Learner Pathways System (LPS)

Access Learner Pathways tools

ACAT’s Learner Pathways System (LPS) includes the technology and tools, data, and supports for the Alberta Transfer System and related learner pathways and the institution members, stakeholders, and learners that use them

Alberta Transfer System member institutions use Learner Pathways System (LPS) technology and tools to share targeted high school transitions information and transfer decisions they have made for courses and programs at their institution. If an institution develops courses or programs with a high potential for student mobility, they can also contact other members with similar offerings to request approval of transfer decisions proposals. Every member institution identifies an Operational Contact Person(s) to lead and manage these processes, as well as a Strategic Contact Person(s) to support and inform decision-making.

The ACAT Secretariat leads the operations of the LPS and collaboration with member institutions/stakeholders in alignment with the system principles that support system operations. The Secretariat manages the technology and tools, data standards, stakeholder relationships and data management, projects and initiatives, and system work and communications related to the LPS and the broader Alberta Transfer and Pathways System and jurisdictional and national collaboration. This work currently includes 42 institution members from Alberta and five other jurisdictions, with the ACAT Secretariat directly engaging with:

Strategic Contact Persons/Registrars for strategic decision making for the LPS and the broader Alberta Transfer and Pathways System in Alberta's Adult Learning System
Operational Contact Persons regarding the development, maintenance, and use of LPS tools; transfer and pathways best practices; and data standards and management of high school transitions and transfer decisions data, including LPS member institution management of transfer decisions for transfer credit, targeted high school transitions information (e.g., AP, IB, dual credit, academic upgrading, provincial equivalencies), and information for other pathways as relevant to the institution, including Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) and interprovincial mobility
Students, K-12, government, local and jurisdictional organizations, and other stakeholders to support ease of access to public-facing learner pathways data and information for post-secondary planning via Transfer Alberta

Operational Contact Persons at member institutions use LPS tools to support their transfer and pathways work, including to:

Manage and maintain their high school transitions and transfer decisions data according to agreed upon LPS data standards, including uploading information about program and course offerings and transfer decisions and targeted high school transitions course information
Propose transfer decisions for their courses and programs to other member institutions
Update reference data for their institution
Access system-wide information, including via different types of data reports for high school transitions and transfer decisions data
Find member institution contact information and provide contact information for use by other institutions

Operational Contact Persons at member institutions update the LPS Catalog using three applications, which help manage different types of information. These applications require users to sign in with a MyAlberta Digital ID (MADI), requiring you to login through MADI. You will also need user confirmation codes, provided by the ACAT Secretariat, to access individual applications.

Alberta’s Transfer System and related learner pathways are also continually evolving as student mobility opportunities expand throughout the province and nation. The LPS tools were developed as part of ACAT’s Learner Pathways Modernization Initiative (LPMI) to further streamline transfer decisions between member institutions, and make it easier for learners and academic advisors to access student mobility information. These tools and supports are regularly reviewed and updated as needed to ensure they reflect any resulting updates to processes, terms and standards for the system.

Download the the LPS System Overview guide for a diagram and summary of the LPS applications information and relationships provided below.

LPS Applications

LPS Catalog

The Catalog is the central repository for targeted high school transitions information, and program and course transfer decisions opportunities between institutional members, including:

Institutional transfer decisions with other member institutions, and also with non-member institutions where the member institution is the receiving (To) institution
Post-secondary programs and courses
Advanced Placement (AP) & International Baccalaureate (IB) courses for admissions
Dual Credit agreements
Academic Upgrading courses
Provincial Transitions high school matriculation and other relevant courses for provincial equivalency

The Catalog includes:

A focus on Course transfer decisions - where one institution has decided to grant transfer credit for another institution’s course
Reciprocal course transfer decisions between two member institutions that agree on the inter-transferability of a course
Program/credential level transfer decisions - where one institution has decided to grant transfer credit for another institution's program/credential

The Catalog is updated by member institutions and populates the public-facing Transfer Alberta Search Tool, which is used by learners and other stakeholders.

LPS Catalog Administration

Manage institution information and reference data, ACAT transfer system reference data, high school course information and guide periods.

