Prior Learning Assessment

Cardinal Stritch University awards credit for military training and occupational experiences by applying Stritch transfer credit policies to American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations for military learning.

Past and present members of most branches of the armed forces will need to request an official Joint Services Transcript (JST).  These transcripts are free and typically take one business day to post and be released to the school.  Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, Reserves, and Coast Guard veterans and active-duty service-members will all use this one transcript.  (Air Force members see below.)

Up to 60 of the combined 60 allowable credits for all extra-institutional learning may be awarded directly from ACE recommendations.  However, credit is typically only transferred if it can be usefully applied to a student's degree.  In some cases we may elect not to transfer the maximum if those additional credits would not apply to graduation requirements.  Most military credit transfers as electives, but some direct course equivalencies may be granted based on the recommendations and the student's intended area of study.  Duplicate credit reflected on the transcript will not be transferred.  Additionally, credit noted as vocational will not transfer directly.  Students with vocational learning are referred to the portfolio option. 

Register for a JST account and request your transcript.*

Occasionally, JST's may not list all courses a student has completed.  Students are advised to follow the relevant service branch's instructions for updating or correcting a JST.  Consult the JST website below for instructions.  Additional documentation that may be used to establish completion of a military training course or duty classification includes Forms DD 214, 225, or 295.  Some courses may lack ACE recommendations, in which case transfer credit may not be awarded.  The portfolio may be an option for some of these courses.

Military learning for Air Force members is recorded on a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript.  The CCAF is a regionally accredited institution of higher learning and, as such, is treated identically to other accredited colleges and universities.  An official CCAF transcript should be requested at the time of application by visiting Air University.

Learn more about JST's, ACE evaluations, and transfer of military credit on the ACE website.

Or view the JST informational brochure.

*Your browser will likely warn you about a problem with the JST website's security certificate.  The Dept of Defense does not pay for browsers to recognize its certificate, but the site is secure.  Click to continue to the site if and when prompted.

Students with professional certifications/licenses and/or who have completed formal, non-collegiate or non-transferable coursework or training are encouraged to submit supporting documentation in a prior learning portfolio.
 
Examples of learning activities that are appropriate to submit in the portfolio are:

• Employer-sponsored training programs
• Technical or vocational courses
• Professional and Continuing Education courses
• Professional licenses
• Certificate courses 

A total of 36 credits of the 60 allowable credits for extra–institutional learning may be earned through portfolio and/or experiential essays toward a bachelor’s degree.  Portfolios are assessed on campus using Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) standards, American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations, pre-assessed prior learning course information, and content expertise.

Full instructions regarding portfolio preparation, documentation, and submission may be found in the Canvas PLA course.

The experiential learning essay is an option by which students may petition to receive credit for college-level learning gained through professional or personal experiences that have occurred outside of the formal classroom.
 
The 10-12 page essay demonstrates acquired theoretical knowledge and its practical application as measured against a parallel college course.
 
Essays are assessed on campus by content-area, expert evaluators, who are qualified to be instructors for the parallel course. Students provide letters of validation for their experience and demonstrate in essay form the learning acquired.  David Kolb's experiential learning model forms the theoretical foundation for the essays.  Kolb’s model requires students to identify their concrete experiences, make observations and reflections, identify college-level theory and principles from the literature, and explain evidence of application or transfer of learning.
 
Before composing the essay, students will need to obtain authorization from their academic counselor, the Coordinator of Prior Learning Assessment, and a faculty evaluator. 
 
Full instructions regarding essay composition and submission may be found in the Canvas PLA course.
 
The oral communication video option falls under general experiential essay policies, but due to its unique content, requires more specific demonstrations of practical skills and theoretical knowledge.  Consult the Video Submission Guide for details.