Transfer Credit Philosophy
The College of Charleston welcomes transfer students. The Transfer Resource Center assists students with questions prior to enrolling at the College, and with the official evaluation of transcripts submitted from other universities. Transfer credit equivalency at the College of Charleston is evaluated by the academic departments in consultation with the Transfer Resource Center. Courses eligible for transfer are evaluated based on content, level, comparability of the course completed, and any program accreditation of the institution at which the course was taken. Credit can be evaluated in three ways: equivalent, elective, or not applicable for transfer. As a rule, credit for a specific College of Charleston catalog course will be granted when the academic department has determined that the content, level, and pre-requisites of the course completed elsewhere are equivalent to the College of Charleston course.
Transfer Credit
A final transcript is required from each college or university attended, whether or not credit was earned or courses completed. Failure to provide information regarding each college or university attended or failure to submit transcripts may result in withdrawal of any offer of admission, restrictions on registration and/or dismissal from the College.
The College of Charleston will not release copies of education records/transcripts received from previous institutions and/or copies of test scores submitted from testing agencies.
A course from another institution is eligible to be evaluated for transfer credit when the course is:
The College of Charleston requires the relevant academic program director (or director’s designee), or the relevant dean (or dean’s designee) for a discipline or interdisciplinary program not currently represented at the College, to determine the suitability of course credit earned elsewhere for transfer to the College. Disputes over transfer credit determination may be appealed in writing to the Provost (or the Provost’s designee) no later than 15 days following receipt of the transfer credit evaluation. The decision of the Provost is final.
Coursework completed more than ten (10) years ago may be subject to an additional review to determine if transfer credit will be awarded.
The maximum number of transfer credits acceptable toward a College of Charleston A.B., B.A., B.G.S., or B.S. degree is ninety (90) credit hours, including all credits earned by examination (e.g. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, etc.). The maximum number of transfer credits that may be applied to the requirements for a College of Charleston B.P.S. degree is eighty-seven (87) credit hours, including all credits earned by examination. The maximum number of transfer hours earned at a two-year institution that may be applied to the requirements for all College of Charleston bachelor’s degrees is sixty-six (66) credit hours.
Students may decline transfer credit to add another transfer course(s) without going over the maximum hours of transfer credit allowed. Students may also decline transfer credit to take a course at another institution as a transient or cross-registered student.
Coursework completed at other institutions must have a minimum grade of “C” (2.000 on a 4.000 scale) to be awarded transfer credit. Courses graded on a pass/fail basis are acceptable only if the institution where the courses were completed indicates in their published grade scale information that a “Pass” grade is the minimum equivalent of “C” (2.000 on a 4.000 scale). Credit hours awarded will reflect the hours of credit the other institution would have awarded the course, however credits awarded at another institution as a result of placement testing are not acceptable.
Grades do not transfer, only credits; therefore, students will enter the College of Charleston without a grade point average (GPA).
Credits awarded at another institution as a result of placement testing are not acceptable. In addition, the College of Charleston does not award transfer credit for life experience, work experience gained prior to admission, and/or non-credit bearing coursework completed toward a professional certificate. Graduate and doctoral level coursework will not be accepted for undergraduate transfer credit. The College of Charleston does not give academic credit for non-credit coursework and does not accept non-credit coursework, certificates or continuing education units for credit.
The College of Charleston is on a semester system. The following table should be used to determine semester hour equivalent of courses taken from a quarter hour system school:
| Quarter Hours |
Semester Hours |
|
| 6 |
4 |
|
| 5 |
3 |
|
| 4 |
3 |
|
| 3 |
2 |
|
| 2 |
1 |
|
| 1 |
1 |
|
NOTE: College of Charleston rounds half credit hours up to the next whole number. (For example, a half credit from another school would equal one credit hour at College of Charleston.)
Students offered admission to the College of Charleston may use Degree Works to view an updated list of awarded and pending transfer credit. The “Term by Term History” link in Degree Works provides the best view of transfer credit, although the information is also visible in the degree audit area.
Transfer Credit or Credit By Examination That Repeats College of Charleston Courses
Credit for a course will only be awarded once, unless the course description indicates otherwise. Students with transfer credit or credit by examination (e.g. AP, IB, CLEP, DSST) for a course should not register for a course that is considered by the College of Charleston to be a duplicate of the credited coursework.
A student may decline transfer credit or credit by examination to enroll in the course(s) at College of Charleston by submitting the appropriate Decline Credit Request form. The Decline Credit Request form must be approved by the student’s advisor and received in the Transfer Resource Center before the student enrolls in the course(s). Scholarship students (academic and athletic), financial aid students, and veterans must consult with the Departments of Financial Aid or Athletics to see how declining credit will affect their eligibility.
