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Degree Program Planning

Overview

A unique feature of Empire State College's academic program is the opportunity to design an individual degree program. You will work closely with your mentor to design a program of study that incorporates your prior learning and plans for the learning you will complete as an Empire State College student. Your program must meet Empire State College degree requirements and satisfy the SUNY general education requirements, must reflect mastery of the appropriate knowledge and tools for your chosen concentration, and must incorporate learning appropriate to your personal goals and development.

As part of the degree program planning process, you will prepare a portfolio of prior learning. This portfolio will be submitted for assessment to determine the number of credits you may have earned for prior learning, whether that learning occurred through college courses or outside the classroom.

There are a number of resources that you may draw upon to develop your degree program and prepare for assessment of your prior learning.

Official College Publications and Information

Area of Study Guidelines
Office of Collegewide Academic Review (formerly College Assessment Services) has prepared materials on:
- Developing your degree program
- Prior learning assessment
Student Degree Planning Guide: an official college publication
A Student Guide to Credit for Prior College-Level Learning: an official college publication
SUNY general education requirements

Other College Tools and Resources

Area of study resource pages: resources for students written by Empire State College faculty
Career Resources Center: web based tools for self-assessment, career search, job requirements
College Source Online: online college catalogs for research (Empire State College password required)
Degree Program Planner: a web-based tool for building your degree plan
National College Credit Recommendation Services (National CCRS), formerly known as the National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction (National PONSI): a not-for-profit educational advisory service that links learning experiences that take place outside of college classrooms to college degrees. Discuss with your mentor whether this resource will be useful for your CBE research.
Pre-Law Resources: resources for students considering a career in law

For Center for Distance Learning (CDL) Students Only

Designing your degree
Center for Distance Learning guides for credit by evaluation
CDL educational planning resources: articles and self assessments for distance learning students in educational planning