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Non-Traditional Transfer Credit

WCU may accept a maximum of 60 credits for a combination of non-traditional courses, trainings, exams, work experience military training, or experience achieved or demonstrated through the following:

Non-military (max 60 credits)

  1. National and WCU Exams (CLEP, AP, IB, AICE, DANTES, WCU Challenge)
  2. National Credit Recommendations (ACE)
  3. Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
    1. Professional Certificates, Licenses, and Trainings
    2. Experiential Credits (EC)

Military (max 30 credits)

  1. Military Training or Experience

National and WCU Exams

WCU may award a maximum of 60 general education and/or elective credits for College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), and WCU Challenge exams. 

CLEP, AP, IB, AICE, and DANTES Exams

WCU may accept credits for these exams based on the following criteria: 

  1. Students seeking credit through completion of a CLEP exam must receive a minimum score of at least 50 as documented on an official CLEP transcript.
  2. Students seeking credit through completion of an AP exam must receive a minimum score of 3 on any subject area exam as documented on an official AP transcript.
  3. Students seeking credit through completion of an IB exam must receive a minimum score of 5 on any subject area HL or SL exam as documented on an official IB transcript.
  4. Students seeking credit through completion of an AICE exam must receive a minimum score of C or better on any subject area AS or A level exam as documented on an official AICE transcript.
  5. Students seeking credit through completion of a DANTES exam must receive a minimum score of 400 or better on any subject area exam as documented on an official DANTES transcript.
  6. A student cannot receive credit by CLEP, AP, IB, AICE, and/or DANTES exam for a WCU course that the student earned a failing or non-passing grade.
  7. Students may only take CLEP, AP, IB, AICE, and/or DANTES exams once.Exam transcripts showing an exam retake shall not be considered for evaluation.
  8. CLEP, AP, IB, AICE, and/or DANTES credit shall be applied only to fulfill General Education or elective credit requirements. Courses in the major academic core are not eligible for credit by CLEP, AP, IB, IAICE, and/or DANTES exams.
  9. The University shall not provide credit for CLEP general examinations. Only CLEP subject examinations will be evaluated for credit.
  10. The CLEP, AP, IB, AICE, and/or DANTES exams must meet the requirements of the specific academic program for which it is being considered.  Each program maintains its own transfer credit requirements.

To be considered for evaluation, students must submit the appropriate exam score documentation directly to WCU from the testing agency by the deadlines mandated for post-secondary official transcripts.  Duplicate credit shall not be granted to students who have achieved minimum CLEP, AP, IB, AICE, and/or DANTES exam scores and have taken the equivalent course at WCU.  Credits earned through these standardized examinations do not count toward a student’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA).

Decisions regarding exam credit are made by the program Dean or Director at the campus to which the student is applying.  The program Dean or Director will review exam transcripts to determine what credit, if any, will be granted.  In addition to the university exam requirements, official transcripts must be received by the deadlines indicated by the individual program to which the student is applying.  If exam transcripts are received later than the University or programmatic deadline, an extension to consider credit may be awarded at the program Dean’s/Chair’s discretion.

Challenge Exams

WCU allows students to “challenge” a declined traditional transfer credit in some programs of study for which they have earned prior credit but for which credit was not transferred upon matriculation.  WCU Challenge exams are not an available option for all WCU academic programs, and the student is encouraged to confirm availability of this option directly with the program. If the WCU Challenge Exam option is available, the student must submit a Challenge Exam Application Form to the Director of Student Services at the campus they are attending and comply with the following requirements:

  1. Students will only be allowed to take a WCU Challenge Exam if they meet the general and program-specific criteria. If the request to challenge a course is approved, and the student passes the appropriate examination, credits earned for classes challenged will be valid for 12 months from the time the exam is taken. Once a student matriculates, the course requirement is satisfied and posted to the transcript, becoming a permanent part of the student’s academic record. If the WCU Challenge Exam is not successfully passed, the course requirement will remain in the student’s program of study.
  2. The student must declare which course(s) he/she would like to challenge and must gain approval from the program’s academic administration. Each program has its own unique requirements and deadlines for submitting the WCU Challenge Examination Application.
  3. Students may not apply for a WCU Challenge Exam for courses in which they are currently enrolled or have previously taken at WCU. A course may be challenged only one time. Each program has established its own passing grade requirements for WCU Challenge exams, and no more than twelve (12) semester credits may be earned through WCU Challenge exams.  
  4. Credits earned through WCU Challenge exams do not count towards the in-residence requirements or towards a student’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA). In addition, a student’s financial aid may be affected if challenge credit is received; therefore, students considering challenging a course should consult with their campus Financial Aid Officer on the impact of doing so.
  5. A non-refundable fee of $100 will be charged per exam. All nursing clinical course challenge exams require a non-refundable fee of $500 per exam. The fee must be paid prior to the exam and is not included as part of the student’s financial aid package.
  6. The University’s decision on a student’s eligibility to take a specific WCU Challenge Exam is final and may not be appealed. If a student achieves credit by successfully challenging a course and passing the challenge exam, no guarantee is made that the student will advance his or her degree completion date. Degree acceleration will be based on space availability.

