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Explore your interests and find a program that puts you on the path to a bright future. Tri-C offers both credit and non-credit courses as well as certificate programs in most career fields.

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More than 1,000 credit courses are offered each semester in more than 200 career and technical programs. Tri-C also grants short-term certificates, certificates of proficiency and post-degree professional certificates.

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Tri-C's Workforce Training provides both non-credit and credit training for individuals and businesses to assist individuals with skills leading to employment. Tri-C's Corporate College provides professional development and corporate training opportunities.

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Getting Started

Whether you want to earn a degree, improve your skills, get certified, train for a new career, or explore a new hobby, you can choose from many programs and courses.

Get Started
What type of student are you? New Student Returning Transfer Visiting International College Credit Plus Non-Credit All Student Types

Classes & Programs

Explore your interests and find a program that puts you on the path to a bright future. Tri-C offers both credit and non-credit courses as well as certificate programs in most career fields.

View all programs

Degree Programs & Certificates

More than 1,000 credit courses are offered each semester in more than 200 career and technical programs. Tri-C also grants short-term certificates, certificates of proficiency and post-degree professional certificates.

View A-Z Program List

Workforce Training & Professional Development

Tri-C's Workforce Training provides both non-credit and credit training for individuals and businesses to assist individuals with skills leading to employment. Tri-C's Corporate College provides professional development and corporate training opportunities.

Learn more

Community Programming for Adults & Youth

Tri-C offers a variety of affordable and convenient community programs for both adults and youth. These programs are designed to promote individual development.

Learn more
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Tri-C is here for you. Have a question about a program or service? We'll help you find the answer.

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Tri-C 24/7

Outside of business hours? Get answers to your questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

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Get answers to your frequently asked questions from navigating the website to programs and services.

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Credit for Prior Learning

Advanced Placement (AP) Credit Appeals Process By-Pass Credit Career-Technical Assurance Guide (CTAG) Credit Challenge Exam Credit for Prior Learning International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Credit Military Credit (MC) Tech Prep Credit (TPC)
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Challenge Exam

Challenge Exam
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Challenge Exam (EX) Credit

In certain circumstances, when students can show that they may have sufficient knowledge in a subject area due to relevant education and experience, they can earn CPL for a course by passing a comprehensive examination on the course material. Deciding which courses qualify for EX credit is up to the faculty in individual academic disciplines.

Challenge Exam Procedure
To receive course credit, students attempting a Challenge Exam must earn a minimum score as determined by the faculty in the department offering the exam. If students score below the minimum requirement, they should register for the course. Please note that EX credits may not be transferrable to other postsecondary institutions.

EX Credit Awarding Procedure

  1. Students interested in taking a Challenge Exam must review the listing of available Challenge Exams and complete a Request of Credit for Prior Learning Form.
  2. The associate dean/Center of Excellence dean will review the completed form and direct students to the appropriate faculty coordinator/program manager/program director to complete the Challenge Exam.
  3. Attempt the Challenge Exam(s).
  4. The faculty examiner will then determine if Credit for Prior Learning will be awarded and will then, route the final recommendation to the Academic Affairs Dean.
  5. The dean of Academic Affairs reviews the faculty recommendation and signs off on credit to be awarded. Students will be notified of the decision via their Tri-C email address. 
  6. If award of credit is approved, student must pay the appropriate fees ($50 per course) for the Award of Credit for Prior Learning at the Campus Enrollment Center.
  7. The Campus Enrollment Center will forward all paperwork via intercampus mail to the Office of the Registrar for posting to the student’s record.

Information and Next Steps

  • Students may not take Challenge Exams for previously attempted Tri-C courses. This applies to courses for which a student earned a "W," "A-F" or "P-NP."
  • Students are allowed one Challenge Exam attempt per course.
  • If a given course has a prerequisite course requirement, the prerequisite must be satisfied by either exemption or successful completion of the course before a Challenge Exam may be attempted.
  • Students attempting a Challenge Exam must earn the minimum score as determined by the division offering the exam to receive course credit. If the student scores below the minimum requirement, the student should register for the course.
  • Results of Challenge Exams may not be transferrable to any other institutions.
  • Upon successful completion of a Challenge Exam, and processing by the Office of the Registrar, the credit will be posted to the student’s academic record as “EX” within five business days (during peak enrollment period, time may be longer).
  • Students may appeal the credit award decision based on the following reasons only:
    • Score miscalculation.
    • Inconsistency with the College’s Credit for Prior Learning procedure.

Students may not appeal CPL decisions based on disagreements with grade-weighting methods or scores earned on standardized exams.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Credit

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) gives students an opportunity to earn college credit for what they already know — for the fraction of the cost of a college course. Earning a qualifying score on one or more of the available exams can help students reach their academic goals, whether they are getting a head start on college or working to finish their degree.

Tri-C students who pass a CLEP exam with the minimum required score will earn college credit based on CLEP credit chart recommendations.

For general CLEP information, or to purchase a CLEP exam, visit the College Board CLEP website at https://clep.collegeboard.org. It is recommended that students meet with an academic counselor prior to purchasing a CLEP exam to ensure that credit is applicable to their degree or certificate program. 

View CLEP Aligned Courses/Credit

CLEP Credit Awarding Procedure

  1. Students must have the College Board send their CLEP score(s) to: Cuyahoga Community College/ Office of the Registrar/ P.O. Box 5966/ Cleveland, OH 44101
  2. The registrar will evaluate CLEP score(s) upon receipt to determine applicable credit. After evaluation, the Office of the Registrar will send results to students at their Tri-C email address. If CLEP credit for a course(s) is awarded, it will be posted to the student’s academic record within five business days (during peak enrollment period, time may be longer).

Challenge Exam Inventory
Request of Credit for Prior Learning Form

Important Contacts

Academic Affairs Offices:
Eastern Campus: 216-987-2296 William.Cunion@tri-c.edu 
Metropolitan Campus: 216-987-4012 Amy.Parks@tri-c.edu
Western Campus: 216-987-2006 Abigail.Dohanos@tri-c.edu
Westshore Campus: 216-987-5899 Claire.McMahon@tri-c.edu

College of Excellence (COE) Deans:
Creative Arts: Paul Cox Paul.Cox@tri-c.edu
Hospitality: Michael Huff Michael.Huff@tri-c.edu
Information Technology: Charles Dull Charles.Dull@tri-c.edu
Manufacturing: Ray Nejadfard Ray.Nejadfard@tri-c.edu
Nursing: Wendy Batch-Wilson Wendy.Batch-Wilson@tri-c.edu
Public Safety: Clayton Harris Clayton.Harris@tri-c.edu

Counseling Offices: 216-987-6000, Option 4
Enrollment Centers: 216-987-6000, Option 3

© 2021 Cuyahoga Community College
700 Carnegie Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115

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