The University of Southern Maine respects the learning you bring with you. With Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), we can potentially reward you for it with college credit - saving you time and money as you work toward your degree.

PLA allows us to build a bridge between your practical/life knowledge and the academic learning we provide on campus and online. We are dedicated to helping students earn college credit for learning acquired outside the traditional academic environment. This can include knowledge gained from the workforce, a profession, and the military. Our pathways to academic credit might  include: testing options, credential reviews, and academic portfolio development. These assessments are available to the general public as well as USM students.

Consider learning you experienced which might relate to courses you need for a particular degree or certificate. Include significant life experiences (since high school) for which you have not already received credit. Make sure you review course descriptions and use them to help you identify relevant opportunities for credit from your work, homemaking, non-credit training, certificates, volunteer experiences, travel, recreational activities, hobbies, and self-study.