Center for Learning Assessment & Support (CLAS)

The Center for Learning and Assessment Support (CLAS) provides students and faculty with resources promoting the personal and academic development of students and support a culture of diversity. CLAS accomplishes its mission by assisting students to realize their educational potential through the following:

• engaging students in active learning, reflection, and collaboration;
• providing a foundation for learning by teaching self-regulation processes;
• teaching strategies and processes that promote independence in learning and enable the transfer of learning to multiple contexts;
• giving students meaningful opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding by providing employment through structured peer assistance programs; and
• collaborating with faculty, staff, and administrators by sharing and developing our expertise in the fields of developmental education, accessibility services, and multilingual learning. 

In accomplishing the CLAS mission, the office promotes student retention and graduation as well as supporting the mission of the College.

Multilingual Learner Support

Supporting multilingual learners includes accommodations and direct academic support. The Student Accessibility Coordinator (studentaccessibility@alverno.edu) interviews multilingual students and works to create accommodations that ensure equitable access to education services and courses at the College. CLAS instructors and peer tutors provide academic support for multilingual learners in the general areas of reading, writing, listening, speaking and in course-specific review and practice. For course assistance, multilingual students may attend peer tutoring drop-in hours. For information about professional academic assistance, students may email CLAS@alverno.edu. 

Tutoring Support

CLAS works with faculty, advisors, and program directors to discover where students tend to struggle and to create peer and professional tutoring services that help students succeed.

Students who need assistance with course content, quantitative or communication skills development, or academic practice development are assisted in CLAS by study groups, peer tutors, and professional CLAS instructors. Students seeking course-specific assistance in content and studying may attend drop-in peer tutoring hours in RC 109G, the Tutoring Center, or one of the study groups available for specific classes, such as SC 119 or BI 233. Students seeking professional assistance for reading, writing, math, public speaking, time management, or research may email CLAS@alverno.edu to discuss individual needs. Study group schedules, drop-in peer and professional tutoring hours, and Assessment Center hours are posted online and in the CLAS Lounge (RC 109).

Alverno College Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

Purpose

The College recognizes that college-level learning can occur beyond traditional academic settings and offers multiple pathways for students to earn credit toward degrees based on volunteer work, workplace experience, and more. 

The Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) program allows undergraduate and graduate students to demonstrate college-level prior learning through external assessments, College-created internal assessments, or portfolio assessments.  

This policy adheres to Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation standards and draws on best practices outlined by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).  

Principles of CPL

• Learner-Centered: accessible in cost and process to students with prior learning 
• Multiple Pathways: multiple pathways available to demonstrate prior learning 
• Contextualized Learning: assessments include reflection on learning and connection to future learning 
• Rigorous Assessment: based on assessing learning equivalent to the course outcomes and level of a comparable course at the College, rather than on recognizing experience  
• Faculty Assessment: assessed by faculty and academic staff with expertise in the material
• Transparency and Equity: clearly defined, consistently applied, and equitable  

Eligible Learning

Prior learning eligible for credit consideration may include but is not limited to: 

• External assessment scores 
• Internal assessment results 
• Work experience 
• Non-credit courses 
• Professional training and certifications 
• Volunteer, professional, and community service 

Limitations to CPL

• CPL is not based on experience alone but must be demonstrated in an assessed academic context. 
• CPL credit from other institutions may not be accepted.
• CPL credit awarded likely will not be accepted at other institutions. 
• CPL credit is not awarded for courses that appear on a student's college-level transcripts. 
• Portfolio assessment requires faculty approval (see Process for Portfolio Assessment). 
• Internal CPL assessments may have eligibility requirements. Contact the Assessment Center (AssessmentCenter@alverno.edu) for details. 
• Some programs may restrict CPL credit due to professional or accreditation standards. 
• Undergraduate students are limited to earning a maximum of 20% of credits required for the degree from CPL.
• Graduate students must adhere to program-determined maximums for external credit, a category which includes transfer credit and CPL. Programs listing a single number allow students to split external credits between transfer and CPL.

Master of Business Administration (MBA): 12 transfer, 6 CPL

Master of Music Therapy (MMT): 6 transfer, 0 CPL

Master of Science in Community Psychology (MCP): 6 

Master of Education (MA): 14 

Doctor of Education (EdD) (with the exception of ABD and EdS/EdD):  6  

Master of Science in Educational Psychology and Educational Specialist in School Psychology (MS/EdS): 12 

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): 0

FNP and MHNP Degree (MSN): 12 transfer, 0 CPL

FNP and MHNP Post-MSN Certificate: 0

Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN): 0 

Responsibilities

• Students: Provide accurate and comprehensive documentation of prior learning  
• Advisors: Answer questions about CPL process and policy 
• Assessment Center: Guide students through the CPL process and communicate the results  
• Faculty: Develop and evaluate CPL assessments that align to course learning outcomes 
• Registrar's Office: Record successful CPL credit  
• Student Accounts: Apply charges for CPL assessment attempts

Process for External Assessment Score Submission

Students should request that official score reports from all external assessment organizations (AP, IB, CLEP) be sent directly to Admissions. To inquire about assessments that are not listed here, contact the Assessment Center (AssessmentCenter@alverno.edu). 

