CNM Credit for Prior Learning Policy

Purpose of Credit for Prior Learning

Learning occurs throughout life and work experiences. To recognize college-level learning students achieve outside of formal higher education, Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) relies on the following policies and procedures to ensure that Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) practices are consistent with academic integrity and responsive to lifelong learners. 

The term “credit for prior learning” (CPL) refers to all of the processes CNM uses to review, evaluate, and award academic credit based upon evidence of learning in accordance with academic and administrative standards. CPL is awarded for demonstrated proficiency of college-level learning. This entails systematic evaluation of the knowledge, skills, and competencies students have obtained as a result of their learning experiences outside of higher education. 

Student Policies and Procedures

Eligibility

In order to apply for and receive CPL, the student must be an active CNM certificate or degree seeking student.

CPL Award

1. Various assessment methods exist to measure the student’s ability to demonstrate college-level proficiency in learning outcomes associated with existing courses.
2. CPL will only be awarded for courses that are directly applicable to program requirements in the student’s declared certificate or degree as specified in college publications and is consistent with other institutional policies. 
3. Students will still be required to meet the minimum academic residency requirement for any certificate or degree. Residency requirements are the minimum number of credit hours that a student must earn from CNM to graduate. CPL credits earned through challenge exams, CNM Ingenuity, Inc., and portfolio assessment are applied toward academic residency requirements; however, CPL credits earned via any other method are considered transfer credit and do not count toward academic residency requirements. Students may earn up to 75% of their required program hours through any combination of CPL methods. (See Appendix 1 for details.) Students can speak with a school advisor to discuss requirements for a specific program. 

Financial Aid

Financial aid does not cover the costs of CPL. However, financial aid may be affected by credit hours awarded through CPL methods. Credit hours awarded through CPL methods count toward the total earned hours that a student has acquired and the 150% rule. Students should consult with a financial aid advisor to determine how credits earned through CPL may affect them prior to requesting any CPL.

Assessment Methods

The following guidelines and methods are acceptable for assessing prior learning for awarding credit:

1. Military Training: Credit recommendations listed in the American Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide serve as the basis for assessing the transferability of military training and occupations. For military training that has not been evaluated by ACE, credit is assessed by the academic school that offers the course on a case-by-case basis.
2. Standardized Exams: Credit will be awarded for passing scores on some national for-credit examination programs, such as the College Board College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Passing scores are available on the Credit for Standardized Exams website.
3. Challenge Exams: Institutionally-prepared exams developed for specific CNM courses to validate that a student’s prior learning meets the learning objectives of the course being challenged. A list of current challenge exams can be found on the CPL website. The academic school determines if a challenge exam will be developed.
4. Certifications and Licensures: Current industry-recognized credentials validated through the issuing agency or organization may be used to award credit, as approved by the academic school. 
5. Community Partnerships, Professional Development, Workforce and On-the-Job Training: Locally evaluated employer training (CNM Community Partnerships), professional development training, and ACE credit recommendations listed on the National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training. On a case-by-case basis, workforce trainingcompleted outside of CNM, and nationally recognized exams not yet listed on the CPL website are evaluated by the academic school that offers the applicable course. School evaluations are conducted using ACE credit recommendations (if applicable) and/or evaluation of the workforce/on-the-job training learning outcomes. 
6. CNM Ingenuity, Inc. and Unmudl Training: Non-credit workforce training and skills development offered through CNM Ingenuity, Inc., directly or via the Unmudl online learning platform. Academic school evaluations are conducted using the non-credit learning outcomes to determine equivalency with credit-based courses. 
7. Portfolio Assessment: Portfolios consist of documentation and corresponding narrative submitted for credit that comprehensively, demonstrates proficiency of the learning objectives for a particular course. Individual portfolios are assessed using current CNM standards. For certain courses, a skills demonstration or interview may also be required with the learning narrative. It is up to the academic school to determine if portfolio assessment is allowed for a specific course.

• Students interested in earning credit by portfolio assessment are directed to an Advisor or the CNM CPL website for more information. 
• See Appendix 2 below for CNM’s accepted standards for assessing prior learning.

