Transfer Credit Policies and Information

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Transfer Credit

Central Washington University accepts credits earned through college and university-level courses at institutions fully accredited by their respective regional accrediting association.

• A student may transfer no more than 135 credits, including a maximum of 105 lower division credits to be applied to the 180-credit minimum toward graduation. Test credits (Advanced Placement, Cambridge, International Baccalaureate, College Level Examination Program), military credits, and non-traditional credit contributes to the 105 lower division credit limit.
• Only official transcripts and official test score results will be used to evaluate credits for degree requirements. Credits are evaluated by registrar services based on official transcripts. Credits earned in courses numbered 100 and above are generally accepted toward total transfer credits provided the courses require university-level study.
• No more than 45 total quarter credits through Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, Military or other sources of non-traditional credit may apply toward graduation requirements.
• Students who would like to petition their transfer equivalency may request a substitution through their academic department for major/minor requirements or file a general education petition through registrar services.

Transfer Credit from Four-Year Institutions

• A student may transfer no more than 135 credits, including a maximum of 105 lower division credits to be applied to the 180-credit minimum toward graduation.
• Students who transfer from a regionally accredited four-year institution after completing the general education at their prior four-year institution, will not be required to complete the CWU general education or foreign language requirement. Students must submit evidence of prior general education completion to registrar services upon admission.

Transfer course equivalents to CWU courses apply toward the baccalaureate degree exactly as do the CWU courses for which they are being articulated, equivalency is established by the appropriate academic department chairs. Once established, transfer course equivalencies will be maintained by registrar services and articulated in the same manner for all students, other transfer courses that have not been established as exact equivalents may also be allowed in the degree program with approval from the appropriate academic department chair and, as appropriate, college dean.

Transfer credit is not normally awarded for the following types of study or course work:

1. Courses taken at colleges or universities that are not regionally accredited;
2. Non-credit courses and workshops;
3. Remedial or college preparatory courses;
4. Sectarian religious studies; and
5. Career and technical education courses not taught at CWU.

Colleges that operate on a semester basis (i.e., divide the academic year into two parts, exclusive of summer) give semester credits, Equivalent quarter credits are semester credits multiplied by one and half.

Transfer Credit from Community Colleges

• The university will accept a maximum of 105 community college credits. Course work exceeding that amount may be used to satisfy specific requirements but no additional credits will be accepted.
• A student cannot earn an associate degree and bachelor degree in the same quarter.
• Associate of arts degrees from a college accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in the state of Washington approved by the Intercollege Relations Commission (ICRC) as a direct transfer agreement (DTA) associate degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 will have satisfied the general education and the foreign language requirements of a bachelor’s degree.
• Associate of science transfer degrees (AS-T Track 1 or 2) with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 which are part of direct transfer agreements between CWU and Washington community colleges must meet additional general education requirements for a CWU bachelor’s degree., but will not be required to complete the foreign language requirement.
• Associate degrees that are not part of the direct transfer agreement, such as applied career and technical degrees, will not automatically satisfy the general education requirements at CWU.
• Academic transfer associate degrees with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 from an accredited college outside the state of Washington may meet the general education and foreign language requirement of a bachelor’s degree. Review of the content/distribution of the associate degree is completed by a registrar services designee and recommended approval by the general education committee.
• Transfer students with an Associate of Applied Science degree who enter a Bachelor of Applied Science program will be considered to have met the foreign language requirements for graduation. But, must meet additional general education requirements for a CWU bachelor’s degree.

Transfer course equivalents to university courses apply toward the baccalaureate degree exactly as do the CWU courses for which they are being articulated. Equivalency is established by the appropriate academic department chairs. Once established, transfer course equivalencies will be maintained by registrar services and articulated in the same manner for all students, other transfer courses that have not been established as exact equivalents may also be allowed in the degree program with approval from the appropriate academic department chair and, as appropriate, college dean.

Transferable academic associate of arts degrees with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00, as determined by registrar services and approved by the General Education Committee, from a college accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities will meet the general education requirements. Transferable academic associate of arts degrees within Washington State must be approved by the Joint Transfer Council (JTC), applied career, and technical education degrees cannot be used to satisfy the general education requirements.

After initial enrollment at CWU, transfer students without a transferable associate degree from a Washington State community college wishing to complete such a degree must complete it a minimum of one quarter prior to earning their bachelor degree.

Students who enter with an associate of science transfer (AS-T Track 1 or 2) degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 must complete the following additional requirements to meet the general education requirements:

• Academic Writing II
• Three additional general education courses chosen from the Individual and Society, Community Culture and Citizenship, Global Dynamics, Creative Expression, or Humanities knowledge areas.
• Students may only take one course per knowledge area.
• Student may take courses from the same department or interdisciplinary program in no more than two knowledge areas.

Other Forms of Credit

Due to Northwest Commission of Colleges and University accreditation standards, other forms of credit are limited to a maximum of 45 credit hours of which no more than 30 may be military credits.

Other Forms of Credit: e.g. Advanced Placement (AP); College Level Examination Program (CLEP); International Baccalaureate (IB); Cambridge International.

By policy, undergraduate elective credit is granted by the university for scores of three (3) or higher on the Advanced Placement Exam and for scores of four (4) or higher on Standard-Level and Higher-Level IB Exams.

