The American Council on Education recently updated the amount of college credits members of the Seabee may receive following a review of the career paths for each rating at the Center for Seabee and Facilities Engineering.
"This was the first ACE review in several years, and reflects significant changes to the recommended credits in many Seabee ratings," said Capt. Richard Cook, CSFE commanding officer. "Depending on rank and rating, Seabees can qualify for up to 100 college credits for 30 Seabee 'C' and 'F' schools."
Forty-seven courses for all seven Seabee ratings have been evaluated and course credit equivalents identified, as follows: 12 Vocational Education Credits; 313 Lower Division College Credits; and 26 Upper Division College Credits. In addition to credit recommendations for formal Navy courses, Seabees are eligible for college course credit equivalencies based upon on-the-job training and work experience.
Since World War II, ACE has worked to recognize the educational value of military training and experience by continuously evaluating military schools, correspondence courses and occupations to determine the amount and level of academic credit each should be awarded. Through ACE, Sailors can receive academic credit for work experience and on-the-job training as well as formal Navy training. The ACE military evaluations program is funded by the Department of Defense and coordinated through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES).
“Considering the current environment both in and outside the Navy, getting a college degree can be one of the best moves a Sailor can make to be competitive,” said Roland Perez, institutional accreditation manager for the Naval Education and Training Command. “Getting a degree can be expensive and time consuming, but by using their Joint Service Transcript and ACE credits can give Sailors a big head start toward a degree.”
To take advantage of ACE recommended credits for their specific ratings, Seabees should visit their nearest Navy College Office or Educational Service Officer to review their SMART transcript and develop an education plan.
For more information on using ACE credits toward a college degree, visit the Navy College Web site at: https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/.
