Mar 19, 2024  
2017 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Types of Credits



UCM Credit and Transfer Credit

There is no limit to the number of UCM or transfer credit hours applied to an undergraduate degree. Students must meet a minimum number of hours in residence at UCM for degree completion.

UCM Credit

UCM credits are hours earned through on-campus courses and online courses. This also includes courses completed at the UCM Lee’s Summit campus and other UCM sites.

Dual Credit

Dual credit is a course which enables a high school student to simultaneously receive both high school and college-level course credit. Dual credit can be earned either at UCM or from a transfer institution. Dual credit is transcribed both at the high school and at the college from which it is earned. UCM’s dual credit courses are taught in high schools throughout Missouri, online, or over interactive television by university faculty or by department approved adjunct faculty. Courses approved for dual credit by the college departments include the use of the syllabus, textbook, teaching methodology, and student assessment strategies. Course content and course requirements are comparable to those utilized in the equivalent on-campus courses with the same titles.

Dual credit students are provided tuition at a reduced rate, access to the James C. Kirkpatrick Library both online and in person, and access to many other campus resources. Information about UCM’s dual credit program can be found online at ucmo.edu/dualcredit, by calling the Dual Credit Office at 660-543-4876 or in person (HUM 401).

Students who complete dual credit at a transfer institution must have an official transcript sent to the UCM Office of Undergraduate Admissions for admission to UCM. UCM posts and accepts all transfer grades (A-F). These grades are counted in a student’s cumulative GPA and are taken into consideration for academic standing calculations. UCM’s repeat policy, not the repeat policy of the transfer institution, will be applied to any course repeats. See details of the UCM Repeat Policy in this catalog.

Transfer Credit

Students are required to provide UCM with official copies of transcripts from all prior colleges and universities attended. This includes any international transfer institutions (see International Transfer Credit section). Failure to disclose a transcript may result in dismissal from UCM. In awarding transfer credit from Missouri institutions, Central Missouri follows the Credit Transfer Guidelines for Student Transfer and Articulation among MO College and Universities (Missouri CBHE, April 2013). Credit will be accepted from an institution which is a candidate for accreditation, through a regional accrediting commission, if credit was awarded during a term of the candidacy. Students who wish to appeal the decision of the University of Central Missouri in the articulation of transfer credit from another domestic, regionally accredited institution of higher education may contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (WDE 1400, 660-543-4290). Questions about international transfer credit should contact the Office of the Graduate School and International Admissions (WDE 1800, 660-543-4092) directly via email at admit_intl@ucmo.edu.

All undergraduate college-level coursework attempted at regionally accredited institutions (and appropriately accredited international institutions) and corresponding grades will be included on the UCM transcript of degree-seeking students. UCM does not transcribe “W” grades (withdrawals). UCM does not post credit for remedial or developmental work (typically noted as “0” level, e.g., MATH 0105 or ENGL 022) from transfer institutions. UCM does not post the credit or grades for this type of credit to the UCM transcript.

UCM does post and accept all college-level transfer grades (A-F). These grades are counted in a student’s cumulative GPA and are taken into consideration for academic standing calculations. UCM’s repeat policy, not the repeat policy of the transfer institution, will be applied to any course repeats. See details of the UCM Repeat Policy in this catalog.

Transfer credit will retain the leveling and credit hours total as designated by the original granting institution regardless of whether a UCM equivalent’s leveling or credit hour total is different. All courses taken at a two-year college and any 1000/2000 level courses taken at a four-year institution will not be applicable toward upper-level hour (3000/4000 level) requirements, even if these courses are articulated as UCM upper-level courses or are used as substitutions for upper-level UCM courses. Quarter hour transfer courses will be converted to semester hours at the rate of 1 quarter hour = 2/3 semester hours.

Students who hold an Associate of Arts (A.A.), an Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.), a bachelor’s degree from an appropriately regionally accredited institution in Missouri (including post-baccalaureate UCM students), or who have met the Missouri 42-hour General Education Core requirements are considered to have met all 42 hours of Central Missouri’s requirements in General Education, including state law requirements, Section 170.011 RSMO Supp (1988) (the constitutions of Missouri and the United States).

Students who hold one of the degrees mentioned above from an appropriately regionally accredited institution outside of Missouri have met the Missouri 42-hour General Education Core requirements but must pass an exam on the constitutions of Missouri and the United States. This test is offered online, at no cost by the Department of History and Anthropology. Testing information can be obtained by calling 660-543-4404.

Transfer students who have completed an A.A., A.A.T, a bachelor’s degree from an appropriately regionally accredited institution in the United States (including post-baccalaureate UCM students), or the Missouri 42-hour General Education Core must also complete any major- or minor-specific General Education courses and Competency 10 of the UCM General Education which is fulfilled by a course designated in each major. The state of Missouri requires certain General Education courses for teacher certification. These requirements are outlined for each teacher education major in Programs Alphabetically  

For students with an associate’s degree other than the A.A. or A.A.T. (such as the A.S.), the university reviews transcripts and accepts applicable credit on a course-by-course basis.

International Transfer Credit

International transfer credit of all levels (undergraduate and graduate) and for all students (domestic and international) is handled by the Office of the Graduate School and International Admissions (WDE 1800, 660-543-4621). All non-US transcripts should be submitted directly to World Education Services (wes.org) for authentication and a course-by-course, academic level, and GPA evaluation. UCM is unable to accept credential evaluations from other credential evaluators. Applicants with questions about credential evaluation requirements should contact the Office of the Graduate School and International Admissions directly via email at admit_intl@ucmo.edu.

