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Advanced Standing

Transfer credits processes and procedures

2023-24 Academic Catalog Page 

 

Transfer credit procedures and processes

Upon admission of a transfer student, the Of?ce of the Registrar will issue an evaluation of previous work for advanced stand?ing delineating the number of credits transferred, unless the student is a first-year student. Additional policies for pre-enrollment credit apply for prospective first-year students, see below. Students are required to release their complete prior academic record to the college for evaluation. 

To be transferred, coursework taken at another institution need not be an exact match to courses offered at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@, but should be in an academic program and at an academic level comparable to examples from the 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ curriculum and consistent with a liberal arts degree. Stricter criteria may be applied to a course for it to ful?ll a general graduation requirement or a requirement for a major. 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ does not accept transfer work under any circumstances after an 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ degree is awarded. 

365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ does not accept technical or specialty courses such as: welding, truck driving, vehicle repair, CDL/transportation, CAD, HVAC repair, industrial coursework, cosmetology, medical/dental/veterinary assistant/technician, massage therapy, EMT, nursing/phlebotomy, safety, childcare, hotel and restaurant management, food preparation, agriculture or agri-business, greenhouse/hydroponics/gardening, computer repair/networking, continuing education, Microsoft certificate courses, crime investigation/police work, forensics, paralegal, clerical studies, typing/keyboarding, transcription, medical coding, human resources, etc.

Only a summary of credits accepted from other institutions with a grade of C or higher will be noted on a student’s 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ transcript, grades will not be noted. Speci?c information on transfer credit is recorded in the student’s permanent ?le and included in degree audits. By sending official scores and official transcripts to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@, individuals consent to post all eligible coursework to the academic record. In accordance with legal regulations and best practice standards, coursework posted to the record may not be removed. Students are required to release/disclose their entire academic record to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ when applying for admission and requesting work be accepted for transfer. Students who choose not to disclose all prior educational experiences may be turned in to the Honor Council and are subject to the consequences outlined in the Honor Code, which may include forfeiture of all transfer credits, a reduction in financial aid or scholarships, suspension or dismissal. Students are required to petition all coursework for transfer in advance of sending transcripts for evaluation. The Office of the Registrar will not do partial evaluations on transcripts where petitions are missing. Coursework approved for transfer credit after a student enrolls at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ is treated in the same manner. 

365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ does not accept the following coursework:

  • DANTES courses - 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ Level Exam Program (CLEP) exams or DSST 
  • Straightliner or StraightlinerLine
  • Sophia Learning, LLC or Sophia.org
  • Coursera.org
  • Study.com
  • HiSET exams or credits by ETS
  • Credly badges or certificates
  • Credits for life or work experience or any prior learning not officially transcripted.

The process for transfer work evaluation is based on the criteria set-forth in the catalog and within the published transfer initiatives/policies noted in the college catalog and on the college website. The processes and protocols for transfer evaluation are strictly followed and adhere to industry best-practice standards established by AACRAO. When necessary, the college will follow guidance outlined by CHEA. The following processes are followed: 

  • Official transcripts and scores should be sent to the college according to the timeline established by the Academic Calendar and the Admissions Office;
  • Only coursework that appears on an official college transcript for credit will be applied to the student record;
  • On behalf of the faculty, official transcripts and official score reports are evaluated by the Office of the Registrar and applicable coursework is posted to the academic record;
  • Transfer credits are awarded according to the maximum credits displayed on an official transcript, unless an academic department wishes to award fewer credits based on an 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ course that has fewer credits. See also Policies on Awarding Credit;
  • Equivalent, qualifying coursework will be posted to the record using a direct equate to the 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ course and any applicable general education designations if approved by the faculty. In some instances a semi-equate applies only some institutional requirements and designations; 
  • Comparable, qualifying coursework without a direct equate will be posted according to faculty policy, which may include applying coursework as an elective within a department that may or may not apply toward a major/minor and will not include a general education designation;
  • Courses and scores that the Office of the Registrar has determined are not faculty approved for credit, are below college-level coursework, are neither comparable nor equivalent, or coursework/scores where the student has earned 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ credit will not receive credit for transfer;
  • Courses/scores not previously evaluated for transfer and with which the Office of the Registrar has no previous evaluation experience will be forwarded to the appropriate academic department chair for evaluation (students may choose to provide a syllabus and additional assignments/tests from the transfer course directly to the department chair as supporting documentation);
  • Students who have official college transfer work and/or credit from official scores posted to their academic record may not repeat those courses for credit at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@. See Grading for more information about the policies on repeating coursework for credit;
  • Students will have all applicable coursework and credits applied to the record, students may not pick and choose what prior credit they will have applied to the record, except under the Pre-Enrollment Policy noted below; 
  • Once credits from transfer work and scores are posted to the official educational record, coursework will not be removed or edited. Under the regulations of the Department of Education, the Higher Learning Commission, and best practices established by AACRAO, the official academic record shall not be altered or amended unless a documented clerical error has been proven. See the policies governing the Academic Record for more information. 