Request for Evaluation of Prior Learning 

Students are encouraged to submit a Request for Evaluation of Prior Learning form, with documentation of the learning, for Provide It experiences that have not already been evaluated. These include: 

• Military Training and Occupations 
• Industry Credentials 
• Workforce Training, Professional Development, On-the-job Training, and other experiences that have ACE credit recommendations listed on the ACE National Guide. 

The academic school reviewing the learning experience may request further documentation of the learning experience from the student to determine equivalency with credit courses and credit award. 

Application of CPL Award

Credits awarded through CPL will be applied to program requirements in the following ways: 

1. CPL credits are applied to degree or program requirements in the same manner as other credits earned at CNM. Please refer to CPL Award section of this document for further information.
2. CNM awards credit for prior learning only for courses or programs for which there are active CNM Catalog listings.
3. CNM will assign the appropriate CNM course title(s) and number(s) to the credit(s) awarded. Neutral grades of “CR” (credit), for challenge exams, CNM Ingenuity Inc., or portfolio assessment, or “TR” (transfer credit), for all other assessment methods, will be utilized and will not affect a student’s GPA. Traditional letter grades are not assigned for CPL awards. 
4. CNM uses a course equivalency model for assessing prior learning. CPL credits are only awarded to students who demonstrate college level learning (“B” or “C”) of the course learning outcomes, as required by the course or courses in which credit is earned.
5. Earned credit is transcribed onto the student’s academic record within 10 business days of the award. 

Transferability

CPL is granted for the purpose of satisfying CNM graduation requirements. These credits may not be accepted at other colleges and universities. Students are responsible for contacting the institution to which they intend to transfer to determine that institution’s policy on accepting CPL awarded at CNM. 

CNM reserves the right to evaluate, apply, or deny CPL awarded at another institution. CPL, or PLA, awarded at another institution is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Students should contact the academic school from which they are seeking credit, or submit a Request for Evaluation of Prior Learning to [email protected], along with relevant documentation of learning, certification, or training completion. 

Fees

Fees charged for any method of CPL must be paid in full prior to the student’s submission of the CPL request. CPL fees will be reviewed and approved annually by the CNM Governing Board. Current fees are located on the CPL website.

1. Credit for Industry Certifications/Licensures, Apprenticeships, and CNM Community Partnerships: A fee is charged for processing requests for the following CPL assessment methods: State and national industry certifications and licensures, apprenticeships, and community partnerships between CNM and specific employers that offer equivalent training.  
2. Credit for Military Occupations and Training: There is no fee for processing credit earned through military occupation and training. 
3. Credit by Exam: Fees associated with standardized exams and challenge exams vary by exam. Students can visit the Credit by Standardized Exams or Credit by Challenge Exams website to verify fees associated with each exam offered at CNM. No fee is charged for transcribing credit earned by a standardized exam that was taken outside of CNM. 
4. CNM Ingenuity, Inc and Unmudl Training (CNM Non-credit to Credit): There is no fee for granting credit to programs/courses offered through CNM Ingenuity, Inc. that have been evaluated for equivalency to credit programs/courses. 
5. Portfolio Assessment: Students pay a non-refundable processing fee upon acceptance of their petition to earn credit by portfolio assessment. Students should visit the Credit by Portfolio Assessment website for information on the portfolio assessment fee.

CPL Appeals

Students may appeal a CPL credit award decision in writing to the Academic School to which the initial CPL request was made. Appeals of credit awards are initiated using the Credit for Prior Learning Appeal Form, attached to any supporting documentation for the appeal, and the packet is submitted by the student to the appropriate academic school within 10 work days of the decision to deny equivalent course credit.

Institutional Policies and Procedures

Tracking

CNM tracks the level of student participation in each form of CPL and the resulting credit awards in each category. Tracking information is used to inform CNM on how to best serve students and to ensure the quality of the CPL Program.

Staff and Faculty Professional Development

Staff and faculty involved with the CPL Program at CNM receive training for the role they serve. Faculty training is required to ensure consistent practices in assessing learning portfolios and challenge exam development. CPL training and periodic updates are also provided to staff who advise and direct students, as well as those processing credit awards. 

Review

This policy is reviewed on an annual basis and revised to reflect conformity with academic and administrative standards.

Appendix 1 – CPL Award Limits Based on Program Hours