Transfer of Credit Policy

Credit is granted for work with a satisfactory grade taken at a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (USDoE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Currently this includes the following accrediting agencies: 

• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

• Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)

• Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)

• Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS)

• Association of Theological Schools Commission on Accrediting (ATS)

• Distance Education Accreditation Commission (DEAC)

• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC)

• Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)

• Western Association of Schools and Colleges – Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (WASC–ACCJC)

• Western Association of Schools and Colleges – Senior College and University Commission (WASC–SCUC)

The University Registrar is responsible for approving the transferability of all credits. Credit hours accepted in transfer are recorded, but quality points and grades are omitted and used only for the determination of graduating with honors at the Bachelor level. Once transcripts (and other test scores and academic documents) have been received, IWU is not permitted to release copies of those documents back to the student or any other party. All credits are accepted as semester credits. Quarter credits are converted to semester credits using the two-thirds conversion ratio. 

Undergraduate Credit Transfer Policy

Credit is granted for work with a satisfactory grade ("C" or above), in a 100 level or higher course, provided the courses are applicable to the curriculum the student wishes to pursue at Indiana Wesleyan University. The following are exceptions to the transfer policy and credits earned are not counted toward the honors GPA:

• Indiana Wesleyan University accepts official transcripts from the American Council on Education (ACE) and the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS). ACE and NCCRS evaluate and provide credit recommendations for educational offerings for a significant number of corporate universities and other extra-institutional learning providers.
• Courses from non-accredited colleges and universities and from schools/colleges/universities not accredited at the same level, such as proprietary business schools, vocational/technical schools, or other single purpose institutions may be presented through the evaluation of assessed learning process. A maximum of 40 hours may be accepted through assessed learning, ACE,and/or NCCRS credit.

Credit through examination (CLEP, DSST, AP, institutional examinations) or assessed learning is not accepted in transfer from another institution's transcript. Credit through examination is awarded through Indiana Wesleyan University with official test scores from an official testing center. Credit from nontraditional learning by life experience is awarded through the IWU's assessed learning process. The Vice President of Student Services is responsible for the assessment of all nontraditional learning, and the University Registrar is responsible for approving the transcription of any credits that result.

Graduate Credit Transfer Policy

Transfer of credit will be considered for graduate work completed at institutions accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education (USDoE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), provided the courses meet institutional requirements and are appropriate for the student's planned and approved program. Any culminating project (e.g., capstone, research, thesis, etc.), clinical, or practicum requirement associated with a graduate program must be taken at Indiana Wesleyan University.

Individual academic units may establish higher standards/conditions as is appropriate for their respective disciplines or accrediting bodies. A minimum grade of "B" may be considered for transfer. No more than 30% of the graduate degree may be transferred in from another institution. The learning outcomes must align and have been completed within the past seven years. Minimal conditions governing the transfer of earned graduate credits to other course work include:

• Each PAU shall determine the amount of time acceptable of completed work that is eligible for credit transfer.
• Only graduate courses in which a student has earned a grade of "B" or better may be considered for transfer credit.
• Hours of credit may be transferred, but grades earned in courses taken at another institution do not transfer and are not used in computing the student's graduate GPA at Indiana Wesleyan University.
• When a graduate course is taken at another university on a credit/no credit or pass/fail option, hours of "credit" or "pass" are not accepted as transferable unless approved by the appropriate academic unit.
• For graduate certificate programs, no more than 30% can be transferred into the certificate program.

Credit hours accepted in transfer are recorded as part of the student's official academic record. Once transcripts (and other test scores and academic documents) have been received, IWU is not permitted to release copies of those documents back to the student or any other party.  

Occasionally, graduate students will begin their course of study at another institution with no plans to transfer to IWU, but find themselves displaced by a closing institution and unable to complete their degree. In an effort to support displaced students IWU will allow a greater number of transfer credits for graduate programs. All courses will be evaluated by the appropriate academic department. Where applicable transfer credits will be applied to meet IWU degree requirements. A displaced student is an actively enrolled student in degree program offered by an institution that is closing.

Displaced graduate students will be allowed to transfer in up to 75% of program requirements. All transfer credit will be reviewed by the academic department to determine if and how it applies to degree requirements.

Doctoral Exception:

IWU will allow doctoral students to transfer in up to 75% of their course work - an effective residency of 15 credit hours plus the comprehensive final. IWU will not permit a student to transfer in if they only need to complete their dissertation.

Credit hours accepted in transfer are recorded as part of the student's official academic record. Once transcripts (and other test scores and academic documents) have been received, IWU is not permitted to release copies of those documents back to the student or any other party.  

Transcripts from International Institutions

Transcripts from international institutions may need to be sent to an outside agency for evaluation and determination of transferable credits, degrees, and GPA. If this outside review is necessary, students are responsible for the initiation of this evaluation and for any fees incurred during the process.