Accelerated Degree Programs Catalog 2019-2020 > Academic Policies and Procedures/Academic Services > Academic Procedures > Transferring Credit

Transferring Credit

A student at Lindenwood who wishes to take courses at another college or university while pursuing a degree at Lindenwood must first obtain permission for the transfer of these courses from the student's academic advisor, the dean of the school in which that course resides, and the registrar. A Prior Approval form may be obtained from the Office of Academic Services or the Student Success Center. Credits accepted in transfer do not affect the student’s grade point average at Lindenwood University. 

Note: In the School of Accelerated Degree Programs (ADP), a student who has satisfied three semester hours of a cluster with transfer credit, CLEP-type testing, or Experiential Learning may opt to take the cluster or may opt for the following:  1) take the remaining classes as individual classes either at ADP or in the Lindenwood University Day Program, as may be available; 2) take the classes at another college or university with prior approval (as noted above) of Lindenwood University; or, 3) take only six of the nine hours in a cluster, paying only for the six hours taken. If option #3 is selected the student will be responsible for attending the entire class period at all class meetings. The student will also be responsible for all assessments, tests, and assignments whose scores count towards the final grade in either or both of the included courses within the cluster. Further, the student will not be responsible for assessments, tests, or assignments whose scores count only towards the final grade in the excluded course within the cluster.

Students wishing to transfer credit from a regionally accredited university should submit official transcripts from each university attended to the Office of Admissions. Evaluation of transfer credit will be made by the registrar. For the evaluation of credit, official transcripts must be sent directly from the U.S. institution to Lindenwood University.

There is no limit on the number of credit hours that may be transferred to Lindenwood. All credit hours accepted in transfer must be from regionally accredited colleges and universities, except in rare cases. All credit hours accepted in transfer must be from regionally accredited colleges and universities or as approved upon further review by Academic Services on a case by case basis. 

Please note the following terms, condition, and requirements regarding the transfer or credit to Lindenwood University:

• In order to count toward graduation, all transferred credits must be earned at the 10000-level or above. (Remedial courses will not be accepted for transfer by the university.)
• Courses taken between the 10000- and 40000-level for which a passing grade has been earned and that contain content and credit that is similar to or like that of a Lindenwood course will be transferred onto the student’s transcript as equivalents of Lindenwood courses and credits. Note that only credit hours will be transferred; grades earned at other colleges will be made available on the student’s transcript for advising purposes but not computed into the Lindenwood University GPA.
• Lindenwood deans determine the equivalency of each transferred course relative to the department’s respective degree requirements. If the content of a transferred course is unlike any course offered at Lindenwood but within the university's programmatic range of studies, elective course credit may be granted.
• If the transfer credit is unrelated to any Lindenwood program, a maximum of 12 hours of technical credit may be granted. The appropriate department will determine whether and how the evaluated transfer credit may be used to meet major and minor requirements.
• Credits accepted from another institution that correspond to 30000-level or higher Lindenwood courses will be recognized as fulfilling the university requirement that students complete 42-credit hours at or above the 30000-level. Such courses will also count toward the 120 credit hours required for graduation.
• A student transferring to Lindenwood University with a D in a major course or a major course prerequisite may be required to retake the course at Lindenwood University, as dictated by the policies of the department in which the student is completing his or her major. Decisions concerning requirements to retake courses will be left up to the program director or dean who has authority over the major. If a transferred course in which a D is earned is retaken, the transferred course credit will be removed from the transcript.
• Grades of P (pass) will be accepted in transfer and may count for either general education or elective credit.
• If a major or minor course requirement is transferred to Lindenwood with a P (pass) grade, the program director and dean will determine whether the course will meet the major or minor course requirement or whether the course must be retaken or replaced.

In addition to the terms outlined above, the following criteria must be met in order for students to qualify for graduation:

• A transfer student must successfully complete a total of 30 credit hours in residence at Lindenwood University, with the successful completion of the last 24 credits leading to a degree being taken within the Lindenwood University system. 
• A transfer student must complete the greater of 18 credit hours or 40 percent of the courses required for his or her major, minor, concentration, or emphasis at Lindenwood University, but a department or school may require a higher minimum number of hours to be taken at Lindenwood University in the major, minor, concentration, or emphasis area to earn a degree.

Appeals of transfer credit evaluations should be submitted in writing to the registrar.  For information about transferring credit for experiential learning or proficiency exam credit, please see the Earning Credits through Experiential Learning, Professional Experience, or Examination section of this catalog.

Students with transfer credit from an international institution must submit official transcripts from the international university attended to the Office of Admissions and Services for International Students (OASIS). The transcripts must be in their original language and must be accompanied by a certified English translation, provided by the student. Applicants should contact WES at www.wes.org for more information about how to have transcripts evaluated. Students should list Lindenwood University as the recipient of the transcript evaluation. WES will also provide a copy of the evaluation directly to the applicant. The applicant should keep this copy for his/her records.

Note: Transfer evaluation companies other than WES are not accepted by the university, and the use of such companies will result in non-acceptance of transfer credit.

The transcript translation documents will not be returned to the student. The transcript and the translation will become part of the student’s official file at Lindenwood. The cost for the evaluation will be incurred by the applicant. For further information regarding the transfer of international credit, please contact the Office of Admissions and Services for International Students (OASIS) at international@lindenwood.edu.

Students transferring credit hours from a regionally accredited university must submit official transcripts from each university attended to the Office of University Admissions along with the application for admission. All hours accepted in transfer must be from regionally accredited colleges and universities. In order to count towards graduation, all graduate credit hours must be 50000-level or above and must be in the same subject area. If courses have the same title, contain similar or like content and have a grade of “B” or above, they may transfer in as equivalents of Lindenwood course credit. Grades of “C” or below will not transfer into any graduate program. A maximum of nine credit hours of graduate credit will transfer to a graduate program. All transfer credit is subject to approval by the program director and the dean. Appeals of transfer credit evaluations should be submitted in writing to the registrar.

Some quarter-term students, after taking one or more clusters, may decide to transfer into another School within Lindenwood University to earn their graduate degree. When this occurs, students may be able to transfer nine credit hours from their first graduate degree program toward their new graduate degree program. Approval of transfer credit is at the discretion of the program director or department chair of the receiving School. The same nine credit hour rule applies to graduate credit transferred into the School of Accelerated Degree Programs from another School within Lindenwood University.