This Student Quarter Credit to Semester Credit Conversion Guide is a comprehensive reference to the semester credit conversion at American College of Education. Its purpose is to explain how the conversion to semester credits will affect you as a student and to assist in your semester credit transition planning.
Why: This transition will align ACE’s course credit system with the majority of higher education institutions across the country. This will allow more efficient transfer of credits for students to and from other colleges and universities, most of which utilize semester credits.
When: As of January 2013, American College of Education began offering semester credit programs and courses to all NEW incoming students, ALL re-entering students and ALL students changing their program. Conversion to semester credits for all other students will begin June 03, 2013.
How: As of January 21, 2013, all new incoming students, re-entry students and program changers began taking courses in ACE’s new Learning Management System (LMS), CANVAS which houses ACE’s semester credit courses, instead of the current LMS, EPIC, which houses ACE’s quarter credit courses. Beginning June 03, 2013, ALL students will take semester credit courses in CANVAS, and ACE will discontinue use of EPIC. In June 2013 all course and program credits will be reported as semester credits in our systems and on all student transcripts.
“Current students” are those who started with ACE prior to January 2013 and will graduate before June 2013. These students’ program and courses will not be affected at all by this transition.
“Transition students” are those who started with ACE prior to January 2013 on the quarter credit system, who are enrolled in a quarter credit program, remain continuously enrolled, and who will graduate after June 2013. These students will complete their studies in the semester credit system.
Transition students will combine credits from their quarter credit courses with their semester credit courses to complete their degree requirements. Previously earned quarter credits will be converted to semester credits. While this conversion will decrease the number of earned credits (see Credit Conversion Table below), the total required credits for the current quarter credit program will also decrease with the conversion. (Example: the quarter credit requirement for the majority of master’s degree programs is 48. After the conversion to semester credits, the semester credit requirement is 32. This applies ONLY to transition students. Anyone enrolled in, or after, January 2013, either as a new student or a re-entry student, will be required to complete the semester credit version of their program.
Students who have withdrawn or administratively withdrawn and re-enter ACE beginning January 2013 will complete the program under the new semester credit system. Re-entry students will still be able to complete the program, but additional credits/courses will be required. This means it will be necessary for re-entry students to take and complete semester credit bridge courses. The number of bridge courses required is dependent upon how many quarter credits were completed in the previous enrollment.
Transition students or Re-entry students who change their program beginning January 2013 will fall under the semester credit requirements for the new program. The conversion to semester credits will impact those students who change their program, and it may be necessary to take bridge courses to complete their new program.
As a general rule, quarter credits will be converted to semester credits by dividing the number of quarter credits by 1.5. For example, for a student who has earned 36 quarter credits, the conversion formula looks like this: 36 ÷ 1.5 = 24 semester credits (rounded up).
The Educational Leadership master’s degree program required 48 quarter credits (12 courses) for completion.
- Transition students who started their program in August 2012 would have completed 24 quarter credits (6 courses) by June 2013.
- Beginning June 2013 the quarter credits will convert to semester credits.
- The total required 48 quarter credits for the program will convert to 32 semester credits.
- The earned 24 quarter credits equal 16 semester credits.
- 32 program required semester credits minus 16 earned semester credits = 16 remaining semester credits to be taken (6 courses.)
- Previously Earned Credits Required Credits Remaining
Total Semester Credits Required
16 semester credits (24 qtr) 16 semester credits 32 semester credits (48 qtr)
16 + 16 = 32
While the Transition student will remain enrolled in the quarter credit program, all credits – earned, remaining and required - will be converted to semester credits, so the number of courses required will not change as long as the student remains actively enrolled and successfully completes their courses.
Example for Re-entry students and students changing their program:
The Curriculum and Instruction master’s degree program required 48 quarter credits (12 courses) for completion.
· The new semester credit version requires 37 semester credits (13 courses) for completion.
· A student who completed 16 quarter credits will receive credit for the courses taken under the quarter version, but the credits will convert from 16 quarter credits to 11 semester credits.
· The student will need 26 credits (9 courses) to complete the program.
· The remaining 9 courses (8 courses at 3 semester credits each + 1 Capstone course at 1 semester credit) = 25 credits.
· 11 converted semester credits earned previously + 25 remaining required credits = 36 semester credits.
· Since the required credits for the program is 37, the student will be required to take one bridge course for 1 semester credit to make up the difference.
Previously Earned Credits Required Credits Remaining Total Semester Credits Earned
11 semester credits (16 qtr) 25 semester credits 36 semester credits
11 + 25 = 36
Program Semester Credits Required Semester Credits Earned Bridge Course Credits Required
37 36 1
37 – 36 = 1
What are Bridge Courses and who needs to take them?
Because quarter credits are worth 2.67 semester credits, students who earned quarter credits may find themselves in need of additional credits to meet the total semester credit requirement for their program. To help students meet the required credits, and to prevent unnecessary course retakes, ACE has developed bridge courses for each program. There are three different bridge courses in each program worth 1, 2 or 3 semester credits. After converting the quarter credits to semester credits and calculating how many semester credits are needed, a student may be required to take one or more bridge courses if there is a deficit of credits from quarter to semester credit conversion.
