Assessment of Prior Learning

Prior Learning is a term used to describe a range of learning that has occurred outside of the traditional academic environment and can be articulated toward college-level learning and credit. Forms of Prior Learning accepted for credit by the College for Creative studies are detailed on the College’s website at Transfer Credit Resources. These include Credit awarded through Military Service (Military Credit), Credit by Examination (CBE) such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Entrance Placement (C.L.E.P.), A-Levels, etc. This can also include credit granted through Prior Learning Assessment at CCS or through approved professional credentials such as Career and Technical Education (CTE) certifications.

Prior Learning Assessment

The Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process guides current and newly admitted CCS students* through the steps of developing a specialized portfolio that showcases experiential learning. These portfolios undergo a formal evaluation by faculty that can help qualified students earn credit toward their undergraduate degree at CCS.

*Students must complete the PLA Self Survey, and be enrolled or have been accepted to one of the college’s undergraduate programs before a prior learning assessment will be conducted. Credit through PLA is not currently offered for graduate study at CCS.

Deadlines for Prior Learning Credit Inquiries and Assessment

Students Seeking PLA Credit for Fall Semester (September start)

Last day to complete the initial Self Survey: June 1st
Last day to enroll in the PLA course: July 1st
Last day to submit all assessment documentation & fees: July 15th

Students Seeking PLA Credit for Winter Semester (January start)

Last day to complete the initial Self Survey: August 1st
Last day to enroll in PLA Course: October 1st
Last day to submit assessment documentation & fees: October 15^th

Students seeking a PLA will define and describe the learning acquired in a formatted portfolio utilizing a written narrative* and when appropriate, work examples completed by the student demonstrating skill in visual art and/or design.

The portfolio is evaluated to determine college level competencies that may have been acquired through work and life experience (often called experiential learning), or through the acquisition of alternative credentials or certifications.

Should new students need to delay their start term or pause their studies, newly awarded credit awarded through Prior Learning Assessment will be honored for a maximum of two consecutive academic years.

Applying Prior Learning Toward Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Students may be awarded up to 30 transfer credit hours through Prior Learning toward undergraduate degree program requirements. This includes any and all combinations of credit earned through Prior Learning Assessment, Military Credit, Articulated or Direct Credit (including Career and Technical Education or CTE), and Credit by Examination such as Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB).
Prior Learning Credit awarded at outside institutions (including concurrent, direct, or articulated credit awarded in partnership with outside High School and College programs) will not be accepted in transfer. Students interested in earning credit for these courses prior to enrolling will be required to complete a Prior Learning Assessment at CCS.
Credit through Prior Learning assessment is only applicable to CCS’ Undergraduate Studies Programs.
Credit earned through Prior Learning Assessment at CCS is subject to changes in program requirements. Should new students need to delay their start or pause their studies, newly awarded credit earned through Prior Learning Assessment will be honored for a maximum of two consecutive academic years.
Students seeking credit through Prior Learning Assessment by portfolio must complete this process prior to reaching senior level at CCS (i.e. completion of 92.5 credits).

frequently asked questions

What are the formatting requirements for Prior Learning Assessment portfolios at CCS?

Specific formats, details, and supporting artifacts are required for Studio and Liberal Arts-based courses. Once your Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator determines you may be eligible to pursue this option, they will provide you with the details and aid you in organizing your visual and/or written portfolio.

Who evaluates the portfolios?

Faculty from the department(s) you are seeking credit for will evaluate your portfolio artifacts. Any credit awarded through Prior Learning Assessment is matched to a specific course requirement at CCS which is determined by the designated faculty assessor.

What are reasons for denial of credit?

Common reasons for denial of credit can include:

Evidence presented is inadequate
Learning statement is too brief
Evidence does not support knowledge of topics in course description
Learning statement related to how student’s knowledge was acquired is unclear
Authenticity of evidence is unclear
Course requested is inappropriate for evidence presented (in this case, credit may be awarded as elective credit provided the student’s program includes elective requirements)

Can I appeal if credit for my PLA petition was denied?

If a credit through Prior Learning Assessment is denied, students will have the opportunity to view and discuss the rationale for the decision with their PLA Coordinator and determine if they would like to appeal and have their portfolio re-evaluated. A re-evaluation may be warranted if:

More documentation has become available since submitting the portfolio.
The assessors’ feedback indicates a more accurate potential course match in the CCS catalog.
There are errors or content missing in the Learning Narrative that the student can confidently address if provided the opportunity.
The explanation provided for the denial of credit is insufficient or unsatisfactory to the student. Note, this rationale alone is unlikely to result in credit and every effort should be made by the student to address any specific comments or feedback provided before requesting a new evaluation.

