Credit for Prior Learning Policies

Earning Credit for Prior Learning is a rigorous and thorough endeavor. Rather than being a shortcut, this opportunity requires detailed documentation and explanationin order to evaluate learning done outside of a traditional classroom and in a student's lived experiences. 

Prior Learning Assessment at Boise State strictly adheres to applicable policy and procedure documents, including Boise State's Policy 3040 and Registrar's Guidelines, CAEL's Ten Standards for Assessing Learning, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) standards, and the Idaho State Board of Education policy on Prior Learning. 

More on each of these policies is outlined below. Several key takeaways include the following:

• Credit is awarded for the college-level learning a student has done, not for the experience itself.

• You may earn up to one-third (1/3) of your total credits required for graduation through credit for prior learning. No more than one quarter (1/4) may be earned in portfolio credit.

• Credits earned through any form of experiential learning do not count toward the graduation residency requirement.

• Prior Learning Portfolio credit will be recorded on your Boise State transcript with a grade of Pass (P). If your score is too low, no entry is made on your transcript.

• Credits earned through CPL will post to student transcripts after the 10th day of the next semester they are enrolled, unless the student is graduating the same semester they earn CPL. 

Boise State Policy 3040 and Office of the Registrar's Credit Prior Learning and Prior Learning Portfolio resources

These resources outline Boise State University requirements for students and academic units engaging in the credit for prior learning process.

Ten Standards for Assessing Learning, from the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)

These standards serve as a guide for best practices in assessing learning and procedures for awarding credit, as followed by Boise State. 

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Standard 1.C.8, adopted in 2020, outlines the requirements for accreditation regarding credit for prior learning.

Idaho State Board of Education

Policy III.L outlines statewide requirements and responsibilities for Idaho institutions of higher education regarding credit for prior learning.