Ramapo College accepts credits from all accredited colleges and universities in the United States of America  in accordance with the procedures, laws, and/or standards of the College, the State, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Ramapo College may accept credits from international institutions after an evaluation of coursework has been completed by a recognized evaluation service.

Reason for Policy

To ensure that students receive the maximum number of transfer credits afforded by the procedures, laws, and/or standards of the College, the State, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education while maintaining appropriate academic standards at the College

To Whom Does The Policy Apply

Ramapo College faculty, staff and students

Related Documents

Procedure

Contacts

Office of the Provost: 201-684-7532

Enrollment Management: 201-684-7309

TRANSFERRING UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT AT RAMAPO COLLEGE

PROCEDURE PART 1

Ramapo College allows for credits earned in settings outside of the Ramapo College curriculum, regardless of mode of delivery, to be applied to the Ramapo degree program provided those credits meet the established criteria associated with the specific type of transfer credit. Transfer credit at Ramapo College consists of the following types:

• scores achieved in Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board or scores earned on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Test;
• credits earned at other accredited colleges and universities or at new but non-accredited colleges and universities where the institution is a recognized candidate for accreditation;
• international coursework evaluated by a recognized evaluation service that is approved by the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES);
• coursework taken in military service, which is recommended for baccalaureate credit by the National Guide to Evaluation of Educational Experiences in Armed Services published by the American Council of Education;
• coursework taken through training programs, which is recommended for baccalaureate credit by the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs published by the American Council of Education;
• scores achieved on examinations taken through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the like, which are used to earn college credit;
• foreign language credit through Foreign Language Proficiency Testing Service of New York University (NYU); and
• students can also earn credit through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) after the completion of a portfolio, which is to be reviewed and evaluated by a faculty member. (Please see Assessment of Prior Learning for Academic Credit Policy for details on PLA credits.)

TRANSFERRING UNDERGRADUATE  CREDIT FOR INCOMING TRANSFER STUDENTS

PROCEDURE PART 2

All transfer student applications and transcripts are reviewed by the Office of Admissions. Transfer students who apply and will be transferring in 45 or more college credits do not need to submit high school transcripts or SAT/ACT scores. Those with below 45 college credits must also submit high school transcripts and are encouraged to submit standardized (SAT/ACT) scores.

Transfer of academic credits completed at a regionally accredited college/university or program with a grade of C (2.0) or better, regardless of mode of delivery, will be considered for advanced standing, provided it is consistent with Ramapo College’s curriculum. In evaluating a student’s transcript, only the academic credits transfer; the grades do not transfer. A student’s grade point average at Ramapo will reflect only credits earned at Ramapo College.

International students must submit an evaluation of coursework by a recognized evaluation service (e.g., WES). Based on that evaluation, credit is awarded on a course-by-course basis.

Although accepted transfer credits count toward the 128 required for graduation, the specific applicability of these credits toward course requirements must be approved through the transfer evaluation and advisement process. For General Education purposes, only those transfer credits  that are accepted in the semester of matriculation will be considered for possible waiver of general education requirements.

According to the State-Wide Transfer Agreement that was signed on December 13, 2006, “An A.A. or A.S. degree from a N.J. community college will be fully transferrable as the first two years of a baccalaureate degree program at NJ four-year institutions.” (See NJ Transfer Agreement for all related procedures.)

The transcripts of Associate of Applied Science degree recipients who are admitted to the College will be evaluated on a course-per-course basis because of the technical or occupational nature of such programs.

Up to 65 credits (including 100-/200-level CLEP) credits, regardless of mode of delivery, may be accepted from a two-year college, or 80 from a four-year college. A maximum of 80 credits, regardless of mode of delivery, may be earned by submitting any of the following to the Admissions Office for evaluation:

• scores achieved in Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board or scores earned on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Test;
• credits earned at other accredited colleges and universities or at new but non-accredited colleges and universities where the institution is a recognized candidate for accreditation;
• coursework taken in military service, which is recommended for baccalaureate credit by the National Guide to Evaluation of Educational Experiences in Armed Services published by the American Council of Education;
• coursework taken through training programs, which is recommended for baccalaureate credit by the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs published by the American Council of Education;
• scores achieved on examinations taken through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the like, used to earn college credit; and
• foreign language credit through Foreign Language Proficiency Testing Service of New York University (NYU).

Transfer credits, which are not approved as applicable toward any specific course requirements, will count as electives. Transferred courses may apply toward major, minor, school core, general education, academic certificates, and/or elective requirements.

