Prior Learning Assessment Policy

Wright State University recognizes that students may acquire knowledge equivalent to that obtained through completion of courses through their professional experience or other methods of instruction. Prior knowledge may be demonstrated in three ways: standardized examinations by nationally recognized external testing organizations; examinations administered internally by Wright State departments; and portfolio assessment.

Prior learning assessment is a student-centered and faculty-driven process for awarding students college credit for demonstrated knowledge. Wright State’s Prior Learning Assessment program will be administered through Wright State University Division of Academic Affairs in collaboration with the Faculty Senate.

Eligibility: To earn credit for prior learning, a student must be enrolled and registered at Wright State University.

Application of Credit: Credit for prior learning shall be applied to degree or program requirements in the same manner as credits earned through the completion of the equivalent courses at Wright State University. Credit will be applied for WSU course equivalents when students demonstrate mastery of course objectives. Credit will be counted only once for the same course. Credit awarded for a general education course in the Wright State Core will count toward the total number of general education credits required.

Residency: Credits for demonstrated knowledge earned through any prior learning method do not fulfill Wright State University residency requirements.

Grading: Credit awarded by prior learning assessment at Wright State University shall receive a neutral grade such as “P” for Pass or “CR” for credit. Conventional letter grades will not be used. The transcript will not indicate an unsuccessful attempt to earn credit for prior learning.

Transcription: Credit awarded for prior learning will be transcripted indicating the method of prior learning assessment used. For example, Advanced Placement (AP) credit would appear as follows:

Credit for prior learning can be earned through standardized tests administered by nationally recognized testing organizations. The following standardized tests are currently accepted at Wright State University:*

• Advanced Placement (AP) examinations;
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP);
• DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST);
• Excelsior College Credit by Examinations (ECE); and
• International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations and other accepted standardized testing.

Course equivalencies for the standardized tests are determined by academic unit that offers the course, subject to Ohio Board of Regents requirements. Courses available for credit by standard examination, along with the required score to earn credit, are listed on the Prior Learning Assessment web site.

* The Faculty Senate Academic Policies Committee will, upon request from a college, department, or program, review and make recommendations awarding course credit based on standardized examinations.

Fees: None.

Credit for prior learning can be awarded through examinations created and administered by academic units that offer the course. The examination is constructed to allow the student to demonstrate mastery of the learning outcomes of the course. A list of courses for which internally administered examinations are available is posted on the Prior Learning Assessment website.

Students may repeat an examination one time. No exam may be repeated before 30 business days have passed.

If a department offers credit by examination, no eligible student can be refused the opportunity to take the exam for course credit.

Fees: Fees shall be consistently applied and will cover transcription as well as administration. These will be posted to the PLA website.

Credit for prior learning can be awarded through a portfolio assessment process managed by an academic department at Wright State or through submission of a portfolio to the Council of Adult and Experiential Learning’s (CAEL) learningcounts.org portfolio analysis process.

Whether internal or external, prior learning assessment by portfolio assessment will follow a course-equivalency credit model. Students demonstrate college-level learning by submitting a portfolio consisting of an organized collection of evidence that demonstrates mastery of the learning outcomes of a specific course offered at Wright State University.

Students choosing to submit a portfolio for evaluation must take one of the two portfolio development courses taught at Wright State University: UVC 1090—a self-directed, three-week, online, 0 credit hour course or UVC 1095—an online, faculty-taught, 3 credit hour course. One of these courses must be completed before requesting a portfolio assessment from any Wright State University academic unit or through CAEL.

To submit a portfolio for assessment, students must contact the department offering the course. and follow the schedule established by the department. Once the examination is completed, the department will notify the student of the results within thirty days. Notification will simply indicate whether credit has been awarded. The portfolio will be returned unmarked.

Courses eligible for credit by internal portfolio assessment are determined by the department that offers the course and are posted to the PLA website.

Students may submit a portfolio for assessment at most two times for a given course. The second portfolio cannot be submitted within 30 business days of notification of the outcome of the initial submission.

If a program offers credit by portfolio assessment, no eligible student can be refused the opportunity to submit a portfolio assessed for course credit.

All portfolio assessments will be completed by discipline-appropriate faculty trained in assessing portfolios for credit. Departments offering prior learning assessment by portfolio will establish rubrics to guide faculty assessment and scoring.

Fees for portfolio assessments by Wright State University Departments: Fees shall be consistently applied and will cover transcription as well as administration. These will be posted to the PLA website.

Wright State is a member of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning’s nationally recognized process for prior learning assessment: learningcounts.org. The Prior Learning website lists courses for portfolio analysis through learningcounts.org. To have a portfolio considered for credit by prior learning the student will submit a copy of the portfolio to Wright State’s director of Prior Learning and submit the original along with the payment to learningcounts.org. Learningcounts.org will notify the student and Wright State of the result of the evaluation. Credit earned will be transcripted by the registrar.

Fee: As determined by learningcounts.org

This policy will be reviewed every five years by the PLA director and reported to the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate Undergraduate Academic Policy Committee will review the report and make suggestions for any changes to the policy.

A student may also earn credit through military training following the American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations. See “Transfer Credit for Military Training, Experience and Coursework” policy.