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Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy

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.

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.

Saint Michael’s is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The College is a member of the College Board, Vermont Higher Education Council, Association of Vermont Independent Colleges, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Vermont Campus Compact, and Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Saint Michael’s College is committed to affirmative action and equal opportunity. It does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment, on the basis of race, color, gender, age, national origin, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical characteristics. Members of the College are encouraged to communicate in a gender-neutral manner. The provisions of this catalog are not to be regarded as an irrevocable contract between the student and the College. The College reserves the right to change its policies without prior notice.

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