Transfer of Credit Policies

Undergraduate Transfer Credit

Undergraduate transfer credit will be awarded for university-level work successfully completed at a postsecondary institution that is a member of a CHEA-approved accrediting agency, is authorized to confer degrees in Oregon, or otherwise individually or categorically approved by the Office of Degree Authorization under (OAR) 583-030-0035.

Procedures:

1. The Registrar has the responsibility of determining transfer credit and departmental approval is required before transfer credit is recorded for required courses in a major or minor.
2. Only courses in which a “C-“ or above has been earned will be evaluated for transfer credit.
3. The Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer Degree (AAOT) or its equivalent in other regionally accredited state systems of higher education will satisfy all liberal arts requirements. In addition, if a transfer student without an Associate’s degree has completed at least 50 semester hours of liberal arts courses with at least a C- in those courses and those hours satisfy the area requirements in liberal arts then the liberal arts requirements will be considered complete. A transfer degree may not necessarily meet department or major requirements with regard to courses or GPA.
4. In evaluating work taken at a postsecondary institution for transfer credit, the following factors will be considered:
   1. The content of the course and how well it matches with the content of a course in MU’s curriculum. The Registrar will consult with the chair of the department in which the course is offered when specific information on course content is needed.
   2. The characteristics of the institution or agency which awarded the credit (i.e. accredited/non-accredited; domestic/ foreign; collegiate/non-collegiate).
   3. The characteristics of the credit reported on the transcript (i.e. level/basis of credit).
   4. The appropriateness of the credit to the student’s degree program.
   5. Credits will be computed from a “quarter hour” system to semester hours by multiplying by 0.67.
5. Multnomah course number, title and hours for which transfer credit is granted will appear on the student’s permanent record, not grades or grade points earned.
6. Up to 33 professional-technical hours applicable in an associate’s degree or certificate at an accredited institution can be accepted as general elective credit.
7. Students may also apply CLEP, AP, and International Baccalaureate credit toward their degree.

Articulated Agreements

Multnomah University honors specific articulated agreements with Pacific Bible College, Portland Bible College, and University of Western States. Contact the Registrar’s office for more detail.

Unaccredited Institutions

If an institution is not accredited and is not listed above under articulated agreements, students will be asked to provide a copy of the institution’s catalog, course syllabi and an official transcript of their course work. The institution will be evaluated to determine if courses are equivalent to similar courses offered at Multnomah University and to determine if faculty credentials are similar to Multnomah University faculty. If courses and faculty are determined to be equivalent, Multnomah University will accept a maximum of 12 semester hours.

Credit from the following institutions will be accepted at a 3:1 ratio to a maximum of 12 semester hours. (3 credits from the granting institution for one credit at Multnomah University.) Ecola Bible Institute; University of the Nations (YWAM DTS Training); Capernwray Hall – Lancaster, England; Capernwray: Capernwray Harbour – Thetis Island, British Columbia, Canada; Capernwray: Fackelbararna – Holsybrunn, Sweden; Capernwray: Ravencrest Chalet – Estes Park, Colorado; Capernwray: Tanernhof – Austria.

Graduate Transfer Credit

Transfer credit will be awarded for graduate level work successfully completed at a postsecondary institution that is a member of a CHEA-approved accrediting agency. Seminary transfer credit should come from an ATS accredited institution. Seminary transfer credit from non-ATS accredited institutions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Only courses for which a B- or above has been earned will be evaluated for graduate transfer credit. Transfer credit will only be awarded for coursework that is demonstrated to be consistent with the outcomes and curriculum of the degree program. Limitation on the number of credits transferred is determined by the residency requirement of each degree program. For example, the MACL has a maximum of 24 credits that may be transferred into the 48 credit degree program. Consult each degree program for specific residency requirements. All requests for seminary transfer of credit must be approved by the Registrar and the Dean of the Seminary. All requests for graduate school transfer of credit must be approved by the Registrar and the program director.

The number of credits transferred from other schools, as well as the record of accomplishment at Multnomah University, will be stated on the student’s permanent transcript.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The Educational Testing Service of the College Board provides nationally recognized standardized testing through which college credit may be earned or course proficiency verified. Students may earn up to 30 semester hours of credit through CLEP by achieving the minimum credit-granting score. See the Registrar for details. The following policies apply:

• CLEP exams can be taken at any time.  However, students planning to use CLEP exams to fulfill degree requirements are encouraged to do so early in their academic plan.
• Students should consult their academic advisor before taking a CLEP exam to ensure the subject area will fulfill a degree requirement.
• CLEP exams do not count towards Multnomah University's residency requirement.
• Credit will not be granted for any exams that duplicate a course successfully taken at Multnomah or transferred in from another institution.

Prior Learning Assessment

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is the process of earning undergraduate or graduate-level credit for prior learning acquired from sources, such as volunteer or work experiences, professional training, military training, or other nontraditional learning experiences. Students petition the University for credit by submitting appropriate documents or writing learning experience essays that provide evidence of college-level learning. The evaluation process and awarding of credit is determined by faculty evaluators and/or the student's Program Chair.

OAICU Cross-Registration

A full-time student may take one course a semester at one of the neighboring institutions in the Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities (OAICU). Only courses not available on the home campus may be selected. Cross-registration is initiated by application through the Multnomah University Registrar.

Military Credit

Multnomah generally grants credit for military education experiences as recommended by the American Council on Education’s Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services, and in accordance with school policies regarding transfer credits. Students may request evaluation of credits earned through the Community College of the Air Force, Defense Language Institute, or military education. Students must submit official copies of college transcripts or a Certificate of Completion from the Defense Language Institute. An official copy of the student’s DD 214, DD 295 or an AARTS transcript is required for military education and occupational credits.

Undergraduate Residence Requirements

Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 32 semester hours through Multnomah University. They must also complete a minimum of 15 hours in their major. 

Course Utilization

A course can be utilized to satisfy requirements in two different parts of a degree program, i.e. fulfil a liberal arts requirement and a major requirement.  Both course requirements can be considered met, but the credits do not count twice. A course cannot be used to satisfy three different areas.  Also, no more than 30% of a major can be completed with courses that are meeting requirements in another major.

Concurrent Studies

After admission to Multnomah, students must take all courses at this institution unless approval is given in advance to take subjects through an established cooperative program or at another institution. 

Transferring to Other Institutions

Multnomah University transcripts may be requested from the Registrar’s office by completing the on-line ordering process. Multnomah University credits are generally accepted by other accredited institutions, but their transferability is determined by the receiving institution.

Correspondence Credit

Credit earned by correspondence or extension studies through a fully accredited college or university may be accepted toward the bachelor’s degree up to a maximum of 30 semester hours. A limitation of 10 hours applies in each component: general education, Bible/theology core, and major or minor.

Student Responsibility

While the college provides advisement services to its students through faculty advisors and the Office of the Registrar, the final responsibility still rests with the student for fulfilling all the requirements for graduation, including those identified in official program audits. This shall include requirements resulting from program modifications affecting course offerings as may be adopted by action of the faculty.