Transfer Credit Policy and Options

 A student may be allowed credit for work completed at the undergraduate level before enrolling at Concordia University Wisconsin / Ann Arbor (CUWAA). In some cases, an articulation agreement may govern the transfer of credits. In the absence of an articulation agreement, the following requirements are established.

  •  College level courses taken at CUWAA, no matter the format, are considered 'residency' courses. Some pre-identified continuing education unit (CEU) credits taken through CUWAA Continuing Education Studies may be used for transfer credit. CEU credits cannot be used to fulfill residency requirements.
    •  A maximum of nine Concordia undergraduate level academic credits may be fulfilled by the CEU to academic credit transfer gateway.
    • To be considered for CEU transfer credits, a student must complete the continuing education offering(s) with a passing grade of “B” or better.
    •  Prospective students have one year to apply to either a certificate or degree program and pay the required CEU to academic credit transfer fee of $1500.
    • Any credit awarded through this avenue only qualifies toward a CUWAA degree and is not transferable to other institutions.
  •  Students must earn a minimum of 18 residency credits at CUWAA to be awarded an associate degree and a minimum of 36 residency credits at CUWAA for a bachelor's degree.
    •  A minimum of 12 residency credits are required within a student's major.
    • A minimum of 6 residency credits are required within a student's minor/concentration.
  • If there is no specified program policy, the university allows for transfer of up to 42 credits toward an associate degree and 84 credits toward a bachelor's degree, provided credits are from another regionally accredited university. For a certificate program, up to 25% of the overall credits may be transferred from another regionally accredited university.
  •  If the maximum number of transfer credits is not brought in at the start of a student's program, the student may discuss options with his/her academic advisor for additional course credit.

Before awarding transfer credits:

  • The student must provide official transcripts documenting completion of undergraduate-level coursework and the grade(s) obtained for this work.
  • Students transferring fewer than 60 college credits may be required to submit their official high school transcript.
  • The number of undergraduate credits for a course taken at another institution must be equal to or greater than the number of credits for a comparable course at CUWAA (i.e., a two-credit course will not transfer in for a three-credit course).
  • If there is no specified program policy, each course grade must meet the CUWAA undergraduate admission standard of a 'D' or better. Courses in which the student received lower than a 'D' will not be considered for transfer.
  • Transfer credits related to a student’s area of study (major/minor/concentration) may be reviewed by the specific program for age and content relevancy.

Additional Information:

  • Transfer credits are not used in calculating a student's grade point average (GPA).
  • Students must be 'in residence' (i.e., complete at least one course) at CUWAA during the graduation semester. It is recommended that students meet with their academic advisor prior to the final semester to review their degree evaluation and make plans for completion of all remaining program requirements.
  • Specific program policies related to maximum transfer credits, currency of coursework, or minimum grade requirements will be listed in the program's section of the catalog or in the department's handbook.

In case of special extenuating circumstances, the Academic Office may approve exceptions to the policy.

Approaches to Earning Credits

This option may not be applicable within all academic programs. Prior approval by a department level official must be obtained before enrolling in any of the options listed below. All transcripts must be on file at Concordia to ensure there will be no duplication of coursework.

Acadeum Course Sharing

Acadeum is a course-sharing platform that allows students to take courses taught by institutions of our choosing. Acadeum is a tool meant to support the mission of CUWAA by supporting student progression and retention. It also allows us to open our unfilled courses for other institutions’ students to take.

Acadeum online courses should only be used for students who have immediate course scheduling needs that cannot be fulfilled by taking a course at CUWAA:

1. Transfer and non-traditional students who need to take a prerequisite course and/or are off sequence and unable to follow the student educational plan.

2. Graduating students needing a final course not offered prior to graduation.

3. Students whose class session has been canceled and have no other course options within the current academic year and/or cannot wait until it is offered to remain on track for graduation.

4. Students who fail a course and need to retake it without waiting until the next time it is offered to remain on track for graduation.