If a student is required to take more than one bridge course, the highest credit bridge course will be scheduled first, then the next highest credit bridge course next, etc.
The college approved bridge courses are:
| Curriculum and Instruction: | | Curriculum and Instruction - ESL/BL: |
| CI5913: Independent Study for Curriculum and Instruction (3 credits) | | EB5403 Independent Study for ESL or Bilingual Education (3 credits) |
| CI5912: Independent Study for Curriculum and Instruction (2 credits) | | EB5402 Independent Study for ESL or Bilingual Education (2 credits) |
| CI5911: Independent Study for Curriculum and Instruction (1 credit) | | EB5401 Independent Study for ESL or Bilingual Education (1 credit) |
| | |
| Educational Leadership: | | Educational Technology: |
| EL5603 Independent Study for Educational Leadership (3 credits) | | ET5803 Independent Study for Educational Technology (3 credits) |
| EL5602 Independent Study for Educational Leadership (2 credits) | | ET5802 Independent Study for Educational Technology (2 credits) |
| EL5601 Independent Study for Educational Leadership (1 credit) | | ET5801 Independent Study for Educational Technology (1 credit) |
To assist with the transition from quarter credits to semester credits, all bridge courses will be free of charge during 2013 for Re-entry students whose Last Date of Attendance was before March 01, 2013 and who re-enter ACE and take the bridge course(s) during 2013.
Bridge courses will also be free of charge for any student who changed their program prior to March 01, 2013 and needs a bridge course.
NOTE: Any student who withdraws or is administratively withdrawn from the College on or after March 01, 2013 and re-enters will be charged the semester credit tuition and fees for any needed bridge courses even if the bridge courses are taken during 2013.
NOTE: Any student who changes their program on or after March 01, 2013 will be charged the semester credit tuition and fees for any needed bridge courses even if the bridge courses are taken during 2013.
Charges for Bridge Courses:
Bridge course tuition is charged at $215 per credit hour, plus $7 technology fee per credit hour, plus $25 Administrative Fee per term where applicable. Please refer to the ACE Catalog for more information regarding fees.
1 credit bridge course charge - $222 + any applicable fees
2 credit bridge course charge - $444 + any applicable fees
3 credit bridge course charge - $666 + any applicable fees
Frequently Asked Questions
How will this affect course access?
Students who started with ACE prior to January 2013 access their courses through the EPIC Learning Management System (LMS). New students, Re-entry students and students who changed their program beginning in January 2013 will access their courses in CANVAS, ACE’s new LMS. Any student who is currently taking courses in EPIC will remain in that LMS until June 2013. Beginning with the June 03, 2013 term, ALL students will access their courses through CANVAS.
Beginning mid-February 2013, ACE will begin rolling out CANVAS log-in information to EPIC students to access CANVAS Orientation. This roll-out will occur in three batches with each batch containing approximately 1,000 students. Orientation will guide a student in navigation of the site, how to access courses, how to upload documents, etc. By April 1, 2013, all current ACE students will have received their log-in information and will have access. It is strongly encouraged that students begin logging into the CANVAS Orientation as soon as they receive their log-in credentials to familiarize themselves with the new LMS. Students will not have access to any feedback in the Orientation course, but Student Services will be available to answer questions and assist with technical issues.
Currently all students have access to the Student Commons housed in CANVAS, and it is strongly suggested students log into Student Commons, “poke around,” and engage in the discussions.
How will this affect transcripts?
Until full conversion from quarter to semester credits takes place in June 2013, ACE transcripts will be a mix of both quarter credits and semester credits, dependent upon the courses a student has taken, and when. Once full conversion commences in June 2013, all programs and courses on the official transcript will reflect only semester credits regardless of when the program and courses were completed. The conversion from quarter credits to semester credits will be reflected and notated in the legend on the back of the official transcript.
How will this affect GPAs?
A student’s GPA will not be affected by the conversion from quarter credits to semester credits. GPAs will be calculated based on the type of credits earned. If a student has taken all courses as quarter credits, the GPA will be calculated using quarter credits. If a student has taken all courses as semester credits, then the GPA will be calculated using semester credits. If a student has taken both quarter credits and semester credits, all credits will be converted to semester credits and then the GPA will be calculated using semester credits.
What is the difference between quarter credits and semester credits?
Typically a quarter or semester refers to the number of weeks a course runs. There are usually four quarters in a school calendar year versus two semesters in a school calendar year. American College of Education terms run for 5 weeks. Most courses taken during a term were worth 4 quarter credits. With the conversion to semester credits, the course term will remain the same – 5 weeks – but the rigor and work load of the 4 quarter credit course increased and will now carry 3 semester credits.
When will ACE make the official change to semesters?
New students, Re-entry students and any student changing their program began taking courses under the semester credit system starting January 2013. Students who have been continuously enrolled and have taken t courses prior to January 2013 will begin taking semester credit courses with June 03, 2013 term.
If I graduate prior to June 2013, will I have to take semester credit courses?
No. You will complete your program under the quarter credit system.
