Life Experience Credit

NOTE: Credit for life experience is not evaluated during the admissions process; it is handled after the student has enrolled in the program.

What is life experience credit?

During the course of their career, adults often develop skills and knowledge that are equivalent to college coursework.  The CUNY Baccalaureate offers life experience credits evaluation as a way for students to earn academic credit for knowledge and experience gained outside of a traditional classroom.  In the broadest sense, life experience includes all college-level learning before admission to —or during a significant hiatus from—college. This includes formal learning gained through successful completion of coursework sponsored by non-accredited colleges or other agencies, as well as knowledge obtained through career experience, including volunteer work and professional training. While most things people do involve some sort of learning, not all learning is college-level learning; the most important thing to keep in mind about the life experience credit process is that credit is not awarded for your experiences (no matter how sophisticated) but for your ability to demonstrate that these experiences constitute college-level learning.

Policy and Process

CUNY BA students can earn up to 15 credits for documented learning experiences, published works, or artistic performances that occurred a) before they started college, b) during a hiatus of at least one year in their college careers, or c) in their current job if they were doing the same job for at least two years before starting college, provided they can show that what they learned or did is equivalent to college level work. Students may also apply for life experience credits to earn credit for continuing education or certificate courses they completed, or for credit from colleges they attended that were not accredited.

Seminar: Students wishing to apply for credit for prior experiential learning must attend a Life Experience Seminar at the program office, held throughout the year, typically in October, February, and May (day and evening sessions).

Outline: At the seminar, students learn the guidelines for life experience credits, and learn how to write and present an outline (the required first step, on which they receive feedback), and then how to write and assemble their portfolios.

Portfolio: The portfolio should be submitted within six months of your attendance at one of the seminars. It should include an in-depth narrative detailing what you did and what you learned, showing how your experience resulted in the equivalent of college-level learning; a letter to the evaluation committee and complete documentation is required. Many students choose to include a bibliography as well as additional examples of their work if they have that (i.e., slides, photographs, videotapes, etc.). The portfolio must clearly demonstrate that what was learned outside the classroom does not duplicate learning for which the student has already received credit. Examples of outlines and portfolios are available at the seminar. Students are always welcome to come to the office during regular business hours to see samples of life experience portfolios.

Enrolled CUNY BA students can pursue the life experience credit option when they have earned between 45 and 90 credits. Credit for prior learning cannot be awarded in the semester during which graduation requirements will be completed; students are urged, therefore, not to wait until the last minute to submit their portfolios.

Credit for prior learning can not be applied to area(s) of concentration, liberal arts, residency, or core distribution requirements. This credit is always elective credit. Students who enter the Program with 90 credits do not have room in their degrees for life experience credits; students who enter with close to 90 credits may not have room either (those students should consult their CUNY BA academic advisor after their area of concentration form is approved).

Life experience seminars are held at the program office; call 212.817.8220 to reserve a seat.