In cases where academic approval for course equivalency has not yet been established and approved by a Convening Group (e.g., a student has been accepted from an institution that Ramapo has never accepted before), credit will not be equated at the time of initial transfer. It will count as elective credit, but not towards a particular degree program. If a student wishes to have a particular course evaluated or counted, the student may contact the Convener of  the appropriate program to review the course and its potential for transfer credit. If the Convener approves the transfer equivalency,  this approval will be sent to the Associate Director of Transfer Admissions who will update the appropriate systems.

In some cases, it may be necessary to complete more than the minimum number of credits required for graduation from Ramapo College.

OFF–CAMPUS STUDY PROCEDURES FOR MATRICULATED RAMAPO COLLEGE STUDENTS EARNING UNDERGRADUATE CREDITS AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS

PROCEDURE PART 3

Matriculated Ramapo College students wishing to take a course or courses at another institution must complete an Off-Campus Study Form available in the Center for Student Success. Students should consult first with their Academic Advisor to ensure that their planned course selection allows for timely progress towards completion of degree requirements. Students should be aware of the following information regarding approval and posting of off-campus courses:

• Approval for any off-campus study must be obtained prior to enrolling in the course. Courses taken off-campus without prior approval are not guaranteed to transfer even if a grade of C or better is earned.
• Only courses in which a final grade of C (i.e., 2.0) or better or the equivalent is earned will be accepted as transferrable.
• Ramapo College will evaluate any course for possible transfer, regardless of mode of delivery.
• Non-Ramapo College courses are not included in a student’s overall grade point average. The credits will transfer to the student’s record, but the GPA will not be impacted by off-campus study.
• Once a student obtains 70 credits, they are no longer eligible to transfer credits from a 2-year institution or obtain credits through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). If the student’s application for off-campus study is rejected by the Center for Student Success because the student will have exceeded 70 credits by the time of enrollment in the transfer course, the student may appeal in writing to the Provost (or designee) prior to enrollment. The Provost (or designee) may consult with the Dean of the School that offers the student’s first major. The decision of the Provost (or designee) is final.
• Once a student obtains 96 credits, they are no longer eligible to take any courses off campus. The last 32 credits towards a degree must be completed at Ramapo. A student who wishes to petition for an exclusion from this residency requirement must initiate the petition process with the Office of the Registrar, who will forward petitions to the Provost (or their designee) for approval. After consultation with the Dean of the School that offers the student’s primary major, the Provost (or their designee) will render a decision and communicate that decision to the student, their School Dean, and the Office of the Registrar. That decision is final.
• Once the student completes the course(s), they must arrange for an official transcript to be sent to the Office of the Registrar at Ramapo College to post the credit.

Students wishing to earn credits at an international institution or through a domestic exchange program must receive prior approval from the Center for Student Success.

TRANSFERRING GRADUATE CREDIT

PROCEDURE PART 4

External Transfer Credit

If a syllabus indicates that a graduate course taken elsewhere (i.e., not at Ramapo College) is equivalent to one offered by a graduate program at Ramapo College, application for transfer credits may be submitted. The criteria for acceptance are different for each graduate program; therefore, transfer of credits must be approved by the Director of the graduate program. Inclusive of credits awarded through Graduate Prior Learning Assessment (GPLA), only a maximum of 25% of the overall credits required to complete the graduate degree may be considered for transfer into a Ramapo College graduate program provided the courses are from another accredited institution of higher education. Students who transfer from a non-degree program to a degree program must fulfill the degree requirements in place at the time of matriculation into the degree program.

Graduate students can also earn credit through Graduate Prior Learning Assessment (GPLA). (Please see Policy 300-H Assessment of Prior Learning for Academic Credit for more details.)

Internal Transfer Credit

It may be possible to apply up to 15 credits or 25% of the total credits required to complete the graduate degree, whichever is greater, of Master’s-level coursework completed at Ramapo College to two different Ramapo Master’s programs, as long as this aligns with the criteria of the subsequent Master’s degree program and permission to do so is granted by the Program Director.

The evaluation of proposed internal and external transfer credit is conducted by the Program Director whose decision is final (i.e., there is no appeal process).

EXCEPTION FOR NEW TRANSFER STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Ramapo College participates in various New Jersey statewide initiatives that include approved transfer agreements, which are designed to provide a flexible and seamless admissions and transfer process to Ramapo College in order to earn a degree. If the student qualifies, the initiatives allow for the transfer of the maximum number of credits without the need to petition for exceptions to the above Transferring Academic Credit Policy restrictions. After transfer credit is evaluated and accepted from accredited colleges and universities, students will be required to satisfy the remaining Ramapo degree requirements. (See Policy 300-F Undergraduate Residency Requirement Policy for information on specific transfer program agreements and statewide initiatives including Ramapo @ PCCC, NJ Come Home, RN-to-BSN articulation agreements, and more.)