Credit for Prior Learning
Cal Poly Humboldt grants up to 30 semester units of credit for learning, knowledge, or skills- based experience that has been documented and evaluated according to university policy.
Students should be aware, however, that policies for earning credit for prior learning vary from university to university in the CSU. Appropriate forms and supporting documentation must be submitted to the registrar through the Office of Records and Registration.
Credit for prior learning includes academic credit earned from:
- examinations (standardized and Cal Poly Humboldt faculty-developed);
- learning, skills, and knowledge acquired through experience;
- learning acquired outside formal higher education; and/or
- education, training, and service provided by the Armed Forces of the United States (i.e. military credit).
Credit for prior learning only pertains to the granting of credit (units)-it does not include situations in which credit is not earned, such as waiving a prerequisite/requirement or establishing achievement/readiness via a placement exam.
General Limitations
- Credit for prior learning shall not be used to fulfill any of the required number of units in residence at Cal Poly Humboldt pursuant to Title 5 and CSU policy.
- No more than 25 percent of the total credits required for the degree/certificate may be credit awarded for prior learning, which means that:
- For the bachelor’s degree, no more than 30 semester units may be fulfilled by credit for prior learning.
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For the graduate degree, no more than 7.5 semester units may be fulfilled by credit for prior learning.
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For the certificate of study, no more than 25 percent of the minimum required units may be fulfilled by credit for prior learning.
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Exception: International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement Tests standardized exams are NOT subject to this limit
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Within the above limits, non-collegiate instruction with ACE recommended credits (i.e. learning outside of traditional higher education) shall count outright as outlined below:
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No more than 9 semester units towards a bachelor’s degree
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No more than 3 semester units towards a graduate degree, certificate of study, or minor.
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Exception: Students who enter Cal Poly Humboldt with an associate degree for transfer (ADT) will be able to count credits beyond the 9 and 3 unit maximums herein if the credits are transcribed on their ADT transcripts, subject to the maximum 25 percent limitations described above.
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Credit for prior learning shall not count toward full-time/part-time status at Cal Poly Humboldt (for scholarships, tuition, and other purposes) nor is this credit eligible for the award of financial aid at Cal Poly Humboldt. However, credit for prior learning will count toward the maximum time frame (i.e. attempted units) to graduation for federal financial aid purposes, and thus it may reduce overall aid awarded while pursuing the degree.
Non-duplication of credit
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Care shall be taken not to award duplicate credit because of overlapping tests, assessments, and/or college-level courses. Where there is partial overlap, the amount/distribution of credit shall be reduced accordingly as determined by Cal Poly Humboldt.
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Credit for prior learning shall not be awarded if the student has received credit for a course at a level more advanced than the content level of the requested credit for prior learning. For example, credit cannot be earned for a language at level II when the student is enrolled in or has completed level III.
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Credit for prior learning shall not be awarded if the student has taken the course and received any grade (including a passing grade or a different mark such as “I”, “RP”, “F” , “WU”, “NC”) or academic renewal.
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External Sources of Credit for Prior Learning
External sources of credit for prior learning include:
Credit by External Exam (AP, CLEP, DLPT, DSST, IB)
Cal Poly Humboldt may grant credit for passing scores on external examinations such as Advanced Placement (AP), the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), United States Department of Defense’s Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program (DSST), and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. No more than 30 semester units of such credit may apply to a baccalaureate degree (Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credits are excluded from this limit). If the content covered by an examination duplicates other credit awarded, the units will be adjusted from the amount indicated.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Cal Poly Humboldt grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted up to 6 semester units (9 quarter units) of college credit.
A student may take an unlimited number of Advanced Placement exams and apply all to the baccalaureate degree. Scores of 3-5 are required for credit to be granted. Credit is based on when the examinations were taken. The Advanced Placement (AP) Examination Credit table shows the total credit in semester units, GE credit and/or course equivalency for exams completed beginning Fall 2010. Refer to earlier catalog years for full details.
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CLEP Examinations
The CLEP Examination Credit table shows the total credit in semester units, GE credit and/or course equivalency for exams completed beginning Fall 2010. Refer to earlier catalog years for full details.
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Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) Passing Scores
Utilizing the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations as described below, three lower division semester hours for language shall equate to three semester units in CSU GE Breadth Subarea C2 Humanities.
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DSST Examinations
Students who present minimum scores per the DSST Examination Credit table will be granted 3 semester units of college credit.
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International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams
A student may take an unlimited number of International Baccalaureate exams and apply all to the baccalaureate degree. Credit is based on when the courses were taken. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam Credit table shows the total credit in semester units, GE credit and/or course equivalency for exams completed beginning Fall 2010. Refer to earlier catalog years for exams completed prior to Fall 2010.
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Credit for Non-Collegiate Instruction
Cal Poly Humboldt grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of non-collegiate instruction, either military or civilian, appropriate to the baccalaureate degree, which has been recommended by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education. The numbers of units allowed are those recommended in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services and the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs. As per CSU policy, every effort should be made to assure that “military” credit is used to advance individuals towards degree completion.
Carefully review the general limitations above for additional unit limits on non-collegiate instruction.
Appropriate documentation of instruction/coursework must be submitted to the registrar through the Office of Records and Registration before credit can be awarded.
