Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Policy

Policy Number: #200

Responsible Executive(s):

• Provost

Responsible Office(s):

• Office of the Provost

Date Revised: 04-18-2023

A. Purpose:

The purpose of this Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Policy is to provide guidance to potential students, current students, faculty, and deans on the awarding of credit hours for prior learning. This university-wide policy and the supporting guidelines ensure consistency across colleges and programs in the academic rigor employed to award students credit hours. The availability of multiple methods for awarding prior learning credit allows for student-friendly flexibility along with faculty voice.

B. Scope:

This policy applies to all instances of the awarding of credit hours for prior learning by approved methods to all enrolled students in good standing and those who have accepted an offer of admission unless otherwise noted. This policy does not apply to the Transfer Credit process that is administered by the Registrar’s Office.

C. Policy:

1. Availability of CPL. The University offers the following methods for awarding credit for prior learning:
   1. Business and Industry Training Credit,
   2. Challenge Exam,
   3. Credit through Examination (CLEP, IB, AP, and DSST),
   4. Curriculum Alignment Analysis,
   5. Military Credit,
   6. Portfolio, and
   7. TOS
2. Programs may not offer all these forms of CPL or may have specific conditions that go above and beyond what are identified in this document.
3. A non-refundable fee may be assessed by Regis to recover the costs of providing the services even if credit is not awarded.
4. Credit awarded for prior learning does not result in a quality grade (e.g., A, A-, etc.) and is not included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.
5. Any and all CPL are not included as part of student's semester enrollment for the purpose of calculating financial aid eligibility. The cost of CPL is not included in the Financial Aid Cost of Attendance and financial aid cannot be utilized to cover the cost of CPL. All CPL credits transcripted will count towards financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP) review, specifically overall completion rate.
6. Guidelines for Awarding Prior Learning Credit
   1. Business and Industry Training Credit. Business and Industry training credit can be awarded based on recommendations by ACE at www.acenet.edu/National- Guide/Pages/defaulty.aspx and as revised from time to time.
      1. The credit is awarded through the Registrar’s Office.
      2. Process Requestor shall follow the directions in Appendix A in applying for credit for prior learning.
   2. Curriculum Alignment Analysis
      1. 45 instructor contact hours in an organization’s Professional Learning Programs (PLP) translate to one hour of Regis University credit.
      2. A maximum of 24 semester hours of prior learning credit are allowed to transfer as undergraduate general elective credit and of which up to six credits can transfer into the major. Not all Regis University programs grant prior learning credit toward degree completion or grant the maximum of 24 semester hours.
      3. Under certain conditions, prior learning credit can count toward undergraduate major requirements:
         1. The learning outcomes of the prior learning credit must align with the learning outcome of the major requirements,
         2. The Chair of the Regis University program that houses the major must approve the substitution,
         3. A Challenge Exam may be required by the Chair to confer credit in the major, and/or
         4. Credit for undergraduate major requirements must be evaluated using a rubric to determine qualifications for credit hours.
            1. The alignment of course outcomes to professional learning experiences must be provided.
            2. The college/school/program determines which, if any, courses are eligible for challenge exams in lieu of taking the course.
      4. A fee will be charged for curriculum alignment analysis.
      5. Process Requestor shall follow the directions in Appendix B in applying for credit for prior learning.
   3. Challenge Exam: The college/school/program determines which, if any, courses are eligible for Challenge Exams in lieu of taking the course. Some exams may require performance of a skill set, while other exams may be written tests covering course content.
      1. The credit received may not duplicate any credit already earned toward the degree. It also may not be used to repeat any course taken previously, regardless of the grade the student received in that course.
      2. Credit awarded through examinations at other colleges or universities will not be accepted at Regis University.
      3. The hours granted for credit by challenge exam are not included as a part of the student's semester enrollment. The credit will appear on the transcript for the semester in which the examination was taken, but the hours do not count for any other purpose predicated on total hours of enrollment for a given semester.
      4. Grades for course credit by challenge exam will not be considered in computing university grade point averages. The grade will be entered on the transcript followed by a symbol (i.e., *) to signify Credit by Exam. The grade entry will be noted on the transcript in the notes. Failure to pass the examination will be recorded as an F. A course failure will require enrolling in the course. Repeating the challenge exam is not permitted.
      5. Upon completion of the student’s exam submission, a faculty member will evaluate the exam based on a course grading scale and rubric. The faculty will inform the student and the Registrar’s office.
      6. Process Requestor shall follow the directions in Appendix C in applying for credit for prior learning.
      7. A fee will be charged to implement and evaluate a challenge exam.
   4. Credit Through Examination
      1. Awarding of credit through exam is available through the following national standardized exams:
         1. College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations,
         2. College Level Examination Program (CLEP),
            1. Students in Regis College require both their advisor and Dean approval to take CLEP exams.
            2. Students in Regis College can replace no more than two lower division courses with CLEP credit.
            3. Since the Regis College core curriculum emphasizes prolonged classroom interaction in a semester-long format, CLEP credit earning options are not encouraged.
         3. DANTES Subject Standardized Test Exams (DSST), and/or
         4. International Baccalaureate Program (IB)
      2. A complete list of exams, passing scores required, Regis equivalencies, and/or placement can be found on the AP, IB and College Credit webpage, at https://www.regis.edu/admissions/first-year-students/how- to-apply/college-credit.
      3. Minimum scores required for awarding of credit and/or placement are established by the University.
      4. The organization that offers the standardized exam will charge the student a fee.
      5. Process Requestor shall follow the directions in Appendix A in applying 4 for credit for prior learning.
   5. Technical Occupational Specialty (TOS):
      1. 45 contact hours in TOS translate to 1 semester hour at Regis.
      2. A maximum of 24 semester hours of TOS are permitted. Not all Regis programs accept Technical Credit towards degree completion or accept the maximum of 24 semester hours.
      3. Under certain conditions, TOS credit can count toward undergraduate major requirements:
         1. The learning outcomes of the TOS credit must align with the learning outcome of the major requirements.
         2. The Chair of the Regis University program that houses the major must approve the substitution.
         3. A challenge exam may be required by the Chair to confer credit in the major. In this case, the policies in C.2.c apply.
      4. No fee will be assessed for TOS credits. Process Requestor shall follow the directions in Appendix A in applying for credit for prior learning.
   6. Portfolio:
      1. Portfolios are course specific
         1. Programs may limit whether a student can submit a portfolio for multiple courses at once.
         2. Each college/school/program determines which courses are eligible for receiving credit through the submission and evaluation of a Work-Related Experience Individual Portfolio (WREIP).
      2. There is a fee for evaluating each portfolio, regardless of whether credit is awarded. Students must be degree-seeking.
      3. Process Requestor shall follow the directions in Appendix D in applying for credit for prior learning.
   7. Military Credit: Military training and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) credit is awarded based on recommendation from the ACE Guide for Educational Experiences in the Armed Services and as may be amended from time to time.
      1. Students are awarded four semester hours of physical education credit for completing basic training and two semester hours of military science credit for a minimum of two years of service in any branch of the military.
      2. Students can request a military transcript through the Joint Services Transcript system or from the Community College of the Air Force
      3. Regis does not charge a fee for credit awarded for Military Service.
      4. Process Requestor shall follow the directions in Appendix A in applying for credit for prior learning.

