Credit for Prior Learning
and Credit for Prior Learning can be applied to all degree programs at UWGB.
Any UWGB student who has experience and learning equivalent to college level learning may be awarded degree credit for that learning. The Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) process requires the learning to be related to courses or programs at UWGB. Faculty members at UWGB use the portfolio process and individual assessment to decide whether and how much credit an individual should receive for prior learning. The faculty does not award credit for experience; instead, the faculty awards credit for LEARNING acquired from experiences. A student can not earn academic credit for previous education or life experiences for which credit has already been earned or transferred from another institution. If you have previously taken a course and did poorly in it, you can not complete a portfolio to try and improve the grade.
A portfolio is a collection of written evidence supporting a student’s claim of prior learning. Sometimes faculty members will interview students and/or give exams when they need additional information to substantiate the request. The portfolio should contain two major components: a Prior Learning Narrative and accompanying documentation.
The Prior Learning Narrative describes the learning in detail and is often similar to a major term paper for a course. The narrative discusses theories, concepts, and corresponding literature; and demonstrates the student’s ability to understand, reason about and/or explain problems, choices and/or decisions of the particular subject. The narrative must be well documented.
Documentation reflects familiarity with the theories central to the experience and supports the experiential statements in the narrative. Documentation may include certificates of workshop/seminar completion, letters from supervisors, and any other verifiable information sources that substantiate claims made in the narrative.
Faculty members control the awarding of Prior Learning credit based on their judgment about what learning is acceptable. Each CPL request is evaluated first by a faculty member qualified in that area, and then approved by the unit chairperson.
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) ProceduresPlease review this section very carefully.
Step 1. Speak with the Coordinator of Testing Services (465-2221 or testing@uwgb.edu). The CPL process begins with a meeting between the student and the Coordinator of Testing Services. During this initial conversation, the Coordinator will: (a) determine if the student’s learning may qualify for credit, and/or (b) recommend that the student contact a faculty member to determine if the learning experiences may qualify for credit. The Coordinator may also recommend other avenues for earning credit (e.g., CLEP or Challenge examinations).
Step 2. Prepare a CPL Portfolio.
Step 3. Submit the CPL Portfolio, “Request for Credit for Prior Learning,” 250-word Abstract, and initial assessment fee. Students submit their CPL Portfolio to the Coordinator of Assessment & Testing Services, who forwards the Portfolio to the appropriate faculty member(s) for evaluation. Students pay the initial assessment fee when they submit their Portfolio to the Coordinator of Testing Services. See the Fee Policy for details.
Note: Students may submit only one Portfolio per academic year. Subsequent submissions may not duplicate prior submissions, and are subject to the policies (including those related to fees) in place at the time of the subsequent submission. Note: This policy does not represent an opportunity for appeal. Instead, it recognizes that students may engage in additional learning outside the collegiate setting while seeking their degree.
Download the "Request for Credit for Prior Learning" (a one-page form)
Step 4. After receiving the student’s materials, the Coordinator of Testing Services deposits the initial fee of $50 and reviews the materials to ensure their conformance with the following:
a. A CPL Portfolio must accompany the student’s “Request for Credit for Prior Learning.”
b. The student’s CPL Portfolio must include a narrative describing the learning, and verification/documentation of the experience.
c. The student’s CPL Portfolio must include evidence that the knowledge is still available to the student and has been applied in an experience other than a collegiate setting.
d. The student’s “Request for Credit for Prior Learning” must identify the relevant UWGB course number(s), title(s), and the number of credits requested. If there is no specific course but the prior learning is within a UWGB academic area, the independent study (298/498) or internship (497) number in that area can be used with a title giving the focus of the learning.
Step 5. The Coordinator of Testing Services forwards the student’s CPL Portfolio and “Request for Credit for Prior Learning” to the appropriate unit chairperson, who identifies which faculty member(s) should evaluate the Portfolio.
Step 6. The appropriate faculty members review the student’s materials, and decide whether and how much CPL to award. The number of credits to be granted for a specific course equivalency will be determined by the appropriate faculty member and unit chairperson. A Prior Learning request for a particular course that is not currently offered, or that uses the independent study or internship number, can be assessed only if there is a faculty member within the relevant interdisciplinary or disciplinary unit able to evaluate the request.
