• Regental Policy for Transfer of Credit
• Transfer between Regental Universities
• Articulation Agreements
• Policy for Transfer of International Undergraduate Credit
• Transfer Equivalency Change Request Form
  

Regental Policy for Transfer of Credit

1. Academic courses will be transferred as meeting graduation requirements if the courses parallel the scope and depth requirements for the degree or if the courses meet electives required for the degree. Credit will not be given for duplication of courses.
   
2. United States Regional Accrediting Associations North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
   
3. Undergraduate transfer academic courses received from United States colleges and universities accredited by United States regional accrediting associations
   1. All undergraduate transfer courses and all transfer grades (whether the grades are passing or not passing) must be recorded and an equivalency specified by the Regental university, calculated into grade point averages according to the Regental grade scheme, and recorded on the student’s academic transcript.
   2. Remedial courses (as identified on the sending institution’s transcript) received in transfer are recorded, transcripted, and assigned an equivalency at the receiving university but do not calculate into grade point averages.
   3. Transfer grades not existing in the Regental grading scheme will be equated to the Regental grading system. (Refer to BOR 2:10, Use of Grade Point Averages).
   4. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed. In subsequent evaluations, grades previously recorded cannot be changed.
   5. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
   6. Orientation, Life Experience, General Educational Development Tests, and high school level courses are not recorded in Colleague as transfer credit nor are they granted equivalent credit
      1. High school courses for which students received college credit will not be entered as transfer credit, or given equivalent credit, unless validated by an Advanced Placement or CLEP score that meets Board of Regents guidelines for acceptance of credit or the college credit is granted by a university with which the Board has a dual credit agreement. This requirement is effective for high school courses taken after Spring term 2002
4. Undergraduate transfer technical courses received from United States colleges and universities accredited by United States regional accrediting associations
   1. University discretion is permitted in acceptance of courses. Courses considered for transfer are subject to all BOR policies and any conditions for validation that may be prescribed by the accepting institution.
   2. When the courses are accepted for transfer, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but the grade earned at the technical institute is not recorded or calculated into the grade point averages.
   3. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, reevaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
   4. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria
      
5. Graduate transfer courses received from United States colleges and universities accredited by a United States regional accrediting association
   1. Graduate transfer courses and transfer grades, are recorded and evaluated by the Regental university, calculated into grade point averages according to the Regental grade scheme, and recorded on the student’s academic transcript ONLY if these transfer courses are equivalent to a specific graduate course at the university evaluating the credit.
   2. Transfer grades not existing in the Regental grading scheme will be equated to the Regental grading system.
   3. In subsequent evaluation, all equivalencies may be re-evaluated, inactivated, or changed. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated. In subsequent evaluations, grades previously recorded cannot be changed.
   4. The university-specific plan of study requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
      
6. Transfer Courses Received from Accredited Postsecondary Technical Institutes
   1. South Dakota Technical Institutes
      1. Transfer of courses from South Dakota postsecondary technical institutes is governed by BOR policies 2:25, 2:26, 2:27 and 2:28.
      2. Transfer grades not existing in the Regental grading scheme will be equated to the Regental grading system.
      3. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, reevaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
      4. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
   2. Other Technical Institutes
      1. University discretion is permitted in acceptance of courses. Courses considered for transfer are subject to all BOR policies and any conditions for validation that may be prescribed by the accepting institution.
      2. When the courses are accepted for transfer, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but the grade earned at the technical institute is not recorded or calculated into the grade point averages.
      3. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, reevaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
      4. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
7. Undergraduate and graduate credits received from United States colleges or universities which are not accredited by a United States regional accrediting association, and undergraduate and graduate credits received from United States colleges or universities which are not accredited by a United States regional accrediting association but are accredited by a national specialized accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education.
   1. University discretion is permitted in acceptance of courses. Courses considered for transfer are subject to all BOR policies and any conditions for validation that may be prescribed by the accepting institution.
   2. When the courses are accepted for transfer, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but the grade earned at the nonaccredited institution is not recorded or calculated into the grade point averages.
   3. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, reevaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
   4. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
      
8. Courses submitted in transfer from postsecondary technical institutes that are not accredited by a United States regional accrediting agency will not be accepted.
   
