PATHWAY CONNECTION

Brookdale Community College (BCC), Camden County College (CCC), County College of Morris (CCM), and Middlesex College partnered to use prior learning assessments (PLA) to evaluate the following data science industry credentials for college credit:   

(1) Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer Certification (PCEP)  

(2) Google Data Analytics,  

(3) Alteryx Foundation Micro-Credentials, and  

(4) Alteryx Designer Core Certification   

 Students who successfully pass the professional certification examinations earn 3 college credits toward the following Data Science degree programs: Associate of Applied Science in Data Science at CCC, Associate of Science in Computer Science (Data Science Option) at CCM, and Associate of Science in Mathematics (Data Science Option) at BCC. 

By awarding PLA credits, the number of courses that students must complete to attain their degree is reduced which has a significant impact on students’ lives by decreasing the time to earn a degree and decreasing debt accumulation. Additionally, students are equipped with the necessary skills to enter the technology workforce.