BUILDING A PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT PROGRAM Office for Prior Learning Assessment Joyce Lapping, Director and Panel Presenter at NEASC 126 th Annual Meeting & Conference PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT

University of Southern Maine Is a northern New England comprehensive public university Has three campuses – Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston-Auburn in three communities Offers baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs Serves just under 10,000 students Has an average student age of 27 ₂

What is Prior Learning Assessment ? Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a process created for you to demonstrate your college- level expertise and knowledge in a particular field, so you can be placed into college courses or earn college credit. ₃

PLA Typically Reflects a Combination of … Practical Experience and Theoretical Knowledge 4

PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT Is an academic function that at USM gives faculty control over most credit decisions. Offers basic credit outcomes which are determined by: – Faculty – An advisory committee – The Prior Learning Staff ₅

CREDITS NEEDED FOR A DEGREE Three types of credits are needed to complete an undergraduate degree at USM: – General Education requirements – Major requirements – General Electives All can be earned through the PLA process. USM students need 120 credits to graduate. ₆

Credit by Examination ₇

CREDENTIAL REVIEW ₈

MILITARY CREDITS ₉

PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT 10

CREDITS EARNED BY PORTFOLIO General Elective credits Course equivalent credits within any major Elective credit within a major NOTE: All credits are determined by the appropriate faculty evaluation 11

Who Benefits from a PLA Program? Students Faculty College or University General Community 12

Questions to Ask Before You Create a PLA Program What is the profile of the students attending your institution? Who are the stakeholders and do we have their support? Are there a number of faculty who are supportive of this process and will they participate in its formation? 13

RECRUITING FACULTY TO PLA Work within your institutional culture: – Address faculty concerns in the PLA process. – Provide evaluation credibility and control. – Contribute toward retention by helping both graduate and undergraduate students increase interest, and reduce time and money. – Consider that enrollment contributes to budget which contributes to sustainability of the institution. 14

The Role of Faculty in the PLA Process MENTOR Mentor to student and PLA process ADVISOR Prior Learning Assessment Advisory Board ADVOCATE Refer students Advocate with administration Provide contacts with outside community Help get the word out EVALUATOR Graduate and Undergraduate Direct – Portfolio Indirect - Tests, Credentials, and Military

Examples of Departments Which Have Participated in PLA at USM MusicTechnologySocial Sciences Leadership & Organizational Studies EducationNursingLinguisticsBusiness LanguagesTheatreEnglish Construction Science Health ScienceEconomicsCommunicationArt

PLA at USM See Prior Learning Assessment at the University of Southern Maine at our website: Joyce Lapping, Director 250 Luther Bonney Hall 85 Bedford Street Portland, Maine