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Art

Credit by Exam or Departmental Assessment

UW-La Crosse appreciates and values students' learning experiences outside of the confines of UWL's sponsored credit instruction and uses a student-centered approach to recognize, evaluate and award credit for that knowledge. Students may be awarded credit for their university-level learning through a variety of ways including but not limited to transfer coursework, credit by national exam, military experience and training, industry-certified and assessed credentials or licensures, and UWL administered prior learning assessments.

Credit by Exam or Departmental Assessment

Several academic departments have an option where a student can complete an exam or other assessment that will provide a student credit for course(s) if the student has the knowledge and skills to proficiently earn credit. Other departments allow a student to take a national exam (e.g., AP/IB/CLEP) off-site that can be used for the same purpose.

For more information, visit:
Credit by Departmental Assessment College Level Examination Program

Credit by Portfolio Review

Current or prospective students wishing to receive Foundations course credit for previous work can participate in our Credit by Portfolio Review process. This applies to ART 162: Drawing Foundations, ART 164: Design Foundations, and ART 166: 3-D Foundations, and allocation of transfer and/or AP credits (for incoming students, transfer students, and students who have recently declared an Art Major).

Eligibility:

  • Incoming (accepted and enrolled) first-year and transfer students with a declared Major and/or Minor in the Department of Art 
  • Students with declared Major and/or Minor in the Department of Art 
  • Transfer students who have previously taken one or more studio classes equivalent to ART 162, Drawing Foundations

Process:

  1. Print and complete the Credit by Portfolio Review form.
  2. Bring the form to the Cashier's Office in 121 Graff Main Hall to pay $20 "Credit by Examination/Credit by Portfolio Review" fee.
    • Staple your receipt to the form.
  3. Prepare your application file in consultation with a Department of Art faculty member. Your materials should include the following in Adobe PDF format:
    1. A portfolio of 10-15 images. Image files should be formatted as JPEGS of maximum size of 100 MB. Please title your image files with your last name and sequence, for example: Smith_01.jpg, Smith _02.jpg). Images may include such items as:
      • Observational drawing from life or still life
      • Figurative or expressive portrait/self-portrait from life (any media)
      • Works in 2-D or 3-D media that clearly express a concept beyond formal principles and technicalities (submit relevant work for the studio area you are seeking credit)
    2. Statement of purpose: Please explain your experience in Studio Art and your reasons for requesting course credit, explicitly stating:
      • Which course/courses you are requesting placement out of
      • Whether you are requesting reallocation of transfer or AP credit or credit by examination
      • Document should be 500 words maximum
    3. Image list, numbered corresponding to submitted images including title, media, dimensions (H x W x D), and date. PDF format.
    4. A letter of support by an art instructor inside or outside of the department emailed directly to art@uwlax.edu with subject heading “Portfolio Review Committee.” The letter should detail how the student exceeds the expectations of the foundation class he/she wishes to receive credit by portfolio.
  4. Email application materials to to art@uwlax.edu. Please put the words “Portfolio Review Committee” in the subject heading of your email.

Any questions about the process should be directed to art@uwlax.edu. Please put the words “Portfolio Review Committee” in the subject heading of your email. Current students may consult with Department faculty about their application.

Due date is the 7th Friday of the academic semester.