If a student believes a re-evaluation is merited, they have 30 business days from the date of their initial decision notification to appeal. Additional supporting artifacts and/or details will increase the likelihood of success in the student’s petition. In formulating a request for a re-evaluation, students should pay special attention to any comments provided in the initial decision and the basis for it.

If an appeal is pursued, the following stipulations apply:

A maximum of two appeals are allowed following the initial decision.
Requests must be submitted in writing (via email) to the designated PLA coordinator.
Students must notify their PLA coordinators when the updated portfolio and additional documentation are submitted/uploaded.

Students should also be mindful of the deadlines to submit the PLA portfolio. If they do not believe they will be able to complete revisions or provide additional supporting artifacts in a timely manner, the Assessment fee can be rolled over once to a future term so long as the assessment is completed within 4 consecutive academic terms.

Is coursework awarded through Prior Learning Assessment at CCS accepted in transfer credit at other colleges?

In general, each college and university determines its own processes and standards placing credit awarded based on Prior Learning Assessment. CCS makes no claims regarding assurance of transfer or applicability to outside institutions. Credit awarded through Prior Learning Assessment at CCS is intended to apply to the program and catalog year for which a student has been admitted.

How does credit earned through PLA apply toward a degree?

If granted by faculty, credit earned through Prior Learning Assessment is awarded like most other forms of transferred credit. Any form of Prior Learning Credits will be noted as “CR” on the academic evaluation and credit earned in transfer does not factor into a student’s cumulative grade point average.

Do all CCS programs allow students to earn credit through Prior Learning Assessment?

Coursework awarded for CCS equivalents based on Prior Learning Assessment will be completed on a case-by-case basis and is at the discretion of the faculty. Departments may limit participation to specific courses. See PLA Coordinator for details.

Change of Graduate Program

This policy is to guide CCS Graduate students seeking to change programs at the graduate level. Graduate students wishing to transition into an undergraduate degree should seek further guidance from the Admissions team and their Academic Advisor.

This policy refers to procedures for changing graduate degree subject disciplines, changing modes of study, and changing from one Graduate degree type to another (i.e. MA to MFA; MFA to MA).

International Students

International Students are reminded that US federal law does not allow graduate students to change their program of study or degree type from what is reflected in their SEVIS record and on their I-20 Form. Please contact the Global Engagement Office with questions. global@ccsdetroit.edu

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

Changing Graduate Degree Subject Discipline

A student seeking to change from one of the above listed programs to another must do so by the first day of week 2 of the first semester, and must have been accepted by the receiving program chair.

Those seeking to change programs after this date, will be required to restart the program in the following academic year. Students cannot switch programs midway through the academic year. All in-person graduate degrees start in the Fall Semester. Students are unable to commence their studies in the Winter Semester.

MA / MFA Interdisciplinary Design

Graduate students can transfer into MA / MFA Interdisciplinary Design Studies at any time, with approval of Chairs and the Dean of Graduate Studies. A student seeking to transfer out of this program must do so by the first day of week 2 of the first semester, and must have been accepted by the receiving program chair.

The above does not apply to students completing an accelerated (5-year) Bachelor of Fine Arts + Master of Fine Arts degrees at CCS. See the Accelerated Degree policy for more information.

Note: A student who is in the process of completing a CCS graduate degree and wishes to immediately start another in a different discipline, must apply through Graduate Admissions.

Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Study

MA degrees in User Experience Design and Color and Materials Design are offered in part-time format only. US law prohibits International Students from enrolling in any part-time degree program.

Eligible students in eligible programs may request to change from full time to part time enrollment (or vice versa) through their Program Chair and Academic Advisor.

The MPS in User Experience Design (Online) is structured and sequenced differently to the in-person MA and MFA degree. Transferring between the MPS and the MFA/MA programs is not possible. International students who wish to enroll must reside and study from outside of the US.

Changing Graduate Degree Program (MA and MFA)

MA to MFA

An eligible student may transfer from the MA to the two-year MFA of the same program at any time during the first semester, with the approval of the program chair. Students transferring in the second semester will be required to complete specific courses for the MFA before starting their second year.

MFA to MA

An eligible student may transfer from the two-year MFA to the MA version of the same program at any time during the first semester. Students enrolled on the MFA may not transfer to the MA after the first day of week 2 of the Winter semester.

Graduation from the MA or MFA graduate design degrees requires the completion of a capstone project course(s). Capstone project courses cannot be replaced with other classes, including internships.