• Advanced Placement (AP)
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Process for Internal Assessment of Prerequisite Undergraduate Courses

A selection of internal assessments is available to newly admitted or first-year undergraduates through the Assessment Center. The fee for assessments is $75 per credit, which is paid prior to taking the assessment, regardless of assessment success. Most courses are 3-credit courses, but students may check the catalog to confirm. Students may contact the Assessment Center (AssessmentCenter@alverno.edu) to inquire about internal assessment for the following courses: 

• Communication Seminar 1 (CM 120)  
• Communication Seminars 2 (CM 125) and 3 (CM 225) CM 120 assessment required;  higher achievement may earn higher level credit. 
• College Algebra (MT 123) 
• Trigonometry (MT 124) 
• Quantitative Literacy in the Modern World (QL 122) 
• Mathematical Connections (QL 156) Eligibility required. Contact Assessment Center. 
• Foundations of Chemistry (SC 119)  
• Foundations of Biology (SC 120) Eligibility required; Assessment Center or Advising contacts eligible students. 

Process for Spanish Language Placement

Students who minor in Spanish, Language & Culture or who major or minor in Global Studies are eligible to complete a Spanish language placement assessment. Students register for SLC 100 (fee: $125). 

Students in Bilingual Education are required to take language assessments; however, students with credits earned from a college located in a Spanish-speaking country or who have earned a college-level major or minor in Spanish may use these credentials to bypass the assessments upon approval by the program director or dean.

Undergraduate education majors who wish to add a Bilingual Licensure register for BIL 100 (fee: $125), while graduate education majors who wish to add the Bilingual Licensure register for BIL 500 (fee: $125).   

Interested students should speak to the program director about assessment selection and timing and contact the Assessment Center (AssessmentCenter@alverno.edu) when ready to schedule. Placement assessments cannot be revised.  

Process for Portfolio Assessment

1. Students at the undergraduate and graduate levels may apply to complete a portfolio-based prior learning assessment. Successful portfolios demonstrate the learning outcomes of a specific course at the same or higher level of that course. The fee for portfolio assessment is $150 per assessment to be paid when the student is approved to assess (see steps 2-4), regardless of assessment outcome. 
2. Students complete the Student Interest Form and email it as an attachment to the Assessment Center (AssessmentCenter@alverno.edu). 
3. Assessment Center staff or a qualified faculty assessor reviews the form and may contact the student to discuss prior learning.
4. The faculty assessor recommends approval or denial of the portfolio assessment attempt and how many credits to award if assessment and communicates the decision to the student via email and copying the Assessment Center.
5. If approving a student to assess, the faculty assessor sends instructions, criteria, and timeline for the assessment to the student via email with the Assessment Center copied. 
6. The student pays the $150 fee at the Student Accounts Office. 
7. The student completes the portfolio independently but may contact the Assessment Center and/or the Center for Learning and Assessment Support for guidance. Evidence of academic dishonesty results in disqualification and loss of the $150 fee. 
8. The student submits all parts of the portfolio to the Assessment Center as directed. The Assessment Center confirms completeness and forwards it to the faculty assessor via email with the student copied. Incomplete portfolios are returned for completion. 

• Students may contact the Assessment Center to request an extension. The Assessment Center communicates with the faculty assessor and reports results and changes to timeline to the student. 
• The faculty assessor may take up to three weeks to assess but may require an extension. The assessor communicates any such extension to the student via email with the Assessment Center copied.

9. The faculty assessor completes the Credit for Prior Learning Assessor Evaluation Form and emails the form to the student with the Assessment Center copied.  

10. The Assessment Center notes on the form how many credits are to be awarded and sends the entire form and portfolio to the Registrar’s Office to become part of the student’s record.

11. The registrar enters CPL credit on the student’s transcript as transfer credits in the area of the transcript titled “Courses waived and/or credit granted by assessment.” 

CPL Decision Appeals

Appeals

Students have the right to submit a letter of appeal to the Director of the Center for Learning and Assessment Support (CLAS@alverno.edu) within seven business days of the decision date.  

• Letter of Appeal The student states the decision to appeal a CPL portfolio decision and presents evidence to show that the submitted portfolio meets stated course outcomes, referencing and discussing the course outcome(s) and relevant parts of the submitted portfolio. New evidence is not allowed. 
• Letter of Appeal Review The Director of the Center for Learning and Assessment Support and the academic dean review the appeal along with instructions, outcomes, and criteria, potentially consulting with the student, faculty assessor, or program director/chair. 
• Letter of Appeal Decision The Director of the Center for Learning and Assessment Support or the academic dean issues a final decision within 30 days via email, copying relevant parties, including the Registrar’s Office if the appeal is successful. Successful appeals result in the registrar applying CPL credit to the transcript.