Transfer Policy and Procedure
Admissions Policies and Procedures
College-level transcripts for courses taken prior to the student’s first quarter at the university must be submitted to the Office of Marketing and Enrollment Services as part of the admission process. Walla Walla University (WWU) requires official transcript(s) from all post-secondary institutions attended, even if credit may not be transferable.
Applicants who have attended North American regionally accredited institutions of higher education and who have official transcripts showing a minimum grade-point average of 2.00 on all course work may be admitted at a level determined by the number of credits transferred.
WWU recognizes that in some instances a student may not be able to provide an official transcript immediately prior to enrolling at the university. At the university’s discretion, some students may be allowed to enroll prior to admission on the basis of work shown on unofficial or incomplete transcripts. Transfer students allowed to enroll on this basis must have their official complete transcript(s) on file by the end of their first quarter in order to continue enrollment.
Evaluation of Transcript
A preliminary evaluation of transfer credit can be made using an unofficial transcript once a WWU ID number is established. However, official transfer credit will be granted only upon receipt of an official transcript from each institution. WWU does not have a limit on the number of credits that can be transferred in; however, every student must meet all degree and residency requirements.
Transfer transcripts are evaluated on a face-value, course-by-course basis by the Office of the Registrar. Transfer credit for courses taken at institutions operating on a semester system are computed to equivalent quarter credits. (To convert semester to quarter credits, multiply by 1.5. For example, a student who earns 30 credits at an institution on a semester calendar would have earned 45 quarter credits at WWU.) Acceptance of any credit does not imply that major or university requirements have been satisfied. Therefore, in order to graduate, students may be required to complete more than the minimum number of credits necessary for a particular degree program.
Foreign Transcript Evaluation
Transcripts received from foreign institutions will be evaluated on an individual basis. In most instances, the student will be required to request an official evaluation from a WWU approved foreign credentialing education service. Accepted courses will be issued a pass/fail grade and will not be calculated into the cumulative GPA for graduation.
Nursing Credits
WWU does not directly transfer in nursing courses from another school of nursing but uses a process of validation of previous nursing education to give advanced placement to RN’s with an associate degree in nursing or a diploma in nursing.
Military Credits
Two quarter credits of the general studies physical education requirement will be waived for students eligible for VA benefits. Students who provide an official accredited military transcript listing Basic Training may be awarded a maximum of 6 quarter credits of physical education. The remainder of the transcript will be evaluated as other accredited transcripts. No credit will be awarded for specialty training or vocational programs.
Science Credits
Transfer science courses must be from the major’s courses at the granting institution to be accepted toward the major or minor in that science discipline at WWU. Transfer science courses may, however, be accepted as cognates or general studies courses.
Advanced Placement (AP) Program
Regular university credit may be awarded by successful completion of an Advanced Placement (AP) examination. These tests are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. Credit will be established upon receipt of an official College Board transcript and in accordance to the WWU articulation policy. Credit accepted will be on a pass/fail basis.
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
WWU grants credit for selected undergraduate college CLEP courses. These exams may not be repeated and must be taken prior to the student’s completion of a total of 45 quarter hours of university credit. Credit accepted will be on a pass/fail basis.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
Students who engaged in college-level study in high school through the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program can obtain credit toward a WWU degree on the basis of their performance on the higher level IB exam. Students should submit an official IB transcript to the Academic Records Office for evaluation. All IB evaluations will be in collaboration with the appropriate WWU department. Credit accepted will be on a pass/fail basis.
Courses Receiving No Credit
The university reserves the right to deny credit for courses that are not compatible with those offered in its baccalaureate degree programs. Some general categories of courses that never receive transfer credit include the following:
- courses below college level (usually numbered below 100)
- remedial English (e.g., reading, vocabulary development, grammar, speed reading, or any courses that are preparatory to an institution’s first freshman composition course)
- mathematics courses considered below college level, including basic math and beginning and intermediate algebra
- courses providing instruction in English as a second language (100-level or above)
- more than one iteration of a course
- courses with duplicate subject content
- coursework earned at an institution that did not hold at least candidacy status with its regional accrediting association when the coursework was taken
- courses offered for continuing education units
- non-academic or vocational-technical courses
- work or life experience
Alternative Credit Options
WWU recognizes that students who have independently achieved college-level proficiency on the basis of work experience and study may receive credit for what they already know by challenging, validating, or waiving comparable classes offered by the university. All options require a formal approval process and a fee will be charged as listed in the WWU Financial Bulletin. For examination request forms, contact the WWU Academic Records Office.
- Challenge Exams
A challenge examination is a university-prepared or standardized examination which, if successfully completed, will yield regular university credit. The student must take the examination before enrolling for further study in the field of the examination. The challenge examination may not be repeated and must be taken prior to the final quarter of residence. Grades will be issues in the same manner as the university course. (Certain university classes may not be challenged.)
- Validation Exams
Students who have transcripts from non-accredited colleges and/or transcripts showing nontransferable college courses may request to take validation examinations in courses which are comparable to those offered by WWU. Credit will be awarded on a pass/fail basis.
- ASE Exams
Based on successful completion of a standardized examination, students with current National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification will be granted automotive credit as listed in the WWU bulletin. Credit will be awarded on a pass/fail basis.
Transfer Credit by Examination
Credit earned by examination at other colleges or universities may be transferred provided such credit meets the guidelines used by WWU for credit by examination.
WWU Transcript
The online evaluation is not an official transcript. The official WWU transcript – which is sent to other institutions, employers, etc. – does not include the transfer GPA or a detailed listing of the transfer credit that WWU awarded; it merely lists the other colleges the student has attended, and the total number of transfer credit awarded by each college. Transfer grades are not included in the WWU GPA.
Cumulative GPA
Candidates for the baccalaureate degree with the appropriate GPA, both overall and for credit earned at WWU, will be awarded the degree with appropriate distinctions as outlined in the university bulletin.
Residency and Degree Requirements
The university’s policies governing transfer student degree completion stipulates the following:
Residency Requirements:
1. At least 40 of the last 45 credits before degree completion must be WWU credits.
2. A minimum of 25% of the requirements in each major and minor must be WWU credit.
3. At least nine upper-division credits in the major and three upper-division credits in the minor be completed at WWU.
Degree Requirements:
1. At least 60 credits in courses at the 300 or 400-level be completed for overall degree requirements.
2. A minimum of 96 credits be from a 4-year institution.
3. All transfer transcripts be on file in the Academic Records Office prior to the end of the final quarter in residence to avoid delay in graduation.
4. Student meets all degree requirements.
Pre-approval for Transfer Credit
Before taking courses out-of-residence it is advisable to complete a Transfer Course Approval Request form to ensure proposed credits satisfy requirements needed. Forms are available in the Academic Records Office or online
here.
Appeal of Transfer Credit Evaluation
If a student questions the evaluation of their transfer credits they may appeal to the Registrar. The student may be requested to submit a syllabus of the course(s) in question and/or any other documents that may support the appeal. Forms are available in the Academic Records Office or online here.
If resolution is not met in consultation with the Registrar, the student may petition Academic Standards Committee for a review of their request.