After enrollment with the college, transfer students (*) who have a question about how transfer coursework was applied to their record may follow these steps to obtain a further review of the coursework. Students should wait for the results of the review following each step below before pursuing the next step: 

  1. Contact the Office of the Registrar for a review of the transfer coursework (for credits and requirements).
  2. Send a syllabus to the appropriate department chair (for credits and requirements). Do not send links to institutional webpages.
  3. Appeal the transfer evaluation to the Committee on Advanced Standing and Degrees ; 
  4. Request a full transfer course vetting by following the General Education Designation online guide (only for request of additional General Education designations).

(*) This additional review process is only available to new transfer students after their initial enrollment with the college. After first enrollment with the college all current 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ students are required to follow the pre-approval process prior to taking coursework elsewhere. That approval process will clearly identify how transfer coursework will be applied to the record. See below.

Regulations governing transfer credit for transfer students upon admission to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@

  1. Please also see the "Pre-Enrollment Policy" noted below
  2. Students seeking a degree at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ as a transfer student must submit for transfer evaluation an of?cial transcript of all work attempted at other colleges and universities. Grade sheets and transcripts generally issued to students are not acceptable. Of?cial transcripts should be sent to the Of?ce of Admissions directly from the other institutions attended.
  3. To be transferable, coursework should be completed at an accredited institution. Schools in Illinois and surrounding states should be accredited by the applicable Higher Learning Commission (230 S. LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, Ill., 60604) regional accrediting body. A directory of accredited institutions is available on-line at https://www.hlcommission.org/Directory-of-HLC-Institutions.html.
  4. Only coursework from other colleges and universities awarded the grade of “C” (i.e., 2.00) or higher will be evaluated for transfer credit.
  5. Institutions without accreditation cannot provide a reliable, third -party assurance that they meet or exceed minimum academic standards. Therefore 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ does not routinely accept coursework from institutions who are not regionally accredited. On behalf of and along with the faculty, the Office of the Registrar may take special steps to validate credits that have been previously earned at unaccredited programs or institutions if requested by the student in advance of their enrollment.
  6. Semester credits: 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ credits are semester credits. In transferring courses credited in quarter hours, the conversion formula is [semester credits] = [(2/3) x (quarter credits)].
  7. Repetition of courses: Once credit has been earned for a course at another institution, it cannot be earned again at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@. The same is true for 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ courses. If a student earns credit for a course at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@, an equivalent course may not be transferred in from another institution. 
  8. Pass/No Credit: A course graded Pass/No credit is not transferable if "C-" or “D” is considered Pass under the other institution’s grading system. 
  9. Residence requirement: At least 60 credits (exclusive of physical education activities) must be earned at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@. The last 12 credits applied to the degree must be earned at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@.
  10. Upper-division credits: Except under rare circumstances, no lower level transfer coursework will be equated to 300/400 level 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ courses. Lower-level courses from another institution may be equated to a lower-level transfer elective instead. A major/minor substitution for the elective transfer course may be requested to substitute for the 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ requirement at the discretion of the department. Students who have unique circumstances where they feel an upper-level equate is necessary may request the department and AS&D approve a waiver and will be limited to no more than two courses (6-8 credits) applied toward the degree. [updated by faculty 12.6.23]
  11. Credit by examination, including Advanced Placement, credit for experience, and correspondence coursework are transferable to the extent that 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ standards are met.
  12. Mathematics credit: No credit is given for work in mathematics below the level of college algebra. A Quantitative (Q) designation is not awarded for college algebra. 

Regulations governing transfer credit after a student enrolls at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@

Enrollment is defined as the date which an individual becomes a student. The college defines a student as attending their first day of coursework at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@. The above policies also apply to transfer work taken after initial enrollment unless specific exceptions are noted here: 

1. Prior approval: Transfer credit is only awarded when? approval by the Committee on Advanced Standing and Degrees has been approved prior to a course being taken. An official petition form for this purpose is available through secure Arches login or clicking HERE (network login required). Petitions must include the name of the institution in which the coursework is to be taken; titles and descriptions of courses; length of the session or term; statements of support from the student’s advisor and from the chairs of the departments responsible for the degree requirement ful?lled by the course to be taken.

2. Repetition of failed courses: Students who fail an 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ course are expected to repeat the course at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ if they wish to repeat the course. Students may not retake failed 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ coursework at another college or university. Under very rare and unusual circumstances, a student may seek approval of the Committee on Advanced Standing and Degrees for an exception. It is expected that courses retaken to ful?ll general education requirements or requirements within a major or minor will be repeated at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@. Petitions to the committee must be supported by the student’s academic advisor, the chair of the department of the student’s major or minor, and, when necessary, those responsible for the degree requirement ful?lled by the course to be taken.

