Portfolio Preparation and Submission
Applicants who desire to have their work, training and/or life experiences evaluated for possible college credit awards must submit a portfolio. The portfolio contains a student's written self-assessment of what has been learned through his/her experiences. Proof of these experiences in the form of documentation must accompany each self-assessment.
Prior Learning Briefings are held at various locations in the Metro Detroit area depending on student demand. A Prior Learning Assessment Team (PLAT) member usually conducts the two-hour briefing and presents an overview of the application and portfolio development process. Contact the program administrator at your CMU location to inquire about a Prior Learning briefing.
To help you get started, you can obtain a Prior Learning Assessment Handbook, which describes the entire program and process and includes the application form.
Completed portfolios along with a review fee of $100 are sent to: Prior Learning, Central Michigan University, Off-Campus Programs, 802 Industrial Drive, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858.
A portfolio may be submitted at any time during a student's course of study.
However, the following submission deadlines apply if the student is nearing
graduation:
|
Anticipated graduation date: |
Submit portfolio by: |
| May | February 1 |
| August | May 1 |
| December | September 1 |
Work experiences
Credit in this category refers primarily to job-related experiences resulting in college-level learning. A certain amount of learning occurs on any job, and most jobs involve several competencies. In general, a student must spend a minimum of 9 months on a job for any significant experiential learning to occur.
On the average, between 75-80 percent of all prior learning credits are awarded for work experiences. Credit is awarded for competencies demonstrated through good self-assessment and documentation of the learning described.
Typical evaluation criteria include:
- the level of decision-making responsibility
- the number of and reporting relationships with subordinates and colleagues
- the span of financial control
- the overall responsibility or expertise required to perform
- the functions described
For each work experience, the student must verify the time in the position as well as the responsibilities held, and the learning acquired from each position.
Training experiences
Credit in this category refers to credit for professional development experiences, such as workshops, with or without prerequisites for participation. Training experiences may also originate from college-level courses completed at a non-accredited institution, a work-related apprenticeship program, or other corporate-sponsored training programs. Typical evaluation criteria include the duration of a training experience, the preparation for the training, and the learning outcomes. Each of these must be supported by documentation.
Applicants who have taken courses or examinations that carry ACE (American Council on Education) credit recommendations can order transcripts from http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Learners to use as documentation of prior learning.
For each training experience, the student must verify the total in-class
hours, training completions and training content. Verification of the
instructor qualifications also are useful to the evaluators in determining
the level of credit to award.
Example training experiences include, but are not limited to: Real Estate
License, Dale Carnegie training courses, nurses training beyond degree,
quality assurance training, and computer systems and software training.
Training experiences may be submitted for both the undergraduate and
graduate level student. However, more rigorous standards are used in
evaluating graduate level training experiences.
Life experiences
Credit in this category refers primarily to personal experiences resulting in college-level learning. Factors considered in evaluating life experiences include depth of participation, duration of involvement, and type of activity. In all cases, evaluators are looking for learning which qualifies as college-level. Life experiences can include, but are not limited to, experiences in community service, volunteerism, extensive hobbies, in-depth home projects, and intensive life experiences.
For each life experience, the student must submit two letters from
non-family members, indicating the length of involvement in the experience
as well as an assessment of the student's learning.
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