Transferring Credits
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. Where possible, transfer credit is equated with UAF courses. See a list of substitutions within the University of Alaska System and for substitutions from non-UA institutions.
UAF is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges network. For additional information about the SOC program, see www.uaf.edu/veterans/soc/ or contact the Office of Admissions and the Registrar.
UAF's transfer credit resource website at http://alaska.edu/uaonline shows most courses previously evaluated by UAF and is an unofficial reference for undergraduate students who are considering transferring to UAF. An official evaluation of transfer credits will be provided after formal application and admission to a degree program at UAF.
The following regulations apply to transfer of credit:
- Students are eligible for transfer of credit if they have been admitted to an undergraduate degree or certificate program.
- The applicability of transfer credit to a student's major and/or minor requirements is subject to approval by the major and/or minor department. Transfer students must fulfill the UAF graduation and residency requirements, including those specific to their programs.
- 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 is not granted for courses with doctrinal religious content or for graduate courses (for undergraduate programs).
- Transfer credit is awarded for courses in which the student received grades of C- or better. Instructor permission may be required for purposes of registration if the transfer credit courses have not satisfied the prerequisite requirements.
- 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, the Associate of Arts core and the Associate of Science core when officially accepted to a bachelor's, Associate of Arts or Associate of Science 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.
- Any student who has completed an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree from a regionally accredited institution will be considered as having satisfied the 100- and 200-level UAF general education (core) requirements.
- Any transfer student who has completed the baccalaureate general education requirements at any regionally accredited four-year institution is considered to have completed the baccalaureate core requirements (excluding oral intensive and writing intensive) at UAF. The student is responsible for providing an official statement and documentation certifying GER completion at the previous institution.
- Transfer credit is not included in computation of the UAF GPA except to determine eligibility for graduation with honors.
- Class standing (e.g., freshman, sophomore) is based on the number of college credits accepted in transfer by UAF, combined with any courses completed in residence at UAF.
- 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.
- A student 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 and the Registrar.
- 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 general, undergraduate credits earned at the 100 level or above at a University of Alaska institution will transfer to UAF. In addition, 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.
Credit for course work successfully completed at one UA institution which applies to general education requirements will fulfill the same categories at all other UA institutions. This applies even if there is no directly matching course work at the institution to which the student transfers.
Transfer students from UAA or UAS who have completed all general education requirements in the baccalaureate program before transferring to UAF will have completed all requirements for the UAF baccalaureate core. Courses taken to complete the general education requirements at UAA or UAS will meet UAF baccalaureate core requirements according to the current UA table of substitutions (see Table 3: UA SYSTEM 2015-2016 TABLE OF SUBSTITUTIONS). Students should notify the UAF Office of Admissions and the Registrar if they completed the general education requirements at UAA or UAS prior to enrollment in a major program of study at UAF.
Completion of the 38-credit requirements of the UAF baccalaureate core (excluding the writing and oral intensive upper-division requirements) meets the general education requirements at UAA and UAS.
For more information about transfer credit visit www.uaf.edu/admissions/apply/transfer/.
As a national test center, UAF Testing Services administers paper-and-pencil and computer-based exams. The office advises UAF students, prospective students and the community on national testing matters for college admissions and placement and for career and professional certification. Testing Services also coordinates credit by examination for local tests and for the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). The office also does private proctoring. For more information and registration materials, contact Testing Services, 211 Gruening Building, 907-474-5277, uaf-testing-dept@alaska.edu or www.uaf.edu/testing/.
There are several ways to earn college credit by receiving a passing score on a national exam. For any of the following exam options, grades are not computed in the UAF GPA. Credit received for exams is not considered UAF residence credit and is not considered to be part of the semester course load for classification as a full-time student. Credit is awarded to current or previously enrolled degree students at UAF. Rules that apply to transfer courses (including the tables of substitutions) also apply to course credit received through a national exam. The credit for national exam options are briefly outlined here.
- College-Level Examination Program
CLEP is a national testing program that awards college credit for some introductory courses. The exams cost $120 each (costs subject to change) and are administered by appointment only.
See a list of CLEP general and subject exams accepted at UAF. To register for a CLEP exam or for more information, contact UAF Testing Services at 907-474-5277 or uaf-testing-dept@alaska.edu. The following criteria apply to CLEP exams:- Students can earn up to 6 semester credits upon successful completion of a General CLEP exam in the discipline of college mathematics, humanities, natural sciences or social sciences/history. Students who have earned less than 6 credits in the discipline (or 3 credits for mathematics), from any source, will be awarded the difference in credits upon successful completion of the exam. Students who already have 6 or more credits in the discipline (or 3 credits for mathematics) will not receive credit for the exam. (General CLEP exams are listed in bold font in Table 5: College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Exams Currently Accepted.)
- Students may not duplicate a course for which credit has already been earned or in which the student is currently enrolled.
- Students must wait at least one year after the end of an audited course before taking the CLEP Subject exam for that course.
- The minimum passing score for approved CLEP exams is 50, with the exception of the following foreign languages scores: French semester I and II minimum 50, semesters III and IV minimum 59; German semester I minimum 39, semester II minimum 50, semester III minimum 55, semester IV minimum 60; Spanish semester I minimum 39, semester II minimum 50, semester III minimum 57, semester IV minimum 63.
- College Board Advanced Placement Exams
UAF grants advanced credit for exam results of 3 or higher, or a score of 4 or 5 (effective fall 2016) for Calculus AB or BC, on the College Board (CEEB) Advanced Placement Tests (see Table 6). These exams are normally taken during the junior or senior year in high school.