3. Concurrent registration: Full-time 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ students (those enrolled in 12 or more credits in a semester or enrolled for one J-term course) are prohibited from enrolling concurrently (carrying coursework) at any other institution. Students who feel they have an unusual circumstance that requires concurrent registration must request prior approval of the Committee on Advanced Standing and Degrees. The Department of Education has restrictions and limitations on concurrent enrollment, so exceptions are rarely approved. The guidelines for prior approval of transfer credit once a student has enrolled at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ apply also to petitions for concurrent registration. Students who wish to petition for concurrent registration should continue to attend all 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ classes during this period. The following guidelines also apply:

  • Only students who have earned 61 credits or more and have a strong academic record will be considered for concurrent registration.
  • Students assume the risk for understanding that violations to Department of Education regulations may result is students having to return dispersed funds to the college or the government. 
  • Petitions for this privilege are approved only if the committee judges that the student’s valid educational objectives for an 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ degree can be met only through concurrent registration.
  • Career objectives and enrollment goals beyond 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ will not be considered as a valid rationale for concurrent registration. 

Students who seek to take coursework between terms when they are not enrolled at the college (i.e. summer or J-term if not enrolled at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@) must seek prior approval of the coursework through the regular transfer policies and procedures. The dates of the proposed transfer course (start and end dates) may not overlap with any dates a student is enrolled full time at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@. Full time is defined as 12 credits during a semester and one course for J-term.

4. Online and Distance Coursework: While students may choose to take online coursework for transfer during the summer or any other period they are not enrolled at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@, prior approval is required and all other policies governing transfer credits and graduation requirements apply. (updated 3.16.22)

5. Final Official Transcripts Required: All transfer work must be validated through an official transcript sent directly to the Office of the Registrar (mail or an approved e-service vendor.) Transcript must include the number of credits earned and a final grade. It is the responsibility of the student to verify an official transcript will be released documenting completion of the coursework and to arrange to have those transcripts sent to the college.

6. Exception for Washington Internship Institute: Continuing students may apply to take coursework for transfer through an approved arrangement between 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ and the Washington Internship Institute. Students must apply for the program through the Office of International and Off-Campus Programs and petition coursework approval in advance. A current list of approved courses is available in the Office of the Registrar. (Approved by Senate on 5-5-11)

Credit for military service

365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ generally accepts the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE) for accreditation of military service training and experience if 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ offers the equivalent coursework. One physical education (HEPE) credit is given for military experience of more than one year. This credit may be used to partially satisfy the physical education (PEA) graduation requirement.

Clarifying language added on 5-1-19

See also  the Pre-enrollment earned credit policy for first-year students

 

International study transfer credit

365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ regularly offers programs for both language study and multidisciplinary study in a variety of regions of the world including 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@-approved programs and exchange programs. For a complete list of programs, visit the international internship opportunities site. The quality of instruction on these sponsored and affiliated programs meets college standards and the curricula are consistent with on-campus academic programming.

The following policies apply to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@-approved and sponsored programs:

  • Once students are selected/approved to participate on an 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ international study program, they follow the normal college registration procedures.
  • Study abroad in non-365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ programs should be planned for the junior or senior year. Prior to leaving campus, students interested in participating in these programs must work with the Office of International and Off-Campus Programs in filling out appropriate petitions for transferring coursework back to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@. Petitions are available in the Office of the Registrar and in the Office of International and Off-Campus Programs.
    • Courses that meet general education requirements should have the signature of the student's advisor. Courses that meet major or minor requirements need the signatures of the advisor and the appropriate department chair.
    • Submit the completed application to the Office of International and Off-Campus Programs for the signature of the International and Off-Campus Programs Coordinator.
    • Petitions are forwarded to the Advanced Standing and Degrees Committee for a final decision.

Students who wish to study abroad in other non-approved programs programs will not be an 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ student during the time they are enrolled elsewhere. Students who desire to pursue this option should consult with the Of?ce of International and Off-Campus Programs and the Office of the Registrar before leaving the college. Students are required to notify the Dean of Students Office they are leaving the college and are required to petition to transfer these courses in advance. All transfer policies apply for this coursework. 

Students returning to 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ following a non-approved study abroad program should re-apply for admission with the Dean of Students Office.

Special designations for transfer credits

Students who are away from the campus for special reasons are designated as follows:

1. 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ students in non-resident and consortial programs. Students are registered at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ and have all the privileges and responsibilities of regular resident students including ?nancial assistance, ID cards, insurance, etc. They are included in statistical report?ing as 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ students, even though they may pay tuition at a different institution. Continuance at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ upon their return is contingent upon meeting academic standards comparable to those in effect at 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ while away. Examples of non-resident programs are the 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ international study programs, including summer language study, and 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ internships.

2. 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ students not returning. Students who travel individually to study in a foreign country or engage in some special educational program, are processed as a non-returning student from 365体育投注_365体育备用网址@ and are not entitled to any student bene?ts or privileges contingent upon enrollment. Students who return must complete a brief readmission application. Work submitted for advanced standing or transfer credit is subject to normal review procedures for transfer work. Examples are approved programs of foreign or domestic study and international exchange programs.