Military Service-Related Transfer Credit

Military service-related credit is posted as transfer credit and does not count towards upper-level hours requirements. This credit is denoted with a grade of CR (credit) on the Central Degree Audit and UCM transcript. Military service-related credits are not limited to a particular number of hours awarded and do not count towards the 30 hours of maximum CR credit explained under Other Types of Credit.

Credits from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
Students with CCAF credit should have official transcripts sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (WDE 1400, 660-543-4290).

Credits from the Joint Services Transcript (JST)
Credits earned by service personnel in specialized training programs of the United States Army, Navy, Marines or Coast Guard under certain circumstances may be accepted. The guidebook published by the American Council on Education (ACE) is used to determine the credit value. Official Joint Services Transcripts (JST) should be sent to the Office of Military and Veteran Services (UN 117, 660-543-8776) which will review and determine the appropriate credit, if applicable.

Elective Transfer Credit

Courses already determined to have UCM equivalents will be applied on the UCM transcript upon receipt of an official transcript from the credit granting institution. Accepted transfer courses that have no UCM equivalents will be deemed elective courses and appear with an ELCT course prefix on the degree audit and transcript. Any ELCT course accepted for more than 0 credit hours (e.g., not remedial or developmental) do count towards the degree hours, but will require further evaluation to fulfill a particular major, minor, or general education course. To have an elective transfer course considered for articulation to one of UCM’s courses, students may submit the Articulation Request form at ucmo.edu/articulation.

For courses unable to be articulated, students may seek a course substitution. For substitutions in the General Education requirements, students should meet with their professional academic advisor. For major or minor requirements and General Education courses required by the major or minor, students should visit with the department chair of the major or minor to discuss possible substitutions.

Graduate-Level Credit

Courses completed at the graduate level cannot be applied to undergraduate degree programs and may not be repeated for undergraduate credit.

Other Types of Credit

Other types of credit include: credit for prior learning, credit by exam, credit for official certifications, licenses, and diplomas, and validated credit.  Students must be currently enrolled at UCM to be awarded these types of credit.

Students may count a combined total of 60 credit hours of SC and CR credits towards their degree. Each type of credit, SC and CR, is limited to 30 credits. Military service-related credits, as discussed on the previous page, do not count towards the 30 hours of maximum CR credit.

These types of credit involve credit only and do not include a letter grade. Therefore, credit only has an impact on hours earned and not on grade point average. Credit earned from these types of experiences does not count towards residency hours or upper-level hours at UCM.

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

In certain circumstances, UCM will award credit for prior learning (CPL) based on recommendations from the National College Credit Recommendations Services (NCCRS) and the American Council on Education (ACE). This type of credit is denoted with a CR on the Central Degree Audit and transcript. Students must request an assessment to determine if credit is possible and provide written documentation supporting their request for credit. Students interested in obtaining CPL should contact Extended Studies’ Director of Academic Outreach (HUM 410, 660-543-8926) for guidance and assistance.

Credit by Exam

Credits by exam are based on nationally normed standardized exams (such as AP, IB, and CLEP). This type of credit is denoted with an SC on the Central Degree Audit and transcript.

Nationally Normed Standardized Exams

The following exams are those accepted for review at UCM for possible course credit. Tests marked by an asterisk (*) are administered by UCM’s Testing Services.

Requirements for Course Credit by Examination

  • Only test scores obtained within the past 10 years are accepted.
  • Not all exams have a course equivalent at UCM.
  • Only official test score reports sent from the test company directly to Testing Services will be reviewed.
  • Official score reports are to be sent directly to:

Testing Services, Humphreys 216
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO 64093

  • Students must score at or above the level established by the university to receive course credit by examination.
  • Course equivalencies must be available as established by university faculty to receive course credit by examination.
  • Course credit by examination cannot be applied to upper-level hour requirements or in-residence hours.
  • Course credit by examination that would result in duplicate credit will not be granted.
  • Course credit received by examination may or may not apply to a degree program.
  • Students seeking course credit by examination when currently enrolled in the course must complete the exam prior to the 100% refund date for the course.

Course Credit by Examination from Other Institutions
Course credit by examination from other institutions is not automatically transferred to UCM. Review course credit by examination equivalencies on ucmo.edu/testingservices or contact Testing Services to determine if a course equivalent for the exam taken is available at UCM. If a course equivalent is available and the test score is less than 10 years old contact the test company to request an official score report be sent to Testing Services. The score report will be reviewed to determine eligibility for credit.

Credit for Official Certifications, Licenses, and Diplomas

In certain instances, academic departments will evaluate official certifications, licenses, and diplomas granted by fully accredited national and state boards and officially recognized professional organizations to determine whether or not undergraduate credit may be assigned by the Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Services toward the fulfillment of degree requirements in a major or minor. Appropriate university departments reserve the right to test competencies and performances in these areas and to determine the hours and the nature of the credit to be assigned, if any. Paperwork signed by the academic department chairperson, college dean, and Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Services will be submitted by the academic department to the Registrar’s Office for processing. This type of credit is denoted with a CR on the Central Degree Audit and transcript.

Validated Credit

A student is able to earn college credit by demonstrating specific competencies. These tests or measurements vary by department and are free to the student. Validated credit is an option within four areas of the General Education program: Composition (for ENGL 1020 , if ENGL 1080  is passed with a grade of C or higher), Communication, Modern Foreign Language, and Mathematical Reasoning. See the appropriate department for more information. Validated credit is denoted with a CR on the Central Degree Audit and transcript.