To receive CEEB advanced placement credit, ask that an official report of the exam results be sent to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar from the College Board. Credits may be earned for more than one advanced placement exam. - Credit for Language Testing
UAF accepts successful test results from Brigham Young University or other national testing programs (subject to approval from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures) in languages for which no CLEP test is available, for a maximum of 12 credits. The first 10 credits may be applied to the core curriculum language requirement, and any additional credits will be awarded general humanities credit. Results must be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar by the testing agency. For more information on foreign language testing opportunities, call UAF Testing Services at 907-474-5277 or uaf-testing-dept@alaska.edu.
Students who are speakers of non-English languages transferring from foreign partner universities to UAF are exempted from taking a foreign language test to demonstrate fluency in that language. Complete the language exemption/core credit waiver form and file it with the Office of Admissions and the Registrar. Upon approval, 6 credits of core Perspectives on the Human Condition course work will be waived. This applies only to students participating in formalized articulation agreements established between UAF and partner institutions. - 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 DSST tests as recommended by the American Council on Education. Acceptance of the DSST exam for a specific catalog course or as a major/minor requirement is subject to department approval. DSST exams cost $120 each (costs subject to change). To register for a DSST exam, contact UAF Testing Services at 907-474-5277, or email uaf-testing-dept@alaska.edu about the availability of DSST testing. - International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is a two-year curriculum for students ages 16 to 19 and is similar to the final year of secondary school in Europe. UAF grants advanced credit, with a waiver of fees, for IB higher-level and some standard-level exams on which students have earned a score of 4 or higher, or a score of 5 or higher for mathematics (see Table 7). To receive IB credit, students should submit an official copy of their IB exam results to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar.
Credit by exam can be earned at UAF by students who are currently enrolled. 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 cannot duplicate a course for which credit has already been granted or in which the student is currently enrolled. It is up to the discretion of the department and instructor to decide which courses can be challenged, the testing method and grading procedures. Credit by exam may not be requested for audited courses until one year has passed since the end of the semester in which the course was audited.
Credit by examination forms may be obtained online at www.uaf.edu/testing/, under UAF-Specific Tests, or at the Office of Testing Services in 211 Gruening. For more information on challenging a course call Testing Services at 907-474-5277.
- English
Students with ACT or SAT scores that place them in English F211X or F213X (see Table 10) may receive local advanced placement credit for English F111X upon completion of English F211X or F213X with a grade of C or better.
Students who have received transfer credit that substitutes for English F211X or F213X with a grade of C or better and who meet the ACT or SAT test score requirement may also receive credit for English F111X.
To receive this credit, students must submit the Application for English F111X Credit form to the Office of Admissions and the Registrar. The form is available at the Office of Admissions and the Registrar or the English Department. - Alaska Native Language
After completing a course in which the student was placed (above 101) and earning a B grade or higher, the student 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. Credit will not be awarded for special topics courses, individual study courses, literature or culture courses, conversation courses, or any course taught in English.
The Academic Advising Center administers the credit for prior learning program, wherein students may earn undergraduate credit based on university-level learning they have obtained outside the classroom. Students can document the university-level learning they have gained through employment, volunteer service or other life experiences with a portfolio or copies of licenses and certificates earned. Certificate, associate or bachelor's degree students may earn up to 25 percent of total program requirements through the credit for prior learning program.
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 does not 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, 510 Gruening Building, 907-474-6396 or uaf.advising@alaska.edu. The credit for prior learning student handbook is available at www.uaf.edu/advising/cpl/.
Students with appropriate background experience may complete certain components of the UAF core curriculum via competency testing. Credit by exam is not available.
- Library Competency Exam
The Library Competency Exam, administered by UAF Testing Services, is offered to fulfill the core curriculum requirement for LS F101X and LS F100X. The LCE, offered daily in Testing Services for $30, is designed to test or verify a student's knowledge of standard library functions, services and organization. While no credit is awarded for passing this exam, a score of at least 70 percent will fulfill the core curriculum requirement for LS F101X and LS F100X. Please contact Testing Services at 907-474-5277, uaf-testing-dept@alaska.edu or 211 Gruening Building for more information. - Computer Skills Placement Exam
The Computer Skills Placement Exam, administered by UAF Testing Services, is offered to fulfill the degree requirement for AIS F101, required by students seeking a B.B.A. degree at UAF. The CSP, offered daily in Testing Services for $30, is designed to test or verify a student's knowledge of information technology and file management procedures; word processing (Word), spreadsheets (Excel), databases (Access) and presentation (PowerPoint) software; and information and communication skills. While no credit is awarded for passing this exam, a score of at least 70 percent will fulfill the degree requirement for AIS F101. Please contact Testing Services at 907-474-5277, uaf-testing-dept@alaska.edu or 211 Gruening Building for more information. - Oral Communication Competency Exam
Requests for competency testing for COMM F141X--Fundamentals of Oral Communication, Public Context, will be considered only if, in the opinion of a member of the Communication Department faculty, a student presents evidence of substantive prior experience in formal public speaking situations (competency testing is not available for COMM F131X). Neither prior oral intensive course work nor COMM F442--Professional Public Speaking are considered evidence of substantive prior experience. If the prior experience is sufficient, the individual will be asked either: a) to provide a video (not audio) recording of a formal public speaking presentation at least 10 minutes in length, or b) to present a 10-minute persuasive speech before a live audience, with at least one member of the Communication Department faculty present. This process may be attempted only once. The date for live speeches will be established each semester, at a single time during the fourth to sixth week of classes. While no credit is awarded for passing this exam, a grade of at least a B (3.0) for either type of presentation will fulfill the core curriculum requirement for COMM F141X. For more information and an application for competency testing, contact Testing Services at 907-474-5277, 211 Gruening Building, or the Department of Communication at 907-474-6591 or 503 Gruening.