A student who wishes to have their declined transfer credit or credit by examination for a course reinstated may request reinstatement of the declined credit by submitting the appropriate Reinstate Credit Request form to the Transfer Resource Center. This form must be approved by the student’s advisor and received by the Transfer Resource Center before the last day to withdraw from the term in which the student is registered for the course. Course withdrawal deadlines can be found on the Academic Calendar.
Transfer from South Carolina Colleges/Universities
The South Carolina Transfer Articulation Agreement identifies 86 courses guaranteed to transfer among and between public colleges and universities within South Carolina. Lists detailing how these 86 courses transfer to the College of Charleston are available on the Transfer from SC Schools page on the Transfer Resource Center website.
Additional information about transfer of courses to the College of Charleston from other South Carolina colleges/universities is available online through the South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center (SC TRAC) website. Information on SC TRAC may not be current for all institutions. The information on SC TRAC is informational and does not replace an official transfer credit evaluation that is completed after an applicant is accepted to the College of Charleston.
South Carolina Associate Degree Transfer Guarantee
Beginning June 1, 2022 in compliance with SC Proviso 117.152, students who have earned an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from a public two-year institution of higher learning in South Carolina shall receive a minimum of sixty transfer credit hours at the College of Charleston and shall be awarded junior status. Courses taken at public two-year institutions of higher learning in South Carolina as part of an earned AA or AS degree will be reviewed for equivalent transfer, and those not eligible for equivalent transfer based on current transfer policies will be considered for a block of transfer credit as SCTR 1EE if needed to reach sixty credits. Completion of an AA or AS degree at a public two-year institution of higher learning in South Carolina will meet all pre-requisite requirements for admission into the Bachelor of Professional Studies, B.P.S. degree.
Transfer of International Credit
Except when the College of Charleston has a formally recognized transfer articulation agreement with another institution, regardless of the student’s citizenship, students with coursework from a college/university outside of the United States must submit official transcripts (mark sheets, academic records) with English translations, to a recognized credential evaluation agency for verification and a course-by-course evaluation. In addition, students must submit English translations of course descriptions to the College of Charleston. Responsibility for the translation and evaluation of documents to meet deadlines, as well as all costs associated with these services, is the responsibility of the student applying for admission. Please allow 2-4 months for completion of these requirements.
Once the course-by-course evaluation from an external credential evaluation agency, and English translations of course descriptions, are received by the College of Charleston, evaluation of an admitted student’s course work can begin for potential College of Charleston transfer credit.
For specific international admissions criteria and necessary materials, as well as a link to a list of preferred external credential evaluation agencies, visit the Office of Admissions International Student page.
Exam Credit (AP/IB/CLEP/DSST/Cambridge International)
The College awards credit for Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), selected Cambridge International Exams (A Level and AS Level) and many College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) exams, based on the student’s scores. AP, IB, Cambridge International, CLEP, and DSST exam results must be sent directly from the testing agency to the College of Charleston for credit evaluation. Credit cannot be transferred from another college or university transcript. Likewise, credit will not be awarded for individuals sitting for AP exams after graduating from high school. Credits awarded by exam score can be viewed at the Credit by Exam page on the Transfer Resource Center website.
The College of Charleston will not release copies of education records/transcripts received from previous institutions and/or copies of test scores submitted from testing agencies.
College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Examinations
The Advanced Placement (AP) Program of the College Entrance Examination Board is accepted at the College of Charleston. Students who have taken college-level courses in secondary school and have achieved a score of 3, 4, or 5 on an AP examination will be awarded advanced placement credit. No more than six to eight credit hours will be granted for any one exam. More information about credits awarded by exam score can be viewed at the Credit by Exam page on the Transfer Resource Center website.
International Baccalaureate Program
Students who have taken college-level courses in secondary school and who have achieved a score of 4, 5, 6, or 7 on a higher-level (HL) International Baccalaureate (IB) examination will be awarded credit. More information about credits awarded by exam score can be viewed at the Credit by Exam page on the Transfer Resource Center website.
College Entrance Examination Board College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
The CLEP Subject Examinations accepted by the College of Charleston for credit and placement are listed online at the Credit by Exam page on the Transfer Resource Center website.
The corresponding academic department at the College will determine if credit will be awarded for the exam, and the minimum score needed for any approved credit. When credit is awarded, the student’s record will show that the credit comes from a CLEP examination. No native speaker of a language other than English will be awarded foreign language credit for proficiency in his or her first language.
NOTE: Senior year residency policies apply to CLEP exam credit. Please see information in the Courses Taken Elsewhere section.
DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)
The DANTES Subject Standardized Tests accepted by the College of Charleston for credit and placement are listed online at the Credit by Exam page on the Transfer Resource Center website.
