The rising cost of tuition, increasing competition, and mounting student loan debt has caused educational leaders to rethink degree programs and resources for learners. As such, open educational resources, prior learning assessment, open degree plans, and competency-based learning have gained popularity in the field of higher education. "Enhancing Education Through Open Degree Programs and Prior Learning Assessment" is a critical scholarly resource that examines teaching and learning materials that learners may freely use and reuse without charge. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as open educational resources, prior learning assessment, and competency-based learning, this book is geared towards educators, professionals, school administrators, researchers, academicians, librarians, and students seeking current research on equity and access to higher education for all learners across the globe. This book contains the following chapters: (1) Open Educational Resources and Prior Learning Assessment: Online Educational Programs (Peter McCarthy, Karleah Harris, and Alec Sithole); (2) Weaving Innovative Threads Together: A New Fabric for Higher Education (Judee Richardson); (3) Bridging the Pathway From the Masters to a Doctoral Program in Higher Education Through Portfolio Learning Assessment (Mette L. Baran and Janice E. Jones); (4) How Prior Learning Assessment Fits Into Today's Education Landscape (Susan Huggins); (5) Competency-Based Learning for Organizational Managers (Donta S. Harper); (6) New Degrees of Opportunity at OC@KU: Addressing the Needs of Today's Learners With Affordable, Flexible, Competency-Based Educational Options (Elizabeth Daniels, Kerrie Houchens, Don Whipple, and Carolyn N. Stevenson); (7) Inclusivity Instead of Exclusivity: The Role of MOOCs for College Credit (Rose Baker, David L. Passmore, and Brian Martin Mulligan); (8) Open by Degrees: A Case of Flexibility or Personalization? (Helen Cooke, Andy Lane, and Peter Taylor); (9) Open Educational Resource: How to Teach Online -- An Open Online Course That Prepares Instructors to Teach Online (Shelley Stewart); (10) Open Educational Resources for Higher Education: A Boon or a Threat? (Jessie Choi); (11) Designing Interaction in Online Courses (Kecia Ray, Susan E. Metros, and Allison Powell); (12) Fostering Effective Learning Community in the Online Classroom (Mary I. Dereshiwsky); (13) A Viking in Education: A Warrior in the Classroom (Carol A. Locker); (14) Utilizing Question and Answer Discussion Forums to Enhance Learning in University Health Courses: Q&A Online Discussion Forums for Efficient E-Learning (Niyi Awofeso); and (15) Resilience and Its Importance to Online Students (Mary I. Dereshiwsky). A section about the contributors and an index are included.