Nevada higher education officials launched an initiative to help roughly 320,000 adults across the state turn prior work experience and training into college credits. The Nevada System of Higher Education debuted its “Take the Credit” campaign to promote its Credit for Prior Learning program, designed to speed up degree completion and cut costs for returning students.
Credit for Prior Learning Expands Across Nevada
The Credit for Prior Learning program allows students to earn academic credit for knowledge, skills, and experience gained outside a traditional classroom. In September 2025, the Board of Regents approved handbook revisions that expanded the program across all seven public colleges and universities within the Nevada System of Higher Education. This expansion aligns with the system’s 2025-2031 strategic plan approved in January 2025. Stephanie Goodman, chair of the Board of Regents, stated that recognizing prior learning makes the path to a degree or certificate more practical by turning real-world experience into academic progress.
How Evaluation and Transfer Credits Work
While institutions like the College of Southern Nevada already offered nontraditional education credits, policies varied widely and credits often failed to transfer between system institutions. Under the updated policy, all seven NSHE institutions maintain consistent systemwide standards for granting credits through professional licensure, standardized exams, faculty-reviewed portfolios, and verified work or life experience. At the College of Southern Nevada, students can apply up to 16 nontraditional education credits toward an associate of general studies or associate of applied science degree, and up to eight credits toward a certificate of achievement, pending formal evaluation. These evaluated credits now transfer between all NSHE institutions, much like traditional coursework.
Economic Impact and Workforce Goals
NSHE documents highlight the Credit for Prior Learning initiative as a vital mechanism to combat declining adult enrollment and accelerate workforce entry. Natalie Brown, NSHE’s assistant vice chancellor for workforce development and community colleges, noted that participating students are already earning 12 to 15 additional credits—representing a semester or more of coursework. The “Take the Credit” campaign officially debuted at the third systemwide CPL convening hosted at the College of Southern Nevada, bringing together campus representatives to standardize programs and maximize economic benefits for students throughout the state.
