What is credit for prior learning?
What kinds of learning can I get credit for?
How many credits can I earn through portfolio assessment?
How does assessment of prior learning work?
What kinds of portfolios have received credit?
What is the cost involved in the portfolio process?
How do I gain credit by testing?
What is credit for prior learning?
Many adults have acquired knowledge outside the classroom through jobs, independent study, or volunteer work. College credits sometimes can be awarded for this learning, provided that certain criteria are met: it can be demonstrated, it is comparable to learning obtained in courses offered on the college level, and it is appropriate to the student's course of study. There are a number of methods available for assessing prior experiential learning. The two most common are testing and portfolio assessment. Both are available at The New School.
What kinds of learning can I get credit for?
The New School awards credit for college-level learning comparable to liberal arts courses currently offered for credit at the university, subjects such as literature, philosophy, religion, history, sociology, anthropology, political science, creative writing, and foreign languages. We will also assess prior learning in professional or performance fields (not liberal arts)such as fine arts, music, theater, dance, film production, photography, journalism, computer science, counseling, and business.
How many credits can I earn through portfolio assessment?
A maximum of six credits can be awarded for prior learning in any specific learning area, and the maximum number of credits you could earn for all learning areas combined is 30. This includes credits awarded through language testing, portfolio assessment, and internships undertaken while a bachelor's degree student at The New School. The New School requires a total of 120 credits for the bachelor's degree. At least 36 credits must come from courses taken as a matriculated student at The New School. No more than 84 credits may come from a combination of the following: 1) credits earned at other accredited schools; 2) credits awarded through language examination; 3) credits awarded through portfolio assessment; and 4) internships completed while at The New School.
If you are considering applying for credit for prior learning, discuss the options with your advisor first. Then meet with the prior learning coordinator, who will review your transcripts in order to assess the maximum number of credits available to you through prior learning assessment. Keep in mind that any credits earned through portfolio evaluation will be assigned within your allotments of "liberal arts" and "non-liberal arts" credits according to your specific degree program.
How does the assessment of prior learning program work?
The first step is to take the Workshop on Credit for Prior Learning. This one-credit workshop is offered every fall and spring semester. The workshop is open to students who have significant prior experience in appropriate subject areas, are in good academic standing, and have transferred 60 or more credits into the BA program or earned at least 12 credits as a matriculated student at The New School. Permission from the Prior Learning Coordinator is required to register for the workshop.
In the workshop, you'll learn how to compile the required portfolio, which consists of 1) a narrative essay describing your learning experiences in the context of your academic and professional goals; 2) a learning assessment for each learning area, including the title as it will appear on the transcript, the number of credits requested, a description of the setting, role and responsibilities, summary of skills and knowledge, and relevance of the learning; and 3) appropriate documentation to substantiate and verify the learning for which credit is requested. By the end of the workshop, you should have a draft of a portfolio. Students continue to work on their portfolios after the end of the workshop.
During the following fall or spring semester (or any subsequent semesters), you may submit your completed portfolio(s) to the Prior Learning Coordinator, who assigns each portfolio for evaluation to an instructor with expertise in the field for which credit is requested. In some cases, in addition to reviewing the portfolio, the evaluator may ask a student to take an oral examination or demonstrate understanding of the contents in some other way. The evaluator assesses the quality of learning and recommends the number of credits to be awarded (which is sometimes less than initially requested). Credit is entered on the transcript at the end of the semester during which the portfolio was assessed. The entry includes the title of the learning area and the number of credits. No letter grades are awarded for prior learning.
What kinds of portfolios have received credit?
Every person's experience is distinct, and the portfolio process allows you to package your specific set of skills. Submitted portfolios range from business management to ballet technique. The list below provides some examples, but it is merely representative of the possibilities:
- Acting: The Meisner Technique
- Advertising and Promotions
- Ballet Technique
- Black and White Photography
- Crisis Counseling
- Establishing a Church
- Film Production
- Interactive ASP Web Sites
- Jewelry Design
- Legislating Women's Health
- Music Production
- Neighborhood Journalism in NYC
- Nonprofit Arts Management
- Principles of Financial Markets
- Public Relations
- Sales and Marketing
- Theatrical Stage Management
- Screenwriting
- Starting a Business
- TV Post-Production
- Writing the One-Act Play
- Youth Organizing
What is the total cost of the portfolio process?
During the portfolio preparation stage, students enrolled in the one-credit workshop are charged at the regular tuition rate. Successful completion of the workshop and award of the credit is determined by attendance and progress in compiling a portfolio.
During the registration process of the semester when the portfolio is submitted, students register for the number of portfolios to be evaluated (seeking from one to six credits for each) and are charged an assessment fee of $600 for each portfolio.
How Do I Earn Credit by Testing?
The New School emphasizes the acquisition of credit for prior learning through the portfolio process because a portfolio can be molded to suit each student's experience. Therefore, we rarely award credits for examinations, such as those offered by the College Board (CLEP exams), with one exception: Students with foreign language ability can earn up to 16 credits by taking an exam offered by New York University. Visit the NYU Proficiency webpage for a current list of languages tested, fees, and scheduling of exams, and to see the separate form to apply Credit for Prior Learning for Knowledge of Foreign Language. Before taking any exam, you must obtain prior approval from the prior learning coordinator at The New School.
If you need more information about credit for prior learning, contact the School of Undergraduate Studies office at 212.229.5119.