Credit for Life Experience at MCC

A: Since each individual's background and career goals are unique, options are best discussed and developed with the program adviser on a case by case basis. 

Typical CPL examples include:*

• Military (See ACE site or VALOR Act policy or JST or Veterans Advising and Resources at MCC)
• Business, Management, and Hospitality
• Computer Applications, CAD, IT, Computer Science and Programming
• Education
• World Languages, including the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy
• Biotechnology
• Fire Science (credit available for various certifications)
• Criminal and Social Justice (9 credits for Municipal or State Police Academy Training)
• Art and Graphic Design
• Noncredit to Credit

Learn more about MCC's CPL Options.

*CPL courses are generally not transferable

Middlesex Community College is a regionally accredited institution and maintains high standards for the assessment of learning and the awarding of credit. Credit for Prior Learning is determined on a case by case basis by program, department, and course. There are both national and local methods available. The major evaluation and assessment types are listed below. See separate page on Options and Examples from menu at left. CPL courses are generally not transferable (see next section).

1. Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy
2. Advanced Placement (AP) Exams (MCC AP Equivalencies)
3. National Standardized Exams (CLEP, MCC CLEP Equivalencies, DSST, Excelsior)
4. ACE National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training and
5. ACE Military Guide to Evaluation of Education in the Armed Services or Military Joint Services Transcript (JST)
6. National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS)
7. Local evaluations at MCC:
   License or Credential Review, Challenge Exam/Exercise, Portfolio Development, Interview Assessment
8. High School Articulations to MCC
9. National Portfolio Evaluation Service (LearningCounts.org)
10. Online Course Services (ACE credited for transfer to MCC) (Study.com, StraighterLine.com, Saylor Academy, Sophia.org)
    (Check with the CPL Coordinator first to ensure appropriate program fit.)
11. International Degrees and Credits:
    Center for Educational Documentation (CED), World Education Services (WES)

1. Credit for Prior Learning is generally not transferable to another college. In some cases, a course may transfer if it is part of a completed MassTransfer program that matches the same program at a state college or university, e.g the Business program at MCC transferring to the Business program at UMass Lowell. However, there is no certainty or promise of this and it is more likely to not be possible. Credit received from AP (Advanced Placement) or CLEP exams may be recognized by other colleges, but this is determined by individual colleges and departments.
2. Students may not earn Credit for Prior Learning for a course that they have failed.
3. Nonrefundable fees of $50 per credit apply for an evaluation. (There is no fee for consultation with the program adviser.)
4. CPL credit is ungraded and listed on a student's transcript as TR (transfer) with a descriptive line noting the source of credit. If a student does not pass a CPL exam or evaluation, there is no record on their transcript.
5. General Education courses in areas such as science, math, humanities, and social sciences are generally not eligible for credit for prior learning assessment except through national exams such as CLEP.
6. Several programs have external accreditation organizations that expressly forbid the awarding of credit for prior learning. These include, but are not limited to, Criminal Justice, Paralegal Studies, and some health careers.
7. To complete a degree at MCC, students must complete a minimum of 15 credits of regular classes (9 credit within a major) at MCC beyond any credits received for transfer, CLEP, or CPL of any kind.
8. MCC is not able to evaluate subject areas where the college has no matching courses or subject areas offered.
9. Study.com, StraighterLine.com, Saylor Academy, Sophia.org offer courses and exams that include ACE recommended credit that MCC gnerally accepts. However, students should check with the CPL Coordinator (below) ahead of time and also be aware that these credits would be unlikely to transfer.