Transfer Credits – Undergraduate

All transfer credits are evaluated for relevance to the College’s programs and policies. Grades earned at another institution are not factored into the calculation of cumulative grade point average at CCS. The College makes every effort to ensure you get credit for your past college-level work, subject to the following conditions:

• Coursework must have been completed at a college or university accredited by one of the following regional associations of schools and colleges—Middle States (MASAC), New England (NEASC), Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Northwest (NWCCU), Southern (SASAC), Western (WASC)—or by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). International programs and institutions with non-regional accreditation will be evaluated on an individual basis.
• Courses noted on a transcript as transferred from prior institutions will not be applicable for transfer credit. An official transcript must be submitted to CCS from any institution(s) attended or by the examination agency (for credit by examination) before transfer credit can be awarded.
• Coursework must meet the majority of the learning outcomes required by the equivalent course at CCS to be approved.
• CCS reserves the right to limit the transfer of credit to courses completed within the past ten years.
• Credit will not be awarded for remedial coursework.
• Courses awarded transfer credit are recorded in permanent academic records. Grades of approved courses are not factored into the calculation of a student’s cumulative grade point average at CCS.
• Only courses completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better will be accepted for transfer credit. If the courses were taken on a Pass/Fail basis, a grade of Pass must be equivalent to a “C” or better.
• Students may transfer up to 23 courses (or 69 credit hours) of the approximately 42 courses (126 credit hours) required to complete a four year BFA. On rare occasion, students transferring to CCS from a similar program at another AICAD institution may be eligible for additional credit.
• Courses taken at an institution on a quarter or term academic calendar are converted to semester hours before being applied to CCS course requirements.
• CCS must receive all official final transcripts, test scores or work examples that students wish to have considered for transfer credit
  • before the end of the student’s 1st week of classes (for new/incoming students)
  • within a month of completing the course(s) intended for transfer (for current students)

Frequently Asked Transfer Questions

What is an Official Transcript?

Only transcripts mailed directly from your previous institution(s) to CCS, as well as transcripts sent directly to you and forwarded to CCS in the original sealed envelope, are considered official. Transcripts received by CCS from a certified digital document service such as Parchment or Clearinghouse are all considered official

Credit placement and Course placement… why don’t my numbers match up?

A ‘credit hour’ is a unit of measurement for educational credit earned in college. It is typically determined by the number of ‘contact hours’ (or hours spent meeting in class) per week throughout a term. Almost all CCS courses are three credit hours (the only exceptions being two major studio courses not eligible for Transfer Credit). Students who have taken a 4 credit course at another institution may note a loss in credits accrued upon transfer even if every course they have completed was accepted.

What if my previous college was on quarter hours?

Colleges operating on a Quarter hour academic calendar have 3-4 main terms spanning 10 to 11 weeks per year (as opposed to the two fifteen-week long terms typical of colleges operating on a ‘semester’ calendar year). Because quarter hour terms are shorter, a ‘credit hour’ will have fewer ‘contact hours’. For this reason, students seeking transfer credit from intuitions that operate on a quarter hour calendar may have their courses combined to equal the instruction time and learning outcomes required in the equivalent CCS course.

How long will it take to complete my degree?

Due to CCS’s sequentially structured set of major studio classes, tailored for each of our career-focused majors, only completion of or placement out of required major studio courses can shorten the time required to complete a CCS degree. Therefore, the amount of credit awarded upon admission is not indicative of advanced standing (i.e., Sophomore or Junior). Though the number of credits transferred may not affect the number of semesters required to complete a student’s degree, it can lighten the course load.

New students seeking clarification on time required to complete their degree at CCS should follow up with their admissions counselor after receiving their TCE. Current students should meet with their Academic Adviser to review their degree audit for an understanding of remaining requirements and time required to complete them.

Does CCS consider life experience?

The college does not grant life or experiential credit. Students with professional experience may petition the appropriate Department Chair for advanced standing. Students granted advanced standing will not be awarded transfer credit or see a reduction in the number of credits required to complete the degree upon transfer; rather, the Department Chair will substitute the required sequence of courses with approved studio courses.

What If I want to change majors or add Art Education Certification?

Due to the specific coursework required for Art Education students to receive their Teacher Certification, new students wishing to pursue this program as a combined degree at CCS will have restricted requirements for elective and general education credit. This can be limiting when transferring credits. Applicants are encouraged to discuss this with an admissions counselor early.

What happens to my transfer credit if I change my major?

Students will want to ensure that they convey a desire for a change in major before committing to attend. This will allow admissions to re-assess all potential transfer credit for application to the student’s updated major prior to enrolling.

Should a current student change majors at CCS, all applicable courses earned at CCS and those granted transfer credit upon enrollment will be applied toward the student’s updated degree requirements. Courses previously transferred to CCS that no longer fulfill graduation requirements will default to ‘general elective’ credit, remaining in the student’s academic record but not counting towards degree completion. The college does not re-evaluate previously earned credits when current students change majors. If students feel they have previously completed coursework that should be considered after declaring a change of major, it is the student’s responsibility to initiate this review and provide any required documentation or work examples to support the placement of credit.