Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning

Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning

What is APEL?

The APEL process provides an opportunity for students to document acquired learning from life/work experiences in a format that can be assessed for academic credit. Within the outcomes of the APEL 390 course, students identify their learning from adult life experiences that correlate with college level achievement in specific disciplines that are available at EOU.

The APEL 390 course helps learners articulate what they know and can do as well as integrate this learning with the principles that would have been learned in university coursework on the specific topic. The course provides the structure that a student uses to ultimately back up claims to creditable achievements in an APEL Learning Essay. The APEL 390 course in which the APEL process is learned fits the degree plan as an elective.

The APEL Learning Essay that is the final project within APEL 390 can then forwarded to academic faculty in the specific discipline of the essay topic. The academic faculty provides the evaluation and assigns the number of credits awarded. This credit may potentially be used in general education, within a minor or major, or as electives. Once the student receives a satisfactory grade from APEL 390, additional APEL Essay Packets may be written and submitted to faculty for evaluation during one additional year.

Which students are best suited for APEL?

To use this credit option adult students must have significant learning from life experience. There is no pre-requisite for taking the APEL 390 course.