College Credit Certificate Programs
The testing criteria and guidelines for students seeking College Credit Certificate Programs are as follows:
The State of Florida requires each public state college to use the Florida Postsecondary Education Readiness Test prior to the completion of initial registration, except for EAP students. Test scores on one of the following test batteries may also be used for degree-seeking students prior to registration: Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), American College Testing (ACT), or the ACCUPLACER (CPT). Note: Beginning with the 2007-1 Fall Term, the State of Florida authorized MDC to use FCAT 1.0 (Grade 10 - Reading ≥ 355 or Levels 4-5 and Math ≥ 375 or Level 5) scores to exempt first-time-in-college (FTIC) early college (dual) enrollment students and FTIC students who are prior year high school graduates from placement testing. The FCAT 1.0 (Grade 10) Pilot will continue through the 2013-2014 academic year with June 2012 through June 2013 eligible high school graduates who took the FCAT 1.0 (Grade 10) through spring, 2012.
Students whose native language is not English may be required to take another test to measure their English proficiency before entry-level testing is permitted.
Note: Starting with the 2011-2012 school year, tenth graders no longer take the math FCAT. The FCAT math graduation requirement has been replaced with Florida End-of-Course (EOC) math exams. The first required EOC math exam (Algebra 1) will be administered in 2012. These scores will not be used for math placement purposes in Florida. On December 19, 2011 the State Board of Education approved changes to Rule 6A-10.0315 (College Preparatory Testing, Placement, and Instruction). One of the changes include the use of FCAT 2.0 (Grade 10) Reading scores ≥ 262 or Levels 4.5 - 5 as an exemption from taking the reading and writing placement test for students who enroll in a Florida College System institution within 2 years of achieving such a score.
The State sets minimum scores below which college preparatory work is required in reading, writing, and algebra/mathematics. On the CPT, MDC requires additional testing in mathematics depending on the score earned on the algebra section. Placement scores, including FCAT 2.0 (Grade 10) Reading are valid for two years. FCAT 1.0 (Grade 10) scores can continue to be used for FTIC early college (dual) enrollment students and FTIC students who are prior year high school graduates. A registration hold is in place to prevent student registration until scores are presented. Further assessment may be conducted in courses. Another change in Rule 6A-10.0315 limits students to a maximum of two (2) attempts on any combination of each subtest of the PERT, CPT, ACT, or SAT. Prior to administering a retest on the CPT/PERT, the test administrator must require documentation from the student that verifies alternative remediation has occurred since the prior attempt. Implementation of this rule change is effective beginning with the first day of Fall Term 2012 classes at MDC (August 27, 2012). The following former procedure will be used until the change is effective: Students may retest up to three times on each subtest of the CPT/PERT for initial placement. High school testing required pursuant to Section 1008.30(3), F.S. is exempted from the two (2) maximum number of attempts after the student graduated from high school. Therefore, all FTIC students will begin with zero attempts. Retesting in any subtest area must occur prior to enrollment in that area or by the 100% refund date each semester. High school administered PERT scores at the college ready level may be used for placement purposes at Miami Dade College. Testing will be required for students who were administered the PERT at a high school and did not achieve the college ready level.
Request for placement testing at other institutions must have prior approval by the Institutional Test Administrator or designee.
Required to test for College Credit Certificate Programs:
• | All college credit certificate-seeking students in Health Sciences programs. Such students may not register for any credit course at MDC until they have a set of complete scores on file. This includes students who hold only a career certificate. |
• | All college credit certificate-seeking students taking any course outside of their program. |
• | All students who register for any English, or mathematics course (excluding MTB 1103), or any course that requires college-level Reading and/or Writing placement. |
• | All students seeking early college (dual) enrollment. Note: Refer to early college (dual) enrollment for placement guidelines. |
• | All college credit certificate-seeking students in Health Sciences programs, who took a placement examination more than two years ago and whose scores were not used for placement decisions. |
Exempted from testing:
• | Students who have earned an associate degree or higher from an institution recognized by MDC. Official documentation is required. Students with foreign degrees from non-English speaking countries must present passing International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. |
• | Students who have earned the required course grade listed in the chart below.
Notes:
- Exemption for courses not on the chart must be approved by the appropriate department chairperson. Official documentation is required.
- Students who have a letter grade (including D, F, W, U and P) associated with a placement area are not required to be retested; they will be re-placed in the English, Reading or Math course in which they earned that grade. |
| * | Letter grades 'A', 'B', and 'C' in college preparatory courses are used for transferred in and equivalent courses only. |
| ** | MAT 1033 counts toward graduation elective credit at MDC for students taking this course as of Summer Term 2010-3. A grade of A,B,C, or S must be earned in MAT 1033 in order to register in MAC 1105, MGF 1106, MGF 1107, and STA 2023. |
Note: |
| MAT 0029 is used for the Statway pilot beginning in 2011-1 at North Campus for students who satisfied their college preparatory reading requirement and with majors that are not STEM or Business related. Course design includes STA 2023 and SLS 1505 as co-requisites . |
• | Transient students (those who attend another college or university) who provide appropriate documentation, and are enrolling for courses to transfer to their primary institution (and who are not seeking a degree at MDC). |
• | Students who present FCAT, SAT, ACT, or CPT/PERT scores meeting State requirements (see tables below). If multiple test results are on record, the highest subtest scores are used. Any score presented which is lower than the score needed for exemption will require the student to be tested on the appropriate CPT/PERT subtest(s). For students presenting passing mathematics scores in specific score ranges* (ACT Mathematics = 19-20 and SAT Mathematics = 440-490), the CPT college-level mathematics subtest and the PERT mathematics subtest may be used to determine placement into advanced mathematics courses (e.g., MAC 1105, MGF 1106, MGF 1107, STA 2023, etc.). |
Course placement may be based on a combination of test results.
| * | Faculty may recommend supplemental services based on a required writing sample. |
| ** | If recommended placement is MAT 1033, refer to CPT college-level mathematics subtest or PERT mathematics subtest. MAT 1033 counts toward graduation elective credit at MDC for students taking this course as of Summer Term 2010-3. If recommended placement is MAC 1105, MGF 1106, MGF1107, or STA 2023 refer to Mathematics Department advisor for placement into other advanced mathematics courses. |
| *** | Students who have not satisfied college preparatory reading requirements may not enroll in college-level English even if their writing test score is at college level. Students who have not satisfied college preparatory reading and writing requirements may not enroll in any Gordon Rule course except mathematics. Students may select from a list of courses maintained by the Academic Advisement office and approved by the pertinent academic department, for co-enrollment with college prep courses. |
| **** | A cohort of students took FCAT 1.0 (Grade 10) in 2011 and 2012 (11th graders in 2011 and 12th graders in 2012 who started 9th grade in 2009). These administrations were not converted to the FCAT 2.0 equivalent scale. The 2011 FCAT 2.0 administrations (10th graders in 2011) were scored on an FCAT (1.0) equivalent scale, with subsequent administrations on the new FCAT 2.0 scale. |
| Notes: |
| | Students who have already registered in a mathematics course (and are past the 100% refund deadline) are not eligible to take the College-Level Mathematics subtest without permission from the chairperson of the Mathematics Department.
If combined SAT score is 1200 or more in Critical Reading and Mathematics, or composite ACT score is 26 or more, the student may be eligible for The Honors College and should check additional eligibility requirements at www.mdc.edu/honorscollege.
Institutional ACT (Residual) and SAT scores from other institutions are not used for exemption purposes at MDC. |
| * | Students who have not satisfied college preparatory reading requirements may not enroll in college-level English even if their writing test score is 83 or higher. Students who have not satisfied college preparatory reading and writing requirements may not enroll in any Gordon Rule course except mathematics. Students may select from a list of courses maintained by the Academic Advisement office and approved by the pertinent academic department, for co-enrollment with college prep courses. |
| ** | Students scoring at this level must see an advisor prior to registering. |
| ▀ | Faculty may recommend supplemental services based on a required writing sample. |
College Preparatory faculty will provide a diagnostic at the beginning of the course to confirm course placement. Alternate instruction may be provided to those students who score between a 20-50 on the CPT or 50-61 on the PERT. |
Arithmetic scores are required for students scoring below the noted score on the Algebra subtest.
| * | An algebra score in the range of 72-120 without a CPT college-level mathematics subtest score of 40 or higher places a student in MAT 1033. |
| ** | College-Level Mathematics subtest is available upon request if CPT algebra score is 72-86. Students who have already registered in a mathematics course (and are past the 100% refund deadline) are not eligible to take the CPT College-Level Mathematics subtest without permission from the chairperson of the Mathematics Department. |
| *** | Statway pilot beginning in 2011-1 at North Campus for students who satisfied their college preparatory reading requirement and with majors that are not STEM or Business related. Course design includes STA 2023 and SLS 1505 as co-requisites. |
| **** | MAT 1033 counts toward graduation elective credit at MDC for students taking this course as of Summer Term 2010-3. A grade of A,B,C, or S must be earned in MAT 1033 in order to register in MAC 1105, MGF 1106, MGF 1107, and STA 2023. |
Course placement guide notes:
Further assessment may be conducted in courses.
If scores on one or more of the subtests require college preparatory placement, students must enroll in at least one college preparatory course during their first term. Students who test into college preparatory instruction and subsequently enroll in college preparatory instruction must successfully complete the required college preparatory studies by the time they have accumulated twelve (12) credits of college credit coursework or they must maintain continuous enrollment in college preparatory coursework each semester until the requirements are completed while performing satisfactorily in the degree.
Students who have accumulated twelve (12) college credit hours and have not yet demonstrated proficiency in the basic skill areas of reading, writing, and mathematics must be advised, in writing of the requirements for associate degree completion and state university admission, including information about future financial aid eligibility and also the potential costs of accumulating excessive college credit as outlined in s. 1009.286, F.S.
Students placing into college preparatory course work in one skill area are required to enroll concurrently in SLS 1505; students placing in two or more skill areas are required to enroll concurrently in SLS 1510 (formerly SLS 1535). Students enrolled in a college preparatory course may concurrently enroll only in college credit courses that do not require the skills addressed in the college preparatory course.
If placement scores are college-level in all skill areas, students may be eligible for The Honors College and should check additional eligibility requirements at www.mdc.edu/honorscollege.