New Portal will Convert Military Training to Civilian Credit
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) today announced the Tennessee Service member Opportunity Portal (TN-SOP), an interactive database which translates prior military experience to academic credit at Tennessee public colleges.
“United States military training is rigorous and provides world class instruction, and it is only appropriate that our colleges recognize this training and provide a head start on attaining a college credential,”said THEC Executive Director Mike Krause.
“The TN-SOP tool will provide transparent information to service members and veterans, continuing our efforts to be the most veteran friendly higher education system in the nation."
Prior to enrollment, current and former service members may utilize TN-SOP to review all colleges where their military experience may equate to academic credit.
"The website is a simple online portal that provides instant feedback as to what higher education credit the service member has before ever setting foot on a Tennessee campus,"said Krause.
To give users a complete picture of their options, including maximum possible academic credit, the tool requires users to specify their Military Occupation Specialty, rank, and training date. This information is then used to generate a list of institutions where credit may be awarded to service members at Tennessee public colleges.
As an example, a service member with combat engineer training at the E7 level would be eligible for a maximum of 16 credit hours toward a degree or credential. No additional class time is required for the credits to post in the student's transcript. Additionally, the service member can see how credits would apply at each institution.
The tool allows users to filter results by institution and type, while also providing contact information for each institution.
This tool gives college administrators and students a one-stop destination for easier access to information regarding prior learning credit to improve veteran success.
TN-SOP is the result of a multi-year effort between Tennessee public higher education institutions and THEC.
Each public institution used the Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide to determine equivalent courses within their individual institutions. The ACE Military Guide faculty evaluators thoroughly worked with military trainers and leadership to evaluate equivalent common courses at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
TN-SOP is part of an ongoing veteran’s education initiative by THEC to ensure that Tennessee leads in veteran success. The TN-SOP tool can be found at http://tn-sop.tn.gov/
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly. The Commission develops, implements, evaluates postsecondary education policies and programs in Tennessee while coordinating the state’s systems of higher education, and is relentlessly focused on increasing the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential.