A GUIDE TO
PRIOR LEARNING
ASSESSMENT CREDIT
School of Global & Professional Programs
Revised May 2015
Introduction
Adults are constantly learning, whether in a community college or four-year college
classroom, through professional work experiences, community or volunteer work, or
professional training programs. The Prior Learning Program in the School of Global &
Professional Programs at Marist College recognizes that learning takes place in both
formal and informal settings.
While many adult students receive a significant number of credits towards their degrees
through transferring college credit from other accredited college-level institutions, it is
also possible to receive credit through the assessment of Prior Learning. A matriculated
undergraduate student may apply for a limited number of credits for knowledge acquired
from adult life/work experiences which occurred prior to matriculation. The student must
be able to demonstrate and verify learning and/or skills comparable to the outcomes of
courses at postsecondary levels of instruction. Application for credits should be made
following matriculation and completion of 12 credits at Marist College.
Included in the rubric of Prior Learning Assessment are standardized college-level
examinations, life work assessment, portfolio review, and professional training. For
each area of Prior Learning Assessment, there is a special application form and series
of documents required in order for a petition to be considered.
Students wishing to apply for Prior Learning Assessment credits must contact the
coordinator for information regarding a required PLA workshop, which must be
completed prior to preparing an application. Questions concerning petitioning for Prior
Learning Credit should be directed to:
Diane Landau-Flayter
Director, Marist College Fishkill Executive Center
School of Global and Professional Programs
400 Westage Business Center
Fishkill, NY 12524
Phone: (845) 897-9648
Diane.Landau-Flayter@marist.edu
CONTENTS
PAGE
Standardized College-Level Tests
1
Life Work
3
Portfolio Review
5
Professional Training
7
Standardized College-Level Tests
Must be completed prior to matriculation
Definition
Credit or a waiver may be awarded for learning evaluated by standardized examinations which
are available through a variety of testing agencies. The acceptable grade and credit
assignment will be determined by the department chair for each subject area being tested.
College credit will be marked on a Marist transcript as CBE (credit by examination). Two of the
most common standardized tests available to adult students are Excelsior College
Examinations (ECE), formerly Regents College Examinations, and the College Level
Examination Program (CLEP).
Excelsior College Exams (ECE) – Must be completed prior to matriculation at Marist
College. There are approximately 55 examinations which measure college-level knowledge.
They are administered several times a year at various test sites and online. Both objective and
essay questions are given to demonstrate knowledge. The following areas are available for
testing: Art & Sciences (includes History and Social Science), Education, and Business (please
note: Marist College accepts only Business Law and Principles of Management in this area).
Please note, for testing information in New York:
Excelsior College Examinations
Telephone: 888-647-2388
Email: testadmn@excelsior.edu
General Web Site: www.excelsior.edu
College Level Examinations (CLEP) – Must be completed prior to matriculation at Marist
College. The College Board sponsors the CLEP program with test sites located at various
colleges in the area. General and subject tests are offered by CLEP. Subject exams measure
knowledge and achievement covered in specific courses. Marist requires students take subject
examinations when pursuing credit by examination.
Areas include: Composition and Literature, Foreign Language, History/Social Sciences,
Science/Mathematics and Business (please note: Marist College accepts only Business Law
and Principles of Management in the Business area).
For test applications and information:
School of Global & Professional Programs
1
College Board
PO Box 6600
Princeton, NJ 08541-6600
Telephone: 800-257-9558
Email: clep@info.collegeboard.org
General Web Site: www.collegeboard.com
Process for Petition: Students wishing to receive credit for knowledge documented through
standardized testing should have test results sent to:
Office of the Registrar
Marist College
3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Once received, scores will be evaluated based on department recommendations for credit.
Limitations: The College grants credit to students at the time of matriculation, for Advanced
Placement (AP), College Proficiency Examinations (CPE), NYS Regents College Exams, ACTPEP, and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) on an individual basis for
examinations completed prior to matriculation. The acceptable score and credit assignment
shall be determined by the department concerned with the subject area in which credit is
sought. Students may not receive credit for standardized test results if they have already
received transfer credit for similar learning at colleges previously attended. For example, if you
have received 6 semester credits of transfer credits in Spanish from a community college; you
will not receive additional credits for taking the CLEP test in Spanish.