Transfer Credit Evaluation System (TCES)

TCES is designed for individual course, program and transfer decision creation and management by the TO institution. You can also articulate transfer decisions proposals as the FROM institution in this tool.

Data Collection and Reporting (DCaR)

DCaR is a mass upload tool for course, program and transfer decision creation and management by the TO institution.

Dual Credit-related Opportunities (DCRO)

The Dual Credit-Related Opportunities (DCRO) Module contains information on dual credit and other high school transitions pathways, all of which allow high school students to earn credits towards their high school diploma while simultaneously earning credits towards a post-secondary credential. These credentials can include:

certificates
diplomas
degrees
first period apprenticeship

Some common high school pathways include specific Career and Technology Studies streams, and the Registered Apprenticeship Program.

The purpose of the DCRO module is to record details of dual credit and high school transitions pathways, so that potential partners can see what is being or will be offered.

DCRO Data, Partners and Permissions

As of January 2023, all data in the DCRO module will be updated and be directly drawn from Alberta Education's data source for Education-approved dual credit course codes for School Authorities and their dual credit partners. Additional data sources may also be added over time.

Agreement data includes the names of the partners and courses involved. Each agreement will include a different combination of partners, such as the school authority(s) and post-secondary institution(s) involved in each approved dual credit course code.

While the data in this module drives the Transfer Alberta Search Tool, stakeholders/dual credit partners and the public only see data relevant to their interests, such as the:

approved high school course codes and credits
post-secondary course codes and credits
partner school authorities and institutions where the various opportunities may be offered.

Stakeholders/dual credit partners will be able to view this data via the Transfer Alberta Search Tool under High School Transitions and Dual Credit.

For questions about DCRO Search Tool data, or to request potential additional authorized access to or assistance with DCRO, please contact ae.lps@gov.ab.ca.

MADI LPS Access

MADI gives users access to several online applications using a single “User ID and Password” (not only for the LPS applications).

New LPS users or existing users requiring additional access for an LPS application(s) should complete the following steps to obtain confirmation codes:

Contact Persons

LPS member institution Operational Contact Persons should email the ACAT Secretariat to request permission for confirmation codes for the Catalog, DCaR, and TCES, so that you can begin the enrolment process and gain access to the applications. Operational Contact Persons manage their institution’s data in the LPS and will generally receive read/write permissions for the applications.

Academic Advisors/Institution Representatives

Academic advisors and other post-secondary institution users who wish to have access to view data in the Catalog and TCES to support your work with students should contact your institution’s Contact Person(s) in the articulation/transfer office of your institution to request permission for read only access. Should your request be granted/authenticated by your institution, your institution’s Contact Persons will then email approved institution users’ information to the ACAT Secretariat, so that confirmation codes can be issued to these authenticated read-only users for the Catalog and TCES.

Other Education Stakeholder Users

Other education stakeholder users (e.g., school authorities, post-secondary institutions, firms, or ministries representatives viewing dual credit data; ministry users; CATs and organization users) who wish to have access to view data in the Catalog and TCES to support your work with students should contact the ACAT Secretariat to request confirmation codes for read-only permissions for the Catalog and TCES. Your identity and purpose for access will be authenticated by the Secretariat prior to potential confirmation codes being issued.

The following user information should be included in your email in order to request confirmation codes for a user account:

First and last name
Institution/organization role
Institution/organization name
Institution/organization email address
Institution/organization phone number
Type of access requested based on your role (e.g., read only).

Once users are approved and authenticated, the ACAT Secretariat will email you a confirmation code for each LPS application you need access to. After receiving the confirmation code(s), you can activate your LPS application.

Forms

Operational Contact Persons at member institutions use these forms to negotiate and confirm transfer decisions with other institutions, and to upload data into LPS applications.

Course Offerings (CSV File)

Establishes course data standards.

Download Blank CSV File Format Guide

Program Offerings (CSV File)

Establishes program data standards.

Download Blank CSV File Format Guide File Format Guide(V3 Draft)

Transfer Decisions Between Institutions (CSV File)

Establishes transfer decisions data standards.

Download Blank CSV File Format Guide

Data Dictionary

The Data Dictionary for Alberta’s transfer system is a guide to key terms and definitions used to support system standards, ensuring we use consistent language to describe processes, courses, programs and transfer decisions.