About Prior Learning Credit

Cleary University recognizes that students gain knowledge and skills in a variety of ways. Examples of such venues include work settings, professional organizations, travel, avocations, leadership positions, volunteering, etc. When learning takes place in a non-traditional learning environment (not documented on a college transcript) and is equivalent to college-level learning, Cleary University offers several options by which students can document this type of learning for academic credit. It is important to note that the emphasis for granting credit is on what is learned, rather than on what is experienced.

Prior learning options include:

Directed Training
Proficiency Portfolio
Cleary Exams
CLEP (College-Level Examination Program)
Military Experience and Training
Advanced Placement Program
High School Articulation

Important Reminders

1. Degree Requirements
   a. 90 credits are required for completion of an ABA.
   b. 180 credits are required for completion of a BBA.
2. Do not duplicate existing credit.
   a. Review your Cleary University transcript for equivalent courses prior to selecting credit options.
   b. Your advisor can assist you with this step.
3. Credit must be submitted prior to the first day of the final term of the student’s program. A fee will be charged for late submissions.
4. A Petition for Prior Learning Credit must accompany each submission or exam.
5. Testing and assessment fees are waived for Cleary Exams, Proficiency Portfolios and Directed Training if submitted prior to the final term of Residency.

Guidelines for Earning Prior Learning Credit

Directed Training includes professional workplace or vendor-supplied training that has a standardized structure, is verifiable, and is available to others in the same format. (Two or more training opportunities may be bundled together, but only if they are very closely related. For example, a 20-hour training session titled Real Estate Law could be combined with a 16-hour session titled Industrial Real Estate.) Examples include workshops, seminars, licenses, and apprenticeships. Credit petitions should include confirmation of training completion such as a certificate, transcript, or training record. Submissions should also include a verifiable record of contact hours. Finally, a curriculum outline syllabus or other subject matter documentation should be attached. Evaluation of directed training may include:

• validation of hours
• credentials of the instructor
• organization sponsoring training
• type and format of instruction (lab, lecture, clinical etc.)
• course outline or syllabus
• course requirements
• text and other related course materials
• assigned homework
• assessment experiences (quizzes, exams, exit assessment, research papers)
• rigor of the course (at least college level)
• selection process of students (are prerequisites enforced to be eligible for training)
• duplication of credit

Proficiency Portfolio is a documentation-based option whereby students provide evidence that they have mastered the course objectives of a Cleary University course as outlined in a Master Syllabus (available on the Cleary University website). Most all of the lower division courses are eligible for this option. Please note that the Residency Requirement courses are not eligible for this option. Students should take care to present the portfolio in an organized, professional, and thorough manner. Examples of supporting evidence to be included in a portfolio include: certificates of training, samples of work, a resume, a copy of a performance review, a letter of verification of skills from an employer or supervisor. The documentation provided should provide clear and convincing evidence that the student has achieved the learning outcomes for the course as specified in the credit petition. Generally, multiple types of documentation (compared to only one or two types of documentation) increase the likelihood that credit will be awarded. List of course options.

Proficiency Examinations or Cleary Exams are objective computer-based exams focusing the course outcomes listed on the Master Syllabus for many lower division Cleary University courses. They are similar to a final examination for a course. Cleary Exam Preview Guides, which provide topics covered, study resources, credit value, number and type of test questions, as well as other relevant test information, are available for each of the Cleary exams. The Campus Center staff at each campus administers exams by appointment. Campus Center Hours and Testing Information. Again, Residency Requirement courses are excluded from this option. List of course options and Exam Guides.

CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) is a widely accepted credit-by-examination program that allows students to demonstrate mastery of a subject matter by earning the appropriate score on a CLEP examination. Cleary University is an approved testing site and students may choose from five general and 29 subject tests on common introductory college topics. A complete list of CLEP exams is available at the following link: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html. Tests are administered by appointment in the Campus Center at the Ann Arbor campus. There is a nominal testing fee for each exam. Students who have previously completed a CLEP exam should request an official copy of the score report be sent to Cleary University. CLEP & Cleary Proficiency exam matching directory.

Military Training or Experience. Four and one-half hours are awarded for each year of active military service (Reserve and National Guard service is excluded) up to a maximum of twenty hours. To receive credit for military service, students should submit a copy of the discharge form (DD214). Should a review of a student's military records indicate there is potential for greater credit award as compared to the service evaluation, then copies of the military training records and/or a copy of the transfer or discharge form (DD214) will be submitted to the American Council on Education, Department of Military Evaluations for a credit recommendation.

Advanced Placement Program allows individuals, usually high school students, to demonstrate academic ability by taking an Advanced Placement Exam. Credit may be granted based on satisfactory scores (three or higher on a 5 point scale) for the twenty-nine Advanced Placement Exams sponsored by The College Board. Students may request a copy of the exam results from The College Board, 45 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10023.

High School Articulation credit will be granted to students for competencies achieved as part of a formal articulation agreement with a secondary, proprietary, or charter school.