Credit for Prior Learning
Did you Know You Can Earn Up to 30 Credits for Prior Learning?
Georgian Court University students may earn up to 30 credits for prior learning through challenge examinations and portfolio review through designated academic courses. This is in addition to the 90 transfer credits that students may transfer as traditional college courses, standardized tests (e.g., CLEP, DSST, and NYU language examinations), and credits evaluated through services like American Council on Education (ACE), such as those for military service, police or fire academy training.
Transcripts for credits already earned may be sent to transfer@georgian.edu for review.
For credits that have not yet been earned, students must obtain written approval from the major advisor and the Office of Admission Transfer Team prior to taking any of these examinations. Transfer Credit forms are available on the Office of the Registrar’s web page at https://georgian.edu/academics/registrar/. Credit will be given only if credit has not already been awarded or earned for the related course content.
Additional information can be found in the Academic Catalog.
Credit by standardized Examination, such as CLEP
A student who achieves a successful score on any approved examination may be able to receive college credit. Students must first complete the Permission to Transfer Credit Form. To award credit, an official score report must be sent to the Office Admission Transfer Team at transfer@georgian.edu. Credit is granted only if the related course content has not been previously completed. CLEP science examinations do not fulfill the general education requirement if taken after acceptance to Georgian Court. Students may consider other means of college credit such as DSST (formerly DANTES), Excelsior College UExcel examinations, Thomas Edison State University Credit-by-Examination Program examinations, ACE College Credit Recommendations Service, Brigham Young University (BYU) Foreign Language Testing Achievement Services (FLATS) exams (GCU will award up to 6 credits), NYU Language Proficiency exams (12-point exam; GCU will award up to 6 credits), and Columbia University Language Resource Center. To receive credit, students must earn a minimum of a C or its equivalent (or, for an exam graded only pass/fail, students must earn a passing grade).
Credit by challenge Examination or portfolio to show prior learning
A challenge exam is a comprehensive style examination in which students demonstrate their content knowledge in a specific course.
A portfolio is a compilation of materials, for example, projects students completed at work, through which students demonstrate their content knowledge in a specific course. Portfolio requirements and preparation instructions are explained during the CAR199 Portfolio Development course. If you have more than one year of professional work experience and want to learn more about portfolios and prior learning assessments (PLA), visit the PLA website. Credits earned by taking Georgian Court-graded challenge examinations and portfolios are Georgian Court credits, but none of these credits can be counted toward the 30 Georgian Court credits required for graduation.
A matriculating student cannot take a challenge examination or submit a portfolio until at least 12 credits of “regular” Georgian Court coursework has been earned. Students cannot attempt to earn challenge examination/or portfolio prior learning credits during their semester of graduation.
The department chair or credit for prior learning (CPL) coordinator and school dean will determine if a challenge exam or portfolio assessment option can be taken for a particular course. Challenge examinations and portfolio assessments, in other words, may be offered upon the request of a student, if the chair of the department offering the course (for challenge exams), CPL coordinator (for portfolio assessments), and the dean of the school offering the course approve it.
A matriculating student may earn up to 30 credits from a combination of Georgian Court challenge examinations and portfolio assessment. These credits are in addition to the number that students may earn by taking the CLEP, DSST, etc. exams, which are not Georgian Court credit.
Military Experience
Students with military experience and training should have an official copy of their Joint Services (military) transcript, showing American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations, sent to transfer@georgian.edu.
Police and Fire Academy
Students who have completed police or fire academy training should have an official copy of their transcript sent from the academy to transfer@georgian.edu.
Professional/Workplace Training or Apprenticeships, such as EMT
Provide copies of credits earned in training to become an EMT to transfer@georgian.edu.