Policy 2120: Transfer Credit

University Policy #2120

Section 1. Purpose

This regulation is established to govern the policies and procedures for evaluating and accepting transfer credits for undergraduate students consistent with the policy and procedures of the Minnesota State College and University system.

Section 2. Authority

This university policy and procedure is established in accordance with Minnesota State College and University Board policies.

Section 3. Effective Date

This university policy becomes effective immediately upon the signature of the President and remains in effect until modified or expressly revoked.

Section 4. Responsibility

The responsibility for implementation and revision of this university regulation is assigned to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Section 5. Definitions

1. Comparable or equivalent course: A comparable or equivalent course is one that is similar in nature, content and level of expected student performance on course outcomes to a course offered at Metropolitan State University.
2. DARS: The Degree Audit Reporting System, a computer-based system for tracking program requirements, completion of credits, transfer credits, and application of courses to program requirements.
3. Lower Division credits: Any course approved for transfer from a community or technical college, and courses transferred from a baccalaureate institution that are considered lower division (i.e. first-year student or sophomore level) at the sending institution..
4. Residency requirement: Degree, major, or minor requirement that requires certain courses to credits to be awarded by Metropolitan State University.

Upper Division credits: Credits transferred from a baccalaureate institution and carrying upper division credit at the sending institution.

Section 6: Policy

The university will provide a fair, appropriate and timely review of potential transfer credits consistent with MnSCU Policy 3.21 and MnSCU Procedure 3.21.1.

Section 7: Transfer of Undergraduate Credits

Once a student has been admitted to a Metropolitan State University degree program, the university shall evaluate college-level course credits completed, as submitted by the student on an official transcript, to determine if they shall be accepted in transfer. Once the credits are accepted in transfer, each college or program shall determine how the course credits will apply to program and graduation requirements.

Transfer of credit from another college or university shall involve at least three considerations:

1. Educational quality of the learning experience which the student transfers,
2. Comparability of the nature, content and level of the learning experience offered by the receiving college or university, and
3. Appropriateness and applicability of the learning experience to the programs offered by Metropolitan State University in light of the student’s educational goals.

Subpart A. Transfer of courses that are comparable or equivalent. The university shall accept courses in transfer that it determines to be comparable or equivalent to specific courses it offers. Each course determined to be equivalent will be entered as equivalent into the Degree Audit Report System (DARS).

Subpart B. Transfer of courses that are not comparable or not equivalent. The university may accept college level courses in transfer that are determined to be not comparable or not equivalent to specific courses taught at Metropolitan State University. If such college level but not comparable or equivalent courses are accepted in transfer, they may be approved to meet specific degree, major, minor, or other program requirements, or else shall be accepted as electives.

The university will address transfer of course credit consistent with the requirements of MnSCU Policy 3.2 and Procedure 3.21.1 Undergraduate Course Credit Transfer.

The university will provide students with timely information regarding the award of transfer credits and application of those courses to the General Education and Liberal Studies (GELS) requirements and the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum after admission to the university.

Section 8: Transfer of courses approved for the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum

Metropolitan State University will apply transfer courses to satisfying the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum in whole or in part consistent with MnSCU Policy 3.37 and MnSCU Procedure 3.37.1.

Metropolitan State University will accept a Minnesota Transfer Curriculum course, goal area, or the entire curriculum as determined and documented by the sending MnSCU system college or university.

Metropolitan State University will accept the entire Minnesota Transfer Curriculum as determined and documented by the University of Minnesota.

Section 9: Application of Transfer Courses to Major, Minor, or Program Requirements

The faculty of the academic department housing a major, minor, or other program, or their designees, will determine applicability of transfer courses toward the major, minor, or other program.

Each academic college or program will provide students with timely information about applicability of their transfer courses and credits to their chosen major and minor programs no later than the point of official admission to the major or minor.

Transfer courses previously evaluated as comparable or equivalent to Metropolitan State courses will be accepted toward the major, minor, or program requirements met by the equivalent Metropolitan State course, except that:

1. Transferred courses carrying lower division credit that are accepted as equivalent to Metropolitan State upper division courses will be counted as lower division credits;
2. Transferred credits will not apply to university, college, or major residency requirements.

Courses and credits transferred according to articulation agreements approved by the department, college, and university will apply to the major, minor, or program requirements as specified in the articulation agreement.

Section 10: Student Appeals

Metropolitan State University shall establish a procedure for student petition and appeal of credit transfer decisions that will include an explanation of the option for appealing at the MnSCU system-level credit transfer decisions made by the university.

Section 11: Review

This policy will be reviewed by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Vice President for Student Affairs as needed.

Section 12. Signatures

Issued on this 6th day of June 2008.

William Lowe, Interim President