2023-2024 Catalog

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Transfer Credit

Undergraduate Transfer Credit

Normally, Cumberland University accepts transfer credits from all institutions of higher learning that are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, or a similar body of a recognized regional accrediting agency. International students must submit their official transcripts to an evaluation agency that is a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services) for translation, evaluation, and to provide a cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale. Examples of agencies offering these evaluation services include, but are not limited to World Educational Services (WES), Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. (JS&A) or Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). For transfer credits to be accepted, they must appear on an official sealed transcript of the institution granting the credits, and must be transferred upon admission to Cumberland University. The following policies apply to acceptance of transfer credit for undergraduate students:

  1. No more than 90 total semester hours of transfer credit from all institutions will be accepted toward completion of a baccalaureate degree at Cumberland University.
  2. A maximum of 70 semester hours may be accepted for transfer credit from a junior and/or community college.
  3. At least 25% of the upper division (300-400 numbered courses) degree requirements must be earned at Cumberland University.
  4. A student transferring into Cumberland University must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale.
  5. Only courses in which a “C” or higher has been earned may be accepted for transfer credit.
  6. Developmental and remedial classes taken at institutions other than Cumberland University will not be accepted.
  7. Cumberland University reserves the right to determine course equivalency regarding acceptance of transfer academic credits.
  8. Cumberland University does not automatically accept transfer credit for Advanced Placement Exams, ACTFL, CLEP, PEP, or DANTES from another institution. Cumberland University reserves the right to request and review original scores before granting credit for any type of examination. Scores from any examination must meet Cumberland University’s standards for credit. Cumberland University’s minimum scores for credit for examination can be found in other sections of the Cumberland University Catalog.

Graduate Transfer Credit

No more than six (6) semester hours of graduate coursework may be transferred to Cumberland University to be applied as credit toward the Master’s Degree. These hours may have been completed at a regionally accredited institution, be appropriate substitutions for course work required in the Cumberland Degree Program, the student must have earned the grade of “B” or better for any course to be considered for transfer purposes, and courses must be transferred at the time of enrollment at Cumberland University. The program director will determine the application of the transfer credit. Any transferable coursework must be at the graduate level and must have been completed within the last 5 years prior to entering the graduate program at Cumberland. A minimum of 30 semester hours of courses must be successfully completed at Cumberland University.

International Transcript Evaluation for Graduate Admissions

International students who have been admitted to or graduated from a prior U.S. graduate program that is regionally accredited and who are applicants for admission to Cumberland University may be granted a waiver of the direct review of any transcript reflecting academic work undertaken at an institution abroad, where such transcripts were evaluated through an acceptable process (as defined below) by the prior institution. In lieu of the direct review of such transcripts, Cumberland University will rely upon the transcript evaluation made by the prior U.S. graduate program at the time of the student's admission. Acceptable processes for the evaluation of foreign transcripts may include internal evaluation by an individual or staff member certified to undertake such evaluation or through recognized companies that offer transcript evaluation services, such as WEP, EP, ECE or others deemed acceptable by Cumberland University. Official transcripts should be received within 21 days following the commencement of the term.