College of St. Joseph has a successful history of serving adult learners.

Approximately 80% of our night students and 20% of our day students are adult learners. Many prospective students who apply for admission have been out of school for many years, so we place emphasis on the nonacademic growth a student may have had since their last participation in formal education.

CSJ offers academic advising by our professional, full-time staff. We will counsel you into courses that fit your background and interest. If you are uncertain about your skills, CSJ offers placement tests to determine which courses are right for you. Courses required for a degree are cycled so most degree programs can be completed by attending only in the evening if desired.

CSJ will help you make the transition back to school through its academic counseling, career development, and academic support services.

To further discuss transfer credits or credit for life experience, please contact our Registrar’s Office.

Alternative Credits for Adult Learners

The college allows eligible adult learners to translate their experience into college credit through a variety of options.

By participating in alternative credit options, students may reduce the number of classroom hours needed to attain a degree. Students planning to earn a degree from the College of St. Joseph may enroll in the Harvest program at any time during the spring, fall or summer academic sessions.

Learning is evaluated through a variety of assessment tools including:

• Portfolios
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• Defense Activities for Non-traditional Education Services (DANTES)
• American Council of Education (ACE)
• Program on Non-Collegiate Sponsored Institutions (PONSI)
• American Council of Banking (AIB)
• Challenge Exams