Get Credit for What You've Already Learned and Accomplished
You may receive academic credit for a course when you successfully complete an assessment detailing college-level learning you've gained through experience.
DU will consider learning gained through career and personal experience, in job-related activities and community participation, as well as experience based on training from specialized schools or testing programs.
You may complete an assessment for credit any time during the year. It will be created, monitored, and assessed by faculty evaluators, and credit is assigned based on merit. DU's PLA process adheres to the Ten Standards for Assessing Learning as developed by the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL).
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Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
If you've gained college-level learning through your career and personal experience - whether in a job-related activity, community participation, or specialized training, you can complete an assessment demonstrating your learning from experience and find out if it qualifies for course credit. PLAs are assessed by faculty, and credit is assigned based on merit.
PLA Institutional Policy Updates: July 2024
Undergraduate and Graduate PLA Eligibility GPA:
Undergraduate students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 for non-major coursework to be approved for a PLA attempt. For major coursework, a minimum GPA of 2.3 is required. Graduate students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to attempt any PLA.
New Admits and Transfer Student PLA Eligibility GPA:
Institutional policy requires new admits and transfer students to have a minimum previous GPA of 2.0. DU will allow new students without an established GPA at DU to attempt PLAs in both major and foundational courses they are approved for.
Completion of Prerequisite Courses:
All prerequisite courses must be completed, either traditionally or through PLA, before a subsequent PLA can be undertaken. There may be exceptions to this requirement (especially for internship courses), and those will be determined on a case by case basis. To be granted an exception, the student’s advisor must petition the Department Chair for a prerequisite waiver. NOTE: A student may be APPROVED for a PLA before the prerequisite course is completed, but they must pass the prerequisite before the PLA can be attempted.
PLA Approval Process:
Students seeking PLA approval must submit a resume and a narrative description of their relevant experience in relation to the learning outcomes of the course.
Time Allocation for PLA:
Students will be granted a minimum of four weeks to complete any PLA. Faculty may extend this time based on the specific course or PLA assignment requirements.
Extension Policy:
Extensions are allowed with faculty approval. Requests for extensions must be communicated before 5:00 pm on the deadline day. Only one extension is permitted, with a maximum duration of two weeks.
Submission Deadline Policy:
All PLA deliverables must be submitted by 11:59 pm EST on the specified deadline date. Failure to submit on time will result in the termination of the PLA attempt, and the student will be required to complete the course.
Resubmission Policy:
If the initial PLA submission does not meet quality standards, students are allowed one revision based on faculty feedback. The resubmission deadline is two weeks from the date the student is informed of the need to revise and resubmit, and this process is treated similarly to an extension.
Stop-Out Policy:
If a student stops out of a PLA attempt with a valid reason (subject to faculty discretion) and communicates this before the PLA deadline, they may re-attempt the PLA. If a student stops out by missing a deadline without communication or a valid rationale, they will not be permitted to attempt a PLA for that course again.
Testing
Davenport awards credit when you achieve a passing score on the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), DSST, Advanced Placement and Credit by Exam programs or approved national certification exams. DU no longer offers these exams on our campuses, but students can take exams at other local approved testing centers and transfer the credit to DU.
For a list of exams and their DU course equivalencies, see this link.
Competency Testing is still offered for select classes in Math, English, and Allied Health.
Military Experience
Earn credit for knowledge you've acquired through specialized training and experience in military service. DU meets all Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) criteria, and awards credit when you submit the appropriate military records to the Registrar's Office.
Professional Certifications/Licenses
Credit may be granted when you receive certain professional certifications/licenses. Contact the Registrar's Office for more information.
Corporate/Non-Collegiate Training
Based on the recommendation of the National Program on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction, credit may be granted for educational programs sponsored by non-collegiate organizations (including labor, government, business, associations, private training organizations). Contact the Registrar's Office for more information.
Credit for Prior Learning options are available for students in all of Davenport's undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Prior Learning Assessment Process For Students
To begin the PLA process, students should send their most current resume and list of any professional certifications held and/or trainings completed to:
Matt Devereaux, Assistant Vice-Provost for Assessment & Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator at: mdevereaux1@davenport.edu
The PLA Assessment Coordinator will then review the student's experience with a subject matter expert faculty member in the student's academic program to determine which course(s) could be a good fit for pursuing PLA and then direct the student on the PLA process, requirements, and deadlines.
BUSN 489 & TECH 489 are not available via PLA. Program capstone courses are also not available via PLA.
- PLA for undergraduate programs is limited to 50% of the major courses.
- PLA at the graduate level is limited to 9 credit hours.
Subject matter expert faculty evaluate and award credit for PLA assessments using a Common PLA Rubric for performance. Credit awards are processed by the Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator in coordination the Central Registrar's Office.
An assessment fee of $225 is added to the student e-bill for each course pursued through the PLA process.
Prior Learning Assessment Information for Faculty & Staff
Academic credit for a course may be awarded to those students who produce a completed assessment detailing college-level learning gained through experience. Consideration will be given to learning gained through career and personal experience in job-related activities and community participation, as well as that based on training from specialized schools or testing programs. Students may complete their assessment at anytime of the year. Assessments are created, monitored, and evaluated by subject matter expert faculty evaluators, and credit is assigned based on merit.
Information for Faculty Assessing Prior Learning Portfolios
Advisors, faculty, and other DU staff should first review the PLA process at this LINK for more information.
Subject matter expert faculty then work in collaboration with the Vice Provost for Assessment & Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator to create, monitor, and evaluate PLA assessments following the Ten Standards for Assessing Learning developed by the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL).
FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO:
Matt Devereaux
Assistant Vice Provost for Assessment & Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator
Davenport University
6191 Kraft Avenue SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
mdevereaux1@davenport.edu
Phone: 616-554-5278