CPL: Section 2-Credit from Industry Certifications and Professional Credentials

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Steps to Request Credit for an Approved Certification/Credential

  1. Apply for admission and select a program of study (declare a major).
  2. Enroll in a credit course.
  3. Submit Form 125-049E (log-in required) and attach a PDF copy of your certificate/credential to be sent to NOVA’s College Records Office.

It takes approximately four to twelve weeks to get credit posted to your record. Updates will be sent to your NOVA student email.

Approval Process of New Certifications and Credentials for Academic Credit

Any student or faculty/staff member may request an evaluation of a certification/credential not listed in this manual for academic credit by contacting the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Coordinator via email at cpl@nvcc.edu or the academic dean of the discipline where the potential NOVA equivalent course is offered. Credit will not be granted immediately upon request, but instead a formal proposal will be developed and submitted to the CPL Committee for review. If endorsed by the CPL Committee, the proposal will be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for further actions. The Administrative Council has the final authority to approve the new certification or credential for academic credit. Once approved, the new CPL opportunity will be published in the following academic year’s catalog.

Administration of Criminal Justice

Credential/Certification NOVA Equivalent Credits Source Notes Approved Updated
Jail Officer Certification ADJ 140, ADJ 248 6 Prince William County Detention Center Correctional Officer Academy 12/2024 03/2026
Basic Law Enforcement School Program Completion/Certificate ADJ 110, ADJ 160, ADJ 212, ADJ 228, ADJ 229, ADJ 233 18 Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy
or
Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy
or
Prince William County Public Safety Training Academy		 To receive college credit students must submit a letter of verification from the training academy and a copy of their certificate of completion.

Students may enroll in the experiential learning portfolio development course to potentially earn additional credit for the following courses: 		On File 03/2026

Business and Accounting 

Credential/Certification NOVA Equivalent Credits Source Notes Approved Updated
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certified Professional BUS 205 3 Society for Human Resource Management Certification must have been issued within 3 years. On File
Certified Professional Legal Secretary (PLS) ACC 211, LGL 126, and BUS 226 9 National Association of Legal Secretaries Certification must be current. On File

Education

Credential/Certification NOVA Equivalent Credits Source Notes Approved Updated
Classroom Management Training Certification EDU 206 3 Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) The PWCS Classroom Management Training Program is an 8-week program that includes one 2.5-hour face-to-face meeting per week resulting in .25-hour of independent activities for each participant. An additional 4 hours of asynchronous modules through Canvas are completed to cover topics beyond the face-to-face content. To receive credit for EDU 206 Credit for Prior Learning, students must submit a certificate showing hours awarded and course completion and a professional transcript issued by the PWCS Professional Training Department. 12/2024
Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential CHD 120 3 Council for Professional Recognition (CPR) Credential must be current within six months of requesting the credit for prior learning. The credential must be verified by the Council for Professional Recognition. On File
Certificate of Achievement, Fairfax County-School Readiness CHD 120 3 Fairfax County Office for Children School Readiness Effective Summer 2009. Students should submit a copy of their program completion letter from Fairfax County Office for Children, Institute for Early Learning. On File
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF)-Early Educator Fast Track Certificate CHD 120 3 Virginia Early Childhood Foundation The VECF certificate must have been issued within 3 years. On File
VLS Infant and Toddler Certification CHD 166, EDU 235 6 DoD Virtual Lab School Students must submit a copy of the VLS Infant and Toddler certificate to receive credits. 10/2023
VLS Preschool Certification CHD 145, EDU 235 6 U.S. Department of Defense Child Development Virtual Laboratory School Students must submit a copy of the VLS Preschool certificate of completion to receive credit. 10/2023
VLS Family Childcare Certification CHD 145, EDU 235 6 U.S. Department of Defense Child Development Virtual Laboratory School Students must submit a copy of the VLS Family Child Care certificate of completion to receive credit. 10/2023
VLS School-Age Certification CHD 145, EDU 235 6 U.S. Department of Defense Child Development Virtual Laboratory School Students must submit a copy of the VLS School-Age certificate of completion to receive credit. 10/2023
AAPI Connect Peer Mentoring Certification SDV 100 1 The Asian American Pacific Islander Connect Peer Mentoring Program Students must submit a copy of the AAPI Connect Peer Mentoring certificate of completion to receive credit. 09/2023

