TRANSFER STUDENTS

Morgan State University welcomes applications from transfer students from community colleges and four-year colleges and universities accredited by Maryland and/or a regional accrediting association. Students are expected to have a cumulative average of 2.0 from all colleges attended and to be "in good standing" at the last institution attended. In all cases, the transfer student must earn the last 30 credit hours toward the desired degree at the University as a full-time or part-time student. Applications from transfer students with A.A. and A.A.S. degrees earned at Maryland community colleges will be evaluated as determined by the Maryland Student Transfer Policy.

Morgan State University Transfer Student Policy

I. Students Transferring from Maryland Public Institutions of Higher Education- This section does NOT apply to students who are transferring from Maryland private and from non-Maryland institutions of higher education (both public and private). Authority: Education Article §§1-201-11-206, Annotated Code of Maryland; COMAR 13B.06.

A. General Education Requirements for Public Institutions.
1. While public institutions have the autonomy to design their general education program to meet their unique needs and mission, that program shall conform to the definitions and common standards in COMAR 13B.06. According to the regulations, a public institution shall satisfy the general education requirement by:

a. Requiring each program leading to the A.A. or A.S. degree to include not less than 30 and not more than 36 semester hours, and each baccalaureate degree program to include not less than 40 and not more than 46 semester hours of required core courses, with the core requiring, at a minimum, course work in each of the following five areas:
(1) Arts and humanities,
(2) Social and behavioral sciences,
(3) Biological and physical sciences,
(4) Mathematics, and
(5) English composition; or

b. Conforming with COMAR 13B.02.02.16D(2)(b)-(c).

2. General education programs of public institutions shall require at least:

a. One course in each of two disciplines in arts and humanities;
b. One course in each of two disciplines in social and behavioral sciences;
c. Two science courses, at least one of which shall be a laboratory course;
d. One course in mathematics at or above the level of college algebra; and
e. One course in English composition.

3. Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues.

a. In addition to the five required areas in §I.A.1.a. of the Transfer Student Policy ("Policy"), a public institution may include up to 8 semester hours in a sixth category that addresses emerging issues that institutions have identified as essential to a full program of general education for their students. These courses may:

(1) Be integrated into other general education courses or may be presented as separate courses; and
(2) Include courses that:

(a) Provide an interdisciplinary examination of issues across the five areas.
(b) Address other categories of knowledge, skills, and values that lie outside of the five areas.

b. Public institutions may not include the courses in this section in a general education program unless they provide academic content and rigor equivalent to the areas in §1.A.1.a. of this Policy.

4. General education programs leading to the A.A.S. degree shall include at least 20 semester hours from the same course list designated by the sending institution for the AA and A.S. degrees. The A.A.S. Degree shall include at least one 3-semester-hour course from each of the five areas listed in §I.A.1.a. Of this Policy.

5. A course in a discipline listed in more than one of the areas of general education may be applied only to one area of general education.

6. A public institution may allow a speech communication or foreign language course to be part of the arts and humanities category.

7. Composition and literature courses may be placed in the arts and humanities area if literature is included as part of the content of the course.

8. Public institutions may not include physical education skills courses as part of the general education requirements.

9. General education courses shall reflect current scholarship in the discipline and provide reference to theoretical frameworks and methods of inquiry appropriate to academic disciplines.

10. Courses that are theoretical may include applications, but all applications courses shall include theoretical components if they are to be included as meeting general education requirements.

11. Public institutions may incorporate knowledge and skills involving the use of quantitative data, effective writing, information retrieval, and information literacy when possible in the general education program.

12 Notwithstanding §I.A.1.a. of this Policy, a public 4-year institution may require 48 semester hours of required core courses if courses upon which the institution's curriculum is based carry 4 semester hours.

13. Public institutions shall develop systems to ensure that courses approved for inclusion on the list of general education courses are designed and assessed to comply with the requirements of this Policy.

B. Transfer of General Education Credit

1. A student transferring to Morgan State University ("Morgan") from another Maryland public institution of higher education ("Maryland public institution") shall receive general education credit for work completed at the student's sending institution as provided by this Policy.

2. A completed general education program shall transfer without further review or approval by Morgan and without the need for a course-by-course match.

3. Courses that are defined as general education by the sending institution shall transfer as general education even if Morgan does not have that specific course or has not designated that course as general education.

4. Morgan shall give lower-division general education credits to a transferring student who has taken any part of the lower-division general education credits described in §I.A. of this Policy at a Maryland public institution for any general education courses successfully completed at the sending institution.

5. Except as provided in §I.A.12 of this Policy, Morgan may not require a transfer student who has completed the requisite number of general education credits at any Maryland public institution to take, as a condition of graduation, more than 10-16 additional semester hours of general education and specific courses required of all students at the receiving institution, with the total number not to exceed 46 semester hours. This provision does not relieve students of the obligation to complete specific academic program requirements or course prerequisites required by Morgan.

6. A sending institution shall designate on or with the student transcript those courses that have met its general education requirements, as well as indicate whether the student has completed the general education program.

7. A.A.S. Degrees.

a. While there may be variance in the numbers of hours of general education required for AA, AS, and A.A.S. Degrees at a given institution, the courses identified as meeting general education requirements for all degrees shall come from the same general education course list and exclude technical or career courses.

b. An A.A.S. student who transfers into Morgan with fewer than the total number of general education credits designated by Morgan shall complete the difference in credits according to the distribution as designated by Morgan. Except as provided in §I.A.12. of this Policy, the total general education credits for Morgan may not exceed 46 semester hours.

8. Student Responsibilities. A student is held:

a. Accountable for the loss of credits that:

(1) Result from changes in the student's selection of the major program of study,
(2) Were earned for remedial course work, or
(3) Exceed the total course credits accepted in transfer as allowed by this Policy.

b. Responsible for meeting all requirements of the academic program of Morgan.

C. Transfer of Non-general Education Program Credit.

1. Credit earned at any public institution in the State is transferable to Morgan if the:

a. Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;
b. Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.0 or higher; and
c. Acceptance of the credit is consistent with Morgan's policies governing students following the same program.

2. Credit earned in or transferred from a community college is limited to:

a. 1/2 the baccalaureate degree program requirement, but may not be more than 70 semester hours; and
b. The first two (2) years of the undergraduate education experience.

D. Nontraditional Credit.

1. The assignment of credit for AP, CLEP, or other nationally recognized standardized examination scores presented by transfer students is determined according to the same standards that apply to native students at Morgan, and the assignment shall be consistent with the State minimum requirements.

2. Transfer of credit from the following areas shall be consistent with COMAR 13B.02.02. and shall be evaluated by Morgan on a course-by-course basis:

a. Technical courses from career programs;
b. Course credit awarded through articulation agreements with other segments or agencies;
c. Credit awarded for clinical practice or cooperative education experiences; and
d. Credit awarded for life and work experiences.

3. The basis for the awarding of the credit shall be indicated on the student's transcript by the receiving institution (Morgan).

4. Morgan shall inform a transfer student of the procedures for validation of course work for which there is no clear equivalency. Examples of validation procedures include ACE recommendations, portfolio assessment, credit through challenge, examinations, and satisfactory completion of the next course in sequence in the academic area.

5. The receiving baccalaureate degree-granting institution (Morgan) shall use validation procedures when a transferring student successfully completes a course at the lower division level that Morgan offers at the upper division level. The validated credits earned for the course shall be substituted for the upper division course.

E. Program Articulation.

1. Recommended transfer programs shall be developed through consultation between the sending institution and Morