High School Articulated Credits

Northern Essex Community College (NECC) Credit for High School Students Who Meet the Requirements for Articulated Credit.

Background: Some NECC students earn credits at the college as a result of courses they took in high school which were included in statewide articulation agreements. Classes taken per the agreement between the Massachusetts Community Colleges and Massachusetts Chapter 74 Approved Secondary Career/Vocational Technical Programs resulted in credit being accepted at NECC, but not recognized for transfer credit at four-year schools. To allow the course to transfer to the four-year college, students are currently paying full-price to take the equivalent course(s) at NECC and/or completing coursework/exam/projects in order to show mastery and get awarded NECC credit.

Students entering NECC having completed an articulated credit course from a high school will pay half-price to enroll in the course as a directed study if they indicate that there is a possibility of transferring the course to a four-year institution.

They will then meet with a willing faculty member that teaches that course, and be given a combination of tests/projects/coursework ,reflecting the student learning outcomes, as deemed necessary by the faculty member. As part of the regular Directed Study approval process, the faculty member’s direct supervisor will review the course materials. The instructor will evaluate the completed tests/projects/coursework and assess students’ knowledge and mastery of the subject.

Students who successfully demonstrate knowledge and mastery will receive a grade and NECC awarded credit for that course. If the student does not pass the final exam or otherwise satisfactorily show successful completion of the course learning outcomes, and still wishes to have their credits transferable to a four-year college or university, s(he) will have to enroll in the regular course at full-price and complete it successfully.