Permission for matriculated students to use examination credits to meet degree requirements
must be requested from the appropriate School Dean and will be granted only under
extraordinary circumstances.
Fees: To cover administrative costs, the College will charge $50.00 for each credit accepted.
Students will be billed for these fees once official test transcripts are received by Marist. There
are additional fees charged by ECE and CLEP for the examinations.
School of Global & Professional Programs
2
Life Work Assessment
Definition: It is recognized that many adults receive training and education through
professional work and community experiences that is equivalent to college level learning.
Typically, this learning does not appear on college transcripts as it happens on an “informal”
level. Students who believe that they can document an area of learning comparable to the
learning which takes place in a traditional Marist course are encouraged to petition for Life
Work Assessment credit. Using the Marist catalog as a guide, students are advised to read
through currently approved course descriptions and identify areas where they might claim Prior
Learning Assessment for Life Work credit. Students should then request a course syllabus to
better understand expected course outcomes.
Process for Petition
Students wishing to petition for Prior Learning Assessment for Life Work credit are required to
submit the following documents to:
School of Global & Professional Programs
Marist College
3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
All documents would be submitted in a binder and will become a part of the student’s official
file.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Application for Life Work Assessment Credit (available online at: www.marist.edu/gpp/prior)
Current Resume or CV
A 1-2 page Autobiographical Statement
A 4-6 page Learning Narrative Statement of Professional Experience
A Learning Narrative Statement of Professional Experience discusses the learning and
relates the learning to the experiences(s) from which it was derived. This narrative
should summarize and reflect on the learning. It should describe the setting for the
learning, the experience which brought about the learning, and the scope and level of
the learning.
A Photocopy of the Marist Course Name and Description Being Petitioned
Documentation - materials which provide evidence for, or substantiate your learning.
Such materials might include letters of testimony from supervisors attesting to the level
and quality of your work, samples of work, certificates of completion of non-credit
learning activities, or any other materials which you think would be helpful in building a
case with a faculty evaluator for the learning for which you would like to earn credit.
School of Global & Professional Programs
3
Once these items are received, a faculty member from the department which offers the Marist
equivalent course will evaluate the Life Work Assessment petition. The award of credit will be
based on demonstration of learning congruent with the curriculum for that course. If approved,
the student will receive academic credit consistent with the number of credits awarded for the
completion of the Marist course (typically 3 semester credits). If accepted, the student will be
notified in writing of the approval of the Life Work Assessment petition. If not accepted, the
student will receive a written explanation of the denial. The review process usually takes about
4-8 weeks.
Limitations: For Life Work credit, students must be able to claim learning equal to a currently
approved course offered at Marist College. Some departments have credit limits on life work
credits. The School of Management (Business, Accounting and Economics), Criminal Justice,
Paralegal, Environmental Science and Chemistry do not accept Prior Learning Assessment
credits. Students may not receive credit for Life Work petitions if they have already received
transfer credit for similar learning at colleges previously attended.
Fees: Students will be charged an assessment fee of $150.00 per credit, plus a posting fee of
$50.00 per credit, for a total of $200.00 per credit awarded. Students receive a billing letter for
these charges after petitions have been approved for credit.
School of Global & Professional Programs
4
Portfolio Review
Definition: It is recognized that students may be able to demonstrate and document college
level learning which has occurred outside the classroom and which is not directly equivalent to
a course in the Marist College curricula. Instead of using the Life Work option, students who
identify such areas of learning are encouraged to develop a portfolio which brings together a
narrative demonstration of learning and documentation. The portfolio requires a heavier
narrative piece as the learning claimed is not paralleled by current Marist curricula.
