Prior Learning Assessment
Greenville University awards Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit. PLA is a process by which learning that takes place outside of the accredited classroom experience can be evaluated for college credit.
Greenville University accepts the American Council of Education (ACE) and National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) recommendations as well as having adopted the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL) standards for assessing learning and awarding PLA credit (Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006, p. xi).
I. Credit or its equivalent should be awarded only for learning, and not for experience.
II. Assessment should be based on standards and criteria for the level of acceptable learning that are both agreed upon and made public.
III. Assessment should be treated as an integral part of learning, not separate from it, and should be based on an understanding of learning processes.
IV. The determination of credit awards and competence levels must be made by appropriate subject matter and academic or credentialing experts.
V. Credit or other credentialing should be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.
VI. If awards are for credit, transcript entries should clearly describe what learning is being recognized and should be monitored to avoid giving credit twice for the same learning.
VII. Policies, procedures, and criteria applied to assessment, including provision for appeal, should be fully disclosed and prominently available to all parties involved in the assessment process.
VIII. Fees charged for assessment should be based on the services performed in the process and not
determined by the amount of credit awarded.
IX. All personnel involved in the assessment of learning should pursue and receive adequate training and continuing professional development for the functions they perform.
X. Assessment programs should be regularly monitored, reviewed, evaluated, and revised as needed to reflect changes in the needs being served, the purposes being met, and the state of the assessment arts.
Greenville University will accept in transfer any prior learning assessment credit from other regionally accredited learning institutions provided that the credit is listed as a course equivalent and that the credit accepted conforms to all other transfer policies.
PLA credit awarded by Greenville University will not count towards meeting the residency requirement for a degree.