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Prior Learning Assessment
For Undergraduate & Graduate
Online Business and
Health Administration Students

Students often enter postsecondary education directly from work, life, and military experiences, where they often have had many years of hands-on. They also often come with other kinds of experiential learning鈥攆rom self-study, open educational resources, or from formal training outside the college classroom.

Students may earn up to three hours of credit in their major program of study, or as elective credit for significant learning experiences. If the learning experience is legitimate within the context of learning outcomes, as stated in a course syllabus, credit may be given.

What Is Prior Learning Assessment?

According to the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning:

Prior learning is a term used by educators to describe learning that a person acquires outside a traditional academic environment. This learning may have been acquired through work experience, employer training programs, independent study, non-credit courses, volunteer or community service, travel, or non-college courses or seminars. Prior learning assessment (PLA) is a term used to describe the process by which an individual鈥檚 experiential learning is assessed and evaluated for purposes of granting college credit, certification, or advanced standing toward further education or training. There are four generally accepted approaches to PLA and, when properly conducted, all ensure academic quality: (1) national standardized exams in specified disciplines, e.g., Advanced Placement (AP) exams, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, Excelsior college exams, Dantes Subject Standardized Texts (DSST); (2) challenge exams for local courses; (3) evaluated non college programs, e.g., American Council on Education (ACE) evaluations of corporate training and military training; and (4) individualized assessments, particularly portfolio-based assessments.

The New England Commission for Higher Education limits credit for prior learning to less than 25% of undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Grading and Awarding of Credit

You must demonstrate prior learning for 80% or more of the course outcomes to be considered for experiential credit. If you are weak in a particular area when you start this class, you can do remediation in that area so you can document it in your portfolio if you are unsure if you can prove prior learning so you can attain this minimum of 80%.聽 In addition, your portfolio work related to the course outcomes must be considered to be work at the C level or higher.

This course is pass or fail.聽 If you receive a passing grade in this course, your portfolio will be forwarded to Academic Affairs for final approval.聽 Credit is not guaranteed even with a passing grade on the portfolio course. Academic Affairs will review the submitted portfolio and will make the final determination if credit will be awarded.聽Prior to this determination, Academic Affairs may request a meeting with you to validate your portfolio. Then this course will be substituted in the student鈥檚 degree plan and placed on a prior learning course on your transcript.

If you fail to meet the requirements and your portfolio is not approved, you will receive zero credit.

Fee

The fees for assessment of prior learning are inexpensive compared to the tuition for a course.聽 Please see the current catalog for prior learning assessment fee.