UNION AND ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS I have taken various classes offered by my union. Do those count for credit? Can I take courses at other locations?

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1 ABOUT US Is the National Labor College accredited? Are you a four-year college? What degrees do you grant? What subjects can I major in at the NLC? Do I have to come to campus to attend classes? If I am enrolled in the BA program, can I still take classes online? How do National Labor College courses work? How do I use Blackboard? How long will it take to finish my degree? Does the National Labor College offer graduate degrees? ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS What credits do I need for admission to the National Labor College? Can I still take classes at NLC if I have less than 56 credits? How do I apply to the National Labor College? How do I register for classes? Re-Admittance Policy DEGREE REQUIREMENTS What is the Bachelor of Arts Degree? What are the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree? What is the Bachelor of Technical/Professional Studies Degree? What are the requirements for a Bachelor of Technical/ Professional Studies degree? TRANSFER CREDITS How do I know if my previous college work will be accepted as transfer credits by the National Labor College? I went to college over 20 years ago, are the credits still good? How can I find out how many of my credits will transfer? Can I get credit for CEUs (continuing education units)? Can I receive transcript credits for any licenses I possess? What if I already have the maximum number of transferable credits? How do I get official transcripts? Do you accept international transcripts? APPRENTICESHIP/ MILITARY Can I get credit for my apprenticeship training? How do I know if my apprenticeship has been ACE assessed? What if I have an apprenticeship or training that has not been assessed for academic credit? Is my training in the military is assessed for academic credit? UNION AND ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS I have taken various classes offered by my union. Do those count for credit? Can I take courses at other locations? PORTFOLIO CREDIT What is Experiential Learning? What is a portfolio? What subjects can I get credit for? Can I write experiential essays to meet any of the general education requirements? Is there a cost for Assessment of experiential credit? TUITION, FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION How much is tuition? Is there financial assistance available? Financial Aid and Scholarships Veterans Benefits Deferred Billing and Payment Plans 1

2 ABOUT US What degrees do you grant? We grant a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Technical/Professional Studies (BTPS). What subjects can I major in at the NLC? The Bachelor of Arts offers six majors: Labor Studies, Labor Education, Labor History, Labor Safety and Health, Political Economy of Labor, and Union Leadership and Administration. The Bachelor of Technical/Professional Studies degree does not offer majors, but instead offers areas of specialization, which currently Leadership, Instructional Technology and Computer Skills, Occupational Safety and Health, Music and Arts and Labor Studies. Are you a four-year college? We are licensed and accredited as an upper level degree completion institution; most of our courses in the degree programs are offered at the equivalent of the junior and senior year. This means that we are best suited for students who have already obtained some number of academic credits through study at other colleges or have earned credits through academically assessed apprenticeships or licensure programs or through military service. Is the National Labor College accredited? Yes. The accrediting body is the Middle State Commission on Higher Education, the unit of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools that accredits degree granting colleges and universities in the Middle States region, located at 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA (256) To look us up on their site or for more information about how accreditation works and what it means, go to Do I have to come to campus to attend classes? It depends on the program that you are enrolled in. There are in residence requirements for many of the classes in the Bachelor of Arts program. Most students in the BA program would likely need to attend at least one residency week, perhaps more depending upon the desired major and the need to complete the core curriculum. There is no residency requirement for students enrolled in the BTPS degree program. If I am enrolled in the BA program, can I still take classes online? Yes. Many students enrolled in the BA program complete coursework from our fully online classes. Students should consult with an advisor for information on specific classes and how they fit into their desired majors. How do National Labor College courses work? The National Labor College offer three semesters a year: fall, spring, and summer. BA courses are delivered in a blended format comprised of both online and face to face instruction. The online portions of the class are delivered on through the Blackboard website. The semesters for both the BA and BTPS programs run concurrently for a period of 16 weeks (14 consecutive weeks