The three publicly supported institutions of higher education in the State of Delaware are committed to a program of transferability of credit within and among their respective institutions and to increasing the existing transferability of such credits to the maximum extent possible. The primary beneficiary of this program is the student, whose progress to his or her education goal will be assisted in every possible way. To this end, it is necessary that transfer of credit policies be clear, consistent, and well publicized throughout the state. At the same time, it must be recognized that changing student goals may result in the need for additional study and training for an individual's ultimate goal to be realized. Through careful guidance and advise ment of students, each institution will make every effort to help students define their ultimate education goals as early as possible so that their changing ambitions may be accommodated with a minimum of added work or, when possible, none at all.
Another beneficiary of this program of transferability of credit is the state and its citizens who, through the economies of effort and expenditure, may realize significant savings in the system of state-supported post-secondary education. To this end, t he optimum use of faculties and facilities must remain a constant goal. At the same time, it must be recognized that one of the chief advantages to the State of Delaware in the present system of state-assisted higher education is that it is founded solid ly upon the principle of different yet complementary institutional missions. Through its continuing commitment to this fundamental principle, Delaware has been able to avoid excessive duplication and overlap in its educational programs, which elsewhere h ave proved inefficient and costly.
Institutional integrity and cooperation, therefore, are the touchstones that have been used in the formulation of educational policy, particularly as it involves transfer of credit. Delaware State University, Delaware Technical & Community College, and t
he University of Delaware long ago agreed that neither rivalry nor competition for students or programs is in the best interests of their institutions or of the people of the State of Delaware. Accordingly, they remain dedicated to the proposition that t
hey will avoid the wasteful efforts and expenditures that such rivalry and competition inevitably entail. Each institution has a well-defined educational philosophy that is embodied in the programs it offers, and it is to the benefit of each as well as t
o the benefit of the State of Delaware that these separate philosophies be maintained.
Because education is never static, but constantly growing and developing, periodic reviews of programs and policies must occur not only within each institution, but among them. Transfer of credit policies are already subject to such reviews and shall con
tinue to be reviewed so that each institution can remain current and in touch with the others in the state.
Each institution will intensify its efforts to counsel students regarding their likelihood of success at other institutions to which they may seek admission. Through shared information, counselors at each sending institution will apprise students of spec ific curricular or degree requirements so that appropriate preparation for transfer can be made as far in advance as possible.
The receiving institution may require the student to present course catalogs, syllabi, texts, and other materials so that the subject content of courses for transfer, including competencies and prerequisites, can be evaluated. Students seeking to transfer credit should pay particular attention to the level of courses required for a degree program at the receiving institution. A requirement for advanced course work cannot usually be satisfied by transferring introductory level courses from another institution. Students are urged to discuss their transfer plans with an advisor early in their academic careers.
The classification of entering students is determined by the number of courses that are transferable to the relevant program. The possession of the Associate Degree does not in and of itself imply admission to junior status at the University of Delaware or Delaware State University.
Courses offered for transfer credit must apply to the established curricular or degree program in which the student has enrolled. Credits applied toward a specific major or minor will be determined by the receiving institution in all cases. To cite an e xtreme example where credits may not fully transfer: a series of advanced courses in British literature does not count toward a major degree program in chemical engineering, except as free electives or to satisfy some humanities requirements. Certain re medial mathematics or English courses may not carry graduation credit toward an associate or baccalaureate degree. This policy applies equally to students transferring from degree programs within institutions as well as between institutions, and between state institutions and out-of-state institutions. Generally, at Delaware Technical & Community College, broadly equivalent courses must exist at the receiving institution for transfer credit to be considered; at the University of Delaware and at Delaware State University, equivalent courses do not have to exist, and transfer credit may be awarded as elective credits to the extent permissible under the relevant degree program.
At the University of Delaware and at Delaware Technical & Community College, transfer courses must be passed with a C or better and must be offered from a fully accredited institution. At Delaware State University, C grades are also require d except for continuing one-year courses (e.g., first-year English, French, mathematics) where the first semester grade may be a D but the second semester grade must be a C.
Although the institutions will assist students in every possible way, the responsibility for initiating the application for transfer credit rests entirely with the student applying for the credit. The student must arrange for all required transcripts and other materials to be forwarded to the receiving institution, which may charge a fee for evaluating the materials submitted.
Under an agreement between Delaware Technical & Community College and Delaware State University, the Associate in Applied Science degree offered by Delaware Technical & Community College is accepted by Delaware State University as partial fulfillment of t he degree requirements for the Bachelor of Technology degree. A graduate of Delaware Technical & Community College who transfers into the Bachelor of Technology program at Delaware State University receives junior level status and is required to take a maximum of 60 semester hours to complete the degree requirements.
