Colleges grant academic credit for lived experiences to increase enrollment numbers
Streamlining Prior Learning Credit in Pittsburgh and Beyond
The process of earning credit for prior learning (CPL) in Pittsburgh and across the United States is becoming more accessible and streamlined, with a growing emphasis on recognizing life and work experiences as legitimate academic credit. This shift aims to reduce barriers such as complexity, cost, and time, benefiting both students and institutions.
In Pittsburgh, initiatives like those at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) reflect a broader national trend to simplify CPL. Historically, CPL processes were complicated and limited—military training, for example, often translated into minimal academic credit despite relevant skills, as experienced by Stephen Wells, CCAC’s provost. Now, citywide projects and institutional initiatives are working to convert military and occupational experience more effectively into credit, enabling students to complete degrees faster and more affordably.
Nationally, colleges are increasingly offering credit for prior work or military experience. This change responds to declining enrollments and aims to attract adult learners and those with interrupted educations by saving them significant time and tuition costs—students can save between $1,500 and $10,200 and nearly seven months of study on average. Despite long-standing policies for CPL, uptake has been low (about 10%) due to procedural challenges and cost, especially impacting low-income learners.
At the University of Pittsburgh, policies allow transfer and advanced standing credits, including from Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, and these credits are carefully evaluated by academic advisors to ensure they apply appropriately toward degree requirements. This demonstrates the institutional commitment to formalizing prior learning recognition within degree frameworks.
The benefits for students include: - Reduced time to degree completion, thus lowering opportunity costs. - Lower tuition and fees, providing financial relief. - Increased access and equity for adult learners, veterans, and those with workplace skills not traditionally recognized by academia.
For institutions, benefits include: - Attracting and retaining non-traditional students who might otherwise not enroll. - Enhancing student diversity and inclusion by not penalizing learning outside traditional settings. - Aligning academic offerings with workforce needs, improving graduate readiness.
Examples of institutions leading the way in this change include online universities like Western Governors University and Southern New Hampshire University, as well as the University of Memphis, which partners with FedEx to provide academic credit for employees with supervisory training towards a degree in organizational leadership. California's community colleges are also expanding their CPL programs as part of a plan to increase the proportion of the population with educations beyond high school.
In Pittsburgh, Miami Dade College has septupled the number of credits for prior learning awarded since 2020. The UNC System launched its Military Equivalency System, allowing active-duty and former military service members to find out almost instantly if their training could be used for academic credit. Pittsburgh's Regional Upskilling Alliance is connecting job centers, community groups, businesses, and educational institutions to create comprehensive education and employment records for more workers to get credit for skills they already have.
Overall, reforms in Pittsburgh and nationwide are making CPL a valuable tool for educational equity and efficiency, changing how students leverage their experiences toward academic credentials. As the trend continues, it is expected that more students will take advantage of this opportunity, leading to increased access to higher education and a more skilled workforce.
- The streamlined process of earning credit for prior learning (CPL) in Pittsburgh and beyond aims for increased access and equity for adult learners, veterans, and those with workplace skills.
- At the University of Pittsburgh, policies for recognizing prior learning have been designed to promote personal growth by ensuring appropriate transfer and advanced standing of credits from educational programs like Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.
- Innovative education approaches, such as those implemented by universities like Western Governors University, Southern New Hampshire University, and the University of Memphis, emphasize workforce development by providing academic credit for occupational experience.
- In Pittsburgh, initiatives like the Regional Upskilling Alliance are fostering learning opportunities by connecting workers with existing skills to educational institutions, promoting education-and-self-development and enhancing the local workforce.