of instruction followed by a 2 week reading and grading period). Students enrolled in low residency BA courses are required to attend the week in residence which is typically scheduled during the fourth week of the semester. What is the schedule during the week in residence? During the week in residence, courses run consecutively throughout the day during three time blocks: 8:00 11:00 a.m.; 11:15 p.m. 3:15 p.m. (with an hour lunch break) and 3:30 until 6:30 p.m. The first class session begins on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and is followed by two classes the following Sunday from 8:00 a.m. 3:15 p.m. Classes run all day from 8:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8:00 a.m. 3:15 p.m. on Friday. New students must attend the orientation at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. For reservations and room rates, please call

3 How do I use blackboard? The Blackboard system is the host server for all of NLCs online content. In order to use Blackboard you will need to create a username and password that is different from the one for IQ web. For details on how to use the Blackboard server log onto How long will it take to finish my degree? How long it takes largely depends on the number of credits that you are able to transfer in towards the 120 credits needed for a BA or BTPS degree. It will also depend on the rate at which you complete your coursework and the number of classes you take each semester. Students who take 2 or more courses every semester may be able to complete the 30 NLC in as little as a year or more depending upon their ability to complete the required coursework. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS What credits do I need for admission to the National Labor College? The Bachelor of Arts program requires the applicant have at least 56 credit hours to be fully admitted to a degree program. The Bachelor of Technical/Professional Studies (BTPS) program requires the applicant to have at least 45 credit hours to be fully admitted. Can I still take classes at NLC if I have less than 56 credits? Yes, anyone may take classes as a non degree student until they have earned enough credits to meet the requirements for admission. Many students are concurrently enrolled in community colleges, or apprenticeships while taking classes at NLC. The NLC is an upper division, degree completion institution and students are expected to perform academically at the level of a college junior or senior. While students may be able to earn credit for their prior learning through the NLC, many students find it helpful to complete their general education coursework requirements (i.e., English, Math, Science, Humanities, and Social Science) at their local community college. If you have questions about whether NLC s upper level degree completion program is the best first step for you, contact the Academic Services Department at advising@nlc.edu to speak with a pre admissions advisor. How do I apply to the National Labor College? You can locate our application form on our website at and click on the IQWeb to set up a student account. Or, you may download a printed application from our website at and fax or mail it to us. In addition you will need to send the following information to our admissions department: Proof of completion of high school degree or GED. Copy of your union membership card, to be eligible for the AFL CIO subsidized tuition rate. All transcripts from other colleges you have attended. (If you have served in the military, AARTS or SMARTS transcripts (see details under section on military transcripts) or a copy of your DD214.) If you have completed an academically assessed apprenticeship program, send a copy of your Completion of Apprenticeship certificate, or ACE transcript, or community college transcript with your apprenticeship work on it. If you have taken courses through any of our academic or union partnerships (see partnership discussion below), contact your union and/or academic institution to send your transcripts to the Registrar. For questions regarding admissions policies, the status of your application or how to set up your account on IQ web, contact Karen Banks at or kbanks@nlc.edu. 3

4 How do I register for classes? 1. All students admitted to NLC will receive course registration materials approximately six weeks before the classes begin online for the semester. Students may then register for courses by filling out the course registration form and mailing or faxing it in or by going online and registering at 2. Students registered for courses will receive a registration confirmation and information on how to begin their courses on Blackboard, our online learning platform, one to two weeks prior to the time the course begins online. 3. Students must meet all deadlines and requirements in the registration material in order to be fully registered in the program. Note: While the intensive week in residence constitutes the core of NLC courses, the online component of each course is also mandatory. Therefore, all students taking NLC degree week courses must have access to a working e mail address and to the Internet. Re-Admittance Policy Any student who previously attend NLC and who has not had registration activity for more than a year must submit a readmit form to the Registrar s office. This form can be obtained from the Registrar s office or conveniently online at under Registrar. There is no fee. Catalog eligibility will be determined at the time of re admission. