5 surprising ways to earn credit before attending Weber State
OGDEN, Utah — Before even taking a single class at Weber State University, students can use their life experience to earn college credits.
Military service, religious missions, and prior community service can all count toward a degree with a Prior Learning Assessment. PLAs allow students to earn college credit for knowledge and skills gained outside of the traditional classroom, with credits awarded based on the type and length of experience by matching learning outcomes to university coursework.
In the 2023–24 academic year, 3,646 WSU students took advantage of PLA to earn a total of 25,948 credits, according to a report from the Utah System of Higher Education.
Jessica Oyler, vice president of Student Access & Success, said the university’s goal is to meet each student where they are on their educational journey.
“Every student comes to Weber State with different experiences, and PLA honor the learning that’s already occurred outside the traditional classroom,” Oyler said. “Whether through work experience, industry certification, or military service, recognizing that knowledge helps a student realize real progress toward a degree and helps make college more accessible and affordable.”
Here are some of the ways to earn credit through PLA:
Standardized tests
Advanced Placement, College Level Examination Program, and ACT or SAT scores can determine placement in required math and English courses. More than 2,700 WSU students earned credit via standardized test scores in the 2023–24 academic year.
Scoring 50 points and above on the CLEP test can earn students three credits in various disciplines, including history, psychology, economics, and foreign languages.
Foreign language assessment
Students with prior language experience may obtain lower-division foreign language credits through examination in languages taught by Weber State’s Department of World Languages & Cultures — French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
Military service
Current and former military members who have completed at least 24 months of active service can earn a maximum of 10 credits toward their education at Weber State. These credits are awarded as HLTH 1030 (three credit hours), which could work toward satisfying General Education requirements in social sciences, plus another seven elective credit hours.
U.S. National Guard members who have served four or more years can also earn 10 credit hours.
Additional credit may be granted through Joint Service Transcripts if the experiences align with specific course requirements.
Service learning and experiential credit
For students who have served a religious mission or volunteered with the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, those unique experiences may also count toward a degree, whether by earning language credit or demonstrating how that service aligns with specific course outcomes via PLAs.
Students may also receive credit for industry, commercial, and career-based training for prior work experience — a fitting option for individuals who work in fields with industry certifications or training such as health and medical areas; welding; IT, computer programming, or networking.
Adam Gardiner, a political science major, was able to apply experiential credit toward his degree.
“I was beginning to think there wasn’t a path for me in finishing my education,” Gardiner said. “But having my career experience count toward my college journey has really given me the confidence I needed to finish.”
Career & Technical Education pathways
Weber State has agreements with several local technical colleges and high schools that allow students to transfer to WSU and pursue an associate of applied science in 25 high-need areas. Career & Technical Education degrees include automotive, nursing, paramedic training, welding, construction management, and more. Students can earn these degrees in high school through concurrent enrollment or early college, or by transferring from a technical college.
In 2023–24, Weber State awarded more than 5,700 credit hours to 368 students from qualifying technical colleges — the most out of any USHE institution.
WSU can also grant up to 21 elective credits toward degree programs for completed coursework at technical colleges via the TechTransfer program.
Full details about applying for credits can be found on the PLA website.
Jessica Kokesh, Marketing & Communications
801-626-7316, jessicakokesh@weber.edu- Contact:
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu