Prior Learning Assessment

Indiana Wesleyan University provides options for obtaining credit through experiences where college level learning has taken place, but was gained outside of the college/university credit bearing
courses.

This credit will be awarded through faculty and/or subject matter expert review and credit recommendations. No grades are assigned; only credit is awarded. 

• Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) includes an evaluation of a student’s prior learning experiences. IWU relies on industry best practices established by organizations like the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) who has served as a leader in the development and implementation of assessment for experiential learning and corporate training since 1974. Students are required to submit appropriate documentation which clearly articulates academically relevant learning through the student portal. 
• Assessed learning credit is reviewed through a curriculum evaluation process that assesses training programs for alignment with university level learning and IWU curriculum.

Undergraduate students accepted to or enrolled in any of the IWU-National and Global associate or baccalaureate degree programs are eligible to request PLA credit. Credit hours awarded may be counted toward general education, elective, or select core requirements as applicable to the undergraduate degree.

The maximum number of credits awarded for all credit through various examinations (CLEP, DSST, AP, AICE, etc.) and prior learning shall be limited to a total of 40 semester hours for the baccalaureate degrees and 18 semester hours for the associate degrees.

The Indiana Wesleyan University Honesty, Cheating, Plagiarism, and Forgery Policy also apply to all Prior Learning Assessment request and submissions.

All PLA requests and documentation are reviewed only by those who have an official reason for doing so: the PLA staff, faculty evaluators, and accrediting association members. Any data received from the PLA process that may be made public will be anonymized and will in no way be attributed to an individual unless the student provides a signed authorization. Students should not include any materials in the PLA request that violate the legal and moral rights to privacy of other individuals.