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS What is a Bachelor of Arts degree? The Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies offers degrees in six major areas of study including (1) Labor Studies; (2) Labor Education; (3) Labor History; (4) Political Economy of Labor; (5) Union Leadership & Administration; and (6) Labor Safety & Health. What are the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree? 1. Students must complete a total of 120 semester credits through a combination of transfer credits from an accredited colleges or institution of higher education, ACE assessed union apprenticeships or training programs, military service, experiential credit and National Labor College coursework. 2. Students must successfully complete General Education Requirements. These requirements may be completed at another accredited institution, or at the National Labor College. In many cases, they can also be met through assessed union apprenticeships. Developmental courses cannot be used to fulfill the General Education Requirements. The General Education Requirements are at least 3 semester credits in each of the following disciplines: English Composition Arts and Humanities Mathematics Biological and Physical Sciences Social and Behavioral Science 3. Students must complete a minimum of 30 semester credits at National Labor College. These credits include: 12 credits in the student s major, either at NLC* or through an approved partnership 3 credits are taken as an elective NLC course 15 credits must be the five core** NLC classes Introduction to Labor Studies Educational Planning Comparative Research Methods Senior Seminar Senior Project 4

5 *NLC week long Union Skills courses are assessed for credit, and one course may be used either as an elective or to fulfill up to one course in the major. **Five core courses are required of all Bachelor of Arts degree candidates and are only offered in the low residency format. What is the Bachelor of Technical/Professional Studies Degree? The Bachelor of Technical /Professional Studies (BTPS) is a totally online degree and offers four areas of specialization within the field of labor studies: (1) Leadership; (2) Instructional Technology and Computer Skills (2 tracks); (3) Occupational Safety and Health; (4) Music and Arts (2 tracks) and Labor Studies. The BTPS program accepts up to 69 transfer credits and also requires that 15 of the 30 experiential learning credits be in a technical or professional area. Students who have already completed over 60 hours of coursework are often advised to consider enrolling in the BA program. What are the requirements for a Bachelor of Technical and Professional Studies degree? Eligible candidates for the Bachelor of Technical and Professional Studies Degree must: (1) have a high school diploma or equivalency, AND (2) have completed a union apprenticeship or professional training program, which has been credit assessed to the equivalent of a minimum of 45 semester hours, OR (3) have completed an associate s degree program that has been assessed to the equivalent of a minimum of 45 semester hours. BTPS students must complete a total of 120 semester credits through a combination of transfer credits from an accredited colleges or institution of higher education, ACE assessed union apprenticeships or training programs, military service, experiential credit and National Labor College coursework. BTPS students must successfully complete General Education Requirements. These requirements may be completed at another accredited institution, or at the National Labor College. In many cases, they can also be met through assessed union apprenticeships. Developmental courses cannot be used to fulfill the General Education Requirements. The General Education Requirements are at least 3 semester credits in each of the following disciplines: English Composition Arts and Humanities Mathematics Biological and Physical Sciences Social and Behavioral Science BTPS students must complete a minimum of complete 51 semester credits at National Labor College. These credits include: Learning in a Digital World Effective Writing / American Labor Literature Science, Technology, and Our World BTPS Educational Planning Leadership and Landmark Events in Labor History OR Images of Labor in Art College Math Action Research Methods* Service Learning Internship* Capstone Project *NLC week long Union Skills courses are assessed for credit, and can be used either as an elective and one course can be used to towards the major. TRANSFER CREDITS 5

