Information About the PLE Program
What is PLE?
Who is eligible to apply for PLE credit?
What type of experience does not qualify for PLE credit?
How do I enter the PLE program?
How do I complete the PLE program?
How do I get more information about the PLE program?
What is PLE?
Prior Learning from Experience (PLE) is a program that recognizes learning from life experience, not from academic studies. At Evergreen, students have the option of applying to receive academic credit for knowledge gained from such experience. To be awarded credit, you must develop an extensive written document that demonstrates college-level learning as a result of the experience. Your document will describe the life experience and analyze the knowledge gained through a combination of autobiographical and expository writing and research.
Who is eligible to apply for PLE credit?
To apply for PLE, you must be an admitted student at Evergreen and have a minimum of one year of experience outside of an educational setting. You are not eligible to apply for PLE if you have already earned your B.A. or B.S. degree.
What type of experience does not qualify for PLE credit?
You may not apply for credit for any experience gained after admission to Evergreen, such as experience gained while on academic leave. PLE credit may not duplicate any other academic work. PLE does not award credit for vocational or craft skills or self-improvement experience.
Academic credit applied for through certificated learning, documented participation in professional development workshops, military school or training, police or firefighter training, or real estate licensing are not applicable to PLE and will be assessed by the Office of Admissions after you are admitted to Evergreen. Contact the Office of Admissions for more information.
How do I enter the PLE program?
To begin your PLE program, you must take the 4-credit Writing from Life course, offered fall, winter and spring quarters. Upon completion of one quarter of Writing from Life and with the recommendation of your faculty for that course, you can apply to the Dean of Evening and Weekend Studies to register for the PLE Document Writing course. You can register for PLE Document Writing for 4 or 8 credits per quarter for a cumulative maximum of 16 credits. You can enroll in this course in any quarter, except summer.
How do I complete the PLE program?
You will finish your PLE document upon completion of a minimum of 8 credits or a maximum of 16 credits of the PLE Document Writing course. You have 4 consecutive quarters (not including summer quarter) to complete your PLE document. You may decide during your enrollment in PLE Document Writing and in the process of writing your document that you want to request more credit for your finished document. You may request additional credit (up to a maximum of 45) by submitting your document to faculty review.
To earn a degree from Evergreen, 45 of your last 90 credits must be earned at Evergreen. Credit that may be granted for your document above the 16 credits earned in PLE Document Writing will not be counted toward the 45 credits necessary for graduation. In other words, a maximum of 16 credits of PLE Document Writing can be counted toward your 45 credits to be earned at Evergreen.
How do I get more information about the PLE program?
Go to www.evergreen.edu/ews for more information on the Writing from Life course. For specific information on the policies and procedures for PLE, please contact Academic Advising at (360) 867-6312 or the Evening and Weekend Outreach Coordinator at (360) 867-6170.