Credit for Prior Learning
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) embraces multiple articulated pathways to award credit to all students who can demonstrate that they have achieved specific learning outcomes gained from experiences outside post-secondary education.
Application of CPL may help more nontraditional students find smoother pathways in and through postsecondary programs. These pathways include:
Credit for Prior Learning may be accepted toward all undergraduate and graduate programs across the institution as an option for validating and credentialing college-level knowledge and skills acquired outside of the classroom-upon approval of program faculty, college leadership, and Provost office. National Louis University policy sets the maximum allowable for prior learning credit that can be awarded by the institution to complete the student's program at 60 quarter hours for bachelor's degrees, 9 semester hours for master's, and 12 SH for doctoral degrees. This requirement does not apply to courses/credit hours transferred from other institutions.
Student seeking to include a Credit for Prior Learning option must abide by the University Residency Requirement Policy:
- Undergraduate students: At least 60 quarter hours of the undergraduate degree program must be taken at NLU. This includes a maximum of 15 quarter hours that can be earned through CPL (including NLU’s internal Prior Learning Portfolio Assessment, American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations for Military Experience and Professional Training, nationally recognized examinations such as DSST, CLEP, Excelsior College Exams (ECE), New York University Language Proficiency Exams, and Advanced Placement (AP) unless approved by the college Academic Standards Committee (CPSA) or Academic Policies Committee (NCE).
- The last 45 quarter hours taken for a degree must be taken at NLU. Credit for Prior Learning, including DSST, CLEP, NYU Proficiency Exams, Excelsior College Exams (ECE), Advanced Placement (AP), American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations, credit by portfolio and license/certification may count toward the last 45 quarter hours required to be taken at NLU.
- The last 9 semester hours taken for a graduate degree must be taken at NLU.
Graduate and Doctoral Level Credit for Prior Learning earned through Portfolio or by Credentials is approved by NLU faculty and is considered NLU credit.
- Graduate Level Degrees (including graduate level certificates, master degree, educational specialist degree, etc.). A maximum of 9SH required for the degree program can be completed through Credit by Prior Learning. These credits will count towards NLU residency, and will not conflict with the maximum transfer credit allowed.
- Doctoral level degrees (including doctoral level endorsements, doctoral degree, etc.). A maximum of 12SH required for the degree program can be completed through Credit by Prior Learning. These credits will count towards NLU residency, and will not conflict with the maximum transfer credit allowed.
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) includes several options that can be applied towards undergraduate and Graduate Elective, General Education, and Major course credit. PLA programs include, Credit by Portfolio, Credit by Examination, and Credit by Credentials.
Credit by Portfolio is one of the options possible for undergraduate students seeking to fulfill General Education and Elective credits by taking the ACL301, Perspectives on Prior Learning class. Throughout this course, students survey principles and practices of adult and experiential learning, recognize, document, and validate their college-level learning that took place outside of a structured college curriculum for possible undergraduate credit.
Credit by Portfolio for major courses is possible in some programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Students who possess the equivalent knowledge and background required to successfully pass identified major courses can enroll in the Credit by Portfolio (CPL) course option, where they can demonstrate course equivalent competencies. Student learning outcomes are assessed and potential credit awarded by a faculty assessor. To determine if your programs offer CPL for major courses, please visit, http://www.nl.edu/pla/
The Portfolio programs offered at NLU are in accordance with guidelines by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and the American Council on Education (ACE).
The Portfolio that is recommended by program faculty for assessment and award of prior learning credit as a CPL option must be vetted through the Provost Office for approval. A standard fee is charged to cover the administrative costs.
For more information on Prior Learning Assessment Credit and fees click here.
Military Experience and Professional Training
National Louis University recognizes that significant learning experiences may have occurred during the course of the United States Armed Forces military service and through non-collegiate training programs or examinations completed at nontraditional educational companies and other organizations such as government agencies, unions, or businesses. NLU uses the American Council on Education’s Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services and National Guide to College Credit to Workforce Training to evaluate military experience and professional workforce training. Credit will not be taken from another school’s transcript unless it is listed as experiential learning credit. In that case, it will be accepted as such. Specific documents will be required in order to do a military or professional training evaluation.
All colleges at NLU accept ACE credit. Programs in the National College of Education may also choose to accept ACE (pending any state mandated or regulations put on licensure programs), upon approval of program faculty, college leadership, and Provost office.
The application of prior learning credit for military experience and professional training has been specifically restricted to “general education” designated courses and program electives – when appropriate, programs seeking to include CPL options into their major, minor, and concentration coursework must consult with their program faculty, college leadership, and Provost.
Credit by Examination (Undergraduate)
National Louis University awards credit to students who have achieved acceptable scores on the Advanced Placement (AP), the International Baccalaureate (IB), the College Board’s College Level Examination Program (CLEP), the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs), Excelsior College Examinations, and NYU Language Proficiency exams. In addition, NLU grants college credit to students who were awarded the Seal of Biliteracy.
The University has determined required scores and credit awards for AP and DANTES and adopted the American Council on Education’s (ACE) recommendations for acceptable score requirements and credit awards for CLEP and UExcel examinations. CLEP and DANTES exams may be taken at NLU and are scheduled on a regular basis. Fees are charged to cover the costs of tests and administration.
Visit our Credit by Examination webpage for more details and a breakdown of acceptable scores.
Credit by Credentials Program
Credit for Prior Learning and Credentials includes Licensure, Certification, Professional Training, and Badges. It is possible at NLU for some programs to use Credit by Credentials to be applied towards Elective credit as well as Major courses. All credentials are reviewed by program faculty, to determined course-equivalent learning outcomes. Credentials that are recommended by program faculty for program course-equivalent credit award must be vetted through the Provost Office for approval. A standard fee is charged to cover the administrative costs.