Advanced Manufacturing and Skilled Trades

Credential/Certification NOVA Equivalent Credits Source Notes Approved Updated
OSHA 10-General Industry Safety and Health SAF 130 1 Environmental Protection Agency Student must submit a 10-hour General Industry Safety and Health Card with the trainer’s name and date of issue. The certification must be current and issued within 5 years. On File
OSHA 30-Construction Safety and Health BLD 215 2 Environmental Protection Agency Student must submit a 30-hour Construction Safety and Health Card with the trainer’s name and date of issue. The certification must be current and issued within 5 years. On File
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Section 608 Universal Certification AIR 276 1 Environmental Protection Agency Student must submit an EPA certified universal certification card with the date of issue. The certification must have been issued within 10 years. On File
Fiber Optics Installer (FOI) ELE 250 3 Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) Student must present a current ETA FIO certification for CPL credit. On File
Data Cabling Installer (DCI) ELE 189 3 Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) Student must present a current ETA DCI certification for CPL credit. On File
HVAC Master License AIR 111, AIR 121, AIR 122, AIR 134, AIR 154, AIR 205, AIR 207 26 Commonwealth of Virginia Certification or recertification must have been issued within 4 years. On File
North American Technician Excellence (NATE) Certification Under Review N/A
A1 - Engine Repair Certification AUT 112 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
A2 - Automotive Transmission Trans Axle Certification AUT 142 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
A3 - Manual Drive, Train and Axle Certification AUT 141 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
A4 - Suspension and Steering Certification AUT 266 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
A5 - Brakes Certification AUT 265 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
A6 - Electrical System Certification AUT 241 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
A7 - Heating & Air Conditioning Certification AUT 236 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
A8 - Engine Performance Certification AUT 111 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
B2 - Painting & Refinishing Certification AUB 118 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
B3 - Non Structural Analysis Certification AUB 106 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
B4 - Structural Analysis 7 Damage Repair Certification AUB 116 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
G1 - Auto Maintenance and Light Repair Certification AUT 100 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
L1 - Advanced Engine Performance Certification AUT 121 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. On File
L3 - Light Duty Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Specialist Certification AUT 233 4 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification must be current. 01/2025

Nursing and Health Sciences

Credential/Certification NOVA Equivalent Credits Source Notes Approved Updated
Clinical Coding Associate (CCA) HIM 110, HIM 111, HIM 199, HIM 250, HIM 254, HIM 255, HIM 260 19 American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Proof of certification and an interview with the Assistant Dean for Health Information Management is required before CPL Credit can be applied. Except for HIM 199, all courses may be applied to the Health Information Management A.A.S degree. On File
Clinical Coding Specialist Certificate (CSC) HIM 110, HIM 111, HIM 250, HIM 254, HIM 255, HIM 260 18 American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Proof of certification and an interview with the Assistant Dean for Health Information Management is required before CPL Credit can be applied. Except for HIM 190, all courses may be applied to the Health Information Management A.A.S degree. On File 03/2026
EMT (Current National or Va. OEMS) EMS 111 and EMS 120 8 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. On File 03/2026
EMT-Advanced (Current Va. OEMS) EMS 111, EMS 120, EMS 180, EMS 181, EMS 182, EMS 183, EMS 184, EMS 185, EMS 186, and EMS 170

