Transfer Credit


Scope:  Who is Covered by this Policy?

All undergraduates and prospective undergraduate students.


Policy

Transfer Credit Evaluation

Evaluations of academic transfer credit are conducted by the Office of the University Registrar based upon course equivalencies approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, Miami’s academic departments and the general guidelines articulated below. Students are encouraged to confer with their academic advisor to determine whether the credit satisfies specific curriculum requirements within their plan(s) of study.

Only coursework that is transcribed on an institution’s official transcript issued by the institution’s registrar’s office or similar authorizing designee and sent directly from the transcripting institution to Miami University will be eligible for transfer credit consideration.  Transfer credit will be awarded from eligible originating institutions based on the content, level, course value, length of study, and applicability of the course to Miami offerings.

All coursework approved for transfer credit is posted on the student's academic record at Miami University without grade. Posted transfer work will not be removed from the academic record.

Applicability of accepted transfer work will be determined by the University’s academic departments/divisions and in accordance with the Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy established by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. A course which is not applicable for degree requirements may transfer as elective credit but may not count towards the total credits required for the degree (e.g. duplicate credit would not count). 

Domestic Transfer Credit Eligibility

Most college level courses taken from institutions of higher education that are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) or other regional accrediting agency commissions that have been recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) will be accepted for transfer credit by Miami University. Credit earned from institutions not accredited by these commissions will not be accepted unless the institution was in candidacy status at the time the credits were earned and subsequently received full accreditation.

Some U.S. institutions act as ‘schools of record’ for third party international education programs even though the transcripting school itself is not administering, offering, or overseeing the coursework transcripted.  Coursework transcripted through a ‘school of record’ relationship will be subject to additional scrutiny and documentation in order to be assessed for eligibility.

International Transfer Credit Eligibility

For foreign institutions not holding regional U.S. accreditation, Miami looks to quality assurance bodies and Ministries of Education as a baseline for accepting and awarding transfer credit.  Quality assurance bodies and Ministries of Education have been authorized to operate by their respective governments as either agencies of the government or as private entities (Council for Higher Education Accreditation). For the purpose of this policy, such agencies are referred to as accrediting bodies, and institutions authorized by such agencies are referred to as Institutions of Higher Education (IHE).

To determine if credit from a foreign institution is eligible for transfer evaluation, Miami University will review criteria, including but not limited to, admission requirements, grades, length of program and program type (including degree or non-degree), credential qualifications/requirements, and course level/content at the originating institution and comparatively analyze those factors with Miami requirements to determine if credit from the foreign institution is eligible for evaluation and transfer. 

Nontraditional Transfer Credit Eligibility

A maximum of 32 semester hours of nontraditional credit may be awarded, and only 20 of the 32 semester hours may be in correspondence coursework.

Courses taken at U.S. military services schools will be accepted as nontraditional transfer credit on the basis of the publication, “Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services,” prepared by the American Council on Education (ACE). Nontraditional transfer credit will also be awarded for military training and experience in the Armed Services based on the evaluation by ACE for students entering the University fall 2012 or after.

Nontraditional credit earned through non-collegiate sponsored instruction that has been evaluated by ACE (listed in the “National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training”) will be accepted for transfer. The appropriate academic department may evaluate the course for equivalent Miami credit.

Exceptions to the 32 semester hour maximum of nontraditional credit include:

  1. Credit earned either by taking national standardized examinations, such as CLEP, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement tests which are recognized by an academic department of Miami University as equivalent to one or more of its course offerings, or by taking proficiency examinations administered by an academic department of Miami, (see policy “Registration” section “Proficiency Examinations”).
  2. Credit earned through portfolio submission

Transfer Credit Appeals

A student may appeal a transfer credit evaluation by submitting a Transfer Appeal Form to the Office of the University Registrar. The Office of the University Registrar will work with the appropriate academic division/department to review and consider the appeal and will notify the student of the appeal decision. 


Related Form(s)


Additional Resources and Procedures

Websites


FAQ

What are the academic performance requirements for transfer eligibility consideration?

Most college level courses taken Fall Semester 2010 or after at regionally accredited institutions across the United States will be eligible for transfer with an earned grade of D- or better.  Courses taken prior to Fall Semester 2010 at non-Ohio regionally accredited institutions will be eligible for transfer consideration with an earned grade of C or better.  Courses taken on a pass/fail or credit/no credit basis prior to Fall 2015 will be eligible for transfer consideration if it can be determined that a grade of C or better was earned for the course.  Fall 2015 and after pass/fail or credit/no credit courses are eligible for consideration if it can be determined that a grade of D- or better was earned.

Miami University uses professionally recognized resources to convert grades in international coursework to U.S. equivalents.

Are there additional requirements for work from U.S. institutions in regional accreditation candidacy status?

