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Transfer Credit Policy

I. GENERAL TRANSFER CREDIT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Transfer credit is generally granted for courses comparable to those offered by Dominican University that were successfully completed with a grade of "D" or above at another regionally accredited institution [Note: Effective in fall of 2010, "D" grades will no longer transfer to Dominican University in any capacity]. The university will evaluate all hours submitted by the transfer applicant – provided that all transcripts are official – and reserves the right to accept or deny any of the credits for transfer. Transcripts will be officially assessed by the Office of the Registrar and the respective academic department after a transfer student has been formally admitted and has declared a major.  Because "D" grades are not acceptable in a student's major or minor, credit initially awarded in transfer towards the core curriculum or elective may not apply to certain programs; therefore, the transfer work will be reevaluated once the student chooses a major and/or changes majors.
Transfer credit appears on a student's academic record, and the hours are included in the student's cumulative earned hours.  Up to sixty-eight (68) semester hours are accepted in transfer from a two-year school and up to ninety (90) semester hours are accepted from four-year colleges and universities.  A total of four (4) semester hours in Physical Education, Health or Recreation courses can be applied toward the one hundred twenty-four (124) total semester hours required for a bachelor's degree.  Grades are transferrable and will appear on the student's record.  Transfer credit is calculated in the student's cumulative grade point average [Note: Effective in fall of 2010, transfer credit will no longer be calculated in the Dominican University grade point average].  Please refer to the 2008-2010 Bulletin for additional information concerning transfer policies.

II. OFFICIAL ENTRY OF TRANSFER CREDIT

The Office of the Registrar officially enters transfer credits into the transfer student's database upon receipt of a preliminary transcript analysis provided by the Transfer Admission Office at the time the student is admitted.  The results of the Registrar's transfer credit analysis automatically supersede the preliminary analysis, and will stand as the student's official transfer credit.

III.DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

One hundred twenty-four (124) semester hours are required for graduation.  A certain number of these hours must be earned in residency.  Students may meet Dominican's minimum residency requirement in any one of the following ways:

• Complete any ninety (90) semester hours at Dominican University;
• Complete from forty-five (45) to eighty-nine (89) semester hours at Dominican University, including the last fifteen (15) semester hours applied towards the degree; or
• Complete the last thirty-four (34) semester hours for the degree at Dominican University

Each department will determine the number of hours in the major and minor, and/or specific required courses, that must be taken at Dominican.  A maximum of 50% of a major may be accepted in transfer from another institution.  Moreover, acceptance of a course in transfer does not automatically indicate acceptance of the course toward a major or minor requirement.

IV. DEFINITION OF A TRANSFER STUDENT         

A transfer student is one who has earned at least twelve (12) semester hours of transferable college credit after receiving a high school diploma or GED certificate.

V. CLASSIFICATION

Freshman         0-27 hours       Junior        60-89 hours
Sophomore      28-59 hours     Senior        90+ hours

VI. NON-TRANSFERABLE CREDITS

Courses with the following classifications or distinctions will not be accepted as transfer credit to Dominican University: nursing courses, college courses below 100-level, and technical credits from a four-year institution and/or courses towards an Associate of Applied Science degree from a community college (unless the community college courses are part of a program for which Dominican has a signed degree completion agreement).  In addition, certain courses may not transfer for reasons other than those listed above.

VII. DEGREE COMPLETION AGREEMENTS

Dominican University currently has degree completion agreements with the following community colleges:
College of Du Page; College of Lake County; Harper College; Joliet Junior College; Moraine Valley Community College; Morton College; Oakton Community College; Prairie State College; Triton College; Wright College.

VIII. CREDIT FOR SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES

Dominican University will award three (3) semester hours of transfer credit for completion of basic military training.  Other educational experiences earned during military service will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and requires an official transcript from the respective college or university for consideration.