Transfer of Credit

POLICY:

This policy establishes the criteria for the acceptance of credits toward a School of Nursing degree or certificate for other course work completed through registration at the University. Acceptance of credits to the School of Nursing is approved by the Dean or designee and is administered through the Center for Student Success.

The School of Nursing may award credit toward an undergraduate degree or certificate for:

• Transfer Credits — credits earned at other institutions, based on course equivalencies, including expected learning outcomes, with those of the University curriculum and standards.
• Standardized Tests — credits earned by standardized examinations such as CLEP, ACT-PEP Challenge, and Advanced Placement Exams.
• Credit by Course Examination — credits earned by passing an examination administered by the University, in absence of registration for the course.
• Educational Experiences in the Armed Services — formal courses and occupational training offered by all branches of the military, based on course equivalencies.The School will grant credit based on course equivalencies, including expected learning outcomes, with those of the University curriculum and standards.
  Refer to: University Academic Regulation on Advanced Standing Credits. 

The following guidelines govern the approval of advanced standing credits:

1. Approval of courses in which the applicant is currently enrolled is contingent upon completion of the courses at an acceptable level of achievement.
2. Only credits earned for courses taken at an institution of higher education will be considered for transfer.
3. A maximum number of credits accepted from advanced standing may be less than but not exceed 75% of the credits needed for the baccalaureate degree.
4. All science courses presented for transfer credit by undergraduate students must have been earned within the last ten (10) years.
5. Science courses with letter grades of B or better are transferable. All other courses with letter grades of “C” or better are transferable.
6. A student transferring from a pass-fail grading system with a passing grade cannot transfer credits without a statement from the original school indicating that a passing grade represents achievement at a “C” level or higher (science courses require a grade of B or higher).
7. Courses for transfer consideration will be evaluated for content equivalency to the professional nursing courses of the School of Nursing.
8. When courses accepted for transfer do not exactly duplicate courses offered at the University of Pittsburgh, students are responsible for remediation or supplementation of their knowledge base.
9. The credit transferred for any single course can be no greater than the credit given for a comparable course at the University of Pittsburgh.
10. Credits earned in an advanced course can be used to meet the requirement for a lower divisional course; however, lower division courses may not be transferred to substitute for upper division requirements.
11. Credits earned outside the University of Pittsburgh for service, continuing education, or correspondence courses are not transferable.
12. Credits allocated through a testing program at a university or college other than the University of Pittsburgh are not automatically accepted as transfer credits by the School of Nursing.
13. Standardized exam scores (e.g., CLEP, Advanced Placement Tests) for selected liberal arts courses may be accepted as meeting requirements for graduation. (See Policy 34: C.L.E.P. Examinations Credits.) 
14. Credits received through challenge examinations within other schools of the University of Pittsburgh may be honored by the School of Nursing.
15. Credits for select School of Nursing courses may be earned by successfully passing a comprehensive course examination (Challenge exam) in absence of registering for the course.
16. Students have up to three attempts to pass a challenge exam but must take the course if they cannot pass by the third attempt.
17. Undergraduate students with sufficient preparation are permitted to enroll in graduate courses following procedures determined by each school. The graduate credits earned may be counted toward the undergraduate degree if approved by the student’s school. These may not be counted as credits toward a graduate degree except as noted below.
    Undergraduate students who need fewer than 30 credits to complete requirements for the baccalaureate may be permitted to register for graduate courses, which will later apply toward a graduate degree. Graduate credits earned while a student is enrolled during their final year of an undergraduate program at the University of Pittsburgh, which are applicable to a subsequent graduate degree or certificate, may be posted as Advanced Standing credits on the graduate transcript as University of Pittsburgh Undergraduate Transcript credits. Although these credits will appear on the undergraduate transcript, they will not count toward fulfilling undergraduate degree requirements.

PROCEDURE:

Transfer of Credits

1. An official transcript of courses taken in other universities or colleges must be presented to the Office of Student Success.
2. A course description of each course and reports of competency exam scores may be required as part of the transfer process. The Course Credits Accept Request Form must be completed.
3. If the course is a required nursing course, a course description must be reviewed and approved by the course instructor. If the prior course is comparable to the required course the student will be advised of the decision to transfer credit. If there are areas of deficiency, these deficiencies will be communicated to the student and a remediation/supplementation contract will be negotiated between the student and instructor for the course. At the discretion of the primary instructor, they may but are not required to offer an independent study to make up for any differences in content or credit hours. See Policy 367 Independent Study. If the prior course is not comparable to the required course, plans will be made to enroll in the required course.

Transfer of Credits by Standardized Tests

The Center for Student Success will:

1. Evaluate for acceptance toward a University degree or certificate, course work completed at other institutions or standardized test results. 
2. If the course is a required nursing course, a course description must be reviewed and approved by the course instructor. If comparable, the student is advised of the decision to transfer credit; if there are deficiencies, a remediation/supplementation contract is negotiated between the student and instructor.

Credit by Examination

Students requesting consideration for credit by examination complete the Course Credits Accept Request Form and return it to the Office of Student Success. Requests are reviewed by advisors, the track coordinator, and/or course instructor. Students provide the testing fee to the Registrar's office prior to taking the exam. (See Policy 34, C.L.E.P. Examinations Credits, and Policy 367, Independent Study.)