Credit Prior Learning

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Credit Prior Learning

Credit Prior Learning

Earning Credit for Life Experience

Learning can occur through many avenues. If you have work or volunteer experience, served in the military, or participated in non-credit training, you might be eligible to use those learning experiences to earn college credits. Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) can help you identify and present learning from your experiences in a way that can help you earn college credits and complete your degree more quickly.

Your completed and approved CPL results in credits for approved courses on your transcript. IU’s policy of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL (ACA-60)) describes this process.

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Types of Credit Assessment

Veterans may earn college credit for educational experiences in the armed services. A Joint Services Transcript (JST) should be submitted with the application materials for consideration. Request your JST.

See IU Northwest military and veteran services policies.

This option is a process that allows you to take a proficiency exam to earn credit for one or more courses based on your knowledge of the material.

Advanced Placement (AP)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Policy

Cambridge Assessment International Education Credits

International Baccalaureate (IB) higher-level exams

Advanced College Project Courses (ACP)

ACP courses represent dual credit courses taught at Indiana University. These credits appear directly on your transcript and are applied to your college education. Each course covers the same content, has the same expectations, and gives the same credit as the course taught at the IU campus.

Additional information about ACP can be found here:

IU Advance College Project

Some programs allow the option to test out of specific courses by taking a proficiency exam. These exams are administered by individual departments or the program coordinator. While the test out process allows you to avoid taking one or more courses, this typically does not award course credit.

A portfolio is a collection of work and documentation that represents your learning. Portfolios are reviewed by departments or faculty to determine the appropriate amount of credit earned.

See more portfolio information.

Transcription Process & Costs

There are some costs to CPL. First, there is a portfolio evaluation fee (ranging from $125 to $200) depending on the size of your portfolio. These funds pay for the review process. There is also a fee to transcribe your prior learning credit onto your transcript. This fee is $21.50 per credit hour recording fee. The fees become part of student’s current bursar bill and can be satisfied using financial aid monies. Students are not expected to pay the fees before the credit is posted.

Portfolios or Departmental Assessment of Prior Learning

Consult with the advisor in your school to find out if the best types of Prior Learning Assessment are available for you.

Examples of documents that would go into a portfolio

Depending on the type of Prior Learning Assessment your department requires, the following examples of documentation may be useful to gather for portfolio assessment or assessment of certificates and licensures:

Completion of recognized academic programs.
Certificates and other credentials with their fulfillment criteria.
Résumé.
Documentation of project management skills.
Documentation of skills consistent with those expected in the course being reviewed(e.g., an animated short film, a mobile application, an e-commerce website).
Job descriptions.
Passing a comprehensive examination on the contents of the course.
Service to a nongovernmental organization or the government (e.g., a volunteer organization, the military, diplomatic corps)
Report on funded and unfunded research projects.
Syllabi of courses covering similar content.
Testimonials of course-related knowledge and skills acquisition.
Documentation of professional activities clarifying acquired knowledge and skills concerning the course’s contents, such as developing a website for a community service organization, contributing to IT fair projects, mentorship, performance reviews, presenting or publishing scholarship, and producing a video.

Examples of Prior Learning Review within an area:

General Studies review

Recognition of Previously Earned Credit : Academic Bulletin (iun.edu)

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