KPU recognizes that students attain significant learning at a post-secondary level from formal academic learning, as well as work, training, and other experiences outside the formal post-secondary education system. Through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), KPU will award credit for learning that is directly applicable to the student's declared program of study. Should a student change programs, all or some of the PLAR credit previously awarded may no longer apply to the new area of study, but the student may be able to apply for additional PLAR credit that was not appropriate under the previous program of study.
Although PLAR credit may be granted, a further decision on the applicability of the credits toward program admission or graduation requirements may be required. Students are advised to first review the requirements of their program in the academic calendar, and meet with an Academic Advisor if questions arise as to how PLAR may satisfy program requirements for graduation.
Any student planning to transfer to a university or other post-secondary institution should be aware that PLAR credit granted by KPU is not binding at another post-secondary institution.
Policy AC6 Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is the university’s policy on Credit for Previous Learning and can be viewed online at www.kpu.ca/policies.
How to Request PLAR
- Determine the body of work for which you wish to request PLAR credit, and the comparable course it may equate to as part of your program requirements. Course descriptions are available in the University Calendar: kpu.ca/courses
- Contact the designated PLAR Department Consultant for the course in which you are seeking PLAR credit, as per the chart below. The PLAR Department Consultant will conduct a pre-assessment to determine if your request will be evaluated by a PLAR Assessor. If approved, the PLAR Department Consultant will complete and sign an Application for Prior Learning Credit form.
- Submit your signed Application for Prior Learning Credit form to Student Enrolment Services at studentinfo@kpu.ca and they will contact you with the amount and instructions on how to pay your PLAR assessment fee.
- Your request will be forwarded to your designated PLA Assessor who will contact you to select an appropriate assessment method, date and deadline. Descriptions of assessment methods are provided in the University Calendar.
- Your PLA Assessor will submit the results of your assessment to the Registrar’s Office, and your final grade will be recorded on your academic record and will appear on your academic transcript.
PLAR Department Consultants Contact Information:
Faculty of Academic and Career Preparation | PLAR Department Consultant | |
English Language Studies | Lesley Hemsworth Kathy McPherson | |
English Upgrading | Chris Traynor Danny Wrench |
Faculty of Arts | PLAR Department Consultant | |
Anthropology | Larissa Petrillo | larissa.petrillo@kpu.ca |
Asian Studies | Robert Menzies | robert.menzies@kpu.ca |
Creative Writing | Billeh Nickerson | billeh.nickerson@kpu.ca |
Criminology | Shereen Hassan | shereen.hassan@kpu.ca |
Education Assistant | Nancy Norman | nancy.norman@kpu.ca |
Educational Studies | Pedro Dos Santos | pedro.dossantos@kpu.ca |
Counselling | Mark Kerr | mark.kerr@kpu.ca |
English | Steve Weber Joakim Nilsson (ENGL 1104) | |
Entertainment Arts | Ed Ko | ed.ko@kpu.ca |
Fine Arts | Alison MacTaggart | alison.mactaggart@kpu.ca |
Geography | Parthi Krishnan | parthiphan.krishnan@kpu.ca |
History | Eryk Martin | eryk.martin@kpu.ca |
Indigenous Studies | Allison Hotti | allison.hotti@kpu.ca |
Journalism and Communication Studies | Chad Skelton | chad.skelton@kpu.ca |
