What is Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)?

PLA is a process that evaluates and recognizes learning acquired outside of a traditional academic setting in order to award college credit. All documentation and records related to PLA are maintained by the PVAMU Testing Services office.

  1. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that an official exam transcript from the PLA agency is sent directly to the university. The university does not accept transcripts submitted by students.
  2. To be eligible for PLA credit, you must be officially enrolled at the university, and official PLA exam transcripts should be submitted to the university for evaluation at that time.
  3. The PVAMU PLA Request form must be submitted to initiate the articulation process for PLA credit.
  4. It is recommended that you meet with your academic advisor to discuss how PLA credits can best support your degree plan.
  5. Students cannot apply for PLA credit for a course they are currently enrolled.
  6. Students receive applicable credit hours for satisfactory performance on PLA exams.
  7. The acceptance of PLA credit by the university does not guarantee its application to a specific degree or program.
  8. Letter grades are not awarded for PLA credit.
  9. PLA credit does not count toward the student’s cumulative GPA.
  10. The maximum limit for PLA credits is thirty (30) semester credit hours.
  11. All PLA documentation and records will be maintained and housed by the Office of Testing Services.
  12. Once PLA credit is awarded, it cannot be reversed.

  1. Submit Official PLA Exam Transcript to PVAMU. Students are responsible for requesting that their official PLA transcript be sent directly from the testing agency to the university. Please note that exam transcripts may take up to four (4) weeks to be received and processed by the university.
  2. Complete the PVAMU PLA Request Form. Students must submit the PVAMU PLA Request Form to initiate the evaluation and application of exam credits from their official transcript. Prior to submission, students are encouraged to review the PLA course equivalency charts and consult with their departmental advisor to determine how PLA credits may apply toward their degree plan.
  3. PLA Request Review and Processing. Upon receipt of the completed PLA Request Form and official transcript and/or score report, Testing Services will review and process the request.
  4. PLA Credit Approval. Once the evaluation is complete, a formal approval letter outlining the approved PLA credits will be submitted to PVAMU Enrollment Services for final articulation.
  5. View Awarded PLA Credits. After the credits have been articulated, they will appear in Degree Works and be reflected on the student’s official academic transcript.

  1. Do I need to send my exam transcript, or will my high school transcript suffice for my PLA credits to be awarded? No, you must send your exam transcript from the PLA agency to the university in order to receive credit.
  2. Can I receive credit for my PLA exam if I was awarded a letter grade instead of an exam score? No, PVAMU only awards credit based on exam scores, not letter grades.
  3. Will I get credit for taking a PLA course if I did not take the exam for that course? No, PVAMU does not award credit for PLA courses. You must take the PLA exam for that course and achieve the satisfactory score to receive credit.
PVAMU PLA Request Form

At Prairie View A&M University, students can earn academic credit by taking examinations offered through the following PLA programs:

The College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Program allows high school students to take college-level courses and exams. AP offers over 30 exams across various subjects. These exams are administered nationally at designated high schools each May and are scored on a scale of 0-5. To earn college credit, you need a score of 3 or higher.

Note: AP scores are evaluated based on the American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE Credit) and are subject to change.

Sending Your AP Scores to PVAMU

Use institution code 6580 when requesting to have your AP scores sent directly to PVAMU. If you did not request this at the time of testing or need an additional score report, you can request one through this link.

Note: AP scores for exams taken in May are typically received by PVAMU in mid-July.

AP Exam Credit at PVAMU

For information on which AP exams earn credit at PVAMU, please refer to the AP Course Equivalency Table .

CLEP is a national testing program that allows students to earn college-level credit by taking exams in various subject areas. CLEP offers more than 33 exams. The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends a passing score of 50 to earn credit, though qualifying scores can vary. PVAMU accepts scores from certain CLEP exams for credit in specific courses. CLEP scores are evaluated according to the ACE College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE Credit) and are subject to change.

Sending Your CLEP Scores to PVAMU

Use institution code 6580 when requesting to have your CLEP scores sent directly to PVAMU.

  • If you did not request this at the time of testing or need an additional score report, you can request one through this link.
  • If you took a DANTES-funded CLEP exam, you can request a transcript at this link.

Note: CLEP scores for exams taken on or after July 1, 2022, will be available for 10 years from the test date. Scores for exams taken on or before June 30, 2022, will be available for 20 years from the test date.

CLEP Exam Credit at PVAMU

To find out which CLEP exams are eligible for credit at PVAMU, please refer to the CLEP Course Equivalency Table.

Taking the CLEP at PVAMU

If you would like to take the CLEP exam through PVAMU Testing Services, please visit this link.

The DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) is a national testing program that allows students to earn college-level credit by taking exams in various subject areas. DSST offers more than 35 exams. The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends a passing score of 400 to earn credit, although qualifying scores may vary by department and college.

Sending Your DSST Scores to PVAMU

Use institution code 9006 when requesting to have your DSST scores sent directly to PVAMU. If you did not request this at the time of testing or need an additional score report, you can request one through this link.

DSST Exam Credit at PVAMU

For information on which DSST exams are eligible for credit at PVAMU, please refer to the DSST Course Equivalency Table.

Taking the DSST at PVAMU

If you would like to take the DSST exam through PVAMU Testing Services, please visit this link.

IB program offers a comprehensive international education focused on critical thinking, independent inquiry, and logical reasoning. At PVAMU, course credits are awarded for IB exams taken at both Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL). To qualify for course credit, students must earn the IB diploma and achieve a minimum score of 4 on the corresponding IB exam. Students who take an IB exam without earning the IB diploma will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The total amount of credit from IB exams is limited to a maximum of 24 semester credit hours. Students who score below a 4 on any IB exam will not be eligible for credit.

Sending Your IB Scores to PVAMU

Use institution code 002185 when requesting to have your IB scores sent directly to PVAMU. If you did not request this at the time of testing or need an additional score report, you can request one through this link.

IB Exam Credit at PVAMU

For details on which IB exams are eligible for credit at PVAMU, please refer to the IB Course Equivalency Table.