Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

Up to a maximum of 30 units of academic credit may be awarded for learning acquired outside of the classroom of an accredited college or university.  The learning needs to be:

  • Appropriate learning for Biola's Liberal Arts degree
  • University-level learning
  • Properly documented and supported

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) may come from:

  • ON THE JOB TRAINING, such as training provided by employer's Human Resources or Training Departments.
  • TRADE OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS, such as Computer-related courses, Dale Carnegie courses, Real Estate licensing.
  • EMPLOYMENT, such as starting or operating a business. 
  • HOME OR COMMUNITY LEARNING EXPERIENCES, such as serving in a hospice program, involvement in local political campaigns.
  • MILITARY TRAINING, such as Basic Recruit Training, leadership training.

CPL Categories (5 areas):

  1. National Guide (ACE, EEEAS, PONSI)
    American Council on Education (ACE)
    Involves prior learning that was done in a structured environment, and the agencies is listed in the guidebook.
    Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Military Services (EEEAS)  Involves all military branches training, and training is listed in the guidebook.
    The National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI)  Involves prior learning that was done in a structured environment, and the agencies is listed in the guidebook.

  2. Precedence (PRE)  
    Involves prior learning that was done in a structured environment. See the handout pages listing the Precedents Biola accepts.  They are Standardized, Biola-evaluated Technical and Professional Training.

  3. Vocational (VOC) 
    Up to 12 units of vocational courses awarded, but only if you are still in the same vocation or a closely related field. Certificate or letter documenting your participation, and in-class or outside class hours. A Proposal must be completed with your current job description listed in the paragraph provided.

  4. Technical & Professional Training (TPT)
    Non-credited and non-precedent training which you convince a Faculty Evaluator is equivalent to a university-level elective course.  Training experiences outside of Academic Institutions, not credited or precedented.  However, you have a certificate or letter documenting your participation, which includes your in-class and/or outside class hours are documented.  Plus a five page paper using Kolb's model of Experiential Learning, or IDEAS; Introduction, Description, Explanation, Appropriation, and Significance.

  5. Prior Learning Essay (PLE)
    An essay describing learning where class instruction was not involved, such as on-the-job and life experience learning.  You will need to convince a Faculty Evaluator that the learning is equivalent to a university-level elective course. This involves writing an essay, which is based on Kolb's model of Experiential Learning, or IDEAS; Introduction, Description, Explanation, Appropriation, and Significance.

 

Academic Standards

The BOLD Program personnel evaluate CPL based on the following standards recommended by CAEL (The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning).

  1. Credit should be awarded only for learning, and not for experience.
  2. College credit should be awarded only for college-level learning.
  3. Credit should be awarded only for learning that has a balance, appropriate to the subject, between theory and practical application.
  4. Appropriate subject matter and academic experts must make the determination of competence levels and of credit awards.
  5. Credit should be appropriate to the academic context in which it is accepted.

 

Administrative Standards

  1. Credit awards and their transcript entries should be monitored to avoid giving credit twice for the same learning.
  2. Policies and procedures applied to assessment, including provision for appeal, should be fully disclosed and prominently available.
  3. Fees charged for assessment should be based on the services performed in the process and not by the amount of credit awarded.
  4. All personnel involved in the assessment of learning should receive adequate training for the functions they perform, and there should be provision for their continued professional development.
  5. Assessment programs should be regularly monitored, reviewed, evaluated, and revised as needed to reflect changes in the needs being served and in the state of the assessment arts.

 

Processing Credit for Prior Learning

  1. Your initial assessment with the Academic Counselor should give you some fairly specific indication of what requirements you still need to meet, including how many elective units will be required to reach the 120 (OL) or 130 (Psych) unit minimum for graduation.
  2. Once you have an idea of what requirements remain, you should consider whether you have any background or experience that lends itself to CPL.  This can be done by you, your Academic Counselor or with the Coordinator for Credit for Prior Learning.
  3. Your Academic Counselor will assist you in submitting a Proposal for TPT or PLE Petition. Contact the CPL Coordinator for instructions to complete your Petition.  Because prior approval to begin a TPT or PLE is needed, in conjunction with the Coordinator for CPL.  You should determine if the prior learning you have fits best under the TPT or the PLE model.
  4. There is a fee of $50.00 per petition, whether or not credit is granted.  There is no additional charge for rewritten and resubmitted essays.  If credit is granted, an entry is made on your transcript, indicating either ACE, EEEAS, PONSI, PRE, VOC, TPT or PLE, the title or general subject area of the learning, and the number of units granted.  No grade is given, other than CR, and thus does not affect your GPA.  Since CPL is not graded classroom units, CPL units are not counted towards units in residence or towards honors.