Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)
Recognizing all of your learning
What is a CPL program?
Credit for Prior Learning, or CPL, is a term for various methods that institutions of higher education use to evaluate learning that has occurred outside of the traditional academic environment. Another term for this process is Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).
- CPL isn’t new—colleges and universities have used it for more than 50 years to award college credit for what incoming students already know.
- Some institutions will centralize CPL programs under a single college or program. At Tarleton, we have chosen to allow CPL programs in every college.
- Your program’s courses are the same as those for a traditional Bachelor’s degree and are taught by top professionals in their fields.
- Consequently, we have more programs and more options than any school in Texas to recognize your credit in the employment field you have earned.
CPL Programs, depending on discipline, can utilize up to 36 hours of prior learning credit toward graduation.
- This means You can save 30% on your degree cost and graduate one year earlier with full-time attendance.
How We Award Credit for Prior Learning:
General Knowledge Credit
Typically, credit for general academic knowledge is achieved through standardized tests Listed Below. Tests and academic scores are listed in our catalog under nonstandard academic credit.
- DSST exams – Dantes Subject Standardized Tests by Prometric
- International Baccalaureate
Credit Evaluation Services
Another way credit can be recognized is through a third-party credit recognition service. By far, the most popular is the American Council on Education (ACE). ACE is also an evaluation service for alternative credit providers. After completing courses from these programs, ACE will evaluate and make recommendations for equivalent courses at Tarleton
They provide evaluation for providers such as:
Military Service
If you have served our country in the military, the skills you learned in your MOS will be reflected on your ACE Smart Transcript or Community College of the Air Force. Depending on the degree program, this is all the documentation needed to be granted credit hours
- ACE makes course-level recommendations for military service personnel through their JST Transcript.
- ACE will make recommendations based on the military personnel’s training and experience in their military specialization MOS.
- Military credit can also come from the Community College of the Air Force (CCOAF)
Employer-Based Training
Students with documented training from their employer relevant to the degree can receive credit hours based on the standard formulas below.
Coursework from non-regionally accredited institutions can be treated as training hours.
Self-employed students are only eligible for employer-sponsored training if a third party performs and documents the training.
Credit for training hours will be granted based on the following formula:
- 15 Clock Hours = 1-semester hour credit
- 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 10 clock hours
Workforce Credits from Community Colleges
Primarily, credit-based hours are courses included in the Texas Workforce Education Manual (WECM) or related fields in the field of study that are workforce classes out of state. Workforce classes will be identified on student transcripts using a numbering system that links to its appropriate program code for the state. Each program has an occupational statement guiding acceptable fields to support their major that will automatically pick up the appropriate WECM classes.
Courses that are eligible for consideration will be counted based on the following formula:
- Semester Credit Hours = Full Credit
- Quarter hours x 2/3 = Semester Hours (or .66 of each quarter hour)
Experiential Credit
Students can document the learning they accomplished through on-the-job experiences by submitting a challenging portfolio that describes how their projects, experiences, and credentials match existing program outcomes for their degree. This can award 3-9 hours of course credit.
How Do I Know What Counts?
- Check the program page for the degree you are pursuing, which can give you a good idea of things to include. All training documents you send us will be evaluated by a committee of professionals whose job is to ensure that the credit we approve will be relevant to your career and field of study.
- If you have a question, reach out to the contacts for the degree or submit a question.
Adult degree earners with 12 or more CPL credits saved 9 to 14 months on average. Adult students who earned CPL saved $1,500 to $10,200 in tuition dollars.
Research shows that the CPL process of reflecting on past learning is often a positive experience that improves adult students' confidence in themselves as learners.
Overall, adults who earn credit for prior learning are 17% more likely to graduate than adults who do not. The CPL completion benefit is 25% for adults at community colleges, 24% for Hispanic adults, 13% for Black adults, and 19% for Pell Grant recipients.
Credit for Prior Learning in our Degree Completion Programs
We have a constellation of degree programs explicitly built to accept CPL above what is generally done through credit by exam and credit evaluation services listed above.
- Degree completion programs were built to help working adults complete their degrees.
- The prior learning credit is critical to providing evidence of student learning.
- Typically related to the field in which you pursue your degrees.
- Training or credentials in security or law enforcement would be relevant to a program in Criminal Justice.
- Other degrees, such as Business and Kinesiology, can require various skill sets. Those are not directly related.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of documents do I need to provide to receive Credit for Prior Learning?
The documents you need depend on the type of credit you are asking to receive. Examples include:
- Workforce classes- These are identified when you send your transcripts to the institution. If you have been to a technical college or program, get their transcripts and send them to our transfer services department.
- Military Training– Normally, your JST will be submitted to our transfer services department, just like your transcripts.
- Employer training– Industry certificates, licenses, or other CEUs: You will be asked to provide copies after applying for your degree.
- Experiential learning– This can be done after you are accepted and attending Tarleton.
- Exam scores– CLEP or other credit by exams can be sent to our transfer services department. Passing scores are in our catalog.
What if something is rejected and I don’t receive credit for what I submit?
Don’t worry! Our faculty have worked with students for years. There are always new credentials, licenses, and forms of prior learning. We are looking for things in your field that complement the degree you seek and are validated by a third party that you were successful. Typically, the student has more prior learning credit than we have room for in the degree. When in doubt, ask, and we will see if we can use it to explain our decision.
What happens if I don’t have the minimum of 12 hours of workforce credit?
There is a corresponding traditional bachelor’s degree for every degree completion program at Tarleton. If you are young in your career and have yet to amass the training and experience that comes with years in a profession or specialized licensure, don’t worry! We have a path for you. It might take a little longer, but you can rest assured that you will be ready to begin your career.
Can I get a Masters degree with a degree completion program?
Absolutely. You can view them by clicking the button below.
Can I get help paying for college?
Career Enrichment Scholarship
Tuition and fees will not exceed $12,000 for 60 credit hours.
Discover our Career Enrichment Scholarship for a steady, affordable education. The Fixed-Price Degree Scholarship keeps costs constant, covering the difference to ensure your cost will be, at most, $200 per credit hour for five years after you start your degree. Secure your education with confidence.