Determination of the specific course credit awarded for AP, IB, and Cambridge coursework is made by the appropriate academic department or program. Credit is granted according to the evidence-based assessment of published student learning outcomes from the course for which credit is sought. A list of transfer credit equivalencies is kept by the Registrar, reviewed by biennially, and published in the CWU course catalog. Should a specific CWU or general education course equivalency not be granted, students may request a written rationale for such decision.

Acceptance criteria and processes for advanced placement considered by CWU are as follows:

Advanced Placement Credit (AP)
Students may receive credit or advanced placement, or both, depending upon the scores achieved in the college entrance examination board advanced placement (AP) test, Credit or placement on the basis of AP test scores will be established by the appropriate individual academic departments.

The University will grant at a minimum elective credit for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exams completed with a score of three (3) or higher. Credit for advanced placement is recorded with a grade of S (satisfactory). Students must request that their official AP test scores be sent to registrar services at CWU.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Credits for successful completion of College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP®) tests will be accepted in accordance with procedures established by the Academic Affairs Committee.

Students will be awarded college-level quarter credits with a grade of S for each score at the 40th percentile or greater on the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) humanities, social science/history and natural sciences examinations. These credits will meet the general education requirements in the appropriate areas. Students may also be awarded credit for subject examinations as determined by appropriate academic departments at the time of application for credit.

International Baccalaureate (IB)
Central recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB) program as a coherent. Challenging course of study and responds individually to each participant’s IB transcript for award of college credit. The university will grant at a minimum elective credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) higher level exams completed with a score of four (4) or higher. Standards for acceptance for specific course credit will be established by the appropriate academic departments and listed in the official catalog. CWU recognizes the International Baccalaureate Diploma and awards up to 45 quarter credits (30 semester credits). With the receipt of a Diploma, credit will be awarded for 3 courses (15 quarter credits) and distributed evenly among the three general education breadth of knowledge areas. These credits will not be applied to lab or writing courses. An additional 30 quarter credits (20 semester credits) may be awarded in the areas of the students’ higher level subject exams with a score of 5 or higher.

Credit for completing individual areas of study within the international baccalaureate program may be accepted, Individual students must petition the registrar services for review of their program of study and examination scores, Standards for acceptance will be established by the appropriate academic departments.

Cambridge International, Pearsons (Edexcel), Assessment and Qualifications Alliance and Oxford Cambridge and RSA (OCR)
Once students have submitted the original exam certificate directly from the exam agency, they will be awarded up to 15 quarter credits for each A-level exam with a passing grade. Up to 7.5 quarter credits will be granted for each AS-level exam with a passing grade. A satisfactory (S) grade will be posted for A-level or AS-level exams.

Military Credit
Matriculated students seeking to use Veterans Affairs Educational benefits must submit official military transcripts (Joint Services Transcript or Community College of the Air Force) for evaluation.

Upon submission of the Joint Services Transcript (JST), matriculated students may receive up to 30 elective credits for completion of military educational experiences as recommended by the American Council on Education. Basic training and Military Occupational Specialty courses are excluded. Military credits that are used as general elective credits cannot be used to substitute for major or minor requirements.

Military credit recommendations that are direct equivalents to CWU course offering may be articulated to that specific course with departmental approval. If direct course equivalents do not exist, elective credit will be awarded when possible.

DANTES. Credit for DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs) will be awarded for college-level academic subjects using the minimum score and credit amount as recommended by the American Council on Education and approved by the academic department.

Credit will be accepted from non-U.S. institutions of higher education when:

1. Linked to CWU either by a bilateral or consortial agreement or verified by registrar services as a legitimate, recognized institution of higher education (tertiary level) within a particular country, if the student has received a passing grade recognized by the institution, and
2. When an official record or transcript has been received by the university.

Credit will not be granted for:

1. College or universities not regionally accredited;
2. Non-credit courses and workshops;
3. Developmental or college preparatory courses;
4. Sectarian religious studies;
5. Vocational/technical courses.

Consideration for an exception to 1, 4, or 5 may be made by written petition to the dean of the appropriate college after the student has earned a minimum of 45 credits at Central with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

Reverse Transfer Agreement

Eligible students from Washington community and technical colleges who transferred to CWU without the associate direct transfer agreement may be able to utilize the Reverse Transfer Agreement to earn an associate degree at the appropriate community or technical college.

Students will be notified after completing 30 credits at CWU that they are eligible to utilize the Reverse Transfer Agreement to earn an associate degree at the appropriate community or technical college.

Transfer Course Equivalencies

Transfer course equivalencies are now listed with TES (Transfer Evaluation System), an externally hosted site. See the registrar website for more information: www.cwu.edu/registrar/. Please be aware that while this information is updated frequently it is for advisement only, and does not constitute any guarantee of equivalency at the time of transfer. Contact us at Degree@CWU.edu if you have questions regarding course transferability.

Transfer Students Rights and Responsibilities

The university endorses the policy on Inter-College Transfer and Articulation among Washington public colleges and universities published by the Washington Student Achievement Council. The policy deals with the rights and responsibilities of transfer students, and the review and appeal process in transfer credit disputes. Contact Registrar Services for more detailed information: www.cwu.edu/registrar/.

Test Equivalencies (AP, Cambridge, CLEP, IB, JST)

Central Washington University recognizes college credit from a number of sources, including Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate (IB), DANTES and military educational experience or correspondence credit. Up to 45 quarter credits from these programs may be counted toward graduation and contributes to the 105 lower division credit limitation.

For more information go to: Test Equivalency Guide.