2007-2008 Academic Catalog
Getting started at UAF
Undergraduate Course Placement and Transfer Credits
Mandatory Placement
Students who do not meet basic skills standards in reading, writing and mathematics must complete appropriate Developmental Education courses. Such students may not enroll in 100-level or above courses that depend on these skills until they have satisfactorily met the exit criteria of the appropriate Developmental Education course(s).
Students without appropriate standardized test scores (such as ACT, SAT, COMPASS or ASSET), advanced placement credits, transfer credits or prerequisite coursework must have UAF-approved placement test scores prior to registering for classes their first semester at UAF. Students may not enroll in classes unless they meet the placement requirements. Placement into appropriate developmental or core classes must be done with the help of an advisor.
Students who enroll in a course without meeting the requirements will be withdrawn from the course through the faculty-initiated withdrawal process. Prerequisite courses and/or placement exams must be taken within one calendar year prior to the commencement of the course. Students may not enroll in Perspectives on the Human Condition courses unless they meet the placement requirements for English F111X (including reading). Students may not enroll in Core science classes unless they have placement at DEVM F105 or above and placement into English F111X.
On the basis of test scores, you may be required to take developmental English and/or mathematics. These courses are designed to help you achieve competencies necessary to succeed in college-level courses. Generally, you will be placed in developmental English if your ACT English score is below 17 (or SAT verbal score is below 430).
Mathematics course placement will vary according to the type of degree you are planning to pursue and the corresponding math course(s) needed (see the requirements for your degree program for more detail). ACT, SAT, COMPASS or ASSET test scores and your previous mathematical background are used to determine your math placement. Minimum test scores for placement into math courses are listed in the table below.
It is best to consult with your advisor or faculty in the English or math department(s) if you have questions regarding the appropriate course placement.
You may enroll in the level of a language at which you are competent, based on your prior experience. You may not register for a class higher than 101 unless you have received credit through CLEP, AP, transfer or another UAF-approved language test for the prior levels.
Credit accepted at UAF that has been earned from other regionally accredited institutions, through military educational experiences or credit accepted by special approval is considered transfer credit. UAF is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) network. For additional information about the SOC program, contact the Office of Admissions. Where possible, transfer credit is equated with UAF courses.
UAF’s transfer credit resource website at http://alaska.edu/uaonline is an unofficial reference for undergraduate students considering transferring to UAF. An official evaluation of transfer credits can only be obtained after you have formally applied and been admitted to degree seeking status with UAF. In the meantime, however, the transfer credit resource website is a helpful tool for anticipating how the course credits you bring with you may equate with specific course offerings at UAF.
The following regulations apply to transfer of credit:
- You are eligible for transfer of credit if you are a degree or certificate candidate.
- The applicability of transfer credit to your major and/or minor requirements must be approved by your major and/or minor department. As a transfer student, you must fulfill the UAF graduation and residency requirements, including those required for a particular program.
- Undergraduate credits earned at the 100-level or above with a C- grade or higher at institutions accredited by one of the six regional accrediting agencies will be considered for transfer. Transfer credit normally isn’t granted for courses with doctrinal religious content or for graduate courses (for undergraduate programs).
- Any student who has completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution will be considered to have completed the equivalent of the baccalaureate core and the associate of arts core when officially accepted to a baccalaureate degree program at UAF. These students will also be considered to have completed the equivalent of the communication, computation and human relations requirements for the associate of applied science and the certificate.
- Transfer credit is not included in computing your UAF GPA.
- Your class standing (e.g., freshman, sophomore, etc.) is based on the number of previous college credits UAF accepts.
- Credits may be awarded for formal service schooling and military occupational specialties (MOS) based on recommendations in the "Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services," published by the American Council on Education. Credit completed through the Community College of the Air Force or Department of Defense courses is included in the category of military experience.
- You will be awarded credit for currently valid government and professional certifications that have been reviewed and approved for designated course equivalencies at UAF. A list of these programs is available in the Office of Admissions.
- Credit may also be awarded for satisfactory completion of training programs, based on recommendations of the American Council on Education and the National Program on non-Collegiate Sponsored Instruction. The award of credit is subject to review and approval of appropriate UAF faculty.