D. Definitions

1. American Council on Education (ACE) - This is a body that sets recommendations for granting credit for learning and skills developed outside the classroom.
2. Challenge Exam - Credit by challenge exam allows a student to receive credit for prior learning by demonstrating mastery of course competencies/outcomes (skills and knowledge) by taking an exam. Students must pass (passing grade is determined by the program in which the course is offered) a comprehensive exam for a Regis University course designed and assessed by Regis University faculty.
3. Credit Through Examination - Awarding of credit through passing scores on national standardized exams is available through the following: College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), DSST Exams, and International Baccalaureate Program (IB).
4. Curriculum Alignment Analysis is defined as documented professional development, continuing education, or professional learning program received from an employer or acquired by the employee as a condition of employment. This process allows for the evaluation of the curriculum of an organization's professional education program, to ascertain the number of GEL credits and/or course specific credits to be awarded for prior learning. Examples of Business and Industry Professional Learning Programs (PLPs) include but are not limited to Police Academies and corporations’ professional development programs.
5. General Electives (GEL) - General Electives are courses that apply to the overall credit requirement for your degree program, but do not meet any specific category requirements for general education or declared majors, minors, or certificates.
6. Military Credit - Military training and Military Occupational Specialty credit is awarded based on recommendation from the American Council on Education (ACE) Guide for Educational Experiences in the Armed Services. Students are awarded four semester hours of physical education credit for completing basic training and two semester hours of military science credit for a minimum of two years of service in any branch of the military. Students can request a military transcript through the Joint Services Transcript system or from the Community College of the Air Force.
7. Portfolio - A portfolio is a collection of materials that provides evidence of learning during work or other experience as documented by the student in a conforming project.
8. Process Requestor - An individual who is requesting credit for prior learning. This is most often a student, but may also be a program, corporation, or department partnering with Regis.
9. Residency Requirement - To earn a baccalaureate degree from Regis University, a student must complete at least 25% of their course work at Regis. To earn a master’s degree from Regis University, a student must complete a minimum of 80% of the course work at Regis. Colleges/Programs may have higher requirements. CPL does not count toward the residency requirement (see Baccalaureate Degree Requirements and Graduate Degree Requirements in the Regis Academic Catalog).
10. Technical Occupational Specialty (TOS) Credit - Technical credit from a regionally accredited or some nationally accredited institutions may be evaluated and accepted as general elective credit. TOS credit is defined as college-level credit in the practical, industrial, or mechanical arts or 6 the applied sciences. A maximum of 24 semester hours of TOS credit is allowed to transfer as undergraduate general elective credit.