Process for Petition: Students wishing to be considered for Portfolio Review credit are
required to submit the following documents to:
School of Global & Professional Programs
Marist College
3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601
All documents would be submitted in a binder and will become a part of the student’s official
file.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Application for Portfolio Review (available online at:
http://www.marist.edu/gpp/prior.html)
As part of the application, students are asked to name the number of credits they are
requesting. Students may ask for as many as 4 credits for one area of learning.
Current Resume or CV
A 1-2 page Autobiographical Statement
A 10-15 page Learning Narrative Statement of Professional Experience (which
demonstrates learning). If more than one area of learning is identified, there should be a
10-15 page Narrative Statement of Learning for each area.
A Learning Narrative Statement of Professional Experience discusses the learning and
relates the learning to the experiences(s) from which it was derived. This narrative
should summarize and reflect on the learning. It should describe the setting for the
learning, the experience which brought about the learning, and the scope and level of
the learning.
Documentation - materials which provide evidence for, or substantiate your learning.
Such materials might include letters of testimony from supervisors attesting to the level
and quality of your work, samples of work, certificates of completion of non-credit
learning activities, or any other materials which you think would be helpful in building a
case with a faculty evaluator for the learning for which you would like to earn credit. If
more than one area of learning is identified, there should be documentation for each
area.
School of Global & Professional Programs
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Once the portfolio is received by our offices, it will be evaluated and assessed by a faculty
member or expert in the field. A written assessment will be returned to the students with one of
three possible results:
1. Student will be awarded the credit requested for the area(s) of study
2. Student will be awarded a lesser amount of credit for the area(s) of study
3. Student’s petition will be denied and no credit given.
The awarding of credit is based on the demonstrating of learning equivalent to the number of
credits requested.
Limitations: Credit is awarded for previous learning, not for engaging in a particular activity.
To be judged to be college level, the learning must include a theoretical component and be
general and/or flexible beyond the activity within which the learning occurred. It is the student’s
responsibility to demonstrate learning through the writing of the lengthy narrative. Credit in this
area is restricted to the general elective field. Students may not receive credit for Portfolio
Review if they have already received transfer credit for similar learning at colleges previously
attended. The School of Management (Business, Accounting and Economics) as well as the
Criminal Justice, Paralegal, Environmental Science and Chemistry departments do not accept
Portfolio Review for credit.
Fees: Students will be charged an assessment fee of $150.00 per credit, plus a posting fee of
$50.00 per credit, for a total of $200.00 per credit awarded. Students receive a billing letter for
these charges after petitions have been approved for credit.
School of Global & Professional Programs
6
Professional Training
Definition: Training programs in professional settings, industry, law enforcement, the armed
forces and other institutions offer educational opportunities that may be similar to Marist
courses. Credit may be awarded for professional training programs through credit
recommendations made by organizations that have evaluated such programs on the bases of
college-level learning. The American Council on Education (ACE) is the largest organization
that evaluates non-accredited training programs and can be found at www.acenet.edu.
Process for Petition: Students should submit the following to:
School of Global & Professional Program
Marist College
3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
All items should be submitted in a binder and become a part of the student’s official file.
•
•
•
Application for Professional Training Credits (available online at:
http://www.marist.edu/gpp/prior.html)
This application requires contact information for the training program, numbers of hours
of instruction and course content
Documentation (paperwork, transcripts, certificate of completion, and scores if
applicable)
Once the binder is received, research will be done through the ACE National Guide. If a credit
recommendation is made by ACE, the petition will be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for
evaluation of course equivalency, and the posting of credits. If the ACE National Guide has not
evaluated the program, the student will be advised to petition for either Life Work or Portfolio
Review (see pages 3 – 6).
Limitations: Credits for Professional Training are typically limited to the general elective area.
In order for credit to be awarded within the Professional Training category, there must be a
credit recommendation on file with the American Council on Education's College Credit
Recommendation Service (CREDIT). If the training program has not been evaluated by ACE,
students will need to petition for credit using either the Life Work or Portfolio Review process.
Students may not receive credit for Professional Training if they have already received transfer
credit for similar learning at colleges previously attended.
Fees: There is currently no fee for professional training review and posting of credits.
School of Global & Professional Programs
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