 19 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. In addition, students must successfully complete EMS 123 before credits are awarded. On File 03/2026
EMT-Intermediate (Current National or Va. OEMS) EMS 111, EMS 120, EMS 180, EMS 181, EMS 182, EMS 183, EMS 184, EMS 185, EMS 186, EMS 170, EMS 123, EMS 221, EMS 223, EMS 224, and EMS 241
 28 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. In addition, students must successfully complete EMS 222 before credits are awarded. On File 03/2026
Paramedic (Current National or Va. OEMS) EMS 111, EMS 120, EMS 180, EMS 181, EMS 182, EMS 183, EMS 184, EMS 185, EMS 186, EMS 170, EMS 123, EMS 221, EMS 223, EMS 224, EMS 241, EMS 222, EMS 225,EMS 226, EMS 246, EMS 210, EMS 249, EMS 163, EMS 164, EMS 165, EMS 167, EMS 216
 46 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. In addition, students must successfully complete EMS 212 before certification credits are added to their transcript. On File 03/2026
International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) (Provider or Instructor) EMS 163 1 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. On File 03/2026
Pediatric Basic Trauma Life Support (PBTLS) or Pediatric Education for Pre-hospital Providers (PEPP) (Provider or Instructor) EMS 162 1 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E.
 On File 03/2026
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) (Provider or Instructor) EMS 165 1 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. On File 03/2026
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) (Provider or Instructor) EMS 169 1 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. On File 03/2026
Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support (American College of Surgeons PHTLS) EMS 163 1 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. On File 03/2026
Advanced Medical Life Support (NAEMT AMLS) EMS 164 1 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. On File 03/2026
Emergency Pediatrics Course (NAEMT EPC) EMS 167 1 Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Certification must be current. Students must contact NOVA’s EMS Department to validate their certifications before submitting Form 125-049E. On File 03/2026
Credential/Certification NOVA Equivalent Credits Source Notes Approved Updated
Lifeguard/First Aid Certification PED 245 2 American Red Cross or National Safety Council Evidence of completed training within 2 years required. On File
CPR/Automated External Defibrillator Certification or the Basic Life Support Certification HLT 105 1 Various Online Training excluded. Evidence of completed training within 2 years. On File
Registered Respiratory (RRT) Credentials RTH 215, RTH 222, RTH 225, RTH 227, RTH 236, and RTH 290 20 The National Board of Respiratory Care Student must present a valid credential and successfully complete one of NOVA’s RTH courses with a grade of “C” or better prior to the application of CPL credit. On File
Neonatal Pediatric Specialist Designation Certification RTH 225 3 The National Board of Respiratory Care Student must present a valid credential and successfully complete one of NOVA’s RTH courses with a grade of “C” or better prior to the application of CPL credit. On File
Certified Respiratory Therapy (CRT) Credential RTH 102, RTH 111, RTH 120, RTH 121, RTH 131, RTH 135, RTH 145, RTH 151, RTH 196, RTH 245, and RTH 296 28 The National Board for Respiratory Care Credit is awarded only with an official document showing such certification and only after successful completion of RTH 236. On File
Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) MDL 101, MDL 125, MDL 130, MDL 140, MDL 215, MDL 216, MDL 225, MDL 243, MDL 251, MDL 260, MDL 263, MDL 266, MDL 276, MDL 277, MDL 278, and MDL 281 45 American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Board of Certification (BOC) Student who has completed a military laboratory training program and is certified as a MLT by the ASCP will be granted credit in all major courses. Valid documentation must be presented verifying certification. On File
Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) or Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA) Certification MDL 106 4 American Society for Clinical Pathology, (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC)
or
Training through employer in an accredited laboratory.		 Student who has extensive experience (within the past 10 years) in all aspects of phlebotomy under the direction of a CAP/JC/CLIA accredited laboratory should submit the following documents:
  • Active CPT or MLA certification.
  • Employment certification letter from a supervisor on the organization’s letterhead verifying experience.

Employment certification letter should contain the following:
  • The date when the experience in Phlebotomy started and ended;
  • The number of hours per week dedicated to work in Phlebotomy.
  • The employer should also indicate in which phlebotomy areas (venipuncture and or skin puncture) the applicant demonstrated proficiency under the employer supervision.


Note: If you are currently working in phlebotomy and have an active CPT or MLA-ASCP BOC certification you will be eligible to receive credit for both MDL 105 and MDL 106.		 On File
Personal Trainer Certification PED 168 3
  • American College of Sports Medicine,
  • The American Council on Exercise,
  • National Strength and Conditioning Association,
  • National Academy of Sports Medicine
 Student must submit an unexpired certification. On File
Practical Licensed Nurse Certification NSG 106, NSG 130, NSG 152, NSG 170 12 Virginia Board of Nursing Students must submit a copy of the LPN certificate, be accepted to the Nursing program, and complete NSG 115 prior to requesting posting of credits. 02/2024 03/2026

