Students come to college with diverse backgrounds and experiences, many of which include learning equivalent to college-level coursework. Dallas College is dedicated to ensuring all learners have equal opportunities to have their knowledge and skills recognized and validated, including through accessible and high-quality pathways to a college degree.
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), also referred to as Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), is an academic process that allows students to earn college credit for learning gained outside the traditional classroom setting.
“You already have the knowledge — just feel confident that you can do it.”
Email us to get started at CPL@DallasCollege.edu.
Student Experiences
NARRATOR:
Did you know that you can earn college credit for your business experience at Dallas College?
VINCENT BELL:
My name is Vincent David Bell II. I'm an Environmental Health and Safety Manager in the building products industry. I've always served in mid-level leadership, and I wanted to enroll in Dallas College to help me transition into upper-level leadership.
When I visited, I saw a flyer about the PLA program. When I saw the flyer was an "aha" moment because I felt like with my prior work experience, I would save money, I would save time and it would help me graduate. I knew for sure that programs for me.
I was able to communicate my prior learning experience through an autobiography life experience journal which highlighted my prior work experience and followed by an artifact that was submitted for approval.
The artifact that I submitted was a PowerPoint which highlighted my communication skills. Using work that I already submitted was very rewarding knowing that it would go towards potentially obtaining credit hours.
The course material prompt me into thinking about my experience, but the software was easy to navigate through, and the administrators were there for support whenever I needed them. Due to this workshop being online, I was able to sign in whenever it was convenient for me.
So now that I've finished Dallas College, I'm able to make a regional impact. With the accounting principles and business principles that I studied, I'm able to consolidate facilities on a regional scale and use shared resources.
This facility employs 150 employees. So I'm responsible for 150 families. It feels great to know that I can increase my business acumen, therefore, becoming a better manager to take care of my family here at work.
I'm feeling very optimistic about my future after taking the PLA program. Now I envision myself running facility within the next two to three years.
NARRATOR:
Find out how you can earn college credit for your business experience at Dallas College.
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I actually received an email from Dallas College. They were promoting the PLA program. I immediately applied for it and I was enrolled within the next week. I've been running a business for about 20 years in the past.
I actually created all the new patient paperwork for my current office. I set up the policies and procedure manuals, the payroll, I did all kinds of stuff.
So what I did is I actually took my experience and created these essays. You would just basically write about a 150 words about your concrete experience, your generalization of that experience, and then the theories of the experience. And then the last part is how you would take that experience and apply it and future settings. I'm already familiar with its material. And it's just kinda reaffirming what I've kinda already learned and I'm getting good grades because of it. Thankfully.
I'm working on the associates for Business Administration. If this course were not available to me, I would have had to take a full semester of those courses. I'm actually going to be able to get my degree early because of this course. It's going to make the time go by a little bit faster so I can start working on the next thing, which is, my business.
I want to get my bachelor's and my master's. So I'm really working towards that within the next ten years. I think it affects my daughter in a way that it makes her see that education is really important. It makes me feel very proud and I've worked really hard all my life and to be able to have this opportunity and have her see me. You know, it's just been it's been a blessing. It's a great opportunity to reflect on your own work history that you have and being able to apply it, you already have the knowledge.
Just feel confident that you can do it. Anybody can do this if they really, really put their mind to it.
[Music Playing]
Transfer Credits
Transfer credit is for learning that took place at another similarly accredited school before you enrolled at Dallas College.
Pre-Evaluated Learning
Pre-evaluated learning refers to systematized and standardized types of prior learning. Institutional approval is needed to accept credit recommendations from an organization in this category.
Independent Learning
Individualized learning is most often a case-by-case assessment process. It involves the review, assessment, verification and credentialing of learning experiences gained outside the traditional classroom that do not fall into other categories.