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Can I Get College Credit from Online Courses?

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In a nutshell: if your college accepts ACE credit or CLEP exam results, you can use particular online courses to gain some credit towards your degree. The crucial step is to check with the registrar first!

Here at Class Central, we often get asked about academic credit. While many free and free-to-audit courses are made by universities and in some cases are direct recordings of live university lectures, the opportunities to use these free and low-cost courses for official academic credit can be somewhat limited. It’s important to check whether your institution will allow credit before taking a course. Note also that there may be maximum limits on the number of credits you can earn from other institutions.

One pathway adopted by thousands of educational institutions in America is ACE credit.

ACE Credit

ACE credit is administered by the American Council on Education and is powered by the digital credential provider Credly. Many institutions allow credit for prior learning (CPL) towards their degrees. “Prior learning” can include work experience, military service, or education from different institutions including online courses. You can ask your institution if it will consider ACE credit towards your degree.

Some providers offer ACE credit and list partner institutions on their sites.

StraighterLine

Some courses from StraighterLine offer ACE credit. Here’s a selection:

Study.com

Study.com has 220 courses offering ACE credit. Here’s a selection:

Saylor Academy

Saylor Academy offers 32 courses with ACE credit. Courses are free, but you pay a small fee for online proctoring while you sit the exam. Don’t forget to check on the course info page for details and how to get college credit.

Here’s a selection:

Coursera

Coursera has some microcredentials offering ACE credit. Note, you may need to finish the courses before the expiry dates; check the information carefully.

More details and courses here.

CLEP

Some colleges allow you to earn college credit quickly and cheaply by passing College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams for introductory college courses. Subjects include Business, Composition and Literature, History and Social Sciences, Science and Mathematics, and World Languages.

Some providers listed on Class Central offer courses to prepare for CLEP exams. Note, the exam fee is currently $95 and if you take the exam at a testing center, you may be also charged a separate local administration fee (typically $20 to $40). You may be able to take the exam remotely from home with online proctoring.

Again, before testing you need to verify if your specific college accepts CLEP credit for your subject of interest and what score is required.

Study.com

Here’s a selection of CLEP prep courses from Study.com:

Modern States

Modern States offers 32 courses to prepare for CLEP exams. If you complete a course with a score of 75% or more in the quizzes and exam, you are eligible for a voucher to take the CLEP exam for free. Here’s a selection:

Other Online Credit Options

Online Degrees

The major course providers offer complete online degrees in a range of subjects and universities. Check the providers’ sites for details.

Verified Certificates

Providers including Coursera, edX, and FutureLearn offer verified certificates for a fee. All three providers have specific microcredentials that can be used as a stepping-stone to a degree from particular universities. After you complete the microcredential, you may need to apply to the university to enroll in the degree and receive credit.

Some institutions may allow verified certificates for credit. You may need to provide the course syllabus and your grades. Since course providers rarely issue transcripts, be prepared to supply screenshots or similar if they are required. Another point to remember is that many online courses have a lower time commitment than a semester-long on-campus course, so you may need to take several courses to cover enough material for credit.

EdX MicroBachelors and MicroMasters

edX MicroBachelors and MicroMasters courses can be used for credit towards a degree with particular universities. If you gain the required results on the edX course, you can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) towards your degree. Again, if you want to study at a different university, you will need to check if the course is accepted for RPL. Always check the details before starting to study. Some courses may be session-based, with deadlines for applications.

Here’s a selection:

FutureLearn Microcredentials

Microcredentials have been specifically designed to provide credit at particular partner universities. Credit varies from course to course. Again, if you want to earn credit towards your current degree, you will need to talk to your own institution about how to apply for accreditation or RPL.

For example:

  • Innovation and Leadership from Deakin University offers 0.5 postgraduate level credits from Credly that you can use towards a degree from Deakin University.

University of Helsinki

A free certificate and, for Finnish students, ECTS credits through the University of Helsinki Open University are available for some courses.

Here’s a selection:

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