6 How do I know if my previous college work will be accepted as transfer credits by the National Labor College? In most cases, all classes with a grade of C or better from an accredited college are transferable to the NLC. The state of Maryland limits the number of lower level (e.g., /freshman sophomore) credits we can accept to 70. With the appropriate mix of lower and upper level classes, the NLC can accept up to 90 credits. We cannot accept credit for developmental or remedial coursework even if it was taken at an accredited college. All transfer credit is accepted at the discretion of the Registrar s Office at the NLC. I went to college over 20 years ago, are the credits still good? Our policy is that your college credits don t expire. Even if you took accredited college classes years ago, we will accept those classes in transfer if they meet all other requirements. How can I find out how many of my credits will transfer? In order to determine which credits can be applied to your NLC degree, our Registrar s office needs to review your official transcripts. In order for us to do this, you first must apply to the NLC, which requires filling our application form and paying the application fee of $50. Can I get credit for CEUs (continuing education units)? No. CEUs are not the same as academic credit. These non credit CEUs are generally used as documentation for experiential essays. Can I receive transcript credits for any licenses I possess? In most cases, simply having a license does not count for credit. There are a limited number of licenses (such as the A & P license) that have been formally assessed for credit by American Council on Education (ACE) that can be accepted as transfer credits. Generally, all others must be documented through the Educational Planning course and you will be required to write the appropriate essays and provide documentation. What if I already have the maximum number of transferable credits? Students who already have the maximum number of transfer credits (90) may elect to take an alternate course in place of Educational Planning. Requests to substitute Educational Planning for an alternate course must be approved by the Deputy Provost of Administration. How do I get official transcripts? Once you have applied, you may contact the Registrar s Office of the college or universities(s) you attended to request an official sealed copy of your transcript. Make sure you request transcripts from every college or institution you attended. We cannot accept photocopies or unofficial documents to post transfer credits. It is also a good idea to ask the college to send you a copy of your transcript. What if the College I went to is no longer open? The Department of Education in the state the college resided will assign another school to be the custodian of those records so that students can get transcripts. Contact that state s Dept of Ed to find out which school you need to contact. You can search for the contact information in any search engine, like Google. Do you accept international transcripts? The National Labor College does accept credits earned at recognized institutions outside the United States. Applicants who have attended a college or university outside of the United States must arrange, at their own expense, to have their academic records evaluated on a course by course basis by Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), a non profit public service organization, located at P.O. Box , Milwaukee, WI Request forms can be obtained from the Registrar s Office at the National Labor College or by printing the form at An official copy of the report should be sent by ECE directly to the Registrar s Office at the National Labor College. MILITARY 6

7 Is my training in the military assessed for academic credit? You may receive college credit for training you received in any of the military services. The American Council on Education has evaluated military training for college credit. Each service has a method for obtaining a personal copy of your transcript and having an official copy sent to the Registrar s Office. The military often refers to official copies of transcripts that are sent to college registrars as institutional copies. Army: To receive your Army, National Guard or Reserve transcript, go to the Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript Service (AARTS) web site, There are links for personal copies and official copies on the site. Navy/Marines: For Navy or Marine transcripts, use the Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART) web site, Air Force: The Community College of the Air Force issues Air Force transcripts. Visit their transcript web site for directions on requesting your transcript, Coast Guard: To get the form to receive your Coast Guard transcript, go to the U.S. Coast Guard Institute web site at and click on the U.S. Coast Guard Transcript Request link. The request form must be submitted via regular mail. If the military cannot provide you with a transcript of your training, you will need to submit a DD214 to the NLC Registrar. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the official repository for records of military personnel who have been discharged from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard. You can request your DD214 via regular mail. To expedite this process, use the online evetrecs system web site: Note that not all military training has been assessed for credit. If you have military training that has not been formally assessed, it is still possible for this training to be assessed as part of your portfolio of experiential learning. APPRENTICESHIP Can I get credit for my apprenticeship training? Many apprenticeship training programs have been assessed for academic credit by the American Council on Education and/or by a number of community colleges. We accept ACE credits and accredited community college transcripts with academically assessed apprenticeships as long as the