Prior learning assessment includes a variety of types of learning obtained outside the classroom. Credit earned by prior learning assessment is not counted as hours in residence.

Advanced Placement

Colorado State University Pueblo participates in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. Under the program, outstanding secondary school students may take certain college-level courses in their own high schools. Students who have taken the Advanced Placement Examination and who have received scores of 3, 4, or 5 will generally be granted University credit as well as advanced placement.

CSU Pueblo credit is awarded and posted on the transcript without a grade, is counted toward graduation, and may be used to fulfill specific requirements. For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

Please refer to the Advanced Placement (AP) Equivalency Chart that shows the specific courses and credit to be awarded based on score(s) on the AP examination(s).

College Level Examination Program & DANTES

Credit earned by the student on selected CLEP exams will be accepted by CSU Pueblo and posted on the transcript provided the student submits an official CLEP/DANTES score report and has scored at or above established benchmarks. If a student has already earned college credit in an academic course(s) before taking CLEP/DANTES exam, the latter credit will be considered duplicate and will not be awarded. Please contact the Registrar’s Office for additional information.

Please refer to the CLEP and DANTES Equivalency Charts that shows the specific courses and credit to be awarded based on score(s) on the CLEP and DANTES examination(s).

Credit by Examination (In-House General Education & Subject Area Exams)

All courses satisfying general education requirements have a test-out procedure. Students wishing to test out of a course should contact the chair of the department offering the course.

Departmental faculty shall identify any additional undergraduate courses for which students may earn credit by examination. The non-refundable fee for this process is $75 per exam. Application forms for credit by examination are available from the Registrar’s Office.

If a student is successful in challenging a course, the title of the course, credit hours, and a notation of credit by examination will be recorded on the student’s permanent record/transcript and will be posted at the end of the current term in which the credit is approved. (Unsuccessful attempts are not recorded on the transcript.) The credit hours earned by examination do not count in the student’s load for the term or in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

A student may earn credit by examination in any of the approved courses subject to the following conditions:

1. The student has not previously earned credit in the course at CSU Pueblo, has not previously failed a challenge exam for the course, and has not previously failed the course itself;

2. The student has approval of the appropriate department chair (with appeal rights to the dean) to take the challenge examination;

3. The student’s performance on the examination is at the level of C- or better;

4. The student is degree-seeking, currently enrolled at CSU Pueblo in the current academic term, and in good academic standing at the time the examination is administered;

5. The student does not use the challenged course to satisfy the residency requirement for graduation; and

6. The student satisfies any and all additional criteria as specified by the department.

Undergraduate Credit for Prior Learning

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA/CPL) recognizes college-level learning gained outside accredited post-secondary education through work or life experience. Credit may apply toward a degree or certificate but does not satisfy the University residency requirement.

Students seeking CPL must first contact the Adult & Prior Learning Assessment Office for guidance on eligibility, requirements, and discipline-specific applicability.

Portfolio Requirements

To request CPL through portfolio review, students must:

1. Submit a portfolio demonstrating mastery of the learning outcomes and objectives for the CSU Pueblo course(s) within a single prefix.
2. Submit a separate portfolio for each prefix.
   1. Each portfolio may be submitted for up to six credit hours. 
3. Pay the non-refundable $75 fee per portfolio (regardless of credit awarded).

Eligibility Requirements

A student must meet all of the following:

1. The student is degree-seeking.
2. The student is currently enrolled at CSU Pueblo in the current academic term.
3. The student is in good academic standing at the time the portfolio is submitted for review.
4. The student meets all discipline-specific requirements established by the department.

Posting of Credit

1. Each portfolio is assessed by the appropriate department chair, with appeal rights to the dean.
2. Approved portfolios will be submitted to the Registrar’s Office, and the CPL credit will be posted at the end of the term in which it is approved.

Industry Agreements

CSU Pueblo maintains industry agreements for certain certifications; these may follow a different fee structure.

Escrow Credit

Escrow credit is a block of academic credit for previous learning or experience that does not directly transfer course-for-course.

Escrow credit is only available in specific programs. The number of credits applied (maximum of 33 credits) is determined by the program director, as defined in each program, and based upon previous coursework, certificate or licensure, and work/field experience. These credits are held in escrow and recorded when the student successfully completes all other requirements of the bachelor’s program. Approved credits will be posted at the end of the term in which they were approved. 

Escrow credits are exempt from the residency requirement for 30 of the last 60 semester hours to be completed at CSU Pueblo.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Program

Colorado State University Pueblo recognizes and encourages high school students to participate in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. The University recognizes the IB program as a rigorous pre-university course of study for highly motivated secondary students. Students who successfully complete the IB program and examination(s) are eligible to receive credit and advanced placement standing at CSU Pueblo.

To receive University credit, a student must take the IB exam(s) and request that the scores be sent to CSU Pueblo Registrar’s Office. Upon receipt of the scores, an evaluation for credit will be performed and the student will be notified by mail or email of the evaluation results in approximately two to four weeks.

A score of 4 or better on each exam will receive between 3-10 credits for most examinations. Students successfully completing an IB Diploma Program may be awarded a minimum of 24 semester credits. Students who have earned an IB Diploma with a score of less than 4 on any exam may be awarded less than 24 credits. Please refer to Colorado GB 03-1108 Section 1, sub section (VII) (2) (d) for additional information.

Please refer to the IB Equivalency Chart that shows the specific courses and credit to be awarded based on score(s) on the IB examination(s).

Military Credit

Military service credit is evaluated when official copies of transcripts are received. Army, Navy, and Marine personnel should submit a Joint Service Transcript (JST). Courses and occupation experience are evaluated according to the American Council on Education (ACE) Guidelines, through consultation with discipline faculty.