The University of Delaware and Delaware State University have a cooperative arrangement for engineering, whereby a limited number of students starting an engineering curriculum at Delaware State may complete the baccalaureate degree at the University of D elaware, providing that the student satisfactorily fulfills the prescribed curriculum with a C or better in the specified course.
The Admissions Office will consider applications from students seeking to transfer from junior colleges, four-year colleges, and universities accredited by their respective regional associations. A transfer student must complete a minimum of 30 hours of academic work at Delaware State University.
Transfer students who seek a degree must satisfy all entrance requirements. A statement of withdrawal from the former institution must be provided for each applicant. All transfer applicants must provide complete official transcripts covering all high s chool and college work completed. College courses that have not been completed within the last ten years will not be accepted automatically for transfer credit. Acceptance of such courses for transfer credit is at the discretion of the department in whi ch the equivalent course is offered.
The transcripts of each individual accepted for transfer will be evaluated in relation to the requirements of the specific academic program for which the student is accepted. Courses to be transferred must be equivalent to respective courses in the degre e program of Delaware State University. Credit will not be granted for correspondence courses. In instances where courses from other colleges only partially fulfill general education requirements, students will be required to make up the shortage in cre dit hours in the same or other (elective) courses.
Course grades less than C will not be accepted as transfer credit, except for continuing one-year courses (e.g., first-year English, French, mathematics, etc.). The first semester grade may be D, but the second semester grade must be C or better.
Students who have been placed on academic probation at other institutions and who are eligible to return to those institutions may be accepted with the same status at Delaware State University. Students who have been dismissed, suspended, or placed on pr obation for disciplinary reasons at other institutions are not permitted to matriculate for a degree at Delaware State University.
A $10 nonrefundable transcript evaluation fee is charged to all transfer applicants. Once the applicant is enrolled, the fee is credited to his or her account.
Students seeking credit but not a degree
Mature high school graduates who seek college credit but have no degree aspirations must, when applying to the Admissions Office, present a letter from their former high school or college certifying that they have graduated from high school or attended co llege as a regular enrolled student. Special students are not required to file a transcript of their high school or college work and are not permitted to take more than twelve credit hours per semester. These students must abide by all rules and regulat ions of the University. If such students wish to transfer to a degree program, they must apply to the Office of Admissions and fulfill all requirements for admission to the University in a degree program. A special student is a person who has not been a dmitted for a degree.
Students seeking a degree on a part-time basis
Students who enroll and take less than twelve credit hours per semester and have met regular admission standards are considered part-time degree candidates.
Students may receive credit for advanced standing through credit by examination, evaluation of work experience, or transfer credit from other institutions as they apply to the established curricula of the College:
1.Credit by examination. A student may receive credit for many of the courses offered at Delaware Technical & Community College by taking a competency evaluation administered by the department chairpersons or their designee. The exact nature of the evaluation will be determined by the evaluator. In order to qualify for the credits by examination, the student must be accepted into a program, enrolled, and request permission to challenge the course in which he or she wishes to receive credit by e xamination. In addition, the student must not have received prior instruction at the College in the course in which he or she is seeking credit by examination.
Since no instruction has taken place, a grade will not be assigned to credits awarded by examination. Successful completion of a course by examination will appear on the student's transcript as "Advanced Standing." Credits earned by way of examination m ay not be applied toward the residency requirements of the College. A fee will be assessed for each course that a student attempts to complete by examination.
2.Evaluation of transfer credits. Credits from another institution may be accepted as they apply to the established curricula of the College. It is the responsibility of the transferring student to request an evaluation of credits during the admi ssion procedure, to request an official transcript from the transferring institution, to submit the necessary materials including copies of the appropriate catalog describing the previous training, and to pursue the status of that evaluation upon enrollme nt. The student must be accepted into a program before transfer credits are evaluated.
3.Evaluation of work experience. Credit may be granted for work experience as it applies to the established curricula of the College. It is the responsibility of the student to submit documentation of work experience for evaluation by the departm ent chairperson and approval by the Dean of Instruction. The student must be accepted into a program, enrolled, and/or have paid the tuition deposit before work experience will be evaluated. Credits earned through work experience may not be applied towa rd the residence requirements of the College. A fee will be assessed for each course in which a student requests evaluation of work experience for credit.
The Admissions Committee evaluates all of the transfer applicant's credentials including the type of institution attended, performance in courses related to the applicant's proposed field of study, and his or her cumulative grade point index. If a studen t has fewer than 24 college credits, the admission decision will be based on the college record, high school performance, and SAT scores.
Insofar as possible, prior course work will be accepted toward the degree at the University of Delaware. Course work that has been taken more than seven calendar years earlier will be reviewed for applicability. An individual department may require repe tition of "outdated" courses.
There is no required minimum, nor a maximum, of transferable credit. To receive a University of Delaware degree, admitted students must complete a minimum of either the first 90 or the last 30 credits, full- or part-time, at the University of Delaware.