Residency Requirement
To earn a Saint Michael’s College degree, students must earn a minimum of 32 credits through SMC coursework. At least one quarter (25%) of the credits used to satisfy major and minor requirements must be earned through SMC coursework. Students must earn 24 of their final 32 credits through SMC coursework, or through a college-approved study-abroad or study-away program.
Transfer Credit Policy
Credit is transferred on a course-by-course basis. Transferred courses are assigned an equivalent Saint Michael’s College course prefix/number when applicable. If no equivalent course is designated, general credit in the appropriate discipline may be awarded.
The Registrar’s Office makes the final determination on transferability of courses in consultation with the appropriate academic department.
In order to be eligible for transfer credit at Saint Michael’s College, a course must meet the following criteria:
- Institution where the course was completed is a regionally or nationally accredited, degree-granting college or university in the US; or the institution is recognized as a post-secondary, degree-granting institution by the foreign government or state governmental agency in the country where the institution is located. (For US institutions, the institution’s accrediting body must be recognized by the US Department of Education and/or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation).
- Course is comparable in content, nature, and rigor to course offerings in the corresponding discipline at Saint Michael’s College.
- Course is completed with a grade of C- (or equivalent) or higher. The Registrar’s Office reserves the right to require official documentation verifying successful completion of courses with grades of ‘P’ (Pass), ‘S’ (Satisfactory) or similar at the C- or higher level.
A course is not transferable under the following circumstances:
- Course discipline is not offered at Saint Michael’s College, e.g., nursing, physical education, or culinary arts.
- Course is considered remedial or developmental in nature, and doesn’t count toward degree requirements at sending institution.
- Course appears on transcript without credit and/or a grade assigned.
- Course credit was awarded based on life or work experience.
- Course credit is awarded in Continuing Education Units (CEU).
Grades in transferred courses are not transferable, and they are not used in the computation of the GPA at Saint Michael’s College.
Transfer credit is awarded based on the credit value of the course in semester credit hours (or equivalent) at the sending institution, not based on the credit value of the comparable course at Saint Michael’s College. The number of transfer credits Saint Michael’s awards for a course will never exceed the credit value of the course at the sending institution. However, a three-credit transferred course may be used to satisfy a requirement if it is deemed equivalent to a four-credit Saint Michael’s College that meets that requirement.
Transcripts
Students are responsible for ensuring that official copies of transcripts from each institution at which they have taken college-level coursework are submitted to Saint Michael’s College for evaluation. This includes college credit earned through high school dual enrollment programs, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB). Saint Michael’s College accepts both hard-copy and electronic official transcripts.
College Credits Taken in High School
College level coursework completed in high school may be eligible for transfer credit. Coursework must be completed in accordance with the transfer credit policy information outlined in this catalog. An official transcript issued by the college or university granting credits is required. Transfer credit will not be considered for college-level coursework that appears on the high school transcript.
Advanced Placement (AP) Program of the College Board
Students receiving scores of 3 (Calculus, Language, Statistics exams), 4 or 5 on AP exams are granted transfer credit for SMC courses with comparable content. The SMC Registrar’s Office requires official score reports sent directly from the College Board.
Students may opt to forego AP credit for introductory courses, particularly in the natural science fields. Students considering this option are encouraged to consult with their advisor or the appropriate department chair.
Advanced Placement Credit Information
International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
Students who complete the IB Diploma Program are eligible to receive up to 32 credits at Saint Michael’s College, which is equivalent to one full year of study, or sophomore status.
IB students not completing the Diploma Program are also eligible to receive advanced standing and/or credit, which may be awarded for Higher Level (HL) or Standard Level (SL) courses with grades of 5, 6, or 7. A maximum of 32 credits will be awarded.
Official IB score reports should be sent directly from International Baccalaureate Organization to the SMC Registrar’s Office.
International Baccalaureate Credit Information
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Students taking College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams may receive transfer credit, provided the exam is in one of the subjects offered at Saint Michael’s. All exams taken prior to beginning a degree program at Saint Michael’s will be considered for transfer credit. Once matriculated at Saint Michael’s, students are limited to earning credit for one CLEP exam, which typically corresponds to four credits at the introductory level. The minimum score for earning credit is 50 (comparable to a grade of C). To receive CLEP credits an official score report must be sent directly by the College Board to the SMC Registrar’s Office.
Seal of Biliteracy
The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, district, or state in the United States to recognize students who have achieved proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. To earn the Seal of Biliteracy, students typically must demonstrate proficiency in English and one or more additional languages. The criteria for proficiency can include standardized assessments, coursework, or other approved methods. Requirements vary by state and/or district. The award is typically noted on the student’s high school diploma and/or transcript.
Upon request from the student, the Registrar’s Office will verify the Seal of Biliteracy on the official final high school transcript and/or through other official documentation. Students with a verified Seal of Biliteracy will earn up to 8 hours of foreign language credit. The credit will appear as 8.00 earned hours of transfer credit from Seal of Biliteracy on the official Saint Michael’s College transcript. There are no grades associated with the seal, and this credit will not be included in the calculation of the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA). The Registrar’s Office will determine specific course and level equivalencies on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Chair of Classical & Modern Languages.
American Council on Education (ACE) – Nonmilitary & Military Credit Recommendations
Saint Michael’s College awards transfer credit based on ACE recommendations in accordance with the tenets of the transfer credit policy. The coursework must be comparable in content, nature and rigor to courses offered at SMC. Nonmilitary learners must provide the SMC Registrar’s Office with an ACE Transcript, which includes credit recommendations and competencies that learners have earned through workplace training, exams, certifications, and alternative educational experiences.
ACE provides credit recommendations for military training in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard through the Joint Services Transcript. Students with military experience in these branches must request an official Joint Services Transcript, which must be sent to the SMC Registrar’s Office for review. Students with military experience in the Air Force may have credit from the Community College of the Air Force and/or Air University, which are fully accredited institutions and thus fall under the standard transfer credit policy.
Credit for Life & Work Experience
Saint Michael’s College does not assess life or work experience for academic credit. Recognition is solely granted to life or work experiences evaluated and considered worthy of college-level credit by reputable entities like the American Council on Education or the Vermont State Colleges Office of Prior Learning Assessment.
SMC Students Taking Courses at Other Institutions
Students may be given permission to take courses at other institutions with the purpose of transferring the credit to SMC to meet degree requirements. Students must complete a Transfer Credit Pre-Approval Form and provide accompanying documentation, such as course descriptions and/or syllabi. Courses not approved in advance may not be accepted for transfer.
Special Provisions for Transfer Students with Associate Degrees
Students who have earned an Associate Degree at an accredited institution are eligible to transfer a minimum of 60 credits used to satisfy their Associate Degree requirements. Any such courses completed in disciplines not offered at SMC (e.g., nursing, physical education, or culinary arts) transfer as general elective credit. Associate Degree courses completed with grades below “C-” transfer as elective credit only; they may not be used to satisfy core, major or minor requirements.
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