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Military Credit
As per CSU policy, every effort should be made to assure that “military” credit is used to advance individuals towards degree completion. In order to have external credits for prior learning recognized, students must submit official transcripts and/or official test scores to Cal Poly Humboldt. Students with military credit must submit a military Joint Services Transcript (JST) to the Veterans Enrollment Transition Services (VETS) Center. When applicable, pursuant to federal law, Cal Poly Humboldt will maintain a written record of credit granted.
- Completion of basic military training (boot camp) shall be used to satisfy Area E in the university’s general education requirements, Title 5, Section 40405.1(A)(5). Satisfaction of Area E in this manner does not exempt students from completing health courses required to earn a teacher credential. To receive credit for basic training, file a copy of their Member 4 DD214 with the Veterans Enrollment and Transition Services (VETS) office.
- Basic Training (other than Marines): A total of 4 units will be applied to the baccalaureate degree and will be distributed as: 3 units GE Area E: Lifelong Learning and Self-Development and 1 unit elective.
- Basic Training (Marines): A total of 8 units will be applied to the baccalaureate degree and will be distributed as: 3 units GE Area E: Lifelong Learning and Self-Development and 5 units electives.
- Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) passing scores
- Other military credit: Students may earn credit for education and training courses completed in the military based on recommendations by the American Council on Education. Cal Poly Humboldt will maintain a written record of the previous education and training of veterans and eligible persons, the Degree Audit Report (DARS) will clearly indicate that credit has been granted when applicable, per 21.4253 Students are required to submit a military Joint Service Transcript to the VETS office.
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Internal (Cal Poly Humboldt) Sources of Credit for Prior Learning
Cal Poly Humboldt may award credit for prior learning for demonstrated learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience. Cal Poly Humboldt is committed to providing students with opportunities to validate and recognize what they already know and can do via credit for prior learning. Many students arrive with diverse experiences, including prior learning that takes place in formal and/or informal settings, which may be equivalent to college-level learning.
Credit for prior learning shall be awarded based on evidence of learning, not solely on the basis of experience or time spent in a particular field. Courses that are not appropriate for credit for prior learning shall be clearly communicated in the university catalog (for the 2024-25 catalog year, contact the Office of Records & Registration).
Limits on Internal Credit for Prior Learning
- Internal sources of credit shall not be used in determining eligibility for admission unless it was previously transcribed on the student’s academic record.
- The student seeking credit shall be active, matriculated in a degree-seeking program at Cal Poly Humboldt and must be enrolled in other courses in the semester the prior learning credit is requested. Credit shall be for a specific course or program area.
- Before earned credit becomes a part of the student’s official academic record, the student must demonstrate a satisfactory pattern of learning in residence at Cal Poly Humboldt by completing 15 units in residence as an undergraduate or 3 units in residence as a graduate student.
Internal Cal Poly Humboldt sources of credit for prior learning include:
Credit by Examination (Challenge a Course)
Students may challenge courses by taking examinations developed at Cal Poly Humboldt through the request process. Credit shall be awarded to those who pass them successfully. A challenge exam may include multiple components/formats (e.g., hard copy, electronic, written, activities, interviews, performative or practical requirements).
In addition to the process outlined above for all sources of internal credit for prior learning, credit by examination requires approval from the instructor of the course.
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Portfolio Assessment
Students may submit a portfolio to demonstrate learning, knowledge, or skills acquired through experience through the request process. Credit may be awarded for a particular course or program requirement.
Preparation and content of the portfolio is the responsibility of the student. A portfolio should include at least the following: An essay describing how the student’s prior learning meets the learning outcomes of the course or program requirement; examples of work that demonstrate skills/knowledge (e.g., written work, products, artwork, recorded performances); and, if applicable, documentation of completion of learning activities and supporting information supplied by a supervisor and/or employer.
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Request Process for Internal Credit for Prior Learning
Request forms for internal credit by examination and portfolio assessment are available from the Office of Records and Registration, SBS 133. Forms must be submitted by the add/drop deadline of the semester in which they request to pursue credit. Do not register for the class you would like to challenge.
- The request shall be reviewed by the Registrar’s Office and routed to the chair of the department that offers the course, or, if the request does not align with a particular Cal Poly Humboldt course or department, it shall be reviewed by the associate dean of the most aligned college and the dean of undergraduate and graduate studies.
- Approval by the department chair shall be based upon:
- appropriate course learning outcomes which can be assessed via challenge exam;
- the availability of qualified subject matter experts (i.e. faculty in the department) to give the examination; and
- the student presents reasonable preparation for the assessment.
- Once requests to attempt challenge exams or portfolio assessments are approved, students shall follow the timeline set by the faculty overseeing the exam/assessment. Faculty shall make every effort to set a timeline such that the student is made aware of the result prior to when registration opens for the subsequent term, but in all cases no later than the final week of the term.
- Upon submission of the exam or portfolio, faculty will begin the grading and assessment process.
- Students shall earn credit for challenge exams and portfolio assessment if they demonstrate a performance equivalent to a score of 70 percent or higher. For portfolios, credit may be awarded for fewer credits than requested. Faculty evaluators may offer students the opportunity to provide additional evidence of prior learning if the initially submitted portfolio is not sufficient for credit but evinces potential for credit. Faculty shall notify the Office of Records & Registration of the final credit recommendation.
- Once official, credit shall be posted on the Cal Poly Humboldt official transcript in the semester in which it was attempted. Credit shall be documented as credit (CR) for the number of applicable units. The grade mode shall be mandatory CR/NC, and thus CR may fulfill major requirements, if applicable.
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