5. Students who must demonstrate improved academic ability due to continued probation. 

Eligible CUWAA students will work with their staff or faculty advisor and department chair for Acadeum course approval. Eligible CUWAA graduate students will work with their program chair/director for Acadeum course approval. The program chair/director will send the approvals to the Registrar’s Office for Acadeum course enrollment.

Advanced Placement / Dual Credit

The University will recognize unusual secondary school work by means of advanced placement and dual credit courses and will grant credit to those who have taken especially enriched or accelerated courses before entering college or who have appropriate vocational or professional experience. Applicants qualify for such credit by satisfactory achievement on college-approved placement examinations, including the College Board Advanced Placement Tests, CLEP (College Level Examination Program), DSST(formerly DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) or faculty-authored challenge examinations. College credit total a maximum of 30 semester credits may be earned by satisfactorily completing such examinations.

Retroactive Credit for Foreign Languages

Retroactive credit is available in foreign languages, wherein credit may be given for pre-college foreign language study if the student takes the next highest level of the foreign language at this University and achieves a C or better. The student must request credit for the lower-level course(s) that were by passed.

Military Credits

Military Credits are granted based on the evaluation of an Official Joint Service (JST) transcript or Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript. Concordia accepts up to 63 credits applied towards; electives, lower/upper level core, and/or major requirements.

Prior Learning Assessment

Prior Learning Assessment of experiential learning allows accepted students to seek credit by documenting real-world performance, college-level knowledge and outcome-based competence acquired outside a classroom setting. Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Workshops are offered each month via Zoom. During these sessions the students are guided through the process of determining what constitutes college-level learning, outcome-based competence, the process of developing each petition for credit, and how to document learning. Participation in a Concordia PLA Development Workshop is required for students who wish to submit a PLA proposal. The student would contact their academic advisor to learn about how to participate in a workshop.

Prior learning credits, if awarded, may apply either toward the academic major or required elective coursework within the bachelor’s degree.  A maximum of 21 prior learning credits can be awarded and these credits may not be included within the thirty-six residency credits which must be completed at Concordia University in order to be awarded a bachelor’s degree. Any other residency requirements, such as within majors and minors, may not be met through PLA.

All official transcripts for any credits to be transferred to Concordia should be on file prior to submitting a Prior Learning Assessment portfolio to avoid duplication of credits. Prior Learning Assessment portfolio submissions may also not duplicate any coursework completed at Concordia. The Prior Learning Assessment Committee reviews submissions monthly. Petitions should be submitted for only the number of credits needed. Students will be notified by university email of the committee’s decision. Credits denied may be resubmitted for reconsideration in certain cases. If the Prior Learning Assessment Committee requests a revision to a submitted proposal, there is no new fee assessed.

A per credit evaluation fee ($80) is charged for Prior Learning Assessment portfolio submissions and is due at the time of submission. This evaluation fee is not returned if credits are not awarded. This fee is also ineligible within the university financial aid process. Credits awarded through Prior Learning Assessment are extremely unlikely to be transferrable to another school.

Cambridge Assessment

A and AS levels for credit will be reviewed based on course content per a review of the syllabus. A grade of C or better is required for credit. These credits may be awarded toward general education requirements, degree requirements, or elective credit. In order to grant the credit, an official copy of the Exam Certificate or the Statement of Provisional Results from the examination board will be required. Course transfer equivalencies will be determined by the registrar upon admission to the university.

International Baccalaureate

IB focuses on personal, professional and academic development and is globally recognized by universities for the holistic and rigorous education it provides. 

  • Students who attend schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) can earn credits by participating in the IB curriculum.  Credit awarded depends on the level and content of the exam, the score earned, and the Concordia University degree being pursued.  Please contact the International Admissions office for more details on transfer credit.

Alternative Credit Earning Options

American Council on Education (ACE) and National Program on Non-Collegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI)

ACE and PONSI are organizations which validate for-credit coursework completed through non-collegiate education and training programs. The student must have official copies of the educational transcripts sent to Concordia.

Life Office Management Association (LOMA) and American Institute of Banking (AIB)

LOMA and AIB provide means to receive college credit for company training professional development programs through an employer. The student must have official copies of the educational transcripts sent to Concordia.