Language and Cultures | Yanfeng Qu | yanfeng.qu@kpu.ca |
Music | Gordon Cobb | gordon.cobb@kpu.ca |
Philosophy/ Humanities | Marc Champagne | marc.champagne@kpu.ca |
Policy Studies | Ellen Pond | ellen.pond@kpu.ca |
Political Science | Greg Millard Ross Pink | |
Psychology | Susan Thompson Dianne Crisp | |
Sociology | Amir Mirfakhraie | amir.mirfakhraie@kpu.ca |
NGO and Non-profit Studies | Sarah Fessenden | sarah.fessenden@kpu.ca |
Melville School of Business | PLAR Department Consultant | |
Accounting | Andrea Hunter | andrea.hunter1@kpu.ca |
Applied Communications | Darren Francis | darren.francis@kpu.ca |
Business & Quantitative Methods | Flora Hsiao | flora.hsiao@kpu.ca |
Business | Jeannette Paschen | jeannette.paschen@kpu.ca |
Computer Business Systems | Landon Kleis | landon.kleis@kpu.ca |
Cooperative Education | Leanne MacKenzie | leanne.mackenzie@kpu.ca |
Economics | Taiwo Aderemi (Fall term) Shauna McAuley-Bax (Spring, Summer terms) | |
Entrepreneurial Leadership | Brad Anderson | brad.anderson@kpu.ca |
Graduate Diplomas in Business Administration (Global Business Management, Green Business Management and Sustainability) | Tara Immell | tara.immell@kpu.ca |
Human Resource Management | Marla McMullen | marla.mcmullen@kpu.ca |
Information Technology and Computer Science | Chris Leung Chinmaya Mahapatra | |
Legal Administrative Studies | Colleen Formisano | colleen.formisano@kpu.ca |
Marketing | Vida Morkunas | vida.morkunas@kpu.ca |
Post-baccalaureate Programs (Operations and Supply Chain Management, Technical Management and Services) | Phaedra Burke | phaedra.burke1@kpu.ca |
Public Relations | Andrew Frank | andrew.frank@kpu.ca |
Faculty of Health | PLAR Department Consultant | |
Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing | Dr. Kim Bagshaw | kim.bagshaw@kpu.ca |
Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Sim Minhas | simrat.minhas@kpu.ca |
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Advanced Entry | June Kaminski | june.kaminski@kpu.ca |
Graduate Nurse Internationally Educated Re-Entry | Herraj Sandhu | herraj.sandhu@kpu.ca |
Health Care Assistant | Sharon Joss | sharon.leitchjoss@kpu.ca |
Traditional Chinese Medicine - Acupuncture | Dr. John Yang | john.yang@kpu.ca |
Wilson School of Design | PLAR Department Consultant | |
Fashion & Technology | Mary Androsiuk | mary.androsiuk@kpu.ca |
Fashion Marketing | Shainin Karnai | shainin.karnai1@kpu.ca |
Foundations in Design | Natasha Campbell | natasha.campbell@kpu.ca |
Front-End Development for Interactive Applications | Joanna Zander | joanna.zander@kpu.ca |
Graphic Design for Marketing | Carley Hodgkinson | carley.hodgkinson@kpu.ca |
Interior Design | Paola Gavilanez | paola.gavilanez@kpu.ca |
Product Design | Iryna Karaush | iryna.karaush@kpu.ca |
Technical Apparel Design | Lindsay Norris | lindsay.norris@kpu.ca |
Faculty of Science | PLAR Department Consultant | |
ACP Mathematics | Tanya Boboricken | Tanya.Boboricken@kpu.ca |
Biology | Monica De Boer | monica.deboer@kpu.ca |
Brewing and Brewery Operations | Alek Egi | alek.egi@kpu.ca |
Chemistry | Xin Liu | xin.liu@kpu.ca |
Computer Aided Design & Drafting (CADD) | Christina Heinrick | christina.heinrick@kpu.ca |
Environmental Protection Technology | Chris Hauta | christopher.hauta@kpu.ca |
Health Science | Cayley Velazquez | cayley.velazquez@kpu.ca |
Horticulture | Jamie Lamont | jamie.lamont@kpu.ca |
Mathematics | Judy Bicep | judy.bicep@kpu.ca |
Physics, Astronomy, Applied Science | Takashi Sato | takashi.sato@kpu.ca |
Sustainable Agriculture | Rebecca Harbut Mike Bomford |
Co-operative Education | PLAR Department Consultant | |
Co-operative Education | Shawn Erickson | shawn.erickson@kpu.ca |