public institution of higher education to grant course credit, including the minimum required scores on such examinations;

2. Identify the course credit or other academic requirements of each public institution of higher education that the student satisfies by achieving the minimum required scores on such examinations; and

3. Ensure, to the extent possible, that the grant of course credit is consistent across each public institution of higher education and each such examination.

B. The Council and each public institution of higher education shall make the policy available to the public on its website.

2015, c. 578, § 23-9.2:3.10; 2016, c. 588.

The governing board of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education shall adopt policies requiring that participation in an internship or work-based learning experience be integrated into a student's degree program so as not to extend the time to complete the degree.

2023, c. 758.