Earn Credit for What You Already Know
At New College LifeTrack, we know that learning doesn’t happen only in a classroom. Through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), you can earn college credit for skills and knowledge gained through work, volunteering, military service or other life experiences. The process involves the student’s development of an academic portfolio to be evaluated by UA faculty.
How It Works
- Get Started – A request for prior learning credit can be submitted once you have completed 12 graded UA hours.
- Plan It Out – Talk with your academic advisor and identify areas where your real-world experience matches college coursework.
- Apply – Turn in an Application to Submit Knowledge (ASK) to the prior learning coordinator.
- Create Your Portfolio – Once approved, you’ll have six months to build a portfolio showing what you learned and how it matches college-level learning.
- Faculty Review – Faculty experts will review your portfolio and determine if credit can be awarded.
- Credit Earned – Approved credits appear on your transcript and count toward your degree.
Types of Prior Learning Credit
- Regular ASK — For in-depth portfolios based on personal or professional experience.
- Evaluated by UA faculty
- Counts as four-year college transfer credit (up to 90 hours)
- $500 fee for the evaluation, regardless of credits earned
- Subjects could include management, computer science, information systems, photography, safety, and health and human services
- Modified ASK — For formal training programs (like military, Dale Carnegie or industry certifications).
- Counts as two-year college transfer credit (up to 60 hours)
- No cost
- Includes military training, Dale Carnegie, Six Sigma, Microsoft certifications, EMT or criminal justice training and similar learning
- CLEP/AP Exams — Accepted according to UA’s standard policies.