Institutional Transfer Credit

Transfer Credit Acceptance at CalSouthern

Credit earned for undergraduate courses for which a grade of “C” or higher was earned will be considered for transfer. For graduate programs, a grade of “B” or higher is required. In evaluating credits earned at other institutions, the University will consider, among other factors, the academic relevance of the courses to the degree being sought.

Credits earned at post-secondary institutions that are available for transfer to CalSouthern and applied toward the required core or required courses in a degree program do not expire. However, where current courses significantly and materially change, learners may be required to take the updated version of older courses with similar titles to meet degree requirements.

For programs leading to credentialing or licensure, required core content must be verified by providing official course syllabi for any requested potential transferrable course. Transferrable credit will only be accepted into credential or licensure-bound programs if the course content can be verified to be substantially equivalent to that which is required in the comparable CalSouthern course.

CalSouthern follows the semester credit system. For potential transferrable credit consideration, the conversion of quarter credits to semester is as follows: Number of quarter credits ÷ 1.5 = Number of semester credits. For example, 4.5 quarter credits = 3 semester credits.

Maximum Credits Accepted in Transfer by Degree Program

Certificate Programs

Applicants/learners may transfer up to 50% of the total number of credits from external institutions in a certificate program.

General Education Credit Transfer

CalSouthern requires that at least 24 credits toward an associate degree, and 36 credits toward a bachelor’s* degree must be earned in General Education (GE). This requirement may be satisfied wholly, or in part, by transfer of courses completed at other accredited or approved schools and/or credits completed at CalSouthern. Depending on the degree program, prerequisite course requirements may need to be satisfied, and additional courses may be required if the courses are essential for successful completion of the learner’s degree program.

When evaluating GE credit transfer, the University accepts the GE courses in “bulk transfer” thereby acknowledging that the GE requirement is being met through transfer. Even though the sending institution’s GE courses may not map directly into CalSouthern GE courses, nevertheless they are accepted as counting toward the respective associate or bachelor degree GE requirements. Additional GE courses beyond the respective associate or bachelor degree GE credits required may be accepted as “Elective Courses” to meet the total credit maximum transfer limit. If the applicant/learner does not have the full amount of GE credits to fulfill the respective associate or bachelor degree GE requirements, the University will schedule applicable GE courses to satisfy the GE credits required.