Earning Credit for Professional Training, Licenses and Certifications
Thomas Edison State University can help you finish your degree faster by awarding you college credit for workplace training and education programs, professional licenses, certifications, certification exams and other credentials that have been reviewed by the University’s Office of Professional Learning Review (OPLR). Reviewed training is typically offered by corporations, government agencies, labor unions and professional associations.
View a list of Professional Learning Reviews conducted by Thomas Edison State University that are eligible for credit.
The University also accepts credits for reviews completed by the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York or by the American Council on Education (ACE). View more information on these external assessment programs.
The University is a founding member of the Consortium for the Assessment of College Equivalence (CACE) along with Charter Oak State College, the Community College of Vermont, Granite State College and SUNY Empire State College. CACE’s mission is to facilitate degree completion of adult learners by developing new pathways of cooperation among adult-centered colleges and universities regarding reviews of college-equivalent learning from organized, structured learning experiences not sponsored by an accredited college or university, including the promotion of rigorous common standards. Through CACE, the University may be able to accept credit recommendations or awards that result from another CACE institution’s review of a training program or professional credential without the requirement of a transcript from the reviewing institution, provided that the review is current or contemporary to the learning and that the University’s curriculum aligns with the credits recommended in the report. For more information, please contact plr@tesu.edu.
Students may also be eligible to earn credit for military training and education.
Applying Credit to Your College Program of Study or Transcript
At Thomas Edison State University, students may apply PLR credits to any part of a degree program, including the area of study, as long as they are appropriate, and provided they successfully complete the reviewed learning experiences within the specified effective dates of the review and submit appropriate documentation. Roadmaps to specific areas of study may be recommended for programs with large credit awards, so be sure to discuss this with your University advisor.
Students interested in using their reviewed training for college credit by enrolling in Thomas Edison State University should follow the PLR Transcript Documentation Policy.
The University allows students to demonstrate currency with a PLR credit award in situations where a student earned a credential prior to a PLR effective date period but believes she or he can demonstrate the body of knowledge represented in the most current PLR report. This approach serves as a hybrid to the traditional portfolio assessment process. Download the instructions and the application form (PDF).
Those who wish to create a transcript of their PLR-assessed training for use with an employer or at another institution may be interested in the Individual Learning Account, a nondegree service provided by Thomas Edison State University.
Want to learn more about OPLR and PLR? Refer to our Frequently Asked Questions, browse a list of reviews conducted by Thomas Edison State University or contact us at plr@tesu.edu or 609-633-6271.