9. Undergraduate and Graduate Courses from Postsecondary Institutions outside the United States
   1. Courses considered for transfer are subject to all BOR policies and any conditions for validation that may be prescribed by the accepting institution.
   2. When the courses are accepted for transfer, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but the grade earned at the sending institution is not recorded or calculated into the grade point averages.
   3. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, reevaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
   4. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
      
10. Credit Received Through Validation Methods
    1. Credit earned through validation methods other than nationally recognized examinations is limited to a maximum of 32 hours of credit for baccalaureate degrees and 16 hours of credit for associate degrees.
       1. Validation of Military credit is limited to an additional 32 hours of credit for baccalaureate degrees and an additional 16 hours of credit for associate degrees.
    2. Credit for college level courses granted through nationally recognized examinations such as CLEP, AP, DANTES, etc., will be evaluated and accepted for transfer if equivalent to Regental courses and the scores are consistent with Regental policies.
    3. When validation credits are accepted, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but are not calculated into the grade point averages.
    4. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, reevaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
    5. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the validation credits accepted also are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university.
       
11. When a course has been repeated for credit, all attempts will be entered on the transcript but the last grade earned will be used in the calculation of the grade point averages.
    
12. Total transfer credit for work at a junior, community college (2 year), and/or two-year technical college may not exceed one-half of the hours required for completion of the baccalaureate degree at the accepting institution. Students who have completed more than the acceptable semester hours of junior, community or technical college work may apply completed, transferable courses to specific course requirements and thereby may not be required to repeat the courses. The semester hours of credit for those additional courses may not be applied toward the minimum credit hours required for the degree.
    
13. System general education requirements successfully completed at the sending South Dakota Regental institution will be accepted towards meeting these requirements at the accepting South Dakota Regental institution. In any subsequent evaluation of any transfer or noncourse work, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed.
    
14. Evaluations of courses will be made by the appropriate institutional officials at the time of admission by comparing descriptions, content, and level of courses completed with those at the accepting institution.
    
15. Each institution will develop and maintain a procedure for the appeal of transfer credit decisions.
    
16. A Regental internal transfer process occurs when an undergraduate course is used on a converted credit basis to meet graduate plan of study requirements at Regental universities or when graduate credit is used on a converted or actual credit basis to meet undergraduate degree requirements for a Regental accelerated program. Refer to BOR policy 2:8.3.A and 2:8.3.B.

(Back to top)

Transfer between Regental Universities

Transfer between any of the six South Dakota Board of Regents universities has been further facilitated by the recent revision of the common course numbering system and the STUDENT Project. Most general education courses at all six universities now have the same prefix, course number, and title. This will help transferring students understand how their courses will most likely transfer. Please be aware that majors and colleges have specific program requirements that must be met. These can include a minimum grade for transfer, a course sequence, or a more advanced course.

(Back to top)

Articulation Agreements

Technical Institute courses are designed to prepare students to enter the workforce for careers requiring less than a baccalaureate degree. Acceptance of these courses for credit at the South Dakota public universities is strictly the function of the receiving institution. Students who wish to transfer credits to a South Dakota public university for programs other than the Bachelor of Applied Technical Science degree should contact the Admissions Office of that desired university for an evaluation of their program objectives and technical institute transcript. An individual evaluation of course credits will be made by the receiving public university in accordance with institutional and Board of Regents policy.

South Dakota State University has established articulation plans with a number of technical institute programs. Articulation agreements also have been established with tribal colleges, regional community colleges, other colleges and universities, and selected international educational institutions. College deans assist students in determining the status of articulated courses.

(Back to top)

Policy for Transfer of International Undergraduate Credit

College level and advanced secondary level courses taken at international institutions will be evaluated for transfer consideration by an independent credential evaluation service and/or the appropriate institutional officials. Credit will be considered for transfer only when content is determined to be equivalent to SDSU courses. A syllabus from the international institution is required to determine equivalency. No elective credit will be allowed for courses not equivalent to SDSU courses. No English course will be accepted for credit from an international institution. For those international institutions that have an articulation agreement with SDSU, the agreement determines the courses that transfer full credit.

Transfer credit grades from international institutions will not be entered in the cumulative or semester grade point averages, but will be entered on the SDSU transcript as “P” (passing) grades. There will be a limit of 32 credits which may be transferred from international institutions determined to be vocational/technical level programs.

The only exception to the above-stated policy will be if the student earns credit through participation in programs sponsored by universities and member organizations with which SDSU has a South Dakota Board of Regents-approved agreement. Students earning such credit through an approved program will have the option of electing either the satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) or letter grade option, provided the transcript, or its equivalent, as supplied by the partner university or membership organization, has letter grades recorded on it. The student and the student's advisor, or department head or the international programs director, depending upon the course/courses in question, will determine before the exchange takes place whether the S/U or letter grade option will be used. Such an agreement must be made in writing, with a copy sent to the SDSU Office of International Affairs for the student's file.

(Back to top)