OAR 259-008-0045: Education Credits

(1) Credit for preservice or in-service college education will not be accepted in lieu of the Basic Course described in OAR 259-008-0025. (2) Education credits or college degrees submitted to the Department for inclusion on a public safety professional’s official record must have been earned from one of the following recognized sources: (a) A degree-granting community college, college or university accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting body; (b) A community college, college or university whose coursework or degree has been accepted for credit by a degree granting community college, college or university accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting body; (c) A degree-granting college or university recognized by the Oregon Office of Degree Authorization under the provisions of ORS 348.604; or (d) The American Council on Education’s credit recommendation on the Joint Services Transcript (JST) used by the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard. (e) For purposes of this rule, a recognized national or regional accrediting body is one recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or its predecessor. (3) Any education credits obtained in a foreign country, which are claimed to be comparable to credits or a college degree granted by a licensing body in the United States or US Territories must be evaluated by a credentialing agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). The credentialing agency must send an evaluation to the Department for approval, at the applicant's expense, before any educational credit is accepted as equivalent. (4) Documentation of Education Credits. The Department must receive official transcripts from a recognized source as defined in section (2) of this rule prior to entering education credits on a public safety professional’s official record. (a) Each quarter credit unit granted by a recognized source operating on a quarterly schedule will equal one education credit. (b) Each semester credit unit granted by a recognized source operating on a semester schedule will equal 1-1/2 education credits.