MGT 118 Portfolio development and prior learning assessment

You have learned many things outside of a college classroom. In our one-credit portfolio class, you will learn how to translate education gained through experience into additional college credits. In the class, you will produce a portfolio including essays that you may then submit for credit. After the conclusion of the class you may continue to add essays to your portfolio. Essays may include work, volunteer, church, or personal experiences. Earn up to 30 credits using a combination of the portfolio essays and CLEP exams.

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Northland College policies for awarding credit through prior learning assessment:

General policies

1. To petition for credit through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), students must enroll in the one-credit course, MGT 118 Portfolio Development and Prior Learning Assessment. An exception will be made if a student is only seeking two P.E. credits. In this case, the student, working independently with the Portfolio Specialist, can assemble the portfolio without taking MGT 118.
2. To successfully complete MGT 118 students will assemble an experiential learning portfolio binder that includes a table of contents, an updated resume, a copy of all transcripts, a list of all courses completed for credit, one revised portfolio essay, one first draft of a second essay, and any necessary documentation to support the essays.
3. Successfully completing the MGT 118 course is the first step in the portfolio process.
4. Each PLA essay submitted will address the outcomes/content of a specific course description from an accredited college or university. Where a match cannot be found, an appropriate college-level textbook may be used instead, or outcomes may be developed in consultation with the appropriate expert in the field. The essay will be assessed using David Kolb's Model of Experiential Learning (i.e., description of concrete experience, observation and reflection on learning, development of concepts from the learning, application of concepts). By college policy, a Satisfactory grade on a submitted portfolio is equivalent to at least a "C" grade.
5. The learning experience demonstrated and verified through PLA must have the academic equivalence of college-level learning. Developmental, remedial, or self-help courses are not comparable to college-level courses. College-level learning must be at the level of achievement defined by the faculty as college equivalent or consistent with the learning of other students engaged in four-year college courses, and be applicable outside the specific job or context in which it was learned.
6. The learning experience for a PLA petition must have taken place following the student's graduation from high school.
7. In the instance where no qualified assessor is available and willing to evaluate a portfolio essay subject, that subject will not be accepted. If no qualified Northland faculty member is available, the Portfolio Specialist will make a reasonable effort to find and train a qualified assessor from beyond the campus community.
8. Learning must be clearly differentiated from experience in the writing of the PLA essay. Credit is not awarded for experience but for demonstrating learning and the application of that learning.
9. The student should provide adequate documentation to verify the authenticity and appropriateness of the learning experience being assessed.
10. The student will demonstrate college-level writing skills throughout the PLA process. Correct use of standard English including grammar, spelling, punctuation, and organization in written work is essential.
11. Northland College does not guarantee that another institution will accept PLA credit in transfer or as a prerequisite for graduate school. Students interested in transferring to another institution should check with that school about its transfer policies.
12. A maximum of 30 semester credit hours can be granted through the PLA process, CLEP exams, and/or DANTES credits. Students may earn college credit via portfolio assessment and evaluation for any courses in Northland College's catalog (including liberal education requirements), courses offered as special topics at Northland College, and courses generally taught at private and public colleges, as well as universities.
13. Portfolio essays may be used to satisfy liberal education requirements only when the credits earned through the portfolio are equivalent to a course that already exists in the College's Liberal Education Curriculum.
14. Students who do not transfer in sufficient credit hours for admittance into the Evening Degree Program may be allowed to use credit earned via the Prior Learning Assessment Program to satisfy admission criteria.
15. Courses petitioned through PLA may not duplicate transfer credit or any other previously taken course work used to fill degree requirements.

Contact Information

Ralph Stewart    
Evening Degree Program Coordinator
Email: adultlearning@northland.edu
Phone: (715) 682-1257