Two-year MA to three-year MFA in Transportation Design

A two-year MA and three-year MFA is offered in Transportation Design, providing a preliminary year of skills development. Students taking either the one-year MA or the two- and three-year MFA may change to the two-year MA under advice and guidance at any juncture deemed appropriate by the Department Chair. Students on the two-year MA may advance to the final year of the MFA, having met prerequisites with the agreement of the department chair.

Students on the two-year MA may not change to the one year MA. Students on the three-year MFA may not change to the two-year MFA.

Students attending on a Student Visa may not be eligible to change programs and should inquire about their eligibility with the Primary Designated School Official in the Global Engagement office and their Academic Advisor.

Accelerated BFA/MFA (5 years)

Students enrolled in an accelerated (5-year) Bachelor of Fine Arts + Master of Fine Arts degree at CCS may not transfer to the MA version of the same program.

Related Policies

Graduate Student Readmission Policy

Graduate Credit Transfer Policy

New Degree Program Development and Launch

Intent Discussed with Appropriate Dean

Faculty/Staff wishing to propose a new degree program should meet with the Provost and the appropriate academic Dean (dependent on if the program is graduate or undergraduate – hereafter called the “appropriate Dean”) to discuss the idea.

Provost and Dean Approval

If the Provost and Dean approves next steps, the faculty/staff member (hereafter called the “program request author”) completes the Preliminary Program Proposal form. The program request author will provide a program rationale, perform market research, anticipate costs, and consider program marketing strategies for the proposed program in response to the form’s questions. The Dean will use this form to introduce the program concept to College leadership and attain approval to move forward.

Upon receiving notice of leadership approval to move forward, the program request author will begin working on the Request for New Program form. The Dean and program request author will agree upon the level of Dean involvement in the Request for New Program form development. The program request author will discuss the proposed program with faculty and staff in departments and can be structured – for example, a work group can be developed – or unstructured and rely on individual conversations. The development of the program curriculum will incorporate both colleague input and market research completed.

Timeline Creation

The appropriate Dean will forward leadership’s approval of the Preliminary Program Proposal form to the Dean of Academic Affairs to create a timeline for the program request based on accreditor schedules and share it with the program request author, appropriate Dean.

Request for New Program Form Completion

By the date determined on the timeline, the program request author will complete the Request for New Program form and the official internal approval process will begin.

Appropriate Dean Approval

The appropriate Dean will be the first to consider the submitted Request for New Program form and will work with the program request author to make any needed revisions.

College Leadership Approval

Upon approval by the appropriate Dean, the Request for New Program form will be forwarded to the Dean of Academic Affairs who will place the consideration of the proposed program on the Vice Presidents/Deans/President meeting agenda for College leadership consideration. The Dean of Academic Affairs is responsible for signing the form on that group’s behalf if approved, and/or developing a plan to address the group’s concerns with the program request author and appropriate Dean. If approval is not granted, the Dean of Academic Affairs is responsible for alerting all parties so that the timeline can be revised as necessary.

Upon approval by the College leadership team, the Dean of Academic Affairs is responsible for ensuring that consideration of the program is placed on the Curriculum Committee agenda for a date agreed upon by the program request author and appropriate Dean. In addition to drafting the Request for New Program form, the program request author will complete the necessary docu- mentation (i.e. draft curriculum charts, New Course Requests, Change to Existing Course Requests) for submission.

Curriculum Committee Approval

The Curriculum Committee will consider the contents of the form and all submitted documentation and sign the form if they approve of the new program. If the approval is not granted, the Dean of Academic Affairs is responsible for developing a plan and timeline to address the group’s concerns with the program request author and appropriate Dean. Upon Request for New Program form approval by the Curriculum Committee, as evidenced by the Committee’s Chairs signature, the Dean of Academic Affairs will place the new program request on the agenda for the next Faculty Assembly

Faculty Assembly Approval

The Curriculum Committee Chair will introduce the program at the Faculty Assembly with the in-person support of the program request author and appropriate Dean, answer any questions that may arise, and ask that they approve the program request. The Faculty Executive Committee Chair will sign the form on the Faculty Assembly’s behalf if approved. If approval is not granted, the Dean of Academic Affairs will develop a plan to address the group’s concerns with the program request author and appropriate Dean.

Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Necessary Documentation

HLC categorizes new program proposals using their own metrics. Dependent on how the program is categorized, different documentation is required. The Dean of Academic Affairs and appropriate Dean will determine the category and work with the program Chair to complete the necessary documentation.