Related Policies, Procedures, Forms and Other Resources

Transfer Student Information: https://www.regis.edu/admissions/transfer-students/transferring- credit

APPENDIX A: Forms of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Overseen by Registrar

APPENDIX B: Curriculum Alignment Analysis

APPENDIX C: Portfolio Assessment

APPENDIX D: Challenge Exams

Appendix A: Forms of PLA Overseen by Registrar

Technical Occupational Specialty

The Registrar oversees the awarding of Technical Occupational Specialty (TOS) credit. Students interested in TOS credit should contact the Registrar (registrar@regis.edu).

Credit Through Examination

The Registrar oversees the awarding of credit through examination. There are a number of national standardized exams (enumerated in the above policy) for which Regis awards credit. For a complete list of minimum scores required for the awarding of credit and/or placement, please see:

https://www.regis.edu/admissions/first-year-students/how-to-apply/college-credit

Not all programs accept all forms of credit through examination. New students should contact Admissions to determine eligibility. Continuing students should contact their academic advisor. Eligible students should contact the Registrar (registrar@regis.edu).

Military Credit

The Registrar oversees the awarding of Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) credit. Students interested in MOS credit should contact the Registrar (registrar@regis.edu).

Business and Industry Training

The Registrar oversees the awarding of Business and Industry Training credit. Students interested in Business and Industry Training credit should contact the Registrar (registrar@regis.edu).

Accelerated Online General Education Credit

Recommended and approved by the American Council on Education (ACE), Regis has partnered with Straighterline and Sophia for pathways to complete lower-division general education courses online, at an accelerated pace. Students interested in Accelerated Online General Education Credit should contact the Registrar (registrar@regis.edu).

Appendix B: Curriculum Alignment Analysis

When a prospective student or sponsoring business/corporation is requesting that their documented Professional Learning Program (PLP) – continuing education/professional development – be considered for college credit, Admissions will process these requests in one of two ways: (i) if the request is for general elective credit, the Transfer Evaluation Center (TEC) will follow Method One below. (ii) if the request is for lower-division credit within a major program, the TEC will refer the request to the appropriate Department Chair (or designee) who will follow Method Two below.

Method One: Curriculum Alignment for General Elective Credit:
The formula is 45 Instructor Contact Hours in an Organization’s PLP to One Hour of Regis University General Elective Credit.

Process Requester must submit the following information to Admissions at ruadmissions@regis.edu. Completed requests are kept on file in the TEC.

Title Professional Learning Program (PLP):
Sponsoring Organization:
Date of Last Revision of the PLP:
Number of Contact Hours in the PLP:
Passing Evaluation Process of PLP:

Completed by Regis:

Regis Evaluator (Name and Role):
Decision:

Limitations on credits: A maximum of 24 credit hours of prior learning credit are allowed to transfer as undergraduate general elective credit. Each program can limit how many credits they will accept under Curriculum Alignment Analysis. Consult the Dean’s Office in the appropriate College for the specific program limit.

Fee: Programmatic fee for the Curriculum Alignment Analysis (Method One) is $100. This fee is non-refundable, even in the event the student/sponsoring organization is not granted credit. The payment must be submitted at the same time as the submission. The submission of the required documentation along with payment represents an agreement that the fee is non-refundable regardless of the awarding of credit. If credit is awarded on behalf of a sponsoring organization, that fee does not have to be paid again by other members of that organization completing the same PLP. This information is kept on file in the TEC.

Proof of Contact Hours: Provide documentation certifying the number of contact hours the Process Requestor has completed as part of the PLP.

Method Two: Curriculum Alignment for Lower-Division Credit in the Major

Process Requester must submit the following information to Admissions at ruadmissions@regis.edu. Admissions will forward to the appropriate Department Chair. Completed requests are kept on file in the TEC.

