ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT (PLA) PROGRAM?

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1 ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT (PLA) PROGRAM? City University f Seattle recgnizes that learning ccurs in many different ways and under varied circumstances. As a result, the University has designed its PLA prgram t enable students t earn cllege credit fr dcumenting learning acquired utside f the traditinal classrm. CityU students can earn up t frty-five (45) undergraduate (quarter nt semester) credits if they can demnstrate the attainment f knwledge equivalent t that learned in cllege-level curse n the tpic. We have develped a list f questins t help yu determine if PLA is an apprpriate methd fr yu t earn cllege credits tward yur degree. Yu may want t answer these questins and then discuss them with yur advisr, wh can help yu determine if PLA is a gd ptin fr yu. Befre yu explre the cllege-level knwledge yu might already have, it is imprtant t determine hw many and what types f credit yu need t cmplete yur degree. Yu want t be sure that any credits yu earn can be used tward yur degree. Therefre, yu shuld take the fllwing steps: Declare a degree and cmplete a prgram plan with yur advisr. Make sure all f yur transfer credits have been evaluated and psted t yur prgram plan and transcript. Nw, take a lk at what credits/curses yu still need t cmplete yur degree. Cnsider if yu have any prfessinal r life experiences that have helped yu t gain this knwledge already. Fr example, if yu are seeking a BS in Business Administratin, and yu need a curse in marketing, yu might be able t demnstrate thrugh PLA that the knwledge gained as the assistant marketing manager f a department stre has prvided yu with equivalent knwledge. The rest f this dcument will help yu determine the curses yu may be eligible t earn credit fr thrugh PLA. Hw can I determine the curse credits I can earn thrugh the PLA prcess? Ask yurself the fllwing questins: a) Have I gained substantial knwledge thrugh any f the fllwing: Full r part-time jbs Independent reading and study Training prgrams r in-service curses Vlunteer wrk Cultural and artistic pursuits Hbbies and recreatinal pastimes Cmmunity r religius activities Military service Organizatinal memberships Travel study b) Is my knwledge applicable t ther cases utside the specific cntext in which it was learned? Fr example, suppse the father f a five-year-ld child believes that he has learned a great deal abut child develpment thrugh the prcess f raising a child. Hwever, his knwledge nly relates t the experiences he has had with his wn child; he has nt learned abut ther children in ther cntexts. He wuld learn mre by taking a curse in child develpment and s he is nt a strng candidate fr PLA.

2 c) Is my knwledge current? If a student wrked in accunting 20 years ag, but can n lnger slve accunting prblems, the student s knwledge is nt current and PLA is nt a viable ptin. CityU seeks t impart up-t-date knwledge and des nt grant credit fr utmded learning. Hwever, if yu recently wrked as a sales manager fr several cmpanies yu may have current knwledge f sales and marketing and culd earn cllege credit thrugh the PLA prcess. d) Des my knwledge have a theretical basis? Was yur learning mre than just practical experience? Did it include the applicatin f theretical principles develped by experts in the field? Did yu learn wh the recgnized experts in the field are? D yu knw what they have written r stated cncerning yur area f knwledge? Fr example, if yu are seeking credit in the area f management, can yu identify the principles f management? Are yu familiar with what experts say are the current trends in management? e) Can my knwledge be measured and evaluated? Can yu shw an expert hw much yu knw and hw well yu have learned the subject area? Fr example, if yu are seeking t earn cllege credit fr yur knwledge f astrnmy (gained as an amateur astrnmer), can yu discuss the majr tpics debated in the field f astrnmy? Can yu describe hw astrnmers gain new knwledge f the universe? D yu knw the histry f astrnmy, and can yu name the individuals wh have had the greatest influence n the discipline? f) D I have evidence that supprts my knwledge f the tpic? As part f the PLA prcess yu need t demnstrate that yu understand the tpic and can demnstrate the use f that knwledge. Yu can demnstrate yur knwledge thrugh ne r mre f the fllwing: Samples f yur wrk Dcumentatin f jb skills and knwledge Descriptins f requirements fr licenses and/r certificates Certificates f attendance and ntes taken in training curses Transcripts Anntated bibligraphy n a tpic Letters f verificatin frm emplyers r thers wh have first-hand knwledge f yur abilities Prf f membership in prfessinal r trade rganizatins Any ther material agreed upn with yur PLA mentr that ffers prf f yur cllege-level learning. g) Des my learning fit int my degree prgram plan? Yu shuld make sure that any credits yu earn help yu further yur prgress tward yur degree. Fr example, suppse yu have an extensive backgrund in art histry and culd prbably earn a substantial number f credits in that subject. Hwever, yu are earning a degree in cmputer systems and have nly CS majr curses left t take. Instead f spending the energy t dcument yur prir knwledge f art histry, it wuld be mre beneficial fr yu t fcus n yur current CS curses. If yu answered yes t questins a-g abve, yu are a ptentially strng candidate fr earning cllege credits thrugh the PLA prcess. The fllwing FAQs can give yu mre infrmatin abut the prcess.

