ABLE Program = ABLE = The Autobiography Program (AP) + Life Experience Program (LEP)

The ABLE program

ABLE = The Autobiography Program (AP) + Life Experience Program (LEP)


Non-traditional students often come to college with considerable professional experience and skills that were gained outside of the classroom. Accordingly, many non-traditional students are excellent candidates for alternative credit programs that enable them to earn up to 20 college-level credits, tuition-free. (Note: --- credits are the maximum awardable for both programs, combined: Autobiography and Life Experience.)


CWE recognizes the skills our students have gained through their prior experiences, and so offers two alternative credit-earning programs:


Life Experience Program & The Autobiography Program


These programs have been an integral part of the Division of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Center for Worker Education since its launch in September 1981. The impetus behind their creation was to provide an accelerated path for working adults to earn college credit by capitalizing on their life experience. Many of our early students, like those today, saw our program as an alternative way to earn a large number of tuition-free credits to complete their bachelor’s degree by relying on past learning experiences. Earning credits through this alternative pathway can help students earn their degrees faster (earning up to 20 credits) and allow them to enjoy significant savings on college costs.  Depending on previous experience and current interests, students can pursue either, or both, programs.
Given the nature of these programs and the number of credits that can be potentially earned and applied to the BA degree, it is important that students express their interest in these pathways as early as possible in their time at CWE. Delaying participation in either program in the ABLE pathway until the senior year can result in graduation delays. Expressing interest early allows students time to assess their readiness for alternative program work and determine the number of credits that these programs potentially could fulfill. There are no prerequisites prior to starting an ABLE program; however, as both programs are writing-intensive, it is a good idea to have completed Writing for Interdisciplinary Studies I and II before beginning either of these programs.


Please review the descriptions of both programs. If you are interested in learning more about our alternative credit programs, please complete the intake forms and meet with your advisor or attend an information session. You can also email members of the ABLE committee at ABLE@ccny.cuny.edu for more information

 

Last Updated: 08/01/2023 11:28