A student at Empire State College of the State University of New York studying under a mentor like Sharon Villines is likely to get college credit in a wider variety of subject areas than a candidate for a traditional bachelors degree. (MM)

A program which allows an undergraduate, with some faculty supervision, to work out his own personalized plan of study abroad. (Editor/IR)

The Institute for Personal and Career Development of Central Michigan University offers external degree programs for adult learners using nontraditional study. The competency-based programs described include credit given for the educational background and relevant career-life experiences of registered nurses in Michigan. (Author/LBH)

The fourth part of a 1977-78 comprehensive study of the individualized baccalaureate degree program of the General College of the University of Minnesota is reported. Using transcripts and other records, students' progress prior to and after admission to the program was studied, and the kinds and amounts of credit granted by the college were…

This publication is the first in the series, "New Dimensions in Higher Education," which developed from a concern for the problems facing colleges and universities. Independent study and its implications for increasing educational effectiveness are examined in terms of: honors programs; independent study programs; the interest in, and scope,…

Models for assessing prior learning or noncollege learning are discussed. The increasing variety of interests, ages, and levels of maturity among prospective college students requires that higher education institutions face the issue of granting credit for noncollege learning. It is suggested that the key issue for colleges and universities is how…

This is the introduction and summary of a series of six papers discussing major issues about student assessment for the University of Wisconsin Extended Degree Program, a program designed to give academic credit for college level learning derived from experiences outside the scope of formal classes. A distinction is made between prior learning,…

Evaluation of prior learning for the External Degree Program at Florida International University is described. Efforts in the following areas are presented: (1) implementation and evaluation of the competency-based assessment tool, (2) integration of the assessment process with other processes of the External Degree Program and the entire…

This handbook is intended to facilitate the teaching, learning, and assessment of college creditable interpersonal competence acquired or enhanced by experiential learning situations. Experiential learning may be a result of prior experience, such as community affairs and work experience, or may be sponsored by the college. The concept of…

The Community College of Vermont holds the position that the highest purpose of education is to foster self-reliance, in both the community and the individual. This college awards the associate degree upon the completion of individual, student-written, competence-based degree contracts. Areas of competence which are evaluated include self…

In the adult development and career change program of Metropolitan State University (Minneapolis-St. Paul), a student sets a career or personal enhancement goal and develops a plan detailing the competencies necessary to achieve that goal. The competencies and learning gained from prior experiences are then assessed and documented, while learning…