Section 1501.311  Credit for Prior Learning

a)         Policy and Procedures

1)         Each college shall electronically submit to ICCB for review its policies for the award of academic credit for prior learning. This submission shall be made by March 31 of each calendar year for policies effective in the subsequent Fall semester,

A)        These policies shall include a listing of the types of documentation acceptable to the college and the dates of inclusion for which credit for prior learning is acceptable. 

B)        At a minimum, each college shall publish the procedures for students to earn credit for prior learning in its catalog and on its official website.

C)        Colleges shall regularly monitor, evaluate and, if necessary, revise credit for prior learning activities.

2)         As a part of these policies, each college shall adopt a specific policy for the awarding of academic credit for military training that is considered applicable to the requirements of the student's certificate or degree program.

A)        The policy shall apply to any student who is enrolled at the college and who has successfully completed a military training course or program as part of his or her military service that is:

i)          recommended for credit by a national higher education association that provides credit recommendations for military training courses and programs;

ii)         included in the student's military transcript issued by any branch of the armed services; or

iii)        otherwise documented as military training or experience.

B)        These policies may be incorporated into the college's broader credit for prior learning policies.

3)         This Section is not applicable to secondary/postsecondary articulation agreements or dual enrollment.

b)         Awarding Credit for Prior Learning

1)         Credit for prior learning can be awarded only after the assessment of prior learning experiences and only for documented learning that demonstrates achievement of all terminal objectives for a specific course or courses. 

2)         Colleges awarding credit for prior learning must validate credit on a course-by-course basis.  The following publications and methods are acceptable for validating prior learning for awarding credit:

A)        Standardized tests:

i)          College-Level Examination Program (CLEP);

ii)         Excelsior College/Formerly American College Testing Proficiency Examination Program (ACT-PEP/RCE EXCELSIOR);

iii)        Defense Activity for Nontraditional Educational Support (DANTES);

iv)        Advanced Placement (AP);

v)         International Baccalaureate (IB);

B)        College examinations:

i)          Examination (written, oral, demonstration or a combination of all three) that is equivalent to the comprehensive final exam;

ii)         Evaluation by an area dean or designated subject expert;

C)        Published guides:

i)          American Council on Education (ACE) for military training and experiences;

ii)         ACE (non-collegiate) for industrial and corporate training programs;

iii)        Other published guides developed by nationally recognized organizations;

D)        National Certifications: Child Development Associate (CDA);

E)        Portfolios:

i)          Credit through the development of a portfolio;

ii)         Evaluation by subject matter experts.

3)         Credit may not be awarded twice for the same learning.

c)         Standard for Awarding Credit for Prior Learning

1)         The student must enroll at the college and meet all admission requirements for the program in which course credit for prior learning is being sought.  A college may seek an exception to this provision by making a request and receiving subsequent approval from ICCB.

2)         Students must be able to meet residency requirements for certificates and degrees without the use of prior learning credit in the determination.

3)         Assessment of prior learning credit may happen at any point during the application and admission process.  To award a degree or certificate, the college must ensure that residency requirements are met. Typically, fifteen credit hours is required towards a degree or at least twenty-five percent of the required credit for a certificate.

4)         College validation procedures should be objective to the extent that external evaluators would reach the same conclusion given the material reviewed.

d)         If pursuing a transfer degree (Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS) or Associate in General Studies (AGS)), credit for prior learning will only be granted for the purpose of satisfying graduation requirements.  These credits might not transfer to other colleges. 

e)         All work assessed for prior learning must meet or exceed a grade level of "C".  Minimum cut-off scores on standardized tests are set at a "C" grade level. 

f)         In the process of determining if credit can be awarded for prior learning, colleges shall charge students only for the cost of the prior learning assessment services and not for the amount of credit awarded.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 2227, effective February 1, 2023)