Credit by Portfolio
Approved undergraduate and graduate students may earn college credit by submitting evidence of their learning (such as papers, interviews, and more) via a portfolio.
NLU offers two types of portfolios:
ACL 301 is a Pass/Fail, six-week online asynchronous course designed to help undergraduate students develop a portfolio, including an 8 to 10 page experiential learning essay on a pre-approved topic.
Is this the right fit for me?
ACL301 is writing-intensive and intended for students who are prepared to compile and submit all required documents and essays when applying. This course is best suited for those who are ready to demonstrate their learning through comprehensive written work.
What credit do I earn by taking ACL 301?
Successfully passing ACL 301 earns students 2 quarter hours (QHs). Students can then also earn up to 10 additional QHs by successfully completing one or two portfolios from a pre-approved list of Portfolio Topics to demonstrate their prior learning. In total, you can earn up to 12 QHs of credit!
How much does it cost?
ACL 301 is a 2 QH course. It is also the only CPL option at NLU that is currently covered by financial aid for full-time students! In total, you can earn up to 12 QHs of credit, though you will only be charged for 2 QHs.
I'm interested, what should I do next?
Meet with your Advisor or Coach to discuss eligibility and review these next steps together!
Traditional portfolios allow undergraduate and graduate students to submit materials demonstrating college-level learning and competencies gained through work experience that align with their program's coursework.
Is this the right fit for me?
Each portfolio has specific eligibility criteria and evidence of learning "artifacts" that must be submitted. Students have 10 weeks to submit all required portfolio artifacts. If your experience and degree requirements align with the portfolio's requirements, you may be a good fit!
What credit do I earn by successfully completing a portfolio?
Successfully passing your portfolio assessment will result in earning the equivalent number of credit hours for the aligned course. For instance, successfully completing a portfolio for the course SPE 508 (a 3 SH course) will earn the student 3 SH.
I'm interested, what should I do next?
Meet with your Advisor, Coach, or Program Faculty to discuss your eligibility for any of our current portfolio options.
