The CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) follows the City University of New York’s (CUNY) Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Policy, which establishes university-wide standards for evaluating and awarding CPL credit across all CUNY institutions. This policy ensures that learning acquired outside traditional academic settings is assessed rigorously and equitably, in accordance with national standards and best practices. The complete policy can be viewed here.
Credit Limit and Degree Applicability
Students may apply a maximum of 45 credits of CPL towards a bachelor’s degree.
This includes credit earned through standardized exams, portfolio assessments, military and professional training, and other recognized CPL methods.
In exceptional cases, students may submit a formal petition to request consideration for CPL credit beyond the 45-credit limit. Such petitions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, considering factors such as academic progress, applicability of the learning to the student's degree program, and the petitioner’s academic record. Approval is not guaranteed and is reserved for cases in which additional prior learning demonstrably supports degree completion and degree goals.
Petitions should be sent to TransferCPL@sps.cuny.edu in consultation with an academic advisor.
Duplicate Equivalency Credit
Additional credit will not be awarded for CPL exams or credential submissions if students have already earned credit—via transfer course or in-residence—for the corresponding SPS course. Students should not submit CPL documentation for courses already successfully completed and recorded on the student transcript.
Minimum Grade
Minimum grade requirements apply to CPL exams for programs that require them for majors, minors, or prerequisites. Please refer to the catalog for more details.
Deadline for Graduation
Any student who plans to complete CPL during their final term to fulfill a degree requirement must submit official proof of completion/official transcripts by the graduation application deadline for the intended graduation term. Please refer to the academic calendar for graduation application deadlines.
If a student does not submit official transcripts or documentation by the deadline, it is not guaranteed that the CPL will be applied to the student's record in time to be included in the corresponding graduating class. As a result, this may delay the student's graduation until the next conferral date.
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the CPL attempted is submitted and received by TransferCPL@sps.cuny.edu by the deadline.
Concerns or questions can be directed to the Transfer Credit Evaluation Office or Experiential Learning Department at the CUNY School of Professional Studies.