Credit for Experiential Learning

A college degree is awarded after you have completed all of the course requirements for the program in which you are matriculated. Traditionally, credit is received by completing college courses, but sometimes you can receive college credit for life experiences. The college recognizes that college-level learning may occur outside the traditional classroom setting.

For experiential learning to be converted to college credit it must be equivalent to a college-level learning experience. Did you gain from your experiences the same knowledge, content, and outcomes that you would have learned in a course offered at Tompkins Cortland?

If you are seeking course credit via experiential learning,you will need to complete a portfolio to demonstrate their proficiency in the content and outcomes of the course. There is a fee for the portfolio to be reviewed by a qualified Tompkins Cortland faculty member, so you must consult with your advisor or chair of your degree program to determine in advance whether a portfolio review may be available for the course being sought. If a CLEP exam is available for the course, CLEP exams in which an established minimum score is met can also be accepted by having a score report sent to Tompkins Cortland.

Please note that credit awarded by portfolio assessment or by CLEP exam is typically not directly transferable and would instead be evaluated independently by the transfer college.

If you have further questions about the process for seeking experiential learning credit may contact the Academic Records office.

Academic Records Office

Phone: 607.844.6500
Fax: 607.844.6550
acadrec@tompkinscortland.edu