Prior Learning Assessment

Inventory your experience

Take note of your learning experiences outside of the classroom.

Consider your opportunities

How does your experience fit with potential PLA options?

Contact us!

Speak with us to find out how to earn college credit through Prior Learning Assessment.

Students who have participated in learning programs outside the college classroom, including military service, workplace training, and apprenticeships, may receive college credit recommendations or validated competencies through ACE Learning Evaluations.

NCCRS evaluates training and education programs offered outside of the traditional college classroom setting and translates them into college credit equivalencies.

Students may earn college credit via national standardized tests, including: Advanced Placement, CLEP, DSST/DANTES, International Baccalaureate, Straighterline, and UExcel.

Challenge Exams provide students with the opportunity to earn college credits without formal course enrollment by taking a comprehensive examination in the subject matter of the course. Formats and availability vary by campus and department.

Students may have the option to prepare a portfolio detailing their college-level knowledge and skills gained through prior learning experiences and have it evaluated for credit by faculty. Formats and availability vary by campus and department.

Students in the MUS that have PLA credits often earned those through Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. About 10% of students earned PLA credits through other PLA opportunities.

The demographics of students with PLA credits mirrors the overall demographics of the MUS, but students that earned PLA credits from their military and life experiences are older and more often veterans. 

In the MUS, approximately 45% of students have earned PLA credit.  28% of students age 25+ have PLA credits, while 62% of veteran students have PLA credits.