What is Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)?
A process for evaluating and assessing skills on learning gained outside of a traditional academic environment in order to award college credit.
At Prairie View A&M University, students can receive credits from the following PLA programs:
- Advance Placement (AP)
- College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
- DANTES Standardized Subject Test (DSST)
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
- Student(s) are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to determine how much credit will best serve their degree matriculation.
- PLA Transcripts/Score Reports
- It is the student’s responsibility to send their official transcript from the PLA agency to the university.
- The university will not accept any transcript(s) submitted from students.
- Official PLA transcripts should be presented for evaluation prior to the semester in which graduation is planned and/or at the time of admission.
- Applicable PLA credits received from other institutions may be applied toward a student’s degree plan requirements at PVAMU provided they were awarded a letter grade and/or credit by examination on the transcript from the other institution, and an official PLA transcript must be sent to PVAMU designating the grade or score receive on the PLA exam.
- To be eligible for PLA credit, a student must be enrolled at the university.
- Prior Learning credits shall be evaluated only if request by the student through the submission of a PLA Request form.
- Letter grades will not be awarded for PLA achievement.
- PLA credits will not be counted in the student’s cumulative GPA.
- Students will receive only applicable credit hours for satisfactory achievement on PLA exams.
- Academic credit will only be awarded for those courses directly applicable to curriculum requirements at PVAMU.
- A student may not apply for PLA credit for a course in which they are currently enrolled.
- A student may use PLA to fulfill all degree requirements.
- Credit for PLA is subject to a total hour limitation of thirty (30) semester credit hours.
- The acceptance of PLA credit by the University does not assure the application of this credit to a specific degree or other program.
- All documentation and files regarding a student’s prior learning assessment credit will be maintained by the Office of Testing Services and the PLA coordinator.
- To have you PLA credits articulated in the system, students must do the following:
- Send PLA exam scores to the university – transcripts/score reports could take 3 to 4 weeks to be sent to the university.
- For AP exams: Student must send their Official AP Student Score Report for Colleges and Universities from the CollegeBoard by going to: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/sending-scores. Site Code: 6580
- For CLEP exams: Student must send their Official CLEP Transcript from the CollegeBoard by going to: https://clep.collegeboard.org/earn-college-credit/your-score. Site Code: 6580
- For DSST exams: Student must request that their Official DSST Score Report/Transcript be sent by going to https://www.getcollegecredit.com/scores_transcripts/. Site Code: 9006
- For IB exams: Student must request that their Official IB transcript be sent by going to https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/assessment-and-exams/requesting-transcripts/. Site Code: 002185
- Student must complete the online PLA request form at pvamu.edu/pla with the Office of Testing Services. Students are encourage to review the PLA course equivalency charts and speak with their departmental advisors before completing the request form.
- Testing Services will process the request once the transcript and/or score report is received.
- An articulation letter is then sent to the PLA Coordinator for approval.
- Upon approval, the letter will be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for articulation.
- Once articulated, the credits can be viewed in the students Degree Works and Academic Transcript.
For more information on a PLA program please click on one of the icons below.
- Send PLA exam scores to the university – transcripts/score reports could take 3 to 4 weeks to be sent to the university.