Section 3: Comprehensive Standards
3.4.4 The institution has a defined and published policy for evaluating, awarding, and accepting credit for transfer, experiential learning, advanced placement, and professional certificates that is consistent with its mission and ensures that course work and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to the institution's own degree programs. The institution assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any course work or credit recorded on the institution's transcript.
Judgment of Compliance:
Compliance
Narrative/Justification for Judgment of Compliance:
Christopher Newport University is in compliance with this comprehensive standard. The Office of Academic Advising publishes the Transfer and Readmit Student Resource Guidebook on the University website. The Office of the Registrar also publishes information for transfer students on its website. The Undergraduate Catalog states that the Office of the Registrar carefully reviews all application materials and informs transfer applicants of the decision. That office is responsible for evaluating credit for applicants transferring to the University from other regionally accredited colleges and universities. Upon completion of the transfer evaluations and the student's acceptance of the offer of acceptance to attend CNU, a written summary of transferable credits is posted to the transcript on the student's CNU Live account.
As stated in the Transfer and Readmit Student Resource Guidebook, courses from regionally-accredited colleges are generally accepted, provided such credits carry a grade of C or better and are comparable to courses offered at CNU. CNU does not grant transfer credit for developmental or remedial courses. Academic policy requires that the last 45 semester hours of a CNU undergraduate degree be earned in residence. CNU does not accept credit granted by another institution through course challenge, portfolio assessment, experiential learning, or other non-traditional forms of testing. A maximum of 92 semester hours of transfer credit is granted for courses that carry a C or better grade and are comparable to courses offered by fully accredited four-year institutions like CNU. A maximum of 66 semester hours of credit may be granted for junior or public community college courses with grades of C or better. A maximum of 21 semester hours of transfer credit may be granted for courses with grades of C or better from the applied arts and sciences, including skill in a musical instrument, ceramics, arts and crafts, etc. For work completed through the College Entrance Examination Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Program or U. S. military schools, a maximum of 60 hours of transfer credit may be granted if posted to an official transcript of a regionally accredited institution. When the number of transferable credits previously earned by the incoming student exceeds the maximum allowable credit, the Office of the Registrar determines which credits are transferred. Enrolled CNU students who plan to take credit courses at other colleges or universities must receive prior approval.
CNU adheres to the Commonwealth of Virginia's State Policy on Transfer. Applicants who present the AA, AS, or AA&S degrees consisting of native Virginia Community College System (VCCS) credit are awarded junior status provided they meet the standards for admission at the time of application. These students are considered to have fulfilled the general education requirements in effect at the time of admission to CNU.
The Office of Admissions currently evaluates military education and training for admitted students using the SMART Transcripts, AARTS, DD Forms 214 and 295, or CCAF transcripts. “Lower-Level Elective” credit is awarded for the Military Education.
CNU defines non-traditional credit as that which is not earned in the classroom of a regionally-accredited college or university. A maximum of 60 semester hours of non-traditional credit may be applied toward a bachelor's degree at CNU. Examples from the Transfer and Readmit Student Resource Guidebook include:
The Office of the Provost posts a booklet entitled “Policy for CLEP and Procedures for Course Challenges” on the CNU website. Through the CLEP program, students may earn college credits for knowledge acquired outside the classroom. CLEP examinations and minimum acceptable scores considered for credit at CNU appear in a table listing the CLEP examination title, the minimum acceptable score, the credit granted by CNU, and CNU equivalent courses. This booklet also describes the option for challenging a CNU course for credit. Students who demonstrate proficiency on these evaluations may earn credit. Currently, courses in English, History, Leadership Studies, Library Science, Military Science, Modern Languages and Literatures, Social Work, Religious Studies, and Theater and Dance are exempt from challenge. The requirements for challenges to courses from other departments appear in the publication. The successful challenge results in a grade of P (Pass) and the appropriate number of credits on the transcript.
The Undergraduate Catalog lists the scores needed on Advanced Placement Tests to receive academic credit and specifies the number of credits, as well as equivalent courses. A similar list appears for IB Exam Subjects.
Support Documentation:
Undergraduate Catalog 06-07:
Admission for Transfer, Readmitted and Non-degree
Advanced Placement heading
Advanced Placement Score Equivalents
International Baccalaureate Program Credits
Office of the Registrar web pages:
Evaluations of Transfer Credit
Non-Traditional Credit
Transfer and Readmit Student Resource Guidebook 2006– 2007
Policy for CLEP and Procedures for Course Challenge
Form: Permission to Challenge a Course
Form: Permission to Take Course Elsewhere
Additional Live Web Resources:
Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Course Recommendations