The corresponding academic department at the College will determine if credit will be awarded for the exam, and the minimum score needed for any approved credit. When credit is awarded, the student’s record will show that the credit comes from a DSST examination. No native speaker of a language other than English will be awarded foreign language credit for proficiency in his or her first language.
NOTE: Senior year residency policies apply to DSST exam credit. Please see information in the Courses Taken Elsewhere section.
Cambridge International Exams
The College of Charleston awards credit for selected Cambridge International Advanced Level (A Level) and Advanced Subsidiary Level (AS Level) Exams as indicated online at the Credit by Exam page on the Transfer Resource Center website.
Course Placement Information
Language Placement
Credits awarded at another institution as a result of placement testing are not acceptable for transfer to the College of Charleston.
To fulfill the language general education requirement, entering students may take any language other than English offered by the College. Students who have studied a language in high school, other than French, German, Latin or Spanish, and wish to continue the language, must take a departmentally approved placement exam in the language. The placement exam score determines the level at which the student will continue their study of the language. Students studying French, German, Latin and Spanish do not take a placement exam, and are placed according to their years of high school instruction in the language. Additional information regarding language placement tests can be found on the Placement Information page on the Orientation website.
Transfer students with college credit in a foreign language who wish to continue in the same language are placed into the appropriate level in that language based on their transcript. Transfer students with college credit in a foreign language who wish to continue in a different language may take the placement exam if they wish to study any language offered by the College of Charleston with the exception of French, German, Latin, and Spanish. Those who wish to take classes in French, German, Latin, or Spanish will be placed according to their previous years of instruction. Students who place in a 300-level course will have satisfied the College’s minimum degree requirement in languages.
Students may receive language credits in the form of transfer credits from a college or university or based on their scores on an AP or IB test. No credits will be received based on individual college/university placement tests.
Math Placement
Credits awarded at another institution as a result of placement testing are not acceptable for transfer to the College of Charleston.
Transfer students with college credit in mathematics who wish to continue are able to use their transfer credit to fulfill course pre-requisites and complete subsequent courses. Transfer students who have not earned transfer credit for math will need to complete the math placement process. Additional information regarding math placement can be found on the Placement Information page on the Orientation website.
Students may receive math credits in the form of transfer credits from a college or university or based on their scores on an AP or IB test. No credits will be received based on individual college/university placement tests
Transfer Credit for Work at Another Institution and for Study Abroad: Transient Student Status
Courses Taken Elsewhere
A degree candidate at the College of Charleston who wishes to receive College of Charleston credit for courses at another institution must submit the appropriate Coursework Elsewhere form available on the Forms page of the Transfer Resource Center website.
The senior year of work for the degree must be completed in residence at the College of Charleston. However, candidates who have earned a minimum of 30 credit hours at the College of Charleston may petition to complete up to 12 of their final credit hours at another institution or by CLEP or DSST exam by submitting the Coursework Elsewhere during Senior Year Petition Form (Senior Petition), available on the Forms page of the Transfer Resource Center website.
To ensure that the courses will be accepted at the College of Charleston for transfer credit, they must be approved by the Transfer Resource Center before actual enrollment. To be eligible for transfer credit, courses must be taken at a regionally accredited institution and must be courses that would receive credit towards graduation at the other institution (i.e. not developmental courses). Duplicate courses (repeats) will not transfer.
Official permission to take coursework elsewhere is reflected on the student’s Degree Works degree audit as a College of Charleston course with a grade of “VP” (visiting permission). Students should note that permission to take the requested course(s) is not confirmation of how/if the course(s) will fulfill degree requirements. Permission only confirms the College of Charleston course equivalent(s) approved by the faculty. Students should therefore pay close attention to the way the course has been approved for transfer credit, verifying the approved College of Charleston equivalent is what he/she desires and/or the course is not a repeat of already earned credit (see Course Repetition Policy ). Students should also be aware that a course “Under Evaluation,” “Needs Syllabus,” or “Needs Course Description” is not guaranteed to transfer. Degree Works degree audits should be checked periodically for updates that will be posted after an evaluation of the course for potential transfer credit has been completed.
Once coursework elsewhere permission is posted on the Degree Works degree audit, if proof of permission to register as a transient student is required by the institution where the course will be taken, students should send the Transient Permission form available on the Forms Page of the Transfer Resource Center website to the other institution. A printed copy of the Degree Works degree audit, showing the courses approved for transfer should be attached to the Transient Permission form. Students should contact the Division of Student Affairs, Office of the Dean of Students, at 843.953.5522 if the other institution requires a Letter of Good Standing.
