Transfer Information

Transfer Credit Information
Valley City State University accepts transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions of postsecondary education. Before transfer credits are evaluated for specific course equivalencies or program requirements, the credits must be accepted by the Office of the Registrar according to university policies and procedures.

Transfer courses are first reviewed to determine if the credits are accepted as a course equivalent to a VCSU course or applied toward a general education or program requirement. College-level credits that do not have a direct course equivalent or do not meet a specific program requirement will be accepted as general electives and count toward total credits required for graduation.

Transfer students who are dissatisfied with the course equivalency determinations may consult the Registrars Office or the appropriate Department Chair, in an attempt to more precisely define equivalencies or identify appropriate substitutions. If necessary for transfer evaluation, students are responsible for providing course descriptions and course syllabi.

Total hours earned from all transfer institutions are entered on the Valley City State University transcript. If necessary, credits will be converted to semester hours. Transfer courses and grades appear on the official VCSU transcript and are used in the calculation of cumulative grade point average.

Limitations on Transfer Credit

Developmental Credit: Credit for developmental courses is not accepted in transfer if the course is developmental by definition of the transferring institution or if it is equivalent to a developmental course at VCSU. Transfer credit earned at the developmental level will be transcribed on the official VCSU transcript. However, these credits will not count toward earned credit or be calculated in the cumulative grade point average.
Graduate and Continuing Education Credit: Credit earned at the graduate level and non-degree continuing education is not accepted in transfer at the undergraduate level.
Credit by Examination or Life Experience: Credit earned by institutional examination or life experience is not accepted for transfer.
Military Credit: Basic training courses are accepted in transfer as HPER 100 and fulfill the Wellness category of General Education requirement at VCSU. All other military credit is evaluated using the most recent ACE Guide recommendations. Military work experience will not be accepted.

General Education Transfer Agreements

Transfer students who have graduated from a regionally accredited institution and have completed a general education program at that institution consisting of a minimum of 36 semester hours will be deemed to have met all lower division general education requirements at VCSU. This may include transfer students who have earned an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, or Bachelor of Science degree. If the general education requirements are not complete upon transfer, the transcript will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Even if the lower division general education requirements have been met, students are strongly encouraged to meet with an academic advisor. Some VCSU majors require specific or additional general education courses be completed as an upper division program requirement.

The North Dakota University System (NDUS) General Education Requirement Transfer Agreement (GERTA) was developed to assist students who transfer within the NDUS campuses and North Dakotas five tribal colleges. This agreement states that students who transfer to a NDUS institution after completing their general education coursework at any other NDUS institution will be deemed to have met all lower division general education requirements at the transfer school. A minimum of 36 semester hours must have been completed in the areas of communication; arts and humanities; social sciences; and mathematics, science and technology.

The North Dakota University System (NDUS) also has specific general education transfer agreements with the Minnesota System of Colleges and Universities (MnSCU), South Dakota University System, Washington State Community and Technical Colleges, and Wyoming Community Colleges for students who have completed an Associate in Arts or an Associate in Science degree.

Additional GERTA Information