Submission and Response Schedule

Submissions to HLC are accepted on a rolling basis. The length of response time expected is dependent on whether HLC determines that the decision can be made via desk review (up to 90 days), panel review (up to six months), or if a site visit is necessary (nine months). Site visits include a cost to the institution.

Department of Education

Necessary Documentation

The DOE must be notified of, and in some cases approve, all new programs or existing programs seeking to be offered in distance mode. The Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services is responsible for making this request to the DOE and submitting the appropriate documentation, including the program approvals from NASAD and HLC.

Submission and Response Schedule

Submissions to the DOE are made on a rolling basis. Responses may take up to 90 days.

Program Specific Accreditors

Programs may have discipline specific accreditors with their own requirements and standards. As these differ by organization, they are handled individually. Parties responsible for ensuring the program-specific accreditation reporting is completed include the appropriate program Chair, the appropriate Dean, and the Dean of Academic Affairs.

New Program Approval Timeline

Approval or Submission	Timing	Purpose
Preliminary Program Proposal Form reviewed and approved by College Leadership	July or August	Allows initial exploration and discussion of a potential new academic program before the formal approval process begins.
New Program Proposal submitted to Curriculum Committee	September	Formally initiates the proposal for a new degree, certificate, credential, or academic program.
Faculty Assembly Vote	October	Provides faculty governance approval.
HLC submission	November	Requests any required institutional accreditor approval or review.
U.S. Department of Education submission	December or January	Requests any required federal approval or review.

Assessment of New Programs

New Degree-Granting Academic Program Assessment

New Degree-Granting Academic Program Assessments are completed after the first year of program launch, and then again after the third year of program launch. The Dean of Academic Affairs works with new program Chairs and the appropriate Dean to schedule the assessments. Chairs are required to submit a dossier of documentation/evidence to the appropriate Dean in preparation for each of the reviews. New programs will submit the New Academic Program Assessment forms as part of their comprehensive review dossier at year six.

Institutional and Program Learning Outcomes

Each year, each degree-granting academic program completes an assessment of how well they delivered both an Institutional Learning Outcome (ILO) and a Program Learning Outcome (PLO) in their curricular content. These reports are submitted to the Assessment Committee at the close of each academic year.

Comprehensive and External Evaluator Reviews

The Assessment Committee offers a review of scheduled Comprehensive Review of academic programs every five years. Prior to the Review, the program creates a dossier of materials for consideration, similar to that which was created for the New Program reviews in the first and third years. The areas evaluated include program community development, institution community development, and progressive curricular strategies.

This Comprehensive Review will take place in the same year as the external review, in which an industry professional will perform a campus visit and consider student work outcomes and industry relevance.

Student, faculty, and staff focus groups would be convened as part of the review process to converse with the external evaluator and the Assessment Committee reviewers.

Student Course Evaluations

Each semester, students submit course evaluations that assess the effectiveness of their instructors and the course. Program Chairs consider these evaluations each semester and refine courses and offer faculty mentorship/training as needed

Faculty Evaluations

CCS full-time faculty are reviewed annually. Student outcomes and course evaluations are considered as part of this evaluation. New faculty, both full-time and adjunct, are evaluated twice in their first semester.

Double Majors

A Double Major is when a student fulfills all academic requirements for two distinct majors simultaneously graduating with a single degree that recognizes both fields of study. Up to 75 credit hours may be shared between two BFA majors and up to 56 credit hours may be shared between two Three-year BA majors. Eligible credits are determined upon review.

Each plan for the major must be developed in consultation with and approved by both Department Chairs. Students wishing to declare a double major must complete the Double Major Declaration form that is available in the Academic Advising and Registration Office (AARO). One of the majors must be designated as the primary program of study on the form. Students must submit the completed form to AARO with the approval of the second major’s Department Chair.

Students who choose to graduate at the completion of their primary major requirements will need to abandon the second major. Students who choose to discontinue a double major and pursue a single major must submit a removal request on the Double Major Declaration form to the Academic Advising and Registration Office. The form must include the required approvals from the appropriate department chair(s) and will be processed in accordance with College procedures and graduation requirements.

Adding or removing a double major may impact availability of financial aid. Please contact the Financial Aid Office before making changes finaid@ccsdetroit.edu or 313-664-7495.

Second Major After Graduation

Students may complete a second major after graduation by applying through the CCS Admissions Office. Requirements from the first major are evaluated, and when appropriate, foundations, studio, and liberal arts coursework from the first major may be applied to the second major. Admitted transfer students are sent a potential Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE) and curriculum chart via email shortly after being admitted. The TCE outlines which courses have been accepted for transfer credit and how they apply toward your CCS degree.