This form requests academic credit for life experiences, work experiences, or portfolio work. This request must be made in the first semester of enrollment and within three years of completion of the experience(s).
Steps to take:
- Meet with your program’s Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to discuss Credit for Prior Learning (Note: Not all DMS programs accept Credit for Prior Learning)
- Complete a Credit for Prior Learning Request form for each experience/course you are seeking credit for
- Create a Classroom-based Portfolio or Experience-based Portfolio
Classroom-based portfolio assessment includes:
- A brief summary of the experience
- Syllabus, learning objectives, American Council on Education reviews, textbooks, images, etc.
- A personal interpretation of how this classroom-based experience meets or exceeds college-level objectives
- A reflective summary of the ways in which this classroom experience supports your personal learning
Students who are seeking pre-approval of classroom-based experiences are required to also submit an additional final reflection upon completion. This is necessary to demonstrate that learning has occurred. While the curriculum can be pre-reviewed, credit is awarded solely on demonstration of learning
Experience-based portfolio assessment includes:
- A brief summary of the experience presented in the portfolio
- Work from previous employment, demonstrated via professional recommendations or verifications, performance evaluations, awards or commendations, training materials, job descriptions, resumes, licenses, work and/or writing samples, brochures or pictures, and any other relevant items
- Personal interpretation of the ways that this non-traditional classroom experience meets or exceeds the following college-level objectives
Use this form if...
- You are a graduate degree-seeking student
- You want academic credit for prior learning experience(s)
Don't use this form if...
- You are an undergraduate student