Step 7. Faculty members are not required to evaluate CPL requests. All petitions, whether approved or denied, are to be signed by a faculty member and the respective interdisciplinary or disciplinary unit chairperson. The signed “Request for Credit for Prior Learning” and CPL Portfolio are returned to the Coordinator of Testing Services.
Step 8. If at least one (1) Credit for Prior Learning has been awarded, the Coordinator of Testing Services reviews the signed “Request for Credit for Prior Learning,” the CPL Portfolio, and the student’s academic record for conformance with the following:
a. The credits granted do not exceed those of the equivalent UWGB course(s).
b. The student must be matriculated at UWGB and enrolled for not fewer than three credits of UWGB academic work when the Prior Learning credits are to be entered on the student’s transcript (or when requested, if the CPL request crosses semesters).
c. The student must have successfully completed at least one term, defined as twelve credits with a “C” grade point average (i.e., 2.0 grade point average) or higher in any UWGB program, before any Prior Learning credits will be entered on a student’s transcript.
Step 9. The Coordinator of Testing Services informs the student in writing of the decision(s) made by the evaluating unit chairperson(s) and faculty member(s). If a student is dissatisfied and wishes to appeal the number and/or configuration of credits awarded, he or she must first contact the faculty member(s) who evaluated the petition(s). The faculty member(s) may request additional information from the student. If the student is still dissatisfied, he or she may appeal further to the chairperson(s) who evaluated the petition(s). The chairperson, in turn, consults with the evaluating faculty member(s). If a student wishes to appeal still further, he or she contacts the appropriate academic dean who also consults with the evaluating faculty member(s) and the appropriate chairperson(s). The dean or chairperson acts in an advisory capacity to the student and the faculty member(s).
Step 10. If the student has been awarded credit(s) for Prior Learning, the Coordinator of Testing Services requests the appropriate transcripting fee (see Fee Policy).
Step 11. The student remits the appropriate transcripting fee (see Fee Policy). Upon receipt of the transcripting fee, the Coordinator of Testing Services deposits it. The Coordinator of Testing Services informs the Registrar’s Office in writing of the CPL information to be placed on the student’s transcript (e.g., number and type of credits awarded). Copies of the “Request for Credit for Prior Learning” and 250-word Abstract of the Portfolio (sans documentation) are placed in the student’s Testing Services file.
PoliciesPrior Learning credits are granted toward a UWGB degree; policies of other colleges would determine whether they would accept these Prior Learning credits for transfer into their program.
The student must observe policies and procedures in place at the time the Portfolio is submitted to the Coordinator of Testing Services.
Fee PolicyAll students must pay a non-refundable $50 assessment fee when submitting their Portfolio. This assessment fee applies toward credits awarded when they are entered on their transcript. An additional transcripting fee of $75 will be charged for entering 10 or fewer credits on the transcript. Besides these fees ($125.00 total), we will charge a fee of $10 per credit for each credit over 10.
The total charges for transcripting Prior Learning credits are:
1 to 10 credits awarded = $125.00 [$50 initial assessment fee + $75 for up to 10 credits]
11 or more credits = $125.00 + $10.00 per credit after 10 credits. Thus, 11 credits + $135, 12 credits = $145, etc.
The Prior Learning PortfolioThe items in your portfolio should be well organized in a binder, expanding folder, or similar device. Include a Table of Contents.
Portfolio ChecklistYour portfolio should contain everything listed here.
1. “Request for Credit for Prior Learning” (see last page). Complete the top half. In the bottom half, list the course number(s), title(s), and number of credits for which you are requesting CPL.
2. 250-word Abstract, summarizing the contents of your Portfolio.
3. Résumé
4. Current UWGB transcript (unofficial)
5. Prior Learning Narrative (see below)
6. Annotated Bibliography or Works Cited. An annotated bibliography is a comparative and critical discussion of books and articles that you have read.
The Prior Learning NarrativeWriting a successful Prior Learning Narrative is more likely if you observe the following guidelines. Prepare a Prior Learning Narrative for each course (or group of similar courses) for which you are requesting CPL.
1. Prepare a Chronological Outline of prior learning for which you are seeking CPL. To do so, create a table with the following headers. List everything that seems to fit under these headers.
a. Volunteer group, organization, or sponsor
b. Work position or title
c. Seminar, workshop, or short course title
d. Time spent in lecture and/or time spent in lab (active participation)
e. Learning activities or responsibilities or topics covered (in detail)
f. Use of learning over the past several years
g. Bibliography – Relevant readings
h. Documentation
2. Read the general descriptions of the majors and minors in the UWGB Catalog to find at least one in which you think your learning fits: http://www.uwgb.edu/catalog/undrgrad/. Review the course descriptions in the major or minor that you have selected. Select the course that seems most like your prior learning. Note: It is possible that you will have prior learning that fits in a major or minor area but that is not addressed in a current course. At this point, it may be most appropriate to seek the advice of a faculty member in the major or minor area regarding the possibility of receiving independent study credit for your prior learning.
3. Obtain a recent copy of the course syllabus from the Cofrin Library or from the faculty member.
4. After reviewing the syllabus, consider carefully several questions before proceeding: (a) Do I have this knowledge (learning/competency)?, (b) Can I prove it?, (c) Is it worth the time and energy to prove it?, and (d) How does it fit into my overall educational and professional goals?
5. Create a Narrative Outline. When deciding the focus of the Narrative’s body, review carefully the course goals, objectives, learning outcomes, topics, and/or requirements (e.g., papers) stated in the syllabus. For each of these syllabus elements, identify key words from your Chronological Outline. The purpose of this step is to ensure that what you have learned (i.e., the information on your Chronological Outline) is clearly aligned with the material covered in the course. If the key words from your Chronological Outline are limited to only two or three topics from the course syllabus, you may want to consider looking at another course.
6. Draft your Prior Learning Narrative. Excellent narratives are written in the first person (i.e., “I,” “me,” “mine”); have a clear, topical focus; are well organized; exhibit good writing skills; demonstrate good analysis and evaluation of the material learned; and recognize references appropriately. Remember that you are requesting credit for prior learning, not credit for prior experience. Discuss your learning throughout the process.
Writing references that may prove helpful include the MLA Handbook, the Chicago Manual of Style, Harbrace College Handbook, and Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. The UWGB Writing Center offers writing assistance in the form of brief publications and personal attention.
7. Proofread and edit the Prior Learning Narrative.
8. Compile your annotated Bibliography, using your Chronological Outline as a reference point.
9. Assemble your Documentation, using the suggestions that follow this section.
10. When your Portfolio is complete, forward it to the Coordinator of Testing Services.
DocumentationAs much as possible, documentation should be copies of originals (i.e., not originals).
1. Verification Letter. One of the most important forms of documentation can be a verification letter. A verification letter provides evidence that the learning that you have declared actually did occur and it affirms the qualitative nature of your experiences. It is not a credit recommendation or a personal letter of recommendation. The letter written will be public and will be seen by you and various faculty members. When seeking a verification letter, explain that you are seeking college CPL. Provide the following guidelines to the individual writing a letter for you:
a. Use letterhead stationery
b. Identify the positional relationship (e.g., supervisor), and give
a description of the situation in which the learning and experiences occurred
c. Give examples, wherever possible, of the standards used to
evaluate performance (as it relates to the learning and experiences)
2. Certificates of completion
3. Commendations
4. Newspaper articles (with pertinent sentences underlined)
5. Exam reports
6. Work samples
7. Transcripts
8. Writing samples
9. Job descriptions
10. Course outlines or syllabi
11. Publications
12. Photographs/slides/films
13. Recordings
14. Reports and proposals written
15. Licenses
16. Performance and promotion evaluations
Words of Wisdomfrom faculty reviewers
“It is the expectation that an individual seeking Credit for Prior Learning will have been exposed to the theory and to the corresponding literature within a subject area such that they can understand, reason about, and explain to others the problems, choices and decisions that are the content of a particular subject.”
“Your Narrative should not be a chronological review of your career or professional development activities. Keep in mind that you are trying to demonstrate that you know the material covered in a particular course, and that experiences alone do not constitute learning. Instead of asking yourself “what have I done?” ask yourself “what have I learned from my experiences?” Then, “How does what I have learned relate to a particular course?””
“It is essential that when experience is claimed in specific areas, documentation be provided of the results of that experience, the accomplishments that have been achieved, and evaluations that have been made by supervisory personnel of those accomplishments. A claim of experience is insufficient. There must be evidence of the level and extent of that experience through the results achieved. Such documentation must not be simply descriptive of job duties but reflect a familiarity with the theoretical underpinnings that support actions and decisions in which the individual has participated.”