Students who have attended U.S. institutions in regional accreditation candidacy status must validate their previous coursework by earning 32 semester credit hours toward a baccalaureate degree or 16 semester credit hours toward an associate degree with a 2.00 cumulative grade point average at Miami University before credit earned at that institution will be considered for transfer.  Once an institution achieves regional accreditation, only those credits earned while the institution was in candidacy status or afterwards will be transferable.

What are the official documentation required for transfer credit evaluation, including verification of international coursework?

An official transcript must be sent directly from the issuing institution to Miami University.  Miami University accepts electronically exchanged transcripts from other Ohio public undergraduate institutions through the Ohio Department of Higher Education transcript exchange.  Electronic transcripts sent from Ohio private and non-Ohio institutions through a third-party vendor are also accepted and should be sent to transfercrediteval@MiamiOH.edu.  Paper transcripts must be mailed directly from the transferring institution to Miami University.  Miami University will not evaluate or post transfer credit from an ‘Issued to Student’ or hand delivered transcript or other academic record document.  All documents for transfer evaluation and award of credit must be sent directly from the issuing institution to Miami University, and if transcripted in a foreign language must be accompanied by an official English translation.  (Note:  Documents classified as official for admission purposes may not be acceptable for transfer credit evaluation.)

Miami University may require that transcripts from foreign institutions be submitted with a verification report from the quality assurance body and/or Ministry of Education that is authorized to operate by their respective government as an agency of the government.

Miami University requires that transcripts from Chinese institutions be submitted with a verification report from the China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC) to be considered official and eligible for consideration.

How does the Unviersity determine undergraduate level/equivalence of international course work?

In cases where there is uncertainty of the comparability to the U.S. and/or Miami University course level or equivalency, Miami University may require that the student submit documentation such as course descriptions and syllabi that include a list of required texts/readings for the course, number of class hours required in a course, the dates and length of academic term(s) when enrolled.  This documentation, if recorded in a foreign language, must be accompanied by an official English translation.

Non-collegiate level courses (e.g., in English and Mathematics) that are clearly intended to be a review of secondary school material are often designated remedial/developmental and are not awarded university transfer credit.  Included in this category are selected orientation and study skills courses, speed reading and note taking courses. In a similar manner, English as a Second Language (ESL) courses are not eligible for evaluation or the award of university credit.

How does the University determine the semester hour equivalent value of domestic and international coursework?

Domestic coursework taken under the quarter system is converted to semester credit hours by multiplying the number of quarter hours by .667, e.g. 3 quarter hours x .667 = 2 semester hours. 

International coursework measurement can vary greatly among countries, as well as institutions within countries. Course values may be documented in hours, units, quarters, and semesters, and definitions of such values vary between countries and institutions.  Because Miami University transfer credit hour values are based on the credit value assigned by the originating institution, an institutional analysis is used to determine a proper and consistent conversion of credit to Miami semester hours.

  • Semester academic calendar If the institutional analysis determines the international educational system is comparable to the United States’ system, as well as Ohio State’s semester hour definition of awarding credit, a one-to-one ratio is used to award credit. If international course work is listed as semester hours on the transcript, and an institutional analysis determines that the designation does not hold the same weight as a U.S. semester hour, a ratio (see below) is used to award equivalent credit.
  • Calculating ratios: comparing one year’s worth of work When determining comparability of educational institutions (with the exceptions outlined below), the standard practice is to compare one year’s worth of work from the international institution to 30 semester hours. If discrepancies exist between systems, a ratio is used to adjust the hours to equate the transfer work accordingly.
  • European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) units In order to equate ECTS units to Miami semester hours, the following conversions are used: i. Continental Europe: 2 ECTS units = 1 U.S. semester hour ii. United Kingdom: 4 ECTS units = 1 U.S. semester hour
  • People’s Republic of China: 1 Chinese credit hour = .667 Miami semester hour
  • In the absence of documented course titles and grades, Miami will determine the target number of semester credits per year of a student’s program and divide that by the total number of courses taken to create a credit ratio.

How does Miami University evaluate course content and equivalency?

Miami University shall evaluate and award transfer credit for undergraduate course work as defined by guidelines established by the academic departments (e.g., English, Mathematics, History, Art). Transfer courses may be evaluated as direct equivalents or generalized credit by the appropriate department.  Where no direct equivalent can be determined by the Office of the University Registrar or the academic department, a ‘T’ number will be assigned as the course number and the credit hours will be applied as elective credit and not an equivalent Miami University course.

Transferology is an online tool that students can use to view course equivalencies and how courses taken at other institutions may apply to Miami University programs.


Policy Administration

Next Review Date

7/1/2023

Responsible Officer

Senior Associate Registrar

Legal Authority

Not Applicable.

Compliance Policy

Yes

Revision History

Seperated from SH 1.1 July 2019; Amended July 2020

Reference ID

Student Handbook 1.1

Reviewing Bodies

  • University Registrar
  • University Senate