Acceptance of credit for an approved transfer course will become final only when the Transfer Resource Center receives an official transcript of the student’s record from the accredited institution where the course was taken. A final transcript is required from each college or university attended, whether or not credit was earned or courses completed. Failure to provide information regarding each college or university attended or failure to submit transcripts may result in restrictions on registration and/or dismissal from the College.
Coursework completed at other institutions must have a minimum grade of “C” (2.000 on a 4.000 scale) to be awarded transfer credit. Courses graded on a pass/fail basis are acceptable only if the institution where the courses were completed indicates in their published grade scale information that a “Pass” grade is the minimum equivalent of “C” (2.000 on a 4.000 scale). Credit hours awarded will reflect the hours of credit the other institution would have awarded the course, however credits awarded at another institution as a result of placement testing are not acceptable.
The maximum number of transfer credits acceptable toward a College of Charleston A.B., B.A., B.G.S., or B.S. degree is ninety (90) credit hours, including all credits earned by examination (e.g. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, etc.). The maximum number of transfer credits that may be applied to the requirements for a College of Charleston B.P.S. degree is eighty-seven (87) credit hours, including all credits earned by examination. The maximum number of transfer hours earned at a two-year institution that may be applied to the requirements for all College of Charleston bachelor’s degrees is sixty-six (66) credit hours.
Study Abroad
All students studying abroad for academic credit must first submit an application to the Center for International Education (CIE) through ViaTRM and complete the necessary course approval process for non-CofC programs prior to going abroad. Students who fail to follow these policies and procedures before engaging in study abroad must -upon their return-adhere to the Transfer of International Credit process with the Transfer Resource Center in order for their coursework to be evaluated for potential academic credit.
The Course Approval form is available from the Center for International Education. The College of Charleston requires the relevant academic program director (or director’s designee), or the relevant dean (or dean’s designee) for a discipline or interdisciplinary program not currently represented at the College, to determine the suitability of course credit earned elsewhere for transfer to the College. Disputes over transfer credit determination may be appealed in writing to the Provost (or the Provost’s designee) no later than 15 days following receipt of the transfer credit evaluation. The decision of the Provost is final.
A final transcript is required from each college or university attended, whether or not credit was earned or courses completed. Failure to submit transcripts may result in restrictions on registration and/or dismissal from the College. Once the transcript is received from the institution abroad upon completion of the work, the Transfer Resource Center verifies and enters the credits as noted above.
Students whose earned hours plus currently enrolled hours plus the hours anticipated abroad total more than 90, and who have earned a minimum of 30 credit hours at the College of Charleston, must seek approval from the Center for International Education and the Department Chair or Program Director for the student’s major, minor, or certificate, as applicable.
Military Transfer Credit
The College of Charleston awards transfer credit to undergraduate military students in recognition of their military training in accordance with the criteria below.
Eligibility
Students must meet the following eligibility criteria to be considered for transfer credit under this policy:
- Students must be a veteran with an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions, an active service member, or a member of the Reserves/National Guard who has completed required trainings. Active Duty, Reservist, and National Guard must provide Orders or Statement of Service along with their official transcript. Veterans are required to provide their DD-214 (Member 4 copy) along with their official transcript.
- The Joint Services Transcript (JST) from the issuing agency is required for current and former Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Coast Guard students.
- The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) official transcript is required for all students who have attended this institution.
Transfer Credit
The College of Charleston requires the relevant academic department chair (or chair’s designee) or program director (or director’s designee) to determine the suitability of course credit earned through military training for transfer to the College. The College of Charleston uses the American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations and university transfer credit policies to assess U.S. military training credit for undergraduate students. The College reserves the right to accept ACE recommendations as a guideline, but will retain and exercise responsibility for assuring that the military training credits accepted are at the collegiate level and have resulted in learning outcomes comparable to those students would achieve through the College’s own instruction.
- All College of Charleston transfer credit policies apply to the process of evaluating and awarding military training for academic credit.
- Students may earn up to 30 transfer credit hours from their Joint Services Transcript. Only courses which have American Council on Education (ACE) course recommendations are eligible for evaluation. These 30 credit hours count toward the maximum of 66 transfer credit hours earned at a two-year institution that may be applied to the requirements for all College of Charleston bachelor’s degrees (A.B., B.A., B.S., B.I.S., B.P.S.) .
- Students who have completed 1 year of military service in the United States military will be awarded 4 credit hours of elective transfer credit for the physical education activity course PALM 1EE. These credit hours are included in the 30 credit hour maximum referenced above.
- The maximum number of transfer hours earned at a two-year institution that may be applied to the requirements for all College of Charleston bachelor’s degrees (A.B., B.A., B.S., B.I.S., B.P.S.) is sixty-six (66) credit hours. This includes the Community College of the Air Force.
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