Advanced Standing
Mount Saint Mary's University acknowledges advanced standing for students who have completed academic coursework at another institution. Advanced standing is determined on an individual basis and is not decided until an evaluation of all previous academic work has been completed. Original transcripts must also be submitted for all proficiency or advanced placement credit awards (CLEP, AP and IB). A maximum of 36 semester units for course work taken in a regionally accredited college is transferable toward the Associate degree. A maximum of 70 lower division (or equivalent) semester units for course work taken in a regionally accredited college is transferable toward the Baccalaureate degree.
Students transferring from foreign schools, colleges, and universities must submit original copies of their academic records as well as translations from an approved credential evaluation agency. An approved list of credential evaluation agencies is available on the NACES website at https://www.naces.org.
Credit for courses taken at other regionally accredited colleges or universities is transferable provided that the transferred courses satisfy curriculum requirements at Mount Saint Mary’s University. The following courses ordinarily do not transfer:
- Cooperative Education
- Freshman Orientation
- Continuing Education
- Pre-college Math, Writing, Reading
- Directed and Independent Studies
- English as a Second Language
- Special Studies
- Business Skills (typing, shorthand, etc.)
- Selected/Special Topics
- Vocational and Technical Internships, Practicums, Field Work
- Credit/No Credit. (Courses used to fulfill the General Education requirements must be taken for graded credit. Courses taken on a CR/NC basis may not be applied toward the major except at the discretion of the major department).
- Graduate-Level Courses
No more than 2.0 units in physical education and 6.0 units in applied art may be transferred from any college or university.
In the case of courses in which grades of C-, D, or F are repeated, only the better grade will be transferred. In cases where a course in which a grade of C or better has been repeated, only the first grade will be accepted.
Courses are evaluated by the Advisement Center for general education applicability. The determination of whether courses transferred into the University may serve as fulfillment of major or minor requirements is made by the appropriate department. Those courses not accepted in the major or minor may count as general electives.
A transfer credit summary and determination of advanced standing will be prepared by the program's designated Transcript Evaluator after all transcripts of all previous university work have been submitted. A final credit summary will be prepared during the first semester of attendance once all final transcripts have been submitted. Failure to submit required transcripts may prevent students from enrolling in classes. Students may not receive credit for transcripts of prior work submitted after the first semester of attendance. Students who wish to challenge the transfer credit summary must do so by the end of their first semester at Mount Saint Mary’s University.