3 Can I nly select City University f Seattle curses fr PLA cntent? Yes. All Prir Learning Assessments must be tied t curses ffered by CityU that match yur prir learning, Are all City University f Seattle curses eligible fr PLA? While graduate level curses are nt eligible fr PLA, mst undergraduate curses are. Hwever, the fllwing are nt eligible due t the type f learning required: Curse type Curse numbers Curse names Capstne/Practicum BSM 495 COM 490 COM 491 GS 295 GS 495 MG 495 MK 495 Field experience Student teaching EDE 452 ESP 452 Cperative study AC 498 BSM 485 COM 498 CS 498 EDE 360 EDE 351 EDE 352 EDE 450 EDE 451 ESP 360 ESP 351 ESP 352 ESP 450 ESP 461 ESP 498 Senir seminar BSM 497 BSM 498 PSY 498 Independent study BSM 499 COM 499 CS 499 ESP 499 MTH 499 PSY 499 Lab curse nt accmpanied by related thery curse Business Strategy Practicum I Practicum II Assciate Degree Capstne General Studies Degree Capstne Capstne Captsne Student Teaching Student Teaching Mass Cmmunicatin/Jurnalism Undergraduate Cmputer Systems Undergraduate I II III IV V I II III IV V Senir Seminar A Senir Seminar B Senir Seminar Business Majr -Cmputer Systems : Special Educatin Are PLA credits in accunting and business curses accepted fr the CPA exam? N. The CPA exam requires s many credit hurs f accunting and business t sit fr the exam. PLA credit hurs DO NOT cunt twards thse required hurs.

4 Are PLA credits transferable t anther university? Each university and cllege determines what credits they will accept as transfer credit. If yu are planning n transferring t anther institutin befre yu finish yur degree yu shuld cntact their Registrar s Office prir t entering the PLA prgram. Hw many credits shuld I be able t earn thrugh PLA t make the prcess wrth it? This is a questin that nly yu can answer. Yu can attempt t earn as few as five credits r as many as 45 credits. Yu will earn five credits fr successfully cmpleting PLA 200, the PLA preparatin curse, even if yu d nt earn any further credits thrugh the PLA prcess. If yu d mve frward after PLA 200, yu will pay ne f the fllwing amunts fr the evaluatin f yur ptential credits: 0-15 credits evaluated = $500; r credits evaluated = $1000; r credits evaluated = $1500. Please realize that evaluatin des nt guarantee that yu will be granted thse credits. Yu shuld have nly thse cllege credits assessed that yu have a reasnable chance f earning thrugh the PLA prcess. We ask that yu chse the number f credits t be assessed befre yu submit yur prtfli and nly pay fr that level f evaluatin. What are the next steps if I believe I am a gd candidate fr PLA? a) Enrll in PLA 200--the PLA Preparatin curse. PLA 200 is a five-credit curse and is ffered nline during the fall and spring quarters. It is graded n a Pass/N Pass basis and can fulfill lwer divisin elective r humanities credit. In PLA 200, yur past emplyment, vlunteer activities, hbbies, travel, and ther experiences will be analyzed clsely fr their identifiable skill and knwledge base. Yu will learn the specific skills needed t identify, articulate, and dcument yur prir learning in the frm f a prtfli. There are n prerequisites fr PLA 200 ther than having a degree prgram plan. Hwever, strng writing skills are essential fr yur success in develping the prtfli. If yu feel yur writing skills need t be strengthened, it is advisable t take a writing curse such as ENG 112 r ENG 211 prir t PLA 200. b) Cmplete yur PLA prtfli independently and then register fr PLA 300, 301, r 302. Once yu cmplete PLA 200, yu are ready t cmplete yur prtfli. Yu will be wrking n yur prtfli independently after cmpleting PLA 200. When yur prtfli is cmplete yu are ready t have it evaluated fr ptential cllege credit and yu will then register fr the next phase f the PLA prcess evaluatin f the prtfli. PLA 300, 301, r 302 evaluatin f the prtfli is required fr all students wh successfully cmpleted PLA 200 and want t have their finished prtfli reviewed fr the ptential awarding f PLA credit. PLA 300, 301, and 302 are nt curses; they are a means t have yur PLA prtfli evaluated by a cntent expert. There are n instructrs, nr are there assignments related t PLA 300, 301 r 302; yur nly task is t submit the final cpy f the PLA prtfli t a cntent expert, thrugh the PLA Prgram Manager. The sectin f PLA that yu shuld enrll in crrespnds t the number f credits yu are hping t earn:

5 PLA 300: 0-15 credits evaluated = $500; r PLA 301: credits evaluated = $1000; r PLA 302: credits evaluated = $1500. D nt register fr PLA 300, 301, r 302 until yu are ready t submit yur prtfli fr evaluatin. Register fr PLA 300, 301 r 302 thrugh yur advisr and then submit yur cmpleted prtfli t the PLA Prgram Manager.