Save money and graduate sooner with credit for prior learning.
You may have already completed a significant amount of hands-on learning in your everyday life, and those experiences can help you earn credits toward your degree.
As a nonprofit institution, our bottom line is connecting you with a quality education at a price you can afford. Experiential learning credits are just one more opportunity to make your total out-of-pocket college costs as low as possible.
What is credit for work and life experience?
Our credit for the work and life experience program recognizes the knowledge you’ve gained outside the classroom and applies it toward your degree. Whether it’s called experiential learning, prior learning assessment (PLA), or experiential learning portfolio development, the result is the same: you save time and money while getting closer to your goals.
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Here’s how it works.
Once you become a registered Baker College student, you can apply for experiential credit. Once enrolled, you will be enrolled in the Experiential Learning Portfolio Development (ELPD) Canvas community, where you will be connected with a coach to guide you through the process.
Please note that you will create course-specific portfolios that subject matter experts will review to assess whether your experience represents college-level learning. You are only able to submit ELPD portfolios for courses that are part of your academic degree plan.
Steps to Enroll in ELPD
- Complete the Credit Predictor Survey. Students can enroll at any time during the semester.
- The ELPD facilitator will contact you to discuss your experience and course interest.
- Begin developing your digital portfolio(s) through the ELPD self-paced workshop at no cost or obligation.
- Submit a final evaluation form for your portfolio(s).
- Feedback on your portfolio(s) will be provided by email within approximately two weeks of submission. Credit will be granted with a minimum passing score of 70%.
Earn credit for all kinds of learning.
Wondering what credit for work and life experience actually looks like? Here are just a few examples of the types of real-life learning you can apply toward earning your degree:
Job Experience
Military Service
Volunteer Work
Community Leadership and Nonprofit Service
Who is eligible for prior learning experience credits?
Your experience matters, and we’ll work with you to make sure that none of it goes to waste. At Baker College, students from diverse backgrounds can qualify for college credit for prior learning.
Experiential credit isn’t limited to the scenarios listed here. In fact, almost anyone can get credit for prior learning. Our helpful admissions experts are an excellent resource and will be happy to help you explore all of your options. Fill out the form below to get started.