Title Professional Learning Program (PLP):
Sponsoring Organization:
Major Course(s)Titles:
Date of Last Revision of the PLP:
Number of Contact Hours in the PLP:
Passing Evaluation Process of PLP:

Completed by Regis:

Regis Evaluator (Name and Role):
Score and Decision:

The Department Chair or designee must complete both the below worksheet and associated rubric. The Chair or designee cannot award more than one lower-division credit hour within the major per 45 instructor contact hours in the PLP. The averaged rubric score cannot be less than 2 in order for the courses to be aligned sufficiently for awarding lower-division credit.

Limitations on credits: A maximum of 6 credit hours of prior learning credit are allowed to transfer as undergraduate lower-division credit within the major and no more than 24 credit hours of prior learning credit are allowed to transfer in total. Each program can limit how many credits they will accept under Curriculum Alignment Analysis. Consult the Dean’s Office in the appropriate College for the specific program limit.

Proof of Contact Hours: Provide documentation certifying the number of contact hours the Process Requestor has completed as part of the PLP.

Fee: Programmatic fee for the Curriculum Alignment Analysis (Method Two) is $250. This fee is non-refundable, even in the event the student/sponsoring organization is not granted credit. The payment must be submitted at the same time as the submission. The submission of the required documentation along with payment represents an agreement that the fee is non-refundable regardless of the awarding of credit. If credit is awarded on behalf of a sponsoring organization, that fee does not have to be paid again by other members of that organization completing the same PLP. This information is kept on file in the TEC.

PLP Course Outcome Alignment Worksheet (For Chair/designee use only)

Note: Use the PLP Course Outcome Alignment tool as part of your rubric evaluation

Appendix C: Challenge Exams

Student Information

1. Admissions will promote the opportunity to prospective students and advertise on the Regis website (with an email link or basic form to the Registrar).
2. Interested students will be directed by the Registrar to the appropriate unit.
3. The unit will share the following information with the student.
   1. Requesting a challenge exam does not guarantee that the request will be granted.
   2. Students must meet all of the conditions below to request an exam:
      1. Currently enrolled in a degree program.
      2. In good standing at Regis (not on probation or suspension).
      3. Pay a fee of $250 for the exam.
   3. Students must confirm they meet these requirements when requesting an exam. If the criteria are not met, the request cannot proceed.
   4. If a request is granted, students should:
      1. Follow the instructions provided by the Department/School/Unit.
      2. Take the exam.
      3. Students will be notified of the department’s decision within two weeks
      4. Wait for an email telling you that your grade is ready.
      5. Review the graded exam and feedback.
      6. Follow up with the Department/School/Unit or Registrar with associated questions.

Departments/Schools/Divisions Information

1. Departments/Schools/Divisions may opt in or out of offering challenge exams.
2. Departments/Schools/Divisions Responsibility:
   1. Decide if Challenge exams are appropriate for a program.
   2. Create the Exam.
   3. Identify a contact person (or persons) who will receive requests from the Registrar and forward them to the appropriate department chair/Dean/etc.
   4. Identify the process for proctoring and grading the exam
      1. Exam proctor
      2. Faculty who will grade the exam to evaluate the grade based on the course grading scale and rubric.
      3. Faculty who will inform the student and the Registrar’s office of the grade
   5. Departments/Schools/Divisions Responsibility if a challenge exam request is received:
      1. The contact person will notify students within two weeks of the decision to grant or deny the request.
      2. If a request is accepted,
         • Arrange the date and time for the exam.
         • Arrange for proctor.
         • Notify the student with the information.
         • Notify staff and faculty to proctor the exam and grade the exam.
      3. Administer the exam
      4. Upon completion of the students’ exam, the faculty member will evaluate for grade based on the course grading scale and rubric. The faculty will inform the student and the Registrar’s office.

Appendix D: Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of materials that provides evidence of learning during work or other experience as documented by the student in a conforming project. The portfolio can include a variety of materials, such as essays, reports, work samples, and letters of recommendation. This appendix outlines the procedures for students to request credit for prior learning through a portfolio at Regis university. Students who have questions about the prior learning assessment process should contact the Registrar.

Courses Eligible for PLA: Not all courses are eligible for PLA through a portfolio. Only courses that have been approved by the relevant academic department are eligible. Departments review and approve courses based on their learning outcomes and the evidence that can be collected to demonstrate mastery of those outcomes.

