Academic Credit for Life Experience

Academic Credit for Life Experience Based Upon Demonstrated Competence

Newberry College recognizes that students sometimes take advantage of an opportunity to master a course of study or acquire skills in settings beyond the traditional classroom. Such settings may include field research, study travel, professional or military training, internships, and other alternative educational experiences. Newberry College thus permits students to earn up to fifteen (15) semester hours of academic credit for life experience by demonstrating an acceptable level of competence in one of the following ways:

  • Approved Standardized Examinations. Scoring at the approved level on the College Level Examination
    Program (CLEP-see page 19 for details) or Defense Subject Standardized Tests (DANTES) examinations may earn a student college credit.  Confirmation of the student earning this approved score must be approved and recorded by the Newberry College Registrar. (Recording fee per course is $77. Fees are subject to change).
  • ACE Alternative Courses. Where the American Council on Education (ACE) has evaluated alternative courses—such as those in banking, real estate, military training, or vocational training— the College will adopt the evaluation in the appropriate field as a source for determining what credit may be awarded. ACE credit must be applied for by the student and approved and recorded by the College Registrar. (No recording applied.)
  • Certificate of Documented Competency.  A student may earn credit hours for a specific course by obtaining from one of the professors assigned by the College to teach that class a Certificate of Documented Competency (CDC).  Such documented competency may take the form of scoring at an acceptable level on a test equivalent to the final examination in the course, submitting written papers comparable to those assigned in the traditional course, reporting on research carried out by the student related to the course content, or otherwise indicating to the instructor a level of learning commensurate with the learning objectives of the course for which the student is seeking life credit.  The CDC will be awarded at the discretion of the professor when she or he is satisfied that the student has suitably mastered the course content and met the student learning outcomes outlined in the course syllabus. Final approval will be authorized by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and recorded in the Office of the Registrar. (Recording fee: $77 for first credit, plus $60 for each additional credit-i.e. 3 credit course is $197.)
  • Approved Portfolio. Earning a CDC by preparing a portfolio describing specific work activities, alternate educational experiences, or life experiences that document the prescribed learning outcomes associated with the course for which documented competency is being sought.  Material for this portfolio can come from a number of different sources, including workshops, seminars, self-study, non-credit classes, training courses, and work experiences. Note that it is the learning from (and not merely the experience of) these alternate programs or experiences that is evaluated. Appropriate departmental faculty members will evaluate the written portfolio and determine what credit, if any, might be warranted and awarded. Final approval will be authorized by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and recorded in the Office of the Registrar. (recording fee: $77 for first credit, plus $60 for each additional credit-i.e. 3 credit course is $197.)

Such credit can be awarded only for subject matter or life experience that corresponds to the content of specific courses listed in the Newberry College Catalog. In order to earn such academic credit, students must demonstrate and/or document how their reported competencies correspond to the content of the courses for which they are seeking credit and fulfill the learning outcomes associated with each course.