Transferring Credits within the UA System
In order to serve students who transfer among the three institutions that make up the University of Alaska system, UAF, UAA and UAS have identified fully transferable general education requirements for baccalaureate degrees.
| Category | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Written communication skills | 6 |
| Oral communication skills | 3 |
| Humanities/social sciences/fine arts | 15 |
| Quantitative skills/natural sciences | 10 |
| Total | 34 |
Credit for course work toward general education requirements successfully completed at one UA institution fulfills the same categories at all other institutions. This applies even if there is no directly matching course work at the institution to which the student transfers.
If you are a transfer student from either UAA or UAS who has completed all general education requirements prior to transferring to UAF, you will have completed all requirements for the UAF baccalaureate core. If you haven’t completed all general education requirements, courses taken to complete those requirements at UAA or UAS will meet UAF baccalaureate core requirements according to the current table of substitutions for intra-UA transfers. When you apply, notify the Office of Admissions that you have completed the general education requirements at UAA or UAS.
Completion of the 35-credit lower-division requirements (100- and 200-level courses) of the UAF baccalaureate core meets the general education requirements at the UAA and UAS.
Find more information online at www.uaf.edu/admissions/transfer/.
For information about transferring credit from non-University of Alaska institutions, please view the table of substitutions for non-University of Alaska institutions.
Alternate Ways to Earn Credit
UAF Advanced Placement Credit
- English
Only students with appropriate test scores may receive local advanced placement credit in English. If you are a student with an English ACT score of 29 or higher or a SAT critical reading score of 650 or higher, you may receive credit for ENGL 111X upon completion of ENGL 211X or 213X with a C grade or better.
You must submit an Application for ENGL 111X Credit form, available from the English department, to the Office of Admissions at the end of the semester in which you successfully completed ENGL 211X or 213X. - Alaska Native Language
After completing the course in which you were placed (above 101) and earning a B grade or higher, you may ask to receive credit for the two immediately preceding prerequisite courses, if any. However, credit cannot be awarded for such courses if university credit has already been granted (e.g., through College Board Advanced Placement national tests or credit transfer from another college). Credit will not be awarded for special topics courses, individual study courses, literature or culture courses, conversation courses, or any course taught in English. - Mathematics
If you are placed in an advanced math course and you complete MATH 201X, 202X or 302 at UAF with a C grade or better, you may also receive credit for any prerequisite calculus course(s).
Credit by Exam
There are several ways that you can earn college credit by receiving a passing score on an exam. For any of the credit by exam options, grades are not computed in your GPA. Credit by exam is not considered UAF residence credit and is not considered as part of the semester course load for classification as a full-time student. You will only be awarded credit by exam if you’re currently enrolled or if you were previously enrolled at UAF as a degree student. The credit by exam options are briefly outlined here. For more information contact the UAF Office of Testing Services, 207B Gruening, 907-474-5277, e-mail fytest@uaf.edu, or www.uaf.edu/testing/.
- CLEP (College Level Examination Program)
CLEP is a national testing program that awards college credit for some introductory courses. The exams cost $85 each (costs subject to change) and are administered daily. To register for a CLEP exam or for more information, contact UAF testing services at (907) 474-5277.
The following criteria apply to CLEP exams:- If you’ve earned as many as six semester credits in the area of humanities, social sciences/history, natural sciences or college mathematics, no credit will be awarded for successfully completing the general exam in those subject areas, which are highlighted in the CLEP exam list.
- You may not duplicate a course for which you’ve already been given credit or in which you’re currently enrolled.
- If you’ve audited a course, you must wait at least one year after the end of that course before taking the CLEP exam for that course .
- The minimum passing score for approved CLEP exams is 50 with the exception of the following listed foreign languages scores: French Level I minimum 50, Level II minimum 62; German and Spanish Level I minimum 39, Level II minimum 50, Level III minimum 58, Level IV minimum 66.
- College Board Advanced Placement Exams
UAF grants advanced credit, with waiver of fees, for a score of three or higher in the College Board (CEEB) Advanced Placement Tests. Normally, you take these tests during your senior year in high school.
