Last update: August 2017
Temple University awards limited academic credit and course placement to students based on previous academic, employment, military and/or other learning experiences not earned in a traditional classroom setting.
Credit for Prior Learning (formerly Non-Traditional Credit) may be earned through courses approved for transfer from other institutions, Advanced Placement Tests , International Baccalaureate Exams , the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) , DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) , or military experience.
In admitting transfer or returning students, the university will, when possible, allow credit for courses taken ten or more years prior to the date of admission or readmission.
Limitations on credit earned through Credit for Prior Learning are as follows:
- The credit must be useful in a student's program of study;
- Duplicate credit in the same course is not awarded in any case;
- Credit is only awarded in academic subjects with a corresponding Temple department
Credit for Prior Learning will not be awarded for a course in which a student is currently enrolled and/or have previously received a letter grade for the course (including, but not limited to, an F, W, AU, or I).
Prospect students should send official transcripts for courses from other institutions, military transcripts and official score reports in a sealed envelope to the Admissions Counseling of TUJ. Current students should make the arrangement to have documents mentioned above be sent to the Academic Advising Center.
The Admissions Office of TUJ determines which credits will transfer to the University whereas the academic unit to which the student has been admitted determines how credits will be used to fulfill degree requirements in a student's program of study. Evaluation of Credit for Prior Learning is based on a student's major; transfer evaluations may change for students who change majors.
If Credit for Prior Learning is awarded, a student's university record will carry notation of credit, but no grade will be recorded. Credit awarded will not affect a student's grade point average at Temple University. Credits are expressed in semester hours. Courses evaluated for transfer from colleges and universities with different credit systems (quarter hours, units) are converted to semester hours (i.e., 2 quarter hour credits are equivalent to 1.5 semester hour credits; 3 quarter hour credits are equivalent to 2.0 semester hour credits; 4 quarter hour credits are equivalent to 2.5 semester hour credits).
Credit for Prior Learning does not apply to the minimum number of credits (60) required to earn Latin Honors at graduation. Credit for Prior Learning credits are not counted toward Academic Residency.
Credit for Prior Learning can be counted toward eligibility for the 45+ Transfer GenEd.
A student seeking credit for CLEP should discuss options with the Academic Advising Center in their first year of matriculation at Temple. The student is responsible for any fees related to the assessment and posting of these Prior Learning credits.
Colleges and Schools may have limitations on the type and number of Prior Learning credits that can be applied to a degree. Please see link in each category for additional school and college specific details.
For information regarding AP, IB or CLEP equivalencies, see Equivalency Tables .
DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)
DSST exams provide a mechanism for students to meet the requirements of a class through examination. Temple recognizes students' prior learning by accepting the DSST exams completed prior to matriculation according to the ACE (American Council on Education) guide recommendations. For credit to be awarded, the credit must be useful in a student's program of study. Credit is only awarded in the academic subjects with a corresponding Temple department. Current determination of whether or not DSST is acceptable based on the college/school students are matriculated is as follows:
| Tyler School of Art and Architecture | No |
|---|---|
| Klein College of Media and Communication* | Limited, determined on a case-by-case basis |
| TUJ International Business Studies | Limited, determined on a case-by-case basis |
| College of Liberal Arts | Limited, determined on a case-by-case basis |
* Previously known as School of Communications and Theater
Military Experience
Temple awards college credit for documented military experience according to the ACE (American Council on Education) guide recommendations. Examples of acceptable documentation for military experience include, but are not limited to: Joint Service Transcripts (JST) and Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) Transcript. For credit to be awarded, the credit must be useful in a student's program of study. Credit is only awarded in the academic subjects with a corresponding Temple department. Colleges and schools may have limitations on the type and number of Military Experience credits that can be applied to a degree. Current determination of whether or not Military Experience is acceptable based on the college/school students are matriculated is as follows:
| Tyler School of Art and Architecture | No |
|---|---|
| Klein College of Media and Communication* | Limited, determined on a case-by-case basis |
| TUJ International Business Studies | Limited, determined on a case-by-case basis |
| College of Liberal Arts | Yes |
* Previously known as School of Communications and Theater
Courses Over Ten Years Old
In admitting transfer or returning students, the university will, when possible, allow credit for courses taken ten or more years prior to the date of admission or readmission.
However, academic units may choose not to accept courses regardless of age for credit in the major. Courses of a technical nature or courses in a particularly dynamic field may not be accepted for credit.
Final determination of the acceptability of such sources is the responsibility of academic units and generally occurs after the student has matriculated or been readmitted.
Credits for Associate of Arts graduates who wishes to continue their study at TUJ toward a bachelor's degree may be applicable for their chosen major with a determination by the Academic Advising Center.