Prior Learning Seminar

What will I learn in this course?

This course will help you identify college-level learning you have gained through your experience; relate this to your personal, academic, and career goals; and document it in a way that will enable subject matter experts to assess your learning and make recommendations about awarding credit.

What goes into a portfolio?

Your portfolio will contain autobiographical information, narratives describing your learning experiences and the knowledge you gained through them, and evidence of the activities discussed.

Do I have to take the course to submit a prior learning portfolio?

The process of developing a portfolio and finding appropriate evaluators is extremely challenging. We strongly recommend that students interested in seeking credit through a portfolio enroll in the prior learning seminar.

Will I earn credit for the course itself?

Yes, The Prior Learning Seminar is a regular 3-credit elective. Any prior learning credit awarded is in addition to the credit for the course.

What kind of prior learning credit can I get?

This depends on the experiential learning that you document in your portfolio and how the material fits into your degree program. It is possible to earn credit toward gen ed, a major or minor, or electives.

How will this affect my GPA?

The Prior Learning Seminar is graded pass/fail and will not affect your GPA. Additional prior learning credits do not carry a grade and do not affect your GPA. If you are not awarded credit, nothing will appear on your transcript.

Do I have to pay for additional credits?

No. At this time, there is no fee for additional credits earned for a portfolio developed in this course.

When will I find out my results?

Portfolios are evaluated after the end of the semester and you will receive your evaluation report during the semester following the one in which you take the course.

Are prior learning credits transferable?

This is up to the receiving institution. If you are planning to transfer to another college, you should contact the admissions office where you are applying to find out their policy.