Adult Learning at SCCC!
The Adult Learner/CLEP program, administered centrally by the Associate Dean of Faculty, serves students who are eligible to receive credit for various life or work learning experiences. The program is designed to facilitate students’ progress towards earning an associate degree at Suffolk County Community College by providing college credit for their learning experiences validated through examination (CLEP) or by portfolio assessment.
The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations are administered regularly at the Selden campus. Portfolio assessment is an alternative vehicle for documenting college-level learning achieved outside the classroom. Students who have the appropriate reading and writing competencies may take PS30, "Portfolio Preparation," a credit course available at all campuses. The course encompasses relevant academic content, skill development, and ongoing guidance during the process of developing a learning portfolio. Evaluation of the portfolio is not part of PS30. The evaluation is done by faculty experts in the academic disciplines.
The Adult Learner/CLEP office annually handles more than 1,300 inquiries, administers approximately 1200 CLEP examinations, coordinates the assessment of at least 20 learning portfolios by about 15 faculty representing some 50 courses, and provides community service for students who are returning to satisfy curriculum requirements through nontraditional means. In regularly administered evaluations, students report that PS30 is particularly valuable, because they receive quality instruction and direction in clarifying and organizing their prior learning while interacting with their peers. The graduates of CLEP and PS30 also report that graduation was expedited and employment upgraded.
