Non-Traditional Credit
Credit for Prior Learning
Not all learning takes place inside a classroom. Adult students, in particular, often have a reservoir of college-level learning (CLL) gained through professional and personal accomplishments that they can use to earn non-traditional credit (NTC) towards Loyola's degree completion programs offered through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
Students may apply up to 36 non-traditional credit hours to the completion of their degree program. This can save you up to three full-time semesters of time and money!
Non-Traditional Learning
- NTC is credit earned by demonstrating college-level learning (CLL) completed outside of the classroom.
- NTC is a way for the University to validate your learning from personal and professional experiences by providing credit options that are incredibly cost-effective and that will help you reduce the time to complete your degree.
- NTC can be applied to many core, major, minor, and general elective credit requirements.
- CLL is learning a student has acquired in a personal and/or professional setting that the student must demonstrate through concrete evidence. Experiences alone do not constitute as CLL.
- Students must be able to demonstrate what they can do and how they can apply knowledge in varying situations to achieve positive outcomes.
- Students’ identification and demonstration of CLL is a process that requires reflection – a core Loyola value.
- SCPS adheres to the Higher Learning Commission guidelines and the quality standards, principles, and procedures for assessing learning as determined by Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).
- You can learn more about NTC on the Learning Counts website at this link.
- We recommend that you reflect upon your own personal timeline, starting after high school, to determine CLL from:
- Learning at work (training, professional development, certificates, licensures, etc.)
- Learning as a volunteer (seminars, certificates, etc.).
- Hobbies, travel, and leisure.
- Mastery of a second language.
- Students must demonstrate CLL through evidence and documentation. To start brainstorming, we recommend:
- Completing the Learning Counts Credit Predictor.
- Click this link to be directed to the Learning Counts Credit Predictor.
- Compiling an updated resume.
- Completing the “Inventory and Self-Assessment Timeline” shared in your CPST 200: Introduction to Degree Completion course using your resume as a guide.
- Completing the Learning Counts Credit Predictor.
- There are many way to earn NTC, including:
- Credit through examinations.
- American Council on Education (ACE) credit. This includes credit earned through military training.
- Prior learning assessment (PLA) portfolios administered through Loyola’s NTC partner, Learning Counts.
- Participation in Loyola's Leadership Assessment Center, CPST 210, available Fall 2018.
- If you complete NTC, you can save up to three semesters of time and money. That is over $24,120 in tuition savings!
Types of Non-Traditional Credit
Listed below are the non-traditional credit options that Loyola accepts. Please visit each link to learn more:
- Non-Traditional Credit: Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Portfolios
- Non-Traditional Credit: Examinations
- Non-Traditional Credit: American Council on Education (ACE)
- Non-Traditional Credit: Military Education
- Non-Traditional Credit: Leadership Assessment Center (available Fall 2018)
Take a look at how non-traditional credit fits into your plan to graduate.
