Gaining A Degree, and A New Lease on Life
How This UK-Based Consultant Levied His Professional Experience Into CUNY College Credit
Here at CUNY SPS, we understand that college-level learning can happen outside of a traditional classroom. That’s why we award Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) based on our students’ professional and personal expertise. Through this initiative, students may earn college credit for their previous education, work experience, and learning outside of school. In our blog series Earn Credit for What You Know, we invite CUNY SPS students and alum who have received CPL credit to share their own stories.
In today’s installment, we speak with Rudi Sellers, a UK-based management consultant who recently earned his BA in Communications and Media at CUNY SPS.
Q: Tell us about yourself. What led you to CUNY SPS? What is your major/degree?
A: I started out as an English Lit major at Brooklyn College back in 1993, but dropped out to move to the United Kingdom, which is where I’ve lived for the last 23 years. I’ve worked as a communications and media consultant for much of that time, mostly as a management consultant in the technology space. I completed most of my education here in the UK, including an MBA, but wasn’t able to transfer my original undergraduate credits. From the US, it’s not synonymous.
When COVID came, and I suddenly had spare time, I thought I would love to go back and finish my original bachelor’s degree. I also thought this degree would be a great way to codify my business knowledge and experience.
I chose CUNY because I went there originally, and I thought it would be one of the easiest ways for my credits to be recognized. CUNY SPS had been on my radar since it was online. I enrolled in the Communications and Media BA program and completed my degree within a calendar year. Looking back, I would say that CUNY SPS lived up to all its promise.
Q: What life experience(s) did you apply toward CPL? How did you acquire this experience(s) or skill(s)?
A: In my first semester, I took the Saylor Academy course BUS210: Corporate Communications, which gelled professionally with my lived experience. Same for my two PLA (Credit by Portfolio evaluations), one of which was in digital storytelling. The portfolio I made for that class offered a chance for me to prove I’ve done the work of telling a story digitally and demonstrate how I’ve learned skills like programming and project management through my professional experiences. For example, my portfolio features video samples of the content I’ve created for myself or for a client, along with a critical analysis of my work and how I might make improvements going forward.
Q: Please describe the process by which you got credit for your experience.
A: When I took the Saylor Academy course, I did the self-paced coursework and then took a test. Once I passed that exam, I was given CUNY SPS credits for it. I think I earned three credits for that course in my first semester, in addition to the six credits I earned in my regular classes.
In my second semester, I also took the PLA course, which provides you with the skill to submit a portfolio for credit. I earned three credits for that course, and then was able to complete two portfolios in my second semester, so I also earned 6 more credits in total from those. It was all bit of a double whammy — and since my aim was to complete my degree in one year, I was just trying to make the most of all the opportunities that were put in front of me.
Q: Looking back, how do you think the CPL credits impacted your college journey and, if applicable, your career?
A: I couldn’t emphasize enough how important the CPL credits were in helping me accelerate my pathway through CUNY SPS in a rigorous and properly academic way. I also felt like these credits also recognized the fact that though it’s been over 20 years since I was last in school, I’m still learning. They afforded me the opportunity to showcase that, as well as validate some of the career choices I’ve made. And it reduced the stigma I felt for not completing my degree sooner.
Q: What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
A: Well, I’ve done my masters in the UK, and I’ve completed my bachelor’s at CUNY SPS. Now I’d like to get a doctorate degree. One of the dreams I haven’t been able to fulfill yet is to attend an HBCU (Historically Black College or University). I am looking to do an online Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), which is consistent with my MBA. I’ve just successfully completed my GMAT and am now applying to Hampton University.
Q: Do you have any advice for other students who may be interested in seeking credit for prior learning?
A: I can only say just do it. This experience was very rewarding. It was harder than I thought it was going to be — but in a good way. I just wrote about my prior experience in my portfolios, but I had to complete the same level of detail, which made me feel like I really earned these credits. Just think long and hard about how your real-life experience connects to what you’re studying now. And you’ll be surprised when you start down that journey — I think you’ll find how much of what you’ve done is actually very relevant to academic learning and coursework.
Read more about other credit for prior learning opportunities at CUNY SPS here.
