PLAR at Conestoga
PLAR is a process by which skills, competencies and knowledge already gained in the workplace, in the community, in part-time or volunteer jobs, or while practising hobbies, can be assessed and accredited. This can be done in order to gain a promotion, to allow the candidate advanced standing in a formal training program thereby saving time and money, or merely for personal satisfaction. RPL measures formal and experiential learning against learning that would occur in a specific course or courses.
Advanced Standing is placement of a student in a program (usually but not always beyond semester one) on the basis of previous documented educational studies. Advanced standing can be accomplished in any of 3 ways: Exemptions, Qualification Recognition, or PLAR.
Exemptions or Transfer Credits are given in situations when a student has already earned formal academic credit(s) at Conestoga or at another recognized educational institution which is/are equivalent to the learning requirements for a specific subject taught at Conestoga. The course(s) must have been of similar credit hours and with similar outcomes or descriptions. Official transcripts and course outlines/descriptions must accompany the application. The teacher processes an exemption form and the student’s transcript shows an E for the grade. Exemption Request Form.
QR - Qualification Recognition(sometimes referred to as international or foreign credential recognition) is a process usually associated with internationally-trained individuals who require concrete recognition for their prior knowledge, skills and abilities from academic institutions or licensing bodies. Recognition of formal credentials may also refer to acceptance amongst institutions and other bodies of each other's credits, licenses, degrees and diplomas.
PLAR - Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition is a process that involves the recognition and assessment of formal, informal and non-formal or experiential learning acquired through employment, non-credit courses, independent study, conferences and seminars or volunteer activities. It is used when the life and work experience of the applicant has resulted in the student already knowing the information/skills that a course would teach, and it allows for the evaluation of this past learning against established academic standards for conversion into college credits. Prior learning must be measurable at the college level and meet Conestogas standards of achievement for current courses. Evaluation is done through a challenge exam or portfolio development. Successful completion results in a credit on a Conestoga College transcript.
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