Credit for Work Experience

Your work experience may count as credits toward your degree, saving you time and money.

Unity College Distance Education students may apply to earn credit for experience outside of coursework.

• Graduate students may only receive up to six credits towards a degree program through Credit for Prior Learning.
• Undergraduate students may receive up to 30 credits toward a program through Credit for Prior Learning and no more than a total of 90 credits combined with Prior learning and Transfer credits.

Here are ways you may qualify to receive credit for prior learning experiences:

• Credit for professional licenses and credentials earned
• Credit of a prepared portfolio documenting skills and knowledge
• Credit for exams, trainings, or certifications received

If you choose to submit a portfolio, please include the following items:

• Course Information – Includes the learning outcomes for the specific course you are challenging.
• Summary Sheet – Matches each course learning outcome to your experience and supporting evidence.
• Resume and Biographical Essay – Provides an overview of your learning experiences related to the course.
• Narrative – Demonstrates how you have achieved each course learning outcome.
• Documentary Evidence – Supports your claims to knowledge of the learning outcomes.

Next Steps for requesting credit for prior learning

• Contact the Distance Education Concierge regarding your intent to apply for credit for prior learning.
• Send material to be evaluated (see list above) and pay a non-refundable fee of $500 per course you are requesting. Federal loans cannot be used to pay this fee. Payment must be processed before we will evaluate your materials.
• Within 30 days, we will review your material and give you a final decision.

For more information, please contact the Distance Education Concierge at online@unity.edu or (207) 509-7155.