Enrollment at Other Institutions

Once a student has matriculated at SPU, the student should never enroll in a course at another institution without consulting an undergraduate academic counselor and completing a study-away approval form (PDF). If the student wishes to take courses toward a major or minor, a faculty advisor’s signature will be required on the form.

Policies governing transfer of credits include the following:

1. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that final official transcripts reflecting coursework are received by SPU.
2. No coursework completed elsewhere will be transferred if the student has already received credit for equivalent course(s) at SPU.
3. Students may not take courses concurrently from SPU and another institution during the regular academic year (Autumn through Spring quarters), except when participating in approved study abroad.
4. Students may complete no more than 20 credits from other institutions once matriculated at SPU, except through approved study abroad programs or visitor programs.
5. The average grade in all courses accepted from each school must be “C” (2.0) or higher. This means that for every grade of “D” accepted there must be another grade of at least B or its equivalent for an equal number of credits. Exception: For ABHE accredited institutions and for courses taken at a non-U.S. school, no grade below “C” (2.0) will be accepted.
6. No grade below “D” (1.0) will be accepted from any institution.
7. Only courses taken for a regular grade (not "pass/fail" or "credit/no credit") will be applied toward requirements in General Education, the Common Curriculum and Exploratory Curriculum, and toward a student's major and minor.
8. The minimum grade that can be applied toward any major or minor is “C-” (1.7), though some majors may require a higher grade in all or some major courses.
9. Transfer associate degrees earned after initial matriculation at SPU will not be recognized toward fulfillment of the Exploratory Curriculum, University Core requirements, or the foreign language proficiency requirement.
10. A combined total of not more than 90 quarter credits, will be accepted from all two-year colleges, approved test programs (such as AP, CLEP, and IB) and unaccredited schools. For students matriculating at SPU for the first time, existing Washington, Oregon, and California community-college associate degree transfer agreements will be honored as they apply to General Education requirements.
11. No more than 45 quarter credits will be accepted from approved testing programs (including AP, CLEP, and IB) and SPU credit by exam.
12. Credits in excess of 20 in any one term will not be transferred. This includes courses taken concurrently by media, correspondence, or extension at more than one institution, as well as non-credit courses.
13. To be eligible for a degree, an undergraduate transfer student is required to earn a minimum of 45 credits in residence at SPU, including no fewer than 15 upper-division credits in his or her major (more, if specified by the major). See individual majors for additional degree requirements.
14. SPU credit by exam does not count toward the minimum 45 credits in residence.
15. Credits will not be transferred for experiential learning.