Your Experiences May Count for Academic Credit

woman working on a laptop in a home office

Categories: Academic Success Military and Veterans

April 7th, 2026

By Bobbi Dempsey

Adult learners — including many Penn State World Campus students — often have a broad range of skills and knowledge they have gained in the workplace or through military service, volunteer roles, or other activities outside of the classroom.

Penn State offers undergraduate students the opportunity to possibly earn academic credit for some of this experience through a process known as Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).

In addition to transfer courses, military credit, national exams, and licenses/certifications that faculty have already reviewed for credit, students may be able to earn credit for certain courses via PLA if they can prove they already have skills or knowledge equivalent to what they would have gained in one or more of those courses. Students demonstrate this knowledge by taking an exam or submitting a portfolio.

PLA Can Save You Time and Money

One of the most important advantages of earning credits via PLA is that this can be a way to complete your program more quickly. That’s because you may be able to skip one or more courses if you can show that you already have the skills or knowledge you would have gained through that course.

There’s also the possible financial benefit. Earning credit via PLA could help you save money. The cost of PLA is $100 for an exam and $150 for portfolio review, which is less than what you would typically pay to take the equivalent courses required to earn the same credit. Note that the fees cover the cost of the assessment, which means you will be charged regardless of whether credit is ultimately awarded, and are non-refundable.

Experiences For Which You Could Earn Credit

You might be surprised to learn about the wide range of experiences and activities that could be potentially eligible for PLA credit consideration.

In 2025, Penn State students earned credit for 152 courses through PLA via exam or portfolio, with some students earning credit for more than one course. World Campus students accounted for 43 of those credit-earning courses. These students included:

a ballerina who earned dance credits
two students who earned credit for experience gained on the job as EMTs
three students who earned credit for IST 140 via exam
two students who completed ENGL 15 and ENGL 202D

Michele Rice, director of the Office for Prior Learning Assessment, said there were also many students who earned credit for independent study or internship-related courses like IST 495, HDFS 395/495, LHR 496, and WFED 395.

Rice noted that many adult learners are using the PLA process to earn their internship credits so that they can stay in school while they’re already working.

How to Request Credit via PLA in LionPATH

A new tool integrated into LionPATH last year made the process of requesting credit via PLA much easier. Students access this tool by clicking the “Transfer Credit” button in the Student Home Base and then selecting “Prior Learning Request” on the left-side menu. Choose the specific course for which you want to request credit and provide information about your relevant experience. If your request is approved, you’ll then pay the appropriate fee through the bursar’s office before submitting your portfolio or taking the exam.

This tool has continued to evolve based on user feedback from students and faculty/staff. One refresh now gives faculty the ability to ask students for more information before making a decision on a request.

The convenience of the LionPATH tool has played a big part in streamlining and simplifying the PLA process, which has in turn led to more courses getting approved and more students getting credit for their experiences.

“We had a few areas like IST 495, WFED, and HDFS who were using portfolios already, but the application makes it easier for everyone: apply, get an answer, follow through with the exam or portfolio, get an electronic bill, and get the credit on your record,” said Rice. “No forms, no hunting people down, no checks. And as students ask for things, we add them.”

Important Things to Keep in Mind

Not all courses are eligible for PLA credit.

Penn State’s academic departments and colleges decide which course credits to include for potential PLA credit and what the specific process is for each course. When students visit the Prior Learning Request section in LionPATH, they can browse a list of courses at their campus or college for which credits can be earned by exam or portfolio.

This process can take time.

Although the LionPATH tool has streamlined the process, PLA requests can still take time, so we recommend starting as early as possible. Faculty approvers will receive a notification to let them know they have a request for exam or portfolio so they can make a decision on the request, and students can track their requests in LionPATH. Some exams are scheduled at certain times during the semester, and others are “on demand.” Students have a semester to complete a portfolio, but you don’t want to wait until your final semester to start the process. You want to be sure to allow plenty of time to get everything completed before you plan to graduate.

Consult your academic adviser first.

Students should connect with their adviser before submitting a PLA request, to ensure that the credits they are seeking will apply to their program and won’t duplicate credits they have already earned. You will also want to confirm your transfer courses (if any) have been reviewed. It’s important to be sure all your transcripts have been submitted, including those from the military or work training.