Capsule Description:
Students frequently have learning from life experiences-work, volunteer, travel, recreational activities, and hobbies--that can be used to gain college credit. Documentation of college-level mastery of curriculum areas at EOU is accomplished by creating learning essay packets that are evaluated by EOU faculty to determine if credit can be granted. You can earn up to 45 credits with the APEL process. This credit may not always be transferable to other institutions.
APEL 390 - Portfolio Development - Students who wish to pursue this option must take the Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning course (APEL 390) to learn the process for writing APEL Learning Essay Packets.
This four-credit course is offered in different modalities:
• Online - an asynchronous format using the WEB
• Onsite - usually an all-day Friday and Saturday class in locations around Oregon
• Other - formats designed for Regional Partnerships
Course Prerequisites:
- Online
course
- • Admission to EOU
- • Completion of the Degree Planning Workshop
- • Adviser approval
- Onsite
course
- • Admittance to EOU encouraged but not required. (Institutional partnership programs are an exception not requiring EOU admission.)
- • Adviser approval
Learning Essay Packet Submission:
Students have four terms, following the term in which APEL 390 is taken, to write and submit essays. Students who take longer than the allotted time will be required to pay an extension fee, may need to attend another APEL 390 course (at no additional tuition cost), and may be affected by changes in degree requirements.
As the APEL essays are submitted, EOU faculty reviews the work and decides how much academic credit is to be granted. This review takes approximately three to six weeks. Students will be billed $50 for each credit awarded. Faculty evaluations of APEL essays can be done only for students admitted to EOU or in certain institutional partnership programs.
Full Description of Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning:
APEL 390 is a four credit, writing intensive course that is graded on an S/U basis. It is taught in Onsite formats (live classes) in different locations and as Online formats (asynchronous computer classes on the WEB). When registering, confirm the course reference number (CRN) in the DDE schedule so that you are registered for the correct class.
ONSITE COURSES
- Discuss the APEL option with your academic adviser. Obtain his/her approval that you likely have appropriate life experience and that APEL will work with your degree plan needs.
- For Onsite Courses, register online using Webster or by hardcopy registration. See Dates and Deadlines for registration deadlines.
- Order the course materials from the EOU Bookstore. Bring these materials to the Onsite course.
- Attendance at all sessions of the course is required.
- Sign the APEL Agreement and give the form to your instructor at the class. The APEL Agreement form identifies payment requirements for APEL credits that are awarded for essays evaluated by EOU faculty.
- Following the class, submit assignments directly to the APEL 390 instructor using the prescribed timeline.
- Scroll down the page to the APEL SUBMISSION PROCEDURES for submission of Essay Packets for faculty evaluation following the completion of the APEL 390 course.
ONLINE COURSES
With the exception of specific online courses with partnership programs, all online students must meet these prerequisites:
- Admission to EOU
- Completion of the Degree Planning Workshop
- adviser recommendation.
The reasoning for these prerequisites is that essays written for APEL evaluation by EOU faculty must be in disciplines and at the upper/lower division level that will contribute to your degree plan. Knowing the specific needs for your individual degree program is vital.
- Register online using Webster or by hardcopy registration. Online courses for APEL follow the same schedule as the regular college term. See Registration Dates and Deadlines for Online courses.
- Order the course materials from the EOU Bookstore.
- Your instructor will provide information about accessing the Online class in the week prior to the course beginning. Immediately go to the WEB site and make certain you can enter the course prior to the beginning of class. If you have problems, e-mail your instructor immediately.
- Complete assignments as specified by your instructor. Unless specifically stated elsewhere by your instructor, all coursework must be completed and turned in by the first day of finals week in the term in which you enroll. See Dates and Deadlines.
- Sign and mail/give your instructor an APEL Agreement form that identifies payment requirements for all APEL credits that are awarded for essays evaluated by EOU faculty.
- A final grade (S/U) will be posted on your transcript at the end of the term in which you enroll.
- See APEL ESSAY SUBMISSION PROCEDURES regarding submission of Essay Packets for faculty evaluation following the completion of the APEL 390 course.
APEL ESSAY PACKET SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
First Essay Packet
- The first completed Essay Packet is submitted to the APEL 390 instructor. Upon approval, the instructor forwards the Essay Packet to The Division of Distance Education for routing to the EOU faculty reader.
- Upon evaluation, the Essay Packet is returned to your adviser. You discuss the faculty member's credit recommendation with your adviser. The recommendation is accepted or you make revisions and the packet is resubmitted to the faculty.
- You are billed $50/credit for the credits awarded. Upon payment of your invoice, the EOU Registrar will add the credits to your transcript.
Second and all future Essay Packets
- Submission of the second and all future Essay Packets is directly to your adviser. It is critical to discuss the subject matter of the Essay Packet and the credit request (upper or lower division and number of credits) with your adviser before beginning the writing process. APEL credits are of value to your EOU Degree Program only when there is appropriate fit. Your adviser forwards the Essay Packet to DDE for routing to the EOU faculty reader.
- Steps 2 and 3 above complete the process.