The University of Utah has announced an innovative initiative to award academic credit to returned missionaries, active duty military members, veterans, and other eligible students who have engaged in humanitarian service locally and internationally.
The program, titled “Credit for Prior Learning and Service,” is designed to help students save money and expedite their journey toward graduation by recognizing their out-of-classroom experiences.
Students enrolled at the University of Utah may be eligible for up to 12 credit hours, which equates to one semester’s worth of academic credit.
According to the university’s announcement, this initiative aims to acknowledge the significant value of prior learning experiences that these students bring to the campus community.
At a meeting with the Deseret News Editorial Board, University of Utah President Taylor Randall emphasized that the initiative reflects the university’s commitment to an educational approach that values individual experiences.
“We’re going to give you credit for experience,” said Randall, highlighting the leadership and intercultural skills that students develop through service.
Mitzi Montoya, the university’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, reiterated the institution’s goal of prioritizing experiential learning.
“We have a lot of students who come to us with prior experiences,” Montoya noted, explaining that students who have gone on missions possess substantial experiences that they can reflect upon to earn credits.
The credit opportunity is not limited to those who served missions; it also applies to veterans and students with humanitarian service experience, such as Peace Corps or AmeriCorps.
The university’s plan to implement the “Prior Learning and Service” credit option will be rolled out starting the fall semester of 2025.
However, current students can apply to receive credit for their prior experiences even if those occurred before the official rollout.
The eligibility criteria for this credit program are broad, encompassing various student experiences, including:
– Service on religious missions
– Active duty military service or honorable discharge
– Participation in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps
– Other forms of humanitarian and community service
Awarding academic credit will depend on the nature and duration of each student’s experience and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, allowing for students to receive up to the equivalent of one semester of credits.
To apply for credit based on prior learning experiences, students will be required to pay a $50 fee for each portfolio-based assessment.
In addition, students who complete at least 181 cumulative days of U.S. active-duty military service and either have been honorably discharged or are currently active duty are eligible for four lower-division credit hours of basic training.
Students may also be allowed to test out of courses or receive credit for military training, by demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the course material gained through their experiences via portfolio assessments.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert, a General Authority Seventy and the Commissioner of the Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, highlighted the value of missionary service in developing skills applicable to college life, including essential knowledge and relationship-building abilities.
According to Elder Gilbert, missionaries return with greater maturity, betterprepared to invest in and contribute to their communities.
University leaders believe that the “Prior Learning and Service” credit initiative will not only enhance the educational experience but also help students graduate faster.
Randall illustrated this potential benefit by mentioning that a returned missionary could potentially receive credit for 12 hours in general education and an additional 16 hours for language, which combined could account for nearly a year of academic credit.
For many students, such credit could translate into significant savings on tuition costs.
When asked about the program’s intentions to attract Latter-day Saints to the University of Utah, Randall confirmed that this was indeed part of the university’s approach.
“If you’re going to embed yourself in the community of Utah, you’re going to have to make sure that you take into account all students and their backgrounds,” he stated.
Randall clarified that this endeavor does not necessarily mean altering the campus culture but rather adapting to the changing educational landscape.
He remarked, “I would just say we are leaning into a moment of reinvention.”
Randall, who has been part of the campus community for two decades, reflected on the existing efforts to welcome students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those connected to the Latter-day Saint community.
Overall, the University of Utah’s initiative represents a significant step towards a more inclusive and experiential learning environment, rewarding students for their prior learning and service.”} 🡅 📅 📄 🗂️ 🥷 ☕ 🧑🎓 👩🎓 🎓 🏛️ 🗞️ 🎥 🎙️ 📰 📻 📖 🖊️ 🖋️ 🖌️ 🖍️ 🖊️ 📆 📌 🗓️ 📈 📊 📉 💻 🔍 🍂 🌈 🔮 🔑 🏺 🔧 ⚙️ 🔩 ⚖️ 🔒 🏷️ 🗑️ 🎯 💡 🖥️ 🌍 🌐 🌎 🗺️ 🔌 🔋 🎒 🥘 🍕 🍔 🍟 🍣 🌮 🍉 🍊 🍋 🍇 🍓 🍍 🍌 🥝 🥥 🌰 🍞 🍦 🍰 🍩 🍪 🧁 🥧 🍲 🍝 🧄 🧅 🌶️ 🥭 🌽 🍆 🥬 🥕 🥔 🌽 🍳 🥩 🥓 🍗 🥚 🥖 🍵 🍼 ☕ 🍵 🧃 🍷 🥂 🍸 🍹 🍺 🥃 🍾 👤 👥 👫 🏩 🏦 🏢 🏬 🏭 📊 📈 🔔 🎇 🎆 🎉 ➡️ ⏩ ⌨️ 🅾️ 💳 💶 💴 💵 🕹️ 🎮 ❗ 🔔 🔗 🆕 ℹ️ ❓ ❔ 🕛 🕚 🕙 🗄️ 📩 📤 📥 📭 📋 📏 🏅 🌊 🗻 ⛰️ 🏖️ 🌋 🏜️ 🌌 🌁 🌉 💒 ⛪ 🕌 🕍 🔯 🏛️ 🎡 🎢 🏗️ 🏠 🌳 🌲 🌵 🌹 🌺 🌾 🍀 🌻 🌼 🌷 🪴 🍄 🦋 🦄 🐞 🌈 🌪️ 🌍 🌋 🍔 🌭 🎤 🪕 🎸 🎺 🎼 🎶 🎵 🎧 🎻 🎷 🎸 📡 🎙️ 🛰️ 📻 🎙️ 📺 🎞️ 🎥 🎬 🎭 📽️ 📸 🎭 🎨 🖼️ 🖌️ 🖊️ 🖍️ 🎟️ 🖼️ 🎭 📖 🎴 🧩 🎲 🎯 🤹 🎳 📽️ 🎬 🧑🎤 🧑🎨 🧑🏫 🎓 🎓 ⚾ 🏉 🏄 🏊 🏂 🏗️ 🗂️ 🧪 🧬 🔬 🔭 🌍 📈 📉 🔎 ⚙️ 🥇 🎖️ 🏅 🥈
image source from：https://www.deseret.com/utah/2025/04/23/university-of-utah-announces-college-credit-program-for-returned-missionaries-and-others-serving-global-community/