Information Technology

Credential/Certification NOVA Equivalent Credits Source Notes Approved Updated
Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate ITN 260 3 Google Issued within 10 years 04/2026
OffSec Security Certified Professional Plus (OSCP+) ITN 261 4 OffSec Issued within 10 years 04/2026
GIAC Web Application Penetration Tester (GWAPT) ITN 261 4 Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) Issued within 10 years 04/2026
CompTIA PenTest+ ITN 261 4 CompTIA Issued within 10 years 02/2026
Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) ITN 170 3 Red Hat Issued within 10 years 02/2026
JSE-Ceritified Entry Level JavaScript Programmer ITD 110 3 OpenEDG JS Institute Issued within 10 years 02/2026
WDE-Certified Entry-Level Web Developer ITD 110 3 OpenEDG-JS Institute Issued within 10 years 12/2024
PCEP-Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer ITP 150 3 OpenEDG-Python Institute Issued within 10 years 12/2024
PCAP-Certified Associate Python Programmer ITP 250 3 OpenEDG-Python Institute Issued within 10 years 12/2024
Project Management Professional (PMP) ITP 170 3 Project Management Institute (PMI) Issued within 10 years 12/2024
Comp TIA Data+ ITD 145 3 CompTIA Issued within 10 years 05/2024
CompTIA Server+ ITN 200 3 CompTIA Issued within 10 years 05/2024
CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) ITN 262 4 CompTIA Issued within 10 years On File
CompTIA Network + ITN 101 3 CompTIA Issued within 10 years On File
CompTIA Security + ITN 260 3 CompTIA Issued within 10 years On File
CompTIA A+ Core Series: Core 1 and Core 2 ITN 107 & ITN 106 6 CompTIA Issued within 10 years On File
CompTIA Linux + ITN 170 3 CompTIA Issued within 10 years On File
CompTIA Project + ITN 170 3 CompTIA Issued within 10 years On File
CompTIA CISSP ITN 260 3 CompTIA Issued within 10 years On File
Cisco CCNA ITN 154, ITN 155, & ITN 156 12 Cisco Issued within 10 years On File
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner ITN 257 3 Amazon Issued within 10 years On File
AWS Certified Solutions Architect: Associate/Professional ITN 213 3 Amazon Issued within 10 years On File
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) ITN 261 4 EC-Council Issued within 10 years On File
Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL): Practitioner ITP 170 3 AXELOS Issued within 10 years On File
Google IT Support Professional Certification ITE 152, ITN 101, & ITN 260 9 Google Issued within 10 years On File
Google Data Analytics Certification ITD 145 & ITD 245 6 Google Issued within 10 years On File
Google UX Design Certification ITD 110 3 Google Issued within 10 years On File
Google Project Management Certification ITP 170 3 Google Issued within 10 years On File
Information Technology Specialist: HTML and CSS ITD 110 3 Certiport, Pearson VUE Issued within 10 years On File
Information Technology Specialist: HTML 5 Application Development ITP 225 4 Certiport, Pearson VUE Issued within 10 years On File
Information Technology Specialist: Databases ITD 256 3 Certiport, Pearson VUE Issued within 10 years On File
Information Technology Specialist: Database Analytics ITD 145 3 Certiport, Pearson VUE Issued within 10 years On File
Information Technology Specialist: JavaScript ITP 140 4 Certiport, Pearson VUE Issued within 10 years On File
Information Technology Specialist: Python ITP 150 4 Certiport, Pearson VUE Issued within 10 years On File
Information Technology Specialist: Java ITP 120 4 Certiport, Pearson VUE Issued within 10 years On File
YRUP-0001 CIS 101-Introduction to Computer Applications ITE 152 3 Year Up United Course taken within 10 years; Credly transcript required On File
YRUP-0002 CIS 102-Advanced Excel ITE 140 3 Year Up United Course taken within 10 years; Credly transcript required On File
YRUP-0006 CIS 201-Computer Hardware ITN 107 3 Year Up United Course taken within 10 years; Credly transcript required On File
YRUP-0007 CIS 202-Operating System ITN 106 3 Year Up United Course taken within 10 years; Credly transcript required On File
YRUP-0009 CIS 203-Computer Network ITN 101 3 Year Up United Course taken within 10 years; Credly transcript required On File
YRUP-0014 COM 150-Public Speaking CST 100 3 Year Up United Credly transcript required On File