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Proficiency/Challenge Exam

Challenge Exam Application

SUNY Canton may award prior learning assessment credit through a locally designed competency and/or challenge exam developed through the department associated with the requested course credit.

Proficiency/challenge exams must be requested and administered prior to the student’s enrollment in the equivalent course for which an exam is requested. A student may not repeat the proficiency/challenge exam administered for a specific course or portion thereof if not satisfactorily completed. A student is not permitted to enroll in or repeat the equivalent course for which a proficiency exam has been satisfactorily completed. Any credit earned through a competency and/or challenge exam will not be counted as residency credit and all credit earned must fulfill degree requirements.

The maximum number of credit hours of prior learning (includes all combined types of prior learning assessment) that can be applied toward a certificate is 8, toward an associate degree is 15, toward a baccalaureate degree is 30, and toward a microcredential is 3. Credit for prior learning does not count for the campus graduation/residency requirements which are located at:

The cost for assessment and award of credit for prior learning for non-portfolio review is: $120/course. The cost for assessment and award of credit for prior learning for portfolio review is: $240/course.

Challenge Exam

College credit awarded based on challenge exam (or departmental exam), defined as an institutional exam designed to assess learning outcomes related to a specific course and which is developed by faculty who teach the course. (Existing final exams or comprehensive exams may provide the basis for developing a challenge exam but are not appropriate for use as challenge exams without evaluation and revision to ensure that they accurately and fairly assess all course learning outcomes.)

Process

  1. Matriculated students complete a proficiency/challenge exam request form.
  2. The proficiency/challenge exam request form will go to the Center for Workforce, Community & Industry Partnerships (WCIP) for initial review and the appropriate fee ($120/exam) will be placed on the student’s record for payment.
  3. Once the student has paid the proficiency/challenge exam fee, the request form will then be sent to the relevant School Dean. The School Dean will coordinate with the appropriate department/faculty for the development of a proficiency/challenge exam and grading rubric. The exam and rubric development will normally take no longer than 20 business days.
  4. Once the proficiency/challenge exam and grading rubric are ready, the faculty member will coordinate with the student to schedule, proctor, and grade the exam.
  5. Once graded, the proficiency/challenge exam, grading rubric, and the completed proficiency/challenge exam request form will be returned to the Center for Workforce, Community & Industry Partnerships where it will be scanned and stored by the WCIP.
  6. If the student achieves a passing score (70% or higher) on the proficiency/challenge exam, the packet will be sent to the Registrar’s Office where the course credit will be recorded as “CR” on the student’s official transcript.