Accredited institution:
An institution of higher education that has been granted institutional accreditation from a U.S. accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA); or an international institution of higher education that is recognized as a degree-granting institution by the government (e.g., Ministry of Education) in the country where the institution is located.
Transfer credit:
Academic credit earned at an accredited college or university other than Loma Linda University and applied toward a degree program at Loma Linda University.
Extramural credit:
Academic credit earned at another accredited college or university after matriculating to Loma Linda University, for the purpose of transferring the credit to Loma Linda University to apply towards a degree program.
The Office of University Records will determine the transferability of courses according to University policy and standard transfer practices of accredited higher education institutions in the United States.
In addition to the requirement for transfer credit to come from an accredited institution, the quality of the learning experience is considered. Credit must also be appropriate and applicable to the LLU program to which it is being transferred.
Generally, credit for comparable courses earned in traditional classroom activities is accepted as transfer. The University may require a written, oral, or practical examination in any course for which transfer credit is requested. In such cases, an examination fee may be required.
Extramural credit is to receive prior approval by University Records to ensure that course(s) meet transfer standards before the student enrolls in the selected course(s). Official transcripts documenting the completion of extramural credit is to be received by University Records no later than 15 business days prior to the end of the term in which the degree is to be awarded.
Credit is not awarded for extension courses not accepted toward a degree at the offering institution.
Credits submitted from a college outside the United States are evaluated on an individual basis by an evaluation center approved by Loma Linda University, which reports the evaluation results directly to the Office of University Admissions. It is the applicant's responsibility to contact an approved evaluation service and supply the required documents for evaluation.
The purpose of general education requirements is to broaden knowledge beyond what is required in the baccalaureate field of study. For this reason, general education courses are expected to be completed in an institution providing liberal arts versus a career-focused institution in which courses may be taught with emphasis unique to a specific vocation.
No transfer credit is given for a course briefly addressing the chief topics of a broad field of knowledge if taken after a more comprehensive course on the topic. For example, a one-quarter survey/introductory physics course taken after general physics sequence or any portion of the sequence.
A minimum grade of “C” (2.0) is required for all courses accepted for transfer credit. Grades of “C-“or below are not acceptable. Courses taken for pass/fail (S/U) will be accepted if the institution from which it was taken states in their catalog and/or notes on the transcript that a pass is equivalent to grade of “C” (2.0) or better. If it is equivalent to a grade of “C-“, the course will not transfer.
Remedial, developmental education, or other non-academic level coursework is not accepted for transfer or calculated in a student's grade point average.
A maximum of 105 quarter units of lower-division credit will be accepted from accredited junior/community colleges.
Credit is accepted for vocation-specific courses to count toward units required in baccalaureate degree completion programs based on the following criteria:
Credit may be given for transfer from U.S. service schools carrying a baccalaureate credit recommendation in the latest Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Services provided by the American Council on Education (ACE). An official Joint Services Transcript (JST) must be submitted for evaluation. Credit must be for subject matter relevant to the degree program at LLU. Credit may be awarded for physical education activity based on basic training as documented on a JST or physical education activity waived on submission of DD-214.
Credit is granted for scores of 3, 4, or 5 on Advanced Placement (AP) examinations taken while enrolled in secondary school and submitted by the College Entrance Examination Board. The amount of credit assigned AP examinations may not duplicate credit earned in subsequent college courses covering the same or similar content. In such cases, transfer credit will be based on the latest credit earned which would be the college course(s).
Credit is granted for scores submitted by the College Board for examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) except for English composition.
Credit is granted for scores of 5, 6, or 7 earned on International Baccalaureate (IB) Examinations for higher-level subject examinations. General elective credit only is given. In other words, it does not fulfill specific subject requirements. For example, credit in physics may fulfill elective credit in natural sciences, but does not fulfill a requirement for a general physics sequence. No credit is granted for “standard” or “subsidiary” level subjects.
For additional information on undergraduate transfer credit, see LLU policies on the LLUH One Portal.
For acceptance as transfer credit, courses must not have been previously applied to another degree program or curriculum. Academic standing may be given for courses applied to another degrees.
Courses must be applicable to a graduate degree program at the issuing institution.
The maximum number of didactic units that may be transferred toward an LLU graduate degree may not exceed 20 percent of the minimum didactic units required for the degree. In order to preserve the unique character of degrees from LLU, the combination of transfer credit and advanced standing must not exceed 40% of the didactic coursework at LLU as specified in the University Catalog, which excludes internships, practica, clinical experiences, research and courses in religion. The precise amount of transfer credit which is applicable toward a particular degree will be determined by the specific school and department concerned, not to exceed limit set here.
Extramural credits taken through a consortium agreement (e.g., NEXus – the Nursing Education Xchange) may exceed the unit limit for transfer credit stated above. Consortium agreements must be approved by University Academic Affairs Committee.
A minimum grade of "B" (3.0) is required for all courses accepted for transfer credit. Transfer of courses completed more than seven years prior to registration in the LLU graduate program are not eligible for transfer.
Transfer-credit courses must be equivalent to courses identified in the program curriculum outlined in the University Catalog or defined as a cognate.
Extension credits earned at another accredited institution are not accepted for transfer credit unless they are applicable to a graduate degree at the institution awarding the credit and must be approved by the dean of the school (LLU).
For additional information on graduate transfer credit, see LLU policies on the LLUH One Portal.
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