To receive CEEB advanced placement credit, you must request that an official report of your examination scores be sent to the Office of Admissions. When you enroll, you will be awarded appropriate credit. You may receive credit for more than one advanced placement examination. - Credit for Language Testing
UAF accepts successful test results from regionally accredited colleges and universities for foreign languages not offered by UAF. Only tests equivalent to the first two semesters of foreign language study (specifically first year language skills) will be applied to the core curriculum language requirement. For more information on foreign language testing opportunities, call UAF testing services at (907) 474-5277, or e-mail fytest@uaf.edu. - DANTES-DSST (Standardized Subject Tests)
DSST is a national testing program that offers exams in traditional academic, vocational/technical and business subject areas. Credit is awarded for successfully completing DANTES tests as recommended by the American Council on Education. Acceptance of the DANTES exam for a specific catalog course or as a major/minor requirement is subject to departmental approval. Call UAF testing services at (907) 474-5277, or e-mail fytest@uaf.edu about the availability of DSST testing. - International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is a two-year curriculum for students aged 16 to 19 and is similar to the final year of secondary school in Europe. UAF awards credit for IB higher-level exams on which students have earned a score of 4 or better. Students should submit an official record of their IB certificate(s) or diploma for review by UAF. - UAF credit by Exam
You can earn credit through UAF credit by exam if you’re currently enrolled. Subject to departmental approval, most courses are available for credit by exam, except those with numbers ending -90 through -99 (193, 292, 497, etc.). A course challenged for credit can’t duplicate a course for which you’ve already been granted credit or for which you are currently enrolled. If you’ve audited a class, you can’t request credit by exam for that class until one year has passed since the end of the semester in which you audited the course.
You may obtain credit by examination forms online at www.uaf.edu/testing/, under UAF-Specific Tests, or stop by the Office of Testing Services in 207B Gruening. For more information on challenging a course call Testing Services at (907) 474-5277.
Individuals learn a great deal outside the walls of educational institutions. Certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree students may have up to 25 percent of total program requirements granted for prior learning.
Credentials for admitted degree students who are currently enrolled are reviewed by faculty from participating departments who determine if this process is appropriate and make recommendations for awarding prior learning credit. Review is based on equivalency to courses listed in this catalog. Credit received for prior learning doesn’t affect your GPA and is not considered residence credit.
The university will award transfer credit for specified national and state authorizations, certificates, credentials and/or examinations (see Transferring Credits) that do not need credit for prior learning review. For further information or assistance, contact the Academic Advising Center, 509 Gruening Building, (907) 474-6396 or advising@uaf.edu. To access the credit for prior learning student handbook online, go to www.uaf.edu/advising/CPL/.
The Independent Learning Program, administered by the Center for Distance Education and Independent Learning, offers an alternative for people who seek a college education but cannot attend classes. The unique advantage of independent learning is its flexibility. You select your own hours of study and work at your own pace in surroundings you choose. Independent learning offers the freedom to structure a personal academic schedule and continue educational progress, even when personal circumstances make it impossible to attend scheduled classes.
For UAF students, UAF independent learning courses count as residence credit. When you enroll in an independent learning course during the regular semester enrollment period and complete the course during the same semester, the course may be used to determine full-time/part-time status and eligibility for financial aid and scholastic action. The grade will average in your semester and cumulative GPAs.
When you enroll in an independent learning course at other times of the year, the credit and grade will not impact the credit load or semester GPA for any other semester enrollments but will be counted in your cumulative totals. It’s important to realize that enrollment in these year-based courses does not count toward your current semester credit load, and therefore, is not included in determining your full-time or part-time student status. Your student status (full- or part-time) can affect things like financial aid or athletics eligibility.
An Independent Learning Program catalog detailing policies regarding enrollment, transfer, withdrawal, extension, reinstatement, fees, materials and course descriptions is available online. For more information contact the Center for Distance Education and Independent Learning, 3352 College Road, Suite A, (800) 277-8060; (907) 474-5353; fax (907) 474-5402; e-mail: distance@uaf.edu or online http://distance.uaf.edu.
The Center for Distance Education and Independent Learning also provides other distance delivery opportunities for students. Nearly 800 courses and programs are available through the use of instructional technology and collaborative delivery of programs among UA units. Alternative methods of instruction are increasing to meet the needs of students for whom regular campus-based programs are inconvenient. Students may register at their nearest campus, even if the course originates from another campus unit within the university system. Opportunities for students who prefer distance courses can be found at the University of Alaska Distributed Education Gateway on the web at http://distance.alaska.edu.