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Credit for Prior Learning

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Get credit for your experience

At M State, we recognize that learning doesn’t only happen in a classroom. Some students have already built significant knowledge and skills through work experience, military service, apprenticeships, and more. That’s why we offer Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), a process that allows you to turn what you already know into college credit. We'll help you determine whether your work experience and qualifications equal college-level knowledge, skills and abilities.

Sections

Standardized exams

M State accepts results from these exams:

* denotes scores admissible for first-year students only

Industry-based credentials

An industry-based credential is endorsed by a nationally recognized association, organization or trade group that represents a significant part of that industry.

Such credentials include most work-related certification issued by an industry or professional association (e.g., Cisco Certified Network Administrator, the American Welding Society, American Heart Association for CPR and First Aid, by the American Red Cross)

Credit is awarded for:

American Heart Association certificate
American Red Cross certificate
CompTIA certification
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf endorsement
National Registered Emergency Medical Technician certification

National/state licensure

Holding an occupational license shows that you have completed and been evaluated for proper training and educational requirements to receive a licensure to practice.

Examples of occupational licenses include:

Registered nurse
Licensed practical nurse
Certified nursing assistant
Emergency medical technician
Cosmetologist (state-licensed)
Teacher
Teacher aide
Pharmacy technician

Credit is awarded for:

North Dakota POST certification
U.S. Immigration Court/Department of Justice (SOSi) qualifications

Military training and education

M State recognizes and values the contributions of service members, veterans, dependents, and other military-related personnel to our nation. We recognize their professional military education and training and work to align it with our current curriculum and industry standards.

M State will award credit for training or service in the military if the courses meet the standards of the American Council on Education (ACE) or the equivalent. (Minnesota Statute 197.775 Subdivision 2)

The ACE Military Guide supports academic institutions in awarding college credit to military-connected learners based on their military training and occupations.

Current and former members of the Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy can find information about the Joint Services Transcripts and how transcripts may be requested.

Current and former members of the Air Force can request transcripts from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF). Air Force and Space Force personnel can obtain transcripts at the CCAF website, even if they have not attended classes at the CCAF.

See Minnesota Statute 197.775 Subdivision 2 for details.

Workplace training and education

Many colleges and universities recognize and partner with third-party organizations that offer alternate options for adult learners. Educational organizations such as Straighterline, Study.com, and Sophia have been reviewed by the American Council on Education (ACE) and/or the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS), which provides a level of standardization and assessment of the academic equivalency and quality to their courses.

Students with non-traditional instruction and/or job training already reviewed and recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE) or by the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) and other approved third-party entities may request to have their experiences reviewed for possible credit.

Credit is awarded for training and education from:

Fargo Police Department (North Dakota)
Sanford Health (North Dakota)
3H Interpreter Services (Minnesota)
Minnesota Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Program (Minnesota)

Work experience portfolio

Some learners enter M State with knowledge and skills not recognized by formal institutional credit awards. A work-based portfolio option allows students to seek credit based on their significant learning gained outside the classroom.

Students have the opportunity to submit a portfolio in support of their petition to the academic department for the award of equivalent academic credit for select courses.

Portfolios have a specific format and consist of:

The description of how the course petitioned for academic credit fits the academic plan
An extended learning narrative arguing that the prior learning matches the course’s learning objectives
Documentation of evidence to verify and support statements in the portfolio packet

A faculty subject-matter expert reviews the portfolio as either pass with the course equivalency’s credits or no grade.

Articulation agreements