Exemptions & PLAR

General Education Exemptions

Students who have successfully completed a General Education course(s) at an accredited college or university can apply online for a General Education exemption (credit transfer). For further information on General Education exemptions, please view the General Education Exemptions FAQ below. 

For inquiries regarding General Education exemptions, please contact ct.libstud [at] mohawkcollege.ca (ct[dot]libstud[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca). 

For information on how to apply for a General Education exemption, please visit Applying for a Course Exemption.

General Education Exemptions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I’ve taken previous courses at Mohawk College; can I be exempted from taking my General Education elective(s)?

Most General Education electives taken at Mohawk College, will automatically transfer if you change from one Mohawk College program to another (or register in another Mohawk program after you have completed one). This means that most students who have already completed General Education electives at Mohawk College are not required to apply for exemptions.

If you have previously completed General Education electives at Mohawk College, please check your MAP (My Academic Progress) report through MyMohawk to see if your electives have been applied to the General Education spaces for your current program of study. If your previously completed electives are under the “Other Course Activity” section of the MAP report, contact gened [at] mohawkcollege.ca (gened[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca) to inquire about the eligibility of your prior Mohawk College credits for General Education credit.

I’ve taken previous courses at another College/University; can I be exempted from taking my General Education Elective(s)?

If you previously completed courses at another post-secondary institution you might be eligible for exemption from one or more of your General Education Electives. There are several factors to consider when selecting a course to use for a General Education exemption request. To qualify for General Education credit, the transfer course must meet all the following requirements.

  • The course must be awarded by an accredited post-secondary College/University.
  • The course must support learning in one of the five General Education themes: Arts in Society, Civic Life, Social and Cultural Understanding, Personal Understanding, Understanding Science and Technology. Most courses in Humanities, Social Sciences, or introductory sciences qualify as General Education).
  • The content of the course must be unrelated to the vocational outcomes or courses for the student’s program of study.
  • Courses that focus on vocational, professional, technical, general interest or applied skills and knowledge do not qualify as General Education. This includes language, advanced science/math, computer, or applied arts courses, placement, practicum, or laboratory courses).
  • The course must be a minimum of 3 credits or 42 contact hours
  • The final grade on the official transcript must be 60% (C) or higher (50% for courses taken at Mohawk College). Courses with non-numerical grades or that are evaluated on a pass/fail basis are not eligible for Credit Transfer.

 

Note: To receive transfer credit/ exemption for a program mandated General Education course, the transferring course must match approximately 80% of the learning outcomes for the respective Mohawk College course.

How do I apply for a General Education Elective Exemption?

You can apply for a General Education Exemption online via MyMohawk. For step by step instructions please see: Apply for an Exemption in 5 Easy Steps.  For General Education Exemptions, please select "General Education" when completing your request. For program mandatory gen-eds please select "Regular" course as the exemption type. 

Note: Do not assume your application will be approved! If you are scheduled to take your General Education Elective, register and remain in your course until you are notified about the outcome of your request. If approved, your Elective will be automatically dropped from your timetable.

When should I submit my General Education exemption request(s)?

If you are not currently registered in an Elective and/or you are requesting an exemption for a General Education Elective that you are scheduled to take in a future semester, you can apply for the exemption(s) at any time. If you are trying to exempt from an Elective that you are currently registered in, your application should be received before classes begin in order to be processed before the drop deadline.

How soon will my application be processed?

Timelines can vary depending on the time of year; however, applications are normally assessed within 10 business days from the time the assessing Department receives your paperwork.

Do I need to register for a scheduled General Education Elective if I applied for an exemption?

Do not assume your exemption request will be approved! If you are scheduled to take your General Education Elective, register and remain in an Elective course until you have been notified about the outcome of your application. If your exemption request is approved, your Elective course will be dropped automatically from your timetable.

Can I apply for multiple General Education Elective exemptions at the same time?

Yes. Each credit sought through exemption requires its own Exemption Request form.

Do grades from course exemptions count towards my GPA (Grade Point Average)?

General Education Exemptions are represented as “E” on your transcript/MAP and are not calculated as part of your overall GPA.

General Education Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Mohawk College also recognizes that not all education is gained through formal means, so If you have exceptional and potentially relevant work/life experience you may wish to explore the possibility of having your learning assessed through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR).

General Education PLAR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

I have real-world learning/experience that has taken place outside of a classroom; can I get General Education credit for that?

If you have work/life or educational experience that does not meet the criteria for credit transfer/ exemption, you may wish to explore the possibility of having your learning assessed through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition. PLAR is available for most of our General Education courses. Please note that there is a non-refundable PLAR challenge fee. To obtain further assistance and information about PLAR, please contact the college’s Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition office at: plar [at] mohawkcollege.ca (plar[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca)