Procedure

A student must contact all colleges or universities previously attended and request official transcripts be sent to the admissions office at Northland Community and Technical College. Transfer credits will be accepted in to Northland from official transcripts only. Northland is able to access student transcripts from other Minnesota State Colleges and Universities through the eTranscript system provided the student does not have financial obligations to another system college or university. Transcripts received through the eTranscript system are considered official.

Northland will accept passing grades in transfer. Passing grades are identified as A, B, C, D, S, and P. Transfer courses with grades of A-D will be included in the GPA calculation for the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC). These credits may or may not apply to specific program requirements.

When evaluating the transfer of courses or credit(s), Northland considers at a minimum:

• The accreditation of the sending institution
• Comparable curriculum offered at the receiving college or university
• Whether the course applies to a program requirement at Northland.

Official documents used for the evaluation of courses are course outlines. Other documents may be used to supplement the course outline. Modes of delivery cannot be a consideration in determining transfer of courses and course credit.

In determining course comparability or equivalency, Northland’s standard of review is 75 percent or more similarity in content as described in the course outlines, or from a course from outside the system, as described in a course outline or syllabus. For courses in a sequence, students need sufficient preparation to succeed in the next course in the sequence and for such courses, comparability may be higher than the 75 percent standard. Courses from the sending college or university that are different up to and including one credit are equivalent when the 75 percent standard is met. The number of credits transferred must be the same as the number of credits earned at the sending college or university for that course, taking into account any conversion of quarter and semester credit. For courses in a sequence, students need sufficient preparation to succeed in the next course in the sequence and for such courses, comparability may be higher than the 75 percent standard.

Once the transcripts are received by Northland, the credits are: 1) entered into Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS), 2) reviewed by a transfer specialist for equivalency, and 3) uploaded from DARS into the ISRS system. Northland follows Minnesota State Operating Instruction 3.21.1.2 when evaluating courses for transfer. Transfer decisions cannot be made solely on the source of accreditation of a sending program, college, or university.

Transfer credits from regionally accredited colleges or universities recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (www.chea.org) will be accepted to the college. Northland is required to accept any credits defined within formal articulation agreements it has with a sending college or university.

Northland is only required to accept transfer credits according to articulation agreements it has approved. Northland shall accept in transfer as electives up to 16 semester credits of occupational/technical/ professional courses which are not comparable nor equivalent to specific courses taught at Northland. Northland may accept and apply more than 16 credits of occupational/technical/professional credits if they contribute to the academic requirement of an educationally coherent program. The number of credits accepted and applied may be reduced by college or university residency requirements or accreditation requirements.

Developmental courses shall not be granted college-level credit and they shall not apply to a certificate, diploma, or degree program completion requirements. However, a developmental course appearing on a student’s transcript shall be evaluated to determine the student’s readiness for college-level coursework and to assist in the placement of students in the corresponding developmental-level or college-level course at Northland. Credits from non-regionally accredited institutions may be accepted to the college upon student request. Submission, by the student, of appropriate documents may be required, such as syllabi, instructor credentials, formal mentoring from accredited college faculty, etc. These credits may or may not apply to specific program requirements.

Some credits may be accepted only as they pertain to the student’s program of choice at Northland. Courses or credits that apply to general electives, general education, or the MnTC shall be accepted in transfer regardless of the date earned, unless there is a conflict with specific program, graduation, or accreditation requirements. Some programs requiring science, math, and/or technology courses limit the number of years a course will be accepted for credit. Refer to specific program information, program advisors or Northland transfer specialists to determine if a time limit is in place.

Accepting credits from colleges or universities outside of the United States will be based on an evaluation of the credits by an international evaluating agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), such as World Education Services (WES) or Education Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). It is the student’s responsibility to have the evaluation completed and submitted to Northland. Credits may be accepted as they pertain to the student’s program of choice at Northland.

Appeals

College Level
A student may appeal decisions regarding transfer of credit to Northland. Appeals may include, but are not limited to appeals that encompass direct transfer of courses, course substitutions, or credit for prior learning. The student must complete the Student Appeal Form, attaching any supporting documentation, and then submitting to the campus registrar. The Academic Appeal Committee will notify the student of the outcome in writing and provide rationale for the Northland transfer appeal decision.

The student may appeal the Academic Appeal Committee’s decision to the Senior Academic Officer within ten business days of the committee’s decision.

System Level
A student who is not satisfied with Northland’s transfer appeal decision may appeal the college decision to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at the system level. Refer to system procedure 3.21.1 for specific system level appeal information.

Related Documents

Minnesota State Policy 3.21, Undergraduate Course and Credit Transfer and the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum; Procedure 3.21.1, Transfer of Undergraduate Courses, Credit, Associate Degrees and Minnesota Transfer Curriculum; Operating Instruction 3.21.1.1 Minnesota Transfer Curriculum Instructions, Operating Instruction 3.21.1.2 Course Equivalency Rationale and Operating Instructions, Operating Instruction 3.21.1.3 Transfer Pathways, Policy 3.39, Transfer Rights and Responsibilities; Joint Statement on the Transfer and Award of Credit (http://www.acenet.edu).

Procedure History

Date & Subject of Revisions

12/16/2008 – Reviewed
04/11/2010 – Revised
05/05/2010 – Reviewed AASC 1st Read
06/28/2010 – Cabinet Approved
12/02/2010 – Made change to title of form; Student Appeal/Petition to Student Appeal
03/01/2011 – Revised
03/05/2012 – Reviewed
03/04/2013 – Reviewed
04/07/2014 – Revised
05/22/2014 – Cabinet Approval
02/03/2015 – Reviewed
03/30/2016 – Revised
04/04/2017 – Revised
04/04/2018 – Reviewed
04/30/2019 – Reviewed
02/27/2020 – Reviewed
03/04/2021 – Reviewed
03/23/2022 – Reviewed