Excelsior College
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Excelsior College is a private college located in Albany, New York, USA. The college traces its origin to 1971. Its present name was adopted in 2001; it means "ever upward" in Latin. This name is also the motto of New York State; the college started out as an external-degree-granting unit of the New York State Education Department of the State University of New York (USNY). The college was formerly called Regents College (referring to USNY's governing Board of Regents), as well as some similar predecessor names. Excelsior College formally became an independent college that was no longer an administrative unit of the New York State Education Department in 1998, although it is still, as is the case with all colleges and universities allowed to grant degrees in New York State, one of the organizations and personnel that form USNY.
Excelsior specializes in the adult learner, giving credit for past experiences and training. Distance learning, mixed with traditional classes, provides flexibility in the learning environment. Sources of college credit that can be used towards an Excelsior College degree program include distance learning courses from Excelsior and elsewhere, traditional college courses taken at sites local to the student, Excelsior College examinations, other recognized examinations, and credit for prior learning.
Similar colleges are Thomas Edison State College in New Jersey and Charter Oak State College in Connecticut.