Almost one million active-duty service members have not yet acquired a bachelor’s degree, yet they have extensive training from their service that may translate to a credential.
A new report from ACE in partnership with the State University of New York (SUNY), Old Dominion University (ODU), National University (NU), and Western Technical College (Western) was released today. From Recognition to Progress: Lessons from Institutional Efforts to Advance Credit for Prior Learning for Military Learners explores how colleges can expand credit for prior learning (CPL) to welcome service members into their academic programs and effectively support them as they seek a degree.
CPL is academic credit that institutions can award students for training that they have acquired outside the traditional academic setting, and it is one way that colleges and universities can honor the training that military learners have acquired from their service and apply it towards their credential.
While higher ed institutions can vary in type, size, and offerings, offering CPL for military learners in thoughtful ways can enable student success and accurately recognize prior training. The report presents case studies from the partner institutions, showcasing how each was proud to support student veterans, how they applied CPL for their military learners, and how their campuses have benefited.
"Military-affiliated learners are an important part of the Old Dominion University community, and we are committed to creating pathways that recognize the valuable knowledge and experience they bring with them. Our focus is not simply on awarding credit, but on ensuring that prior learning translates into meaningful progress toward a degree,” Brian O. Hemphill, PhD, president of Old Dominion University, shared.
“National University was founded by a Navy Veteran, and serving military-connected learners has been central to the university’s mission from the beginning. Today, 50% of our undergraduate students are active-duty military, Veterans and dependents,” said Dr. Mark D. Milliron, president and CEO of National University. “These learners bring significant knowledge, training and experience from their military service, and credit for prior learning provides a meaningful way to recognize that experience within their academic journey. At National University, we are committed to ensuring that the learning students bring with them contributes to their continued educational progress and the degrees they are pursuing.”
“Effective and proactive state-level policies can open doors for military learners, ensuring that there is a strong foundation for institutions like Western to turn to for guidance while also having the flexibility to implement policies in a way that makes sense for an institution's needs, structures, and students,” Kirk Bennett, DBA, president of Western Technical College, also shared.
The report also explores how implementing CPL can support student success and build institutional readiness, and it offers federal policy recommendations to support implementation of CPL across the country.