Other assessment methods include the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) exams and American Council on Education, or the College Credit Recommendation (ACE) credits.
Students should contact an Admissions counselor to discuss their eligibility for CLEP, DANTES, and ACE.
CLEP is the College-Level Examination Program consisting of standardized tests that allow students to earn course credit. CLEP offers General and Subject Matter exams.
DANTES is a series of exams much like the CLEP exams and have been used for many years by military personnel. They were originally created by the U.S. Department of Defense.
The American Council on Education (ACE) is an organization that evaluates courses offered by many large corporations, government agencies, and the military, and can recommend college credits for some courses. Check with your employer if you have taken courses through your workplace to determine if you can have them evaluated by ACE.
If you are an experienced learner interested in enrolling in AST 305 Prior Learning Portfolio Development, you must be admitted to UIS, have chosen a major, and have completed 60 semester hours of credit.
It is also beneficial to have an area of study in mind and have substantial past experiences that can translate into college-level learning.
AST 305/501 is a course that involves substantial writing and editing. Submitting additional portfolios can save time and money, earn college credit, and validate your learning as college-level.
Learners who enjoy initiating projects and directing their own learning processes, or who learn in an autonomous way, enjoy the experience of completing an experiential learning portfolio.
It is important to remember that, although credit for prior learning may save you time and money, its original purpose is to provide experienced learners with a mechanism to use lifelong learning in an academic arena.
Academic credit is not awarded on the basis of experience alone. Students are awarded academic credit for learning they have acquired from the experience.
Discuss your plans for CPL with your academic advisor and then with the Coordinator of CPL. You can determine who your advisor is by contacting your academic program secretary or the Coordinator of CPL.
