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College Transfer Credit

College Transfer Credit

Acceptance of Undergraduate Credits from Other Institutions

Only credits that are applicable to the student’s current/active academic program will be transferred and transcripted towards a Charter Oak degree. Degree applicable credit is credit needed to complete the primary Major/Concentration along with other college requirements including Liberal Arts, General Education, Upper Level, and Free Electives. If a student changes their Major/Concentration after enrollment, transfer credit will be re-evaluated against the new Major/Concentration for degree applicability.

The College will allow up to 9 credits from a completed graduate program to be applied toward a Charter Oak undergraduate degree if the graduate credits subsume or duplicate the undergraduate credits. Graduate transfer credits cannot be used as electives in the undergraduate program. Graduate courses transferred in to meet undergraduate requirements may not be used as part of a future graduate program at Charter Oak. (Note: If there is a specific transfer limit on the undergraduate major/concentration/certificate that is more restrictive, that policy would apply.)

No more than 87 credits earned at two-year institutions can be credited toward an undergraduate degree program (unless deemed degree-applicable).

All grades or score reports must be sent in an official manner directly from the issuing agency to Charter Oak State College.

Note: It is the responsibility of the Registrar’s Office to determine the transferability of credit. If a student would like to appeal the transfer decision made by the Registrar’s Office, they may do so by completing the Petition form found in the MyCharterOak Student Portal. A course syllabus and all other supporting documentation must accompany the appeal.

Credits from Regionally Accredited Institutions of Higher Education

To be accepted toward a Charter Oak State College degree, undergraduate credits must be earned from an institution of higher education which is licensed or accredited in the State of Connecticut to award degrees or regionally accredited at the time the credits were earned. Charter Oak recognizes the following regional accrediting bodies:

  • 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 (SACSCOC)
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
  • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

Credit for Courses

Courses taken from a regionally accredited community college or 4-year institutions are generally transferable for credit provided they were applicable to at least one degree offered by that institution. Developmental and study skills courses, freshman seminar or orientation courses, and courses intended as review or exam preparation are not acceptable in transfer. Credits earned on the quarter system will be converted to semester credits upon transfer. Non-credit and professional development courses are not transferable.

Generally, there is no time limit on the acceptability of college course credits though some specific majors and concentrations may have stricter time-limit requirements. Refer to the Catalog for your specific major for more information. Grades of C (2.0) or higher must be earned in English Composition courses and all core requirements in a Major or General Studies Concentration in order to be transferable. Passing grades (D- or higher) may be used for other degree requirements. Grades of D- must be balanced by higher grades in order to achieve the C average (2.0) necessary for graduation.

Credit by Exam

Credits completed by institutional challenge examinations will be accepted in transfer provided that the courses were regularly listed and taught for degree credit in course format by the institution, appear on a regular transcript of the college awarding the credit as Institutional (not transfer) credit with a grade (P grade must be equivalent to a C or better) and credit hours. Proof of validation is required in all cases where an institution has awarded undergraduate credit on a basis other than completion of a conventional academic course of instruction.

Charter Oak State college will accept standardized examinations offered by regionally accredited institutions (TECEP, UEXCEL, NYU language Exams) with a grade of C or higher. Other college sponsored exams may be acceptable if it can be determined that the exams meet the strict evaluation criteria of COSC Faculty.

Prior Learning/Portfolio/Credential Credit

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), including portfolio or credential credit, awarded by a regionally accredited institution may be transferable for credit if the granting institution applies the same evaluation criteria as COSC faculty, is a member of the Consortium for the Assessment of College Equivalence (CACE), or adheres to the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) standards for the assessment of prior learning. Transferability of CPL credit completed by another institution will be done on an individual student basis and is not guaranteed.


College Transfer Credit

Acceptance of Undergraduate Credits from Other Institutions

Only credits that are applicable to the student’s current/active academic program will be transferred and transcripted towards a Charter Oak degree. Degree applicable credit is credit needed to complete the primary Major/Concentration along with other college requirements including Liberal Arts, General Education, Upper Level, and Free Electives. If a student changes their Major/Concentration after enrollment, transfer credit will be re-evaluated against the new Major/Concentration for degree applicability.

The College will allow up to 9 credits from a completed graduate program to be applied toward a Charter Oak undergraduate degree if the graduate credits subsume or duplicate the undergraduate credits. Graduate transfer credits cannot be used as electives in the undergraduate program. Graduate courses transferred in to meet undergraduate requirements may not be used as part of a future graduate program at Charter Oak. (Note: If there is a specific transfer limit on the undergraduate major/concentration/certificate that is more restrictive, that policy would apply.)

No more than 87 credits earned at two-year institutions can be credited toward an undergraduate degree program (unless deemed degree-applicable).

All grades or score reports must be sent in an official manner directly from the issuing agency to Charter Oak State College.

Note: It is the responsibility of the Registrar’s Office to determine the transferability of credit. If a student would like to appeal the transfer decision made by the Registrar’s Office, they may do so by completing the Petition form found in the MyCharterOak Student Portal. A course syllabus and all other supporting documentation must accompany the appeal.

Credits from Regionally Accredited Institutions of Higher Education

To be accepted toward a Charter Oak State College degree, undergraduate credits must be earned from an institution of higher education which is licensed or accredited in the State of Connecticut to award degrees or regionally accredited at the time the credits were earned. Charter Oak recognizes the following regional accrediting bodies:

  • 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 (SACSCOC)
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
  • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

Credit for Courses

Courses taken from a regionally accredited community college or 4-year institutions are generally transferable for credit provided they were applicable to at least one degree offered by that institution. Developmental and study skills courses, freshman seminar or orientation courses, and courses intended as review or exam preparation are not acceptable in transfer. Credits earned on the quarter system will be converted to semester credits upon transfer. Non-credit and professional development courses are not transferable.

Generally, there is no time limit on the acceptability of college course credits though some specific majors and concentrations may have stricter time-limit requirements. Refer to the Catalog for your specific major for more information. Grades of C (2.0) or higher must be earned in English Composition courses and all core requirements in a Major or General Studies Concentration in order to be transferable. Passing grades (D- or higher) may be used for other degree requirements. Grades of D- must be balanced by higher grades in order to achieve the C average (2.0) necessary for graduation.

Credit by Exam

Credits completed by institutional challenge examinations will be accepted in transfer provided that the courses were regularly listed and taught for degree credit in course format by the institution, appear on a regular transcript of the college awarding the credit as Institutional (not transfer) credit with a grade (P grade must be equivalent to a C or better) and credit hours. Proof of validation is required in all cases where an institution has awarded undergraduate credit on a basis other than completion of a conventional academic course of instruction.

Charter Oak State college will accept standardized examinations offered by regionally accredited institutions (TECEP, UEXCEL, NYU language Exams) with a grade of C or higher. Other college sponsored exams may be acceptable if it can be determined that the exams meet the strict evaluation criteria of COSC Faculty.

Prior Learning/Portfolio/Credential Credit

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), including portfolio or credential credit, awarded by a regionally accredited institution may be transferable for credit if the granting institution applies the same evaluation criteria as COSC faculty, is a member of the Consortium for the Assessment of College Equivalence (CACE), or adheres to the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) standards for the assessment of prior learning. Transferability of CPL credit completed by another institution will be done on an individual student basis and is not guaranteed.