apprenticeship has been assessed and broken out into course offerings on the transcript. Your Local or International Union Apprentice Director should know whether your apprenticeship has been assessed for credit. Make sure to send a copy of your ACE transcript of certificate of completion of apprenticeship to the NLC along with your application form. How do I know if my apprenticeship has been ACE reviewed? While the list changes over time, at present the following unions have some form of apprenticeship assessed for credit: IBEW, Ironworkers, Asbestos Workers, SMWIA, UA, and Elevator Constructors. In addition, some local and international unions have segments of apprenticeship programs offered through community colleges, and the NLC can review those transcripts to evaluate credit What if I have an apprenticeship or training that has not been assessed for academic credit? Students may request credit for their non assessed apprenticeships through the experiential learning portfolio process in the Educational Planning course. The National Elevator Constructor Union members may get credit for their apprenticeship through Ivy Tech State College. The American Postal Workers Union members may get credit for their apprenticeship through Wayne State University. The United Association members may get credit for their apprenticeship through Washtenaw Community College. 7

8 UNION PARTNERSHIPS I have taken various classes offered by my union. Do those count for credit? They may, depending on the union and the class. The National Labor College has partnerships with a number of unions, and within those partnerships some union courses have been assessed for credit. Your international union apprenticeship and/or education director may be able to let you know which classes have been assessed. Once you apply, we can review certificates training transcripts sent to us by your union. In addition to AFL CIO courses, we currently have partnerships with the following unions and some of these unions course offerings have been assessed for credit: AFGE, APWU, AFSCME, CSEA (California), CWA, IAFF, IAMAW, IBEW, Ironworkers, LIUNA, OAPSE/AFSCME, SMWIA, and USWA. ACADEMIC PARTNERS Can I take National Labor College Courses at other locations? Yes, NLC has formed partnerships with a number of institutions in order to permit students to jointly enroll in these programs while accumulating credits toward a BA degree and BTPS from NLC. We currently have joint enrollment agreements with the following colleges and universities; California State University at Dimingous Hills Cipriani College of Labor and Cooperative Studies, Trinidad and Tobago Cornell University Florida International University Harvard Trade Union Program Michigan State University University of Illinois University of Kentucky University of Wisconsin, School for Workers In most cases, students who are jointly enrolled can transfer up to 15 credits from these partnership programs toward the requirements in their major for a BA degree or BTPS from NLC. Students must successfully complete NLC s core curriculum and meet all other requirements in order to obtain their degree. PORTFOLIO CREDIT What is Experiential Learning? Experiential Learning is the process through which many of our students are able to earn college credit for learning they acquired outside of a traditional college classroom setting. The types of learning experiences that qualify for credit will vary from student to student. The key to receiving credit lies in the student s ability to clearly demonstrate his or her learning through the written essays, documentation and other sources of verification in the portfolio process. What is a portfolio? The portfolio is a document that contains 1) an educational resume, 2) an autobiographical narrative, 3) experiential essays on topics for which a student would like to receive credit, and 4) documentation supporting credit request essays. Each essay must include a college course description that parallels the learning described in the essay, a detailed description of the learning that took place, and some form of documentation that verifies the learning. What subjects can I get credit for? Experiential essays will be accepted in the subject areas covered within the majors, specializations, or certificates programs offered by the NLC. Students may request reviews of essays in subjects outside of those areas, but the decision to evaluate those subjects for credit will depend upon the availability of NLC faculty who possess documented competence in the given subject. Such essays may also be submitted for external review by a subject matter expert; there are additional fees associated with this option. All experiential credit is issued at the discretion of the NLC. 8

