Frequently Asked Questions

What is Interdisciplinary Studies?

In Interdisciplinary Studies, students combine multiple academic disciplines, fostering creativity and critical thinking. You can customize learning for your own individual career path or your plan for advanced studies. Learn more about depth studies (similar to majors, but purposely different) on our Degree Information page.

I’m ready to finish my degree after some time away from New College LifeTrack or The University of Alabama. What’s my next step? 

Our coordinator of student recruitment and services is here to help you with your readmission! For more details, reach out to DeAvalon Holman at deavalonh.bama@ua.edu. You might be eligible for our Back to Bama grant. We can’t wait to welcome you back!

Can NCLT review my previous transcripts before I apply?

Yes! Our student recruitment and services coordinator can provide an unofficial review of your transcripts to help you plan your academic journey. We are eager to assist you in understanding what to expect throughout your studies at UA!

Who should I contact if I haven’t been notified about my application?

The University of Alabama admissions office may take several weeks to review your application. If you have not received a notification after submitting your completed application, please contact application.status@ua.edu for more information. We recommend attaching the email confirming that you have sent all the necessary documentation to The University of Alabama. You can also check the status of your application by logging into your application portal. See the application status page for more information.

I am newly admitted. When do I contact my advisor? 

After you enroll at The University of Alabama as an NCLT student, our student recruitment and services coordinator will contact you about your first course, NCLT 101 Foundations of Adult Learning Seminar. Once you register for this course, an advisor will be assigned in five to seven days, and you will be notified via email. 

How do I contact my academic advisor?

You can contact your advisor via email, telephone or by appointment. When emailing, please include your full name, and when leaving voicemail messages, offer times that you are available for return calls. Include your CWID in all messages. Staff contact information can be found on the Meet the Team page on our website. 

Do I have to come to The University of Alabama campus periodically?

Most New College LifeTrack students are required to come to campus only once for the Foundations of Adult Learning Seminar (orientation) during the fall or spring. For those starting in the  summer, the orientation is completely virtual. Although there is no requirement beyond the two-day seminar, we hope that you visit the campus as often as you can: to get to know Tuscaloosa, for the seminar classes that occur one weekend each semester, for football games, to stay in touch — and, of course, for graduation. 

How do I earn credit toward my degree with New College LifeTrack?

In addition to transferring credit from other accredited institutions, you can earn credit through LifeTrack courses, student-designed courses, a prior learning portfolio and through UA Online courses.

What are student-designed directed study or independent study courses?

LifeTrack students can design course contracts with a professor for student-directed or independent study. These are essentially courses you create that investigate a topic of interest to you.

What’s the difference between a faculty-designed course and a student-designed course contract?

A faculty-designed course is the typical kind of course offered by a university and has been designed by the instructor. A student-designed directed study contract is an academic course that you design. You will craft a proposal, including the learning goals, methodology, resources and methods of evaluation for the course. Once approved by an academic advisor, the course will be assigned a faculty member for supervision.

Will graduate schools accept directed study contracts/independent study courses?

Yes. LifeTrack graduates have reported that graduate schools have looked favorably upon their LifeTrack program-directed study courses. Completing an independent project reflects maturity, perseverance and time management skills, characteristics required for graduate-level work.

Can faculty-designed courses or student-designed directed study contracts/independent studies be used anywhere I want in my curriculum?

Yes. You may use faculty-designed courses or student-designed contracts anywhere in your LifeTrack program curriculum. Your advisor will help you in the placement of any courses you may take during your time at UA. 

How many New College LifeTrack courses do most students take at a time?

Typically, most students enroll in two or three courses at a time, although LifeTrack program students may enroll in up to 18 credit hours through UA at any given time.

Are there any courses that do not require writing papers?

Because this is a distance learning program, you should expect to complete papers in most courses.

How long does it take to finish a course?

Students must enroll and complete coursework within the duration of a semester.

How do I get college credit for life experiences?

Through LifeTrack, you can apply to earn college credit for college-level learning obtained through employment, volunteer activities, hobbies, private study and in-service training. Find more information on our Prior Learning page.

How does learning from experience differ from traditional classroom learning?

Most classroom learning begins with theories or ideas; that is, it is deductive, moving from the general to the particular. Learning from experience generally occurs in the midst of work, family or recreational situations; that is, it is inductive, beginning with particular applications from which general principles can be derived.

What kind of life and work experiences qualify for college-level credit?

Many adults have acquired college-level knowledge and skills from a variety of experiences. Business professionals often know sales techniques, business law, bookkeeping, supervision, inventory control or marketing. Office associates often have strong computer and communication skills and knowledge of office procedures. People who have written a great deal often know English composition and technical writing. Many people have public speaking abilities. Working with volunteer and community service organizations could lead to credit for management or counseling. If the skills are at an appropriate level, college credit can be awarded through portfolio evaluation.

What is a portfolio?

Just as classroom instructors use exams, papers, class participation, etc., as indicators that learning has taken place, NCLT uses an experiential learning portfolio — a formal written communication — to assess your life and work experiences for credit. The prior learning portfolio explains and organizes your experience into a manageable format for academic assessment.

Who awards prior learning credit?

A University of Alabama faculty member with expertise in the field assesses the college-level learning demonstrated in the portfolio.

Is there help for students preparing portfolios?

Students seeking prior learning credit are advised to use the Prior Learning Student Guide available to NCLT students for portfolio preparation. Also, a helpful text is “Earn College Credit for What You Know” by Janet Colvin (5th edition, ISBN 0-7575-9691-9, Kendall Hunt Publishing). The LifeTrack prior learning coordinator will provide guidance and information on other texts about portfolio development. In addition, your academic advisor or the prior learning coordinator can provide critiques of drafts of your portfolio elements.

How long does the portfolio assessment take?

The time varies, but portfolio assessment should be finished within six weeks after it has been submitted. (It can take longer prior to scheduled campus holidays, such as winter or spring break). Every effort is made to provide a timely evaluation.

What are the prior learning credit limits?

There is a limit of 30 hours of prior learning portfolio credit (a quarter of the 120 total degree credit hours) that any one student can earn. There is also a 45-credit-hour cumulative credit limit for all types of prior learning credit, including ACE credit, CLEP, AP credit, DANTES credit and portfolio evaluation.

Can prior learning credit be used anywhere in my curriculum?

Prior learning credit can be placed in any of the core requirement areas with Arts and Sciences approval, in the depth study, or as elective credit. Portfolio credit may not be applied to the senior project.