If I do not graduate prior to June 2013, will I have to take semester credit courses?
Yes. If you do not graduate prior to June 2013, beginning with the June 2013 term, your courses will be semester credit courses and you will access your course via CANVAS instead of EPIC.
Will Transition students have access to CANVAS prior to June 2013?
Yes. Beginning mid-February 2013, Transition students will be given log-in information and access to orientation. This information will be rolled out in three batches with approximately 1,000 students in each batch. All Transition students will have their log-in information by April 01, 2013. This will allow ample time for students to access and become acquainted with CANVAS before taking their first course in June 2013. If a Transition student does not receive their CANVAS log-in information before April 1, 2013, they should contact Student Support Services for assistance.
Currently, all students have access to the Student Commons housed in CANVAS and are strongly urged to log-in, “poke around” and participate in the discussions.
Will the length of a course term increase?
No. The length of the course term will remain five weeks long with 1 break week.
Will I lose any credit hours under semesters?
No. All quarter credits will be converted to their equivalent number of semester credits.
If I began my program under the quarter credit version and remain continuously enrolled, but graduate with semester credits, will I have to take additional courses?
No. A student who started prior to January 2013 and graduates after June 2013 will have received both quarter credits and semester credits. Most programs at ACE required 48 quarter credits to graduate, which equals 32 semester credits. After converting quarter credits to semester credits, and completing remaining courses under the semester credit version, students will graduate with more than the required 32 semester credits for their program. However this fact does not waive the requirement that all courses required in the program must be taken. All required courses must be successfully completed to graduate regardless if total number of accrued credits is more than 32 semester credits.
How many semester credits are required for graduation?
The number of credits needed to earn a master's degree varies depending on the program. Typically most degrees will require 37 semester credits, however some programs will require more (or even less), and all required courses must be successfully completed to graduate. Please refer to the January 2013 ACE Catalog Addendum for additional program information.
Will semester credit conversion affect my GPA?
Your grade point average (GPA) will not be affected by the conversion of quarter credit hours to semester credit hours as the GPA will be calculated based on semester credits.
Will semester conversion affect my graduation date?
If you are currently on track for graduation and continue to take and complete your courses as scheduled, conversion to semester credits will not affect your graduation date.
How will the conversion affect my transcript?
Although the majority of students will see either only quarter credits or only semester credits listed, until full implementation of semester credits is complete, students may see a mix of quarter credits and semester credits on their transcript depending on when they completed courses. Once full implementation is complete in June 2013, ALL transcripts, regardless of when courses were taken, will show all credits as semester credits. The back of the official transcript will notate the date of full conversion by ACE to semester credits.
Will I be able to repeat a course to improve a grade and my GPA after the course has been converted to semesters?
Yes, but because of the difference between quarter credits and semester credits, you may be required to take a bridge course(s) if you do not meet the required credits needed for your program.
If I’m a Transition student and I withdraw from ACE and re-enter at a later date, how will this affect my program?
Any Transition student who requests to be withdrawn from ACE, or is administratively withdrawn for any reason, and later re-enters, will return under the semester credit version of the program, possible new tuition and under the program requirements and policies in the Catalog and Addendum in effect at the time of return. The Re-entry student may be required to complete bridge courses to meet the required semester credits. The number of bridge courses needed to graduate will be dependent upon how many semester credits the student has earned after previously earned quarter credits have been converted.
Is there a fee for bridge courses?
That depends. Any Re-entry student or a student who changed their program before March 01, 2013 and takes bridge course(s) during 2013 will not be charged tuition or fees for the bridge courses. However, if a student withdraws or is administratively withdrawn from the College beginning March 01, 2013, or if a student changes their program on orafter March 01, 2013, and is required to take a bridge course(s) during 2013, then the student will be charged full tuition and applicable fees for those bridge course(s).
Beginning January 01, 2014, tuition and applicable fees will be charged for all bridge courses for all students.
Glossary
Administratively Withdrawn: A student who ACE withdraws from the college due to non-payment, non-attendance, insufficient documents, etc. Please see the College catalog for a full description of administrative withdrawn.
Bridge Course: An independent study course worth 1, 2 or 3 credit hours to be taken by those students who will not meet the credit requirements of their program after the conversion from quarter credits to semester credits.
CANVAS: The Learning Management System (LMS) used by ACE to deliver semester credit courses. CANVAS will replace EPIC beginning June 2013 for all students.
Continuing Student: A student who started their program prior to January 2013 and will graduate before June 2013.
Credit Conversion: The process by which American College of Education will be moving from the quarter credit system to the semester credit system. Quarter credits that were worth 4 credits will be converted to 2.67 semester credits, and courses offered under the semester credit system will be worth 3 semester credits.
EPIC: The Learning Management System (LMS) used by ACE to deliver quarter credit courses. EPIC will be replaced by CANVAS beginning June 2013.
Reentry Student: A student who is returning to America College of Education after an absence of less than one year.
Semester Conversion: See Credit Conversion
Transition Student: A student who started at American College of Education on the quarter credit system and will continue their studies on the semester credit system.
Withdrawn: A student who has requested to be withdrawn from ACE.
