Self-Directed Assessment Policy

Rasmussen University's self-directed assessment offerings fulfill some academic program requirements. Demonstrated mastery through the successful completion of self-directed assessments allows students to test out of some courses within their academic program.

• A signed enrollment agreement in a program that allows self-directed assessment is required to gain access to the library of self-directed assessments. Non-Degree Seeking students do not have access to self-directed assessments.
• Student must attempt a minimum of six credits in Traditional Courses or Competency-Based Courses per quarter to be eligible for financial aid while taking a self-directed assessment, and student is not eligible to attempt self-directed assessment until all Developmental Education requirements are fulfilled.
• Any student or prospective student must be in good academic standing to enroll in any self-directed assessments.
• Student has flexible time to complete a self-directed assessment attempt but is not to exceed 45 days from the point in time each self-directed assessment is accessed.
• Self-directed assessments must be completed prior to the first day of the quarter in which the student is expected to graduate. The quarter of expected graduation is determined by the graduation date as it appears in the Rasmussen Student Portal. Students who do not meet this requirement will be expected to complete the course requirements as a regularly scheduled Traditional Course or a Competency-Based Course.
• Self-directed assessment is optional unless a programmatic requirement explicitly dictates that certain credits be completed using self-directed assessment. Such requirements are published in the University Catalog.
• If student does not complete the self-directed assessment attempt within the deadline, then student will be required to meet the programmatic requirement through a Traditional Course or a Competency-Based Course at the applicable standard tuition and fee rates.
• Academic Appeals are not considered for self-directed assessment or any other form of prior learning assessment. Technical issues should be resolved by calling Classroom IT Support at 833-606-1909 at the time an issue is discovered.
• Enrolled students may elect to take a self-directed assessment in lieu of a course for any course that has been identified as having a self-directed assessment equivalent or fulfills the same General Education category.
• Credit for successfully completed self-directed assessment will appear on the student transcript with a grade designation of TO (test-out credit), will equal the number of credits for the course equivalent(s) of the self-directed assessment, and will count toward student's maximum transfer of credit.
• If a student has already attempted the faculty-led course, as indicated by any posted grade, including W/WD/WP/WX or F/FA/FD and excluding CL, PD, and WL grades, the student will not be allowed to attempt the equivalent self-directed assessment option. If the course is subject to time limits and is expired, the equivalent self-directed assessment option may be attempted.
• A student may complete a self-directed assessment and later decline Transfer Credit for the option (TO grade) and enroll in an equivalent Traditional Course or a Competency-Based Course and earn a letter grade.
• Self-directed assessments which are attempted in lieu of prerequisite and corequisite courses must be successfully completed prior to the start of the term in which the post-requisite course is required. Failure to do so may result in delays in program completion. See the Prerequisites and Corequisites language at the beginning of the Course Descriptions section for details.
• Self-directed assessment enrollment will not satisfy credit load requirements for the purposes of veterans benefit program funding or any other student financial assistance program.
• Each self-directed assessment attempt has a per-attempt out-of-pocket fee defined in the Tuition and Fee Attachment to the Enrollment Agreement, and these attempts cannot be paid for with state or federal financial aid. Fees for self-directed assessment are non-refundable and nontransferable if student has been accepted to the program.
• Contact your Advisor for a list of available self-directed assessments as well as instructions to enroll and pay the self-directed assessment fee.
• Payment of the self-directed assessment fee does not guarantee the award of credits. Any credits awarded will be based on successfully meeting the criteria of the assessment and the criteria of this policy.
• Credits awarded through self-directed assessments (TO) may not be transferable to another institution. The decision to accept transfer credits is always at the discretion of the receiving institution.