9 Can I write experiential essays to meet any of the general education requirements? No, all general education requirements must be met by completing a minimum of three semester credits within each of the five required general education disciplines: English Composition, Math, Biological and Physical Science, Social and Behavior Sciences, and Arts and Humanities. Is there a cost for assessment of experiential credit? Yes. BA students are required to pay a portfolio assessment fee of $200. This is a one time fee to be paid at the conclusion of the portfolio review process. Students do not need to pay for additional per credit tuition for experiential credits that are applied to a transcript. The BTPS technical/professional experiential portfolios may require external review may incur additional assessment fees. TUITION, FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION How much is tuition? Tuition for active members of the AFL CIO affiliated unions is subsidized by union dues at only $ per credit hour. Tuition for eligible non AFL CIO affiliated union members is $210 per credit. Tuition for union families and members of Working America who are permitted to enroll in the BTPS degree program is just $210 per credit. There are some limited additional fees depending on courses taken by students throughout the program; consult the NLC catalogue for more detail. The cost of books and materials varies depending on the course, but averages about $60.00 $ per course. Tuition is payable in full prior to the beginning of the online portion of the course. Students may pay by cash, personal check, American Express, MasterCard, or Visa. Payment plans are available and are described in the Financial Assistance section. $ per credit hour for AFL CIO affiliated union members $ per credit hour for non AFL CIO affiliated union members $ per credit hour for members of Working America and union member families entering the BTPS program only $ per credit hour for non union members* Fees $50.00 Application fee $25.00 Student activity fee (each semester that includes a residential component) $10.00 Transcript fee $10.00 Technology fee for fully only courses $5.00 Technology fee for partially online courses $ Portfolio assessment fee $ Specialty portfolio assessment fee (applicable to all BTPS students) $50.00 Partnership/Joint enrollment fee (per credit) $90.00 Arbitrator fee (Arbitration classes only) $ Lawyer fee (Street Law class only) $25.00 LBCR 4910 Senior Project Process Fee $ Graduation fee Books and Materials The cost of books and materials varies depending on the course, but averages about $60.00 $ per course. Books are ordered via our online bookstore partner, MBS, which can be reached through the following link: 9

10 Is there financial assistance available? There are several possible sources of financial aid available to NLC students. Some international and local unions offer scholarships for members; some are general and some are specific to the National Labor College. Contact Tracie Sumner at A detailed list of scholarships is available at While the National Labor College has only a small amount of scholarship monies available, we do accept and process requests for scholarship every semester, so if you need assistance, please apply. The form is available on our website, If you are interested in scholarships for attendance at another college, the AFL CIO has a website that contains information that may be useful to you and your family members. Go to Scholarships A number of scholarships are available to students. All of these scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need. Some, however, are specific union scholarships available only to students of that union. A complete list of these scholarships is available from the Student Services Department, or on our website. Students may apply for these scholarships by filling out the Scholarship Request Form, which can be obtained from the Student Services Department by calling or on the website. Deferred Billing and Payment Plans The College offers deferred billing and payment plans to assist students in financing their education. Deferred billing is available on a limited basis. It is available only to students who are members of a union that has entered an agreement with NLC to pay costs upon completion of coursework. Students are responsible for all payments should third party payment not be forthcoming. Interested students should call the Student Services Department at Residential students taking at least two courses may be eligible for payment plans. Students are required to make a down payment of 60 percent prior to start of the semester and establish a payment schedule with Student Accounts that ensures all monies are paid prior to the next enrollment period. Students who fail to meet their financial obligations may be denied continuous registration, scholarship, transcripts, or graduation. Veterans Benefits The College is pleased to participate in the Veterans Benefits program. Interested students should contact the Veterans Administration for more information at Tuition Do you offer graduate degrees? While the National Labor College is not accredited as a graduate institution, we have established partnerships with four graduate institutions to offer Masters degrees in a format similar to our undergraduate program so they are accessible to full time working people. For more information on graduate programs visit our website at I already have a degree or I am not interested in a degree. What if I just want to take a course? You are welcome to do so. Thousands of students have taken rigorous skills based classes at the National Labor College in a range of areas, including organizing, bargaining, arbitration, and leadership. You can take intensive weeklong classes, or sign up for various online options. To review course offerings, go to our website and see what types of courses interest you. 10