Life experience can translate to college credit if you know how to document and showcase it properly, creating a portfolio. But be wary of diploma mills.
Prior Learning Assessment, or PLA, can cut years off of tuition by helping you to earn credits through prior learning assessment. There are various options for doing this including taking CLEP exams and CBE programs as well as creating a portfolio.
1. Look at the Course Descriptions
Colleges and universities nationwide are increasingly offering credits for prior learning earned at work experience. Earning such credit could save both time and money when applying knowledge gained in this way towards your degree program, however you need to know how best to match it with university requirements.
EKU provides both undergraduate and graduate courses. Course descriptions can be found both on its official website as well as the Class Schedule, organized alphabetically by department or discipline prefix. Within each prefix grouping there are multiple courses organized alphabetically by number; some courses require prerequisites which must be met prior to enrolling - these prerequisites will be listed within the course description but may be waived with permission from instructors.
Find course descriptions from previous years by using our Archived Catalogue online search box and academic year filter, or browse by subject area or keywords in our Archived Catalogue.
2. Review the Course Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes define what students should know, be able to do and comprehend by the end of your course. They form a key component of effective backward design.
Effective learning outcomes must be measurable, attainable and meaningful to learners in your class. To help ascertain whether an outcome is achievable, ask yourself and other professionals in your discipline what evidence would demonstrate that it has been met.
As one example, challenge exams like the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) provide an effective means of testing older students on college-level subjects they already possess. More than 2,900 accredited colleges, as well as many online schools accept these exams for credit.
Consider enrolling in a degree program that grants credits for life experience; but be wary of programs charging high fees for "life experience" credits as these could be degree mills. When searching, look for regionally accredited colleges who may give the most credit to your work and life experiences.
3. Create a Portfolio
Portfolios are essential in creative fields and, when interviewing for professional positions, often make the first impression with interviewers. An excellent portfolio should showcase all aspects of your work while including prime examples for each skill that define it.
Your portfolio should also contain letters of recommendation and testimonials from clients, awards or achievements you have been honored with, as well as a table of contents clearly labeled with its contents.
Some colleges have their own processes for reviewing portfolios to earn credit towards a degree; others will look at your life experience and academic performance to assess if it meets course outcomes. Linfield University awards up to 31 credits for prior learning portfolios such as job experience, professional training or travel experiences and these credits can save time and money when working towards earning your bachelors degree program.
4. Apply for Credit
If you want to speed up and reduce the cost of your degree program, look for an accredited college that offers work experience credit. Many online colleges now provide this feature that allows students to receive credits for their professional knowledge and abilities as part of a degree program allowing them to complete it more quickly.
Some schools require additional documentation or an evaluation process to determine if your work experience qualifies for life experience credit, including reviewing your resume, documentation and possibly an essay. Aside from work experience, additional credits may also be earned through taking national exams like College Level Exam Program (CLEP) tests or taking national certification exams such as GRE or TOEFL exams.
Though it might seem otherwise, it can be very challenging to obtain an entire degree solely through life and work experience alone. Most regionally accredited universities limit life experience credits to no more than 30 credit hours, which equates to one year of college. Thomas Edison State University and Excelsior University of New York operate primarily as assessment colleges that award degrees based on experience rather than traditional coursework.
