Prior Learning Assessment
Prior Learning Assessment
Learning Happens Everywhere—Earn Credit for It!
Prior Learning Assessment at Rowan University
Some students come to Rowan with college-level learning gained outside a traditional classroom, something beyond a college-level course taken at regionally-accredited course at institution (as listed here). This learning may come from military training, employer-based programs, certifications, standardized exams, or other evaluated experiences.
Through the School of Professional Studies, students enrolled at Rowan University may be able to apply these sources of prior learning toward their degree program through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).
What Kinds of Prior Learning Can We Review?
The School of Professional Studies can review documented learning from sources such as:
- Employer training and completed workplace programs
- Industry certifications
- Departmental challenge exams
- Competency-based education
- Other prior learning that has already been formally assessed for college-level credit
Support for transferring other non-traditional credit sources, such as those listed below, can be found at the Rowan University Registar.
- Military Transcripts
- College Level Exam Program (CLEP) exams
- American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations, including Credly transcripts
Things to Know Before You Apply
PLA Eligibility Requirements and Policies
PLA Eligibility Requirements:
PLA is intended for students who are already in a program and want to determine whether prior learning can count toward remaining degree requirements.You may be eligible if you:
- Are currently enrolled in a Rowan University bachelor’s or master’s program
- Have completed at least 3 credits at Rowan University (transfer credits do not count toward this requirement)
- Still have additional requirements to complete for your degree
PLA Additional Policies:
PLA does not count toward residency. PLA is treated as transfer credit. Rowan University requires a certain number of courses to be taken with us (this is called a residency requirement). Students should confirm the residency requirement for their program with their assigned advisor.
PLA does not affect your Rowan GPA. Since PLA is treated as transfer credit, it can not bring up or drag down your Rowan GPA.
Credit must fit your program. Even if prior learning is approved, it still must fit within your degree requirements and the credits you have left to complete toward your degree.
PLA is not retroactive. A course specific PLA request (ex. CompTIA Security+ for CYBR 01201 Applied Cybersecurity) can not be for completed/attempted courses from previous semesters.
The PLA Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
How PLA @ Rowan Works
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Identify the course you think matches your prior learning
PLA begins with a course match: your prior learning must align with a specific Rowan University course and meet the learning outcomes for that course. Receiving PLA credits requires more than simply demonstrating that you have experience in an area:you must show that your learning is comparable to what a student would gain by completing the course here at Rowan.
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Start by reviewing:
--The PLA Transfer Course Database to see whether your certification or training has already been reviewed/approved by Rowan University
--the Rowan University Academic Catalog to compare your prior learning with course descriptions and outcomes of Rowan courses
If you already know the course you believe matches your background, you can move directly to preparing your materials.
Example: A Construction Management student with OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 training may identify a possible match with the CM 01411 Construction Safety and Loss Prevention.
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Gather documentation that shows what you’ve learned
Once you have identified a Rowan course, the next step is to show how your prior learning matches that course. Depending on the source of your learning, documentation may include:
- Transcripts
- Certificates
- Exam results
- ACE or Credly recommendations
- Training records
- Course outlines or program descriptions
Other materials that show the content and level of your learning. The strongest requests clearly connect the documentation to the learning outcomes of the course being requested.
IMPORTANT: You cannot request PLA for a course you have already taken.
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Submit your PLA request
When you are ready, submit your request through the PLA form along with your supporting documentation.
Your request is then routed to the appropriate academic area for review. Rowan Faculty will evaluate whether your documented learning is equivalent to the course you identified. Faculty review focuses on the content, scope, and level of your learning; it goes much further than the title of a training or the number of years you have worked in a field.
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Faculty Review
Faculty in the relevant area of study will review your request and determine whether credit should be awarded. If it is not approved, you will receive a decision with an explanation.
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Credit is applied to your program
If your request is approved, the Registrar’s Office will apply the credit to your Rowan transcript.
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Appeals
If Rowan Faculty determine that your documented training is not equivalent to the course chosen in your request, you can submit an appeal.
Be sure to add an explanation as to why you feel that your documented training should be reconsidered.
The School of Professional Studies will review your request for an appeal and recommend an alternate path forward. Appeals can be sent to pla@rowan.edu
Creating a Successful PLA Request
Tips and Examples
Credits awarded through PLA must still fit within your program requirements and your remaining degree plan in DegreeWorks.
A practical example
A student in Computer Systems Technology may seek credit for Microcomputer Operating Systems I: Workstation by submitting the Microsoft Endpoint Administrator Certificate for review. That request may be approved if the certificate demonstrates learning that aligns with course outcomes such as:
- Protecting Windows workstations from malware and security threats
- Distinguishing among different types of Windows installations
setting up Windows networking in IPv4 and IPv6 - Identifying access methods related to authentication and authorization
In that case, the faculty review is based on whether the certification reflects learning equivalent to the course outcomes — not just whether the student completed a Microsoft credential.
What if My Prior Learning is Not Formally Documented?
Additional Options Via NJPLAN
Some students have extensive resumes and/or life experience with significant college-level learning from work, volunteer service, independent study, or other life experience, but do not have formal documentation such as a transcript, certification, or exam result. In those cases, Rowan’s documented-training PLA pathway may not be the right starting point, but Rowan has partnered with Thomas Edison State University for portfolio development.
Students in this situation may consider the NJPLAN Portfolio Development Course at TESU. This option is available to students who need a more formal portfolio process to document and evaluate prior experiential learning. Please note that having some proficiency in a skill does not mean that your learning is equivalent to completing an entire course in that content area.For example: a student may have written some posts for their workplace’s social media account, but that doesn't mean they have sufficient understanding of the theory, ethics, and audience awareness that would be covered in a 3-credit, semester-long Social Media Marketing course.
If credit is ultimately awarded through Thomas Edison State University, students may then request to have that credit transferred back to Rowan through the standard transfer credit process. Official transcripts should be sent to: electronic-transfercredits@rowan.edu
Questions?
For help navigating any stage of the PLA process, contact: pla@rowan.edu