Credit For Life

Credit for Professional Experience Policy

A RMU degree is awarded to students who earn the required number of credits in a program curriculum.  In some cases, Robert Morris awards college credit to students whose work or other professional experience meets the objectives of RMU courses.  This is determined by a portfolio review of the student’s documented experience. Portfolio review is not available for subjects in which there is a CLEP test.

To be eligible for portfolio review, a student must be matriculated at RMU and in good academic standing.  Any credit received as a result of a portfolio review will appear on the student’s transcript with the indication “LE” for portfolio, and will have no impact on the GPA.  Each college degree has specific degree requirements, so accepted Portfolio Credit, while they may receive credit on their transcript, may not necessarily apply to the degree.  Students must complete their final 30 credits and at least 51 percent of the courses in the major and concentration at Robert Morris University, and a maximum of 69 transfer credits may apply toward RMU degree requirements.

A portfolio must specifically document professional or work experience and identify this as collegiate-level learning by comparing the experience with learning objectives and outcomes found in the syllabus of a course.   

The process of pursuing portfolio credit is as follows:

1. Interested students should speak with a representative from the Office of the Registrar to discuss any professional or work experience that may be the equivalent of a college-level course.  The representative will advise the student whether or not to pursue portfolio credit (contacting, if need be, the department head and/or program coordinator in the meantime), provide an application form to the student, and advise the student to schedule a meeting with the department head or program coordinator.
2. The student speaks with the academic department head or program coordinator, who explains to them the components of the portfolio and helps them determine applicable courses, providing the applicable departmental syllabi of record. The department head submits the $50 non-refundable application for each applicable course to Student Financial Services.
3. Student submits a portfolio to the department head or program coordinator.  A portfolio will typically take between 30-60 days to be evaluated and processed.  The department head and/or program coordinator, along with the associate dean and faculty in the department as needed, evaluates the portfolio. 
   
   1. Portfolios must include the following components:
      1. Title Sheet
      2. Table of Contents
      3. Letter of intent that states the reasons for submitting and outcomes that you intend to prove
      4. Current Resume
      5. Syllabus for the Course
      6. Narrative Description
      7. Supporting Documents
      8. Outcomes Mapping
4. Changes or more information or additional documentation may be requested. Recommendations for professional and work experience credit by the following organizations may be used as a guide:

• American Council on Education National Guide: http://www2.acenet.edu/credit/?fuseaction=browse.main
• National College Credit Recommendation Service: http://www.nationalccrs.org/ccr/home.html

5. When the completed portfolio has been reviewed, the department head or program coordinator submits a recommendation to Office of the Registrar.  Portfolio credit is not automatic and is based on the guidelines and the professional judgment of the evaluators.  When a portfolio evaluation results in no credit awarded, an explanation should be provided if possible.  
6. The department head informs the student of the recommendation, and forwards the information to Student Financial Services. 
7. Student Financial Services assesses a fee for each course awarded. SFS notifies the Registrar’s Office when the student has paid the fee. 
8. The Registrar’s Office applies the credit as recommended and notifies the student. 

Download a printable version by clicking HERE.