The Portfolio Process and Procedure: The student identifies the specific Regis University course(s) for which portfolio assessment is requested. The student must contact the instructor of the portfolio review course (available in Ranger Portal) at least two weeks prior to the start of the course to obtain approval to register. The student must provide a list of relevant experience to justify the development of a portfolio. This could include:

• Full or part-time jobs
• Hobbies and recreational activities
• Independent reading or study
• Community activities
• Training programs or in-service courses
• Volunteer work
• Travel study experiences
• Cultural and artistic pursuits
• Professional organizational memberships and activities
• Similar experiences as approved by your instructor

Instructor approval to register for the course does not guarantee that credit will be awarded. Credit is awarded for successful completion of the portfolio course. Students will complete the online portfolio development course within 8 weeks of approval to register. Portfolios will not be accepted during the semester of intended graduation.

Course Overview: The portfolio is developed during a rigorous two-credit, eight-week online course. The course will provide an overview of the portfolio development process, structured activities to build components of a portfolio, a systematic approach to portfolio development, direction in the organization of the documentation, and samples of each portfolio requirement. This course can be used to prepare portfolios for one or multiple courses.

Elements of a Portfolio:

• An essay or competency statements that describes the match between student's learning experience and how it meets the learning outcomes of the course. One essay is submitted for each course petitioned. The essay should be at least 1,000 words long and should include the following sections:
  • Table of Contents
  • Resume and/or Autobiography/Educational Goals Statement. This section provides an important overview by introducing the student to the faculty member through a chronology of life experiences relevant to the portfolio submission
  • A description of the student's learning experience, including the activities they participated in, the skills and knowledge they acquired, and the challenges they faced. The portfolio can include knowledge of skill gained from a wide variety of sources. Some of the most common sources for the portfolio are: full or part-time jobs; hobbies and recreational activities; independent reading or study; community activities; training programs or in-service courses; volunteer work; travel study experiences; cultural and artistic pursuits; professional organizational memberships and activities, or similar experiences as approved by your instructor.
  • An explanation of how the student's learning experience meets the learning outcomes of the course. Students are expected to review relevant course materials and to refer to the course syllabus and other materials in demonstrating learning equivalent to the content of the course.
  • A reflection on the student's learning, including what they learned, how they learned it, and how it will benefit them in their academic and professional careers.
  • Artifacts supporting the essay including but not limited to job descriptions, performance appraisals, transcripts, work samples, testimonials, certificates of attendance, and other evidence that demonstrate the student's mastery of the learning outcomes. The artifacts should be relevant to the course and should be accompanied by a brief explanation of how they demonstrate the student's learning.
• Letters of recommendation from people who can attest to the student's learning. The letters should be from people who have knowledge of the student's work experience, military service, volunteer work, or other non-traditional educational activities.

The Assessment Process

The portfolio will be assessed by an individual who is an expert in the subject matter of the course. The Provost’s office will maintain a roster of those who have agreed to assess portfolios in their disciplines and have been approved. This roster will be available to the instructor of the portfolio course. The assessor will review the portfolio and determine whether the student has met the learning outcomes of the course.

The assessment will be based on the following criteria:

• The quality of the essay
• The relevance of the work samples
• The credibility of the letters of recommendation
• The overall evidence of the student's mastery of the learning outcomes

In addition, the portfolio must meet the following requirements:

• The portfolio should be well-organized and easy to read.
• The evidence should be clear and concise.
• The portfolio should be free of errors in grammar and spelling.
• The portfolio should be submitted on time.

Decisions:
The assessor will make a recommendation to the instructor of the portfolio course regarding whether to award credit for the course. The instructor will decide whether to award credit and, if so, will inform the Registrar's office where course credit will be added to the student's transcript. If an assessor believes the portfolio does not meet the learning objectives of the course requested, they will submit a summary of their assessment to the instructor of the portfolio course who will communicate the summary to the Process Requestor. Process Requestors will be notified of a decision within 8 weeks of assessor receipt of the portfolio.

Appeals:
Students who are not satisfied with the instructor’s decision may appeal. The appeal process will follow the College policy for grade appeals in the Academic Catalog. Students are allowed a maximum of two opportunities to submit a portfolio for the same experience. First, through the original portfolio submission and second, one resubmission, if additional information or revisions are requested by faculty upon the first review. The resubmission must be received no more than 5 weeks following notification to the student that the original submission was not adequate for credit. Failure to submit during that time forfeits any opportunity to submit the underlying experience for portfolio credit.

Fees & Costs: The student will be charged at the per credit cost of their primary program along with fees for portfolio assessment when the student registers for the 2-credit portfolio course.