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Prior Learning Assessment
EARN CREDIT FOR LIFE EXPERIENCE
Studies indicate that students who earned prior learning credits are more likely to graduate than peers who did not.
At National Louis University, your personal and professional experience and knowledge may be worth college credit. Colleges and universities often refer to this knowledge as prior learning. NLU's Prior Learning Assessment office provides several programs for students to demonstrate their college-level learning including; Credit by Portfolio, Credit by Examination, Credit by Licenses and Certifications.
Credit by Portfolio is offered for undergraduate students in the following programs:
UNDERGRADUATE – ACL301/Perspectives on Prior Learning
This 2QH course provides a structured experience in which students learn to recognize, document, and validate learning from life and work experiences for potential college credit. Undergraduate students enrolled in the BSM, BSMIS, ABS, HCL, Human Services, Criminal Justice and Communication programs are currently eligible to take this course. For more information, please contact us at 630-874-4319/1-800-443-5522, x4319 or LEARN MORE »
UNDERGRADUATE - Criminal Social Justice (CSJ215 Juvenile Justice Systems
The ideal candidate will possess the equivalent knowledge and background required to successfully pass CSJ215 through the Credit by Portfolio course option (CPL400). In the course, students demonstrate college-level learning and course equivalent competencies that they have acquired and learned on the job. Student learning outcomes are assessed and potential credit is awarded by a faculty assessor. LEARN MORE »
UNDERGRADUATE - B.S. Management (BUS430 Management and Leadership/MKT458 Marketing for Managers)
The ideal candidate will possess the equivalent knowledge and background to successfully pass BUS430 and/or MKT458 through the credit by portfolio option (CPL400). In this course, students demonstrate college-level learning and course equivalent competencies that they have acquired and learned on the job. Student learning outcomes are assessed and potential credit is awarded by a faculty assessor. LEARN MORE
GRADUATE – Educational Leadership, Ed.D. & Teaching and Learning: Post-Secondary Teaching and Instructional Leadership, Ed.D.
In the CPL500 portfolio course, students demonstrate college-level learning and course equivalent competencies that they have acquired and learned on the job. Student learning outcomes are assessed and potential credit awarded by a faculty assessor. THe ideal candidate will possess that equivalent knowledge and background to successfully change and pass program courses. Maximum credit award: 12Hs LEARN MORE »
NLU awards credit to students who achieve acceptable scores on standardized tests such as College Board's College Level Examination Program (CLEP), the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs), and NYU Language Proficiency exams. Exams measure learning in a variety of academic disciplines. The exam hotline is 800.443.5522 x4316. Exam schedules and registration information can be found here. LEARN MORE »
NLU recognizes licenses, certifications, professional trainings and open courses for potential college-level credit award.
UNDERGRADUATE – Elective Credit by Licensure/Certification
NLU awards elective credit for undergraduate students for a number of approved certifications and licenses. LEARN MORE »
GRADUATE – Elective and Major Course credit by Licensure/Certification
M.S. in Human Resource Management and Development and M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
The M.S. in Human Resource Management and Development (HRMD) program, and the M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (IOP) program offers Human Resource practitioners an opportunity to potentially receive elective and major course credit for professional certifications.
DOCTORAL - Higher Education Leadership - Ed.D.
The Higher Education Leadership, Ed.D. program offers higher education leadership practitioners an opportunity to receive elective credit for successful completion of the open course for Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL), Applying and Leading Assessment in Student Affairs.
National Louis University recognizes that significant learning experiences may have occurred during the course of a student’s life in light of the personal and professional experiences. Such examples include, but are not limited to, the following: The United States Armed Forces military service, training programs or examinations completed at companies or organizations (e.g., government agencies, unions, businesses).
Because students may have gained competence through such experiences, NLU follows 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 award credit for students. Additionally, ACE vets courses and providers of alternative credit, to which NLU has articulated course equivalence information related to accepted credit – learn more about course equivalencies here.
For more information, please contact the Prior Learning Assessment office at; pla@nl.edu