National Credit Recommendations

WCU may award a maximum of 60 credits for ACE evaluated trainings, certifications, or work experiences. 

The American Council on Education evaluates non-traditional trainings, certifications, and certain work experiences to recommend equivalent college credit based on learning outcomes.  To be considered for evaluation, students must submit the appropriate documentation directly to WCU that illustrates proof of completed ACE training by the deadlines mandated for post-secondary official transcripts.  Duplicate credit shall not be granted to students who have completed the equivalent course at WCU.  ACE credits must meet the requirements of the specific academic program for which it is being considered.  Each program maintains its own transfer credit requirements.  Credits earned through ACE do not count toward a student’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA).

Decisions regarding ACE credit are made by the program Dean or Director at the campus to which the student is applying.  The program Dean or Director will review documentation to determine what credit, if any, will be granted.  In addition to the university requirements, documentation must be received by the deadlines indicated by the individual program to which the student is applying.  If documentation is received later than the University or programmatic deadline, an extension to consider credit may be awarded at the program Dean’s/Chair’s discretion.

Military Training or Experience

WCU may award a maximum of 30 credits for prior military training or experience. 

Former and current military service personnel may receive credit for any WCU course based on the ACE military guide recommendations.  Current and former military service personnel shall be required to provide WCU with an official copy of their Joint Services Transcript by the deadlines mandated for post-secondary official transcripts, which is then evaluated by Registrar’s Office using the ACE system.  This document provides official information about an individual’s previous education/training and work experience while in the military.

Decisions regarding military training or experience credit are made by the program Dean or Director at the campus to which the student is applying.  The program Dean or Director will review Joint Services transcripts to determine what credit, if any, will be granted.  In addition to the university military training or experience requirements, official Joint Services transcripts must be received by the deadlines indicated by the individual program to which the student is applying.  If Joint Services transcripts are received later than the University or programmatic deadline, an extension to consider credit may be awarded at the program Dean’s/Chair’s discretion.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

WCU may award a maximum of 30 credits for a combination of professional certificates, licenses, trainings, or work experience.

Professional Certificates, Licenses, or Trainings

WCU may award a maximum of 30 credits for professional certificates, licenses, or trainings completed as part of the student’s work or educational experience. 

These include certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and licenses such as Registered Nurse (RN).  To be considered for evaluation, students must submit transcripts directly to WCU by the deadlines mandated for post-secondary official transcripts.  Credits must meet the requirements of the specific academic program for which it is being considered.  Each program maintains its own transfer credit requirements.  Credits earned through certificates, licenses, or trainings do not count toward a student’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA).

Decisions regarding transfer credit by this method are made by the program Dean or Director at the campus to which the student is applying.  The program Dean or Director will review transcripts to determine what credit, if any, will be granted.  In addition to the university transfer partnership requirements, transcripts must be received by the deadlines indicated by the individual program to which the student is applying.  If transcripts are received later than the University or programmatic deadline, an extension to consider credit may be awarded at the program Dean’s/Chair’s discretion.

Experiential Credits (EC)

WCU may award a maximum of 15 credits for skills gained through work experience. 

This is attained through the completion of a portfolio that will be evaluated by the program Dean or Director at the campus to which the student is applying.  To be considered for evaluation, students must complete the following steps:

  1. Complete a separate portfolio utilizing the Experiential Credits Portfolio Template for each of the courses seeking credit. Work experience must align with a specific WCU course and the course learning outcomes.
  2. The portfolio must be submitted to the Registrar at WCU at least two full terms prior to a student’s graduation.
  3. Duplicate credit shall not be granted to students who have completed the equivalent course at West Coast University.

The program Dean or Director will review the portfolio to determine what credit, if any, will be granted.  In addition to the university EC requirements, portfolios must be received by the deadlines indicated by the individual program to which the student is applying.  If portfolios are received later than the University or programmatic deadline, an extension to consider credit may be awarded at the program Dean’s/Chair’s discretion.

Credits must meet the requirements of the specific academic program for which it is being considered.  Each program maintains its own transfer credit requirements.  Credits earned through EC do not count toward a student’s cumulative grade point average (CGPA).