Adult Undergraduate Alternate Ways Of Earning Credit

PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT

A candidate for the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program must be twenty-three years of age and must have matriculated with at least twelve credits earned at Caldwell College. A student may earn up to eighteen credits toward a degree through PLA. All PLA credits may be applied to electives and/or liberal arts requirements. A maximum of six PLA credits may be applied to the major field. The student may apply for PLA credits up to the last thirty credits toward the degree. The recommendation to award PLA credits must be received prior to the beginning of the last semester before the students anticipated graduation in order that courses may be taken if the credit is denied. The application form must be signed by the PLA Coordinator and/or the Director of Continuing Education signifying approval of the student's curriculum plan.

If you are interested in earning credit through PLA, the following may clarify the process for you:

Am I eligible for Prior Learning Assessment credit?

1. If you are a matriculating student with at least twelve credits earned at Caldwell.

2. If you are not earning your last thirty credits.

3. If you are over twenty-three years of age.

4. If your life experiences have resulted in knowledge-based college learning.

How many credits can I earn?
A student may earn up to eighteen credits towards a degree.

How will these credits be applied?
All Prior Learning Assessment credits may be applied to liberal arts requirements and/or electives. Six credits may be applied to the major field.

What do I need to do to earn PLA credits?

1. Reflect on your experience since you left high school. What knowledge, skills, or competencies have you acquired from work, travel, hobbies, etc?

2. Search catalogs for a course description which corresponds to this learning. Decide how this course (or courses) fits into your program.

3. Develop a plan for your portfolio.

4. Have a conference with your advisor to discuss the feasibility of your plan.

5. Enroll in Prior Learning assessment workshop - registration required.

6. Fill out and submit an application form with the $75 fee and $14 per credit attempted.

7. Prepare the narrative and documentation, and organize the portfolio.

8. Submit the portfolio along with the appropriate release form.

9. Upon receipt of credit recommendation, submit tuition payment for the number of credits awarded according to the following fee structure:

   • $150 -- 1 to 9 credits 25% of current Caldwell College tuition for each additional credit.
   • Caldwell College credits for PLA will be awarded and recorded on your transcript.

STANDARDIZED EXAMINATIONS

STANDARDIZED EXAM FOR COLLEGE CREDIT MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE FIRST 30 CALDWELL CREDITS

This is a listing of examinations we currently accept for credit. Acceptability does change, therefore, the student is advised to CHECK WITH ADVISOR PRIOR TO REGISTERING FOR ANY EXAM. If an exam is not listed, it may still be accepted for elective credit. The exams are listed according to subject matter, test originator (CLEP, DANTES, TECEP or ACT/PEP), whether it's a general test (G) or subject test (S) and whether the credits are applied to the liberal arts core (C) or major (M). The lowest acceptable score listed is equivalent to a grade of C. A Maximum of 30 credits will be accepted through all combined options of testing. Credit by examination will only be awarded within your first year (30 credits) of matriculation. Students are reminded that the last 30 credits must be taken at Caldwell College.

NYUFLP: NYU Foreign Language Proficiency Exam is available in 45 languages. Six credits in core and 6 credits in electives. To receive credit at the intermediate level, the student must register for the 12 point exam which is comprised of an oral section, a written essay and two translation sections.

STANDARDIZED EXAM RESTRICTIONS

ENGLISH
*Department wants evidence of writing competency. This can take many forms, i.e. papers already written for classes in the past, current papers or something written specifically to meet the criteria.

HISTORY & SOCIAL SCIENCES
*Department will accept this as PO125 in the Core or as a Social Studies Elective for the major. The remaining 3 credits are applied to the elective area.

**Does not apply to social studies teacher majors who entered the department after the Spring 1996 semester.

NATURAL SCIENCES
*For a Biology major: If the student passes at the 70th percentile, credit will be awarded for General Biology I and II lecture. The student will need to schedule an interview with the science faculty to determine if the Biology laboratory can be waived.

*For a chemistry major: If student passes at 80th percentile, credit will be awarded for Chemistry I and II lecture only. As above, an interview will be necessary to consider exemption from lab.

*Natural Science exam - if score is 500, student will receive 6 credits in core.

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION AND INTERNSHIPS

Caldwell College students who have earned twelve credits at Caldwell, have reached Junior status (sixty credits), and have a GPA of at least 2.5, are eligible to participate in activities coordinated by the Office of Experiential Learning. Students can earn college credits in two ways:

1. Co-ops are courses in which the student learns while on the job, under the direction of a Caldwell College instructor.

2. Internships are unpaid positions which also offer a learning experience under the direction of a Caldwell College instructor.