Northern Arizona University Launches Competency-Based Online Degree Program

[Rebecca-NAU]

We are really pleased to see such interest in Northern Arizona University’s Personalized Learning program. Thank you for the great posts and questions and for this opportunity to post and clarify.

The current CLEP and DSST policies can be found on NAU’s website at Northern Arizona University | Home Page. These policies are university-wide. Since Extended Campuses and Personalized Learning have such a large transfer population, we are always looking at ways to help students make the most of what they already know, and we’ll continue to look at ways to maximize test credit.

Personalized Learning takes prior knowledge a step further in actually providing students the opportunity to use their knowledge and experience to test out of lessons. Please keep in mind that the tests are rigorous, they require demonstration of knowledge (meaning they are not just multiple choice), and they are graded by faculty.

While we have policies in place to ensure equity and consistency for students, every student is different. Additionally, this program is unique and it’s important to consider much more in your decision-making process than simply transfer credit. Personalized Learning is self-paced, interdisciplinary, integrated, and competency-based. The model is ideal for some students, but won’t work for others.

The best way to find out if Personalized Learning is right for you is to contact us directly. I recommend starting a student profile by going to nau.edu/personalized and downloading the information packet. You can also take a self-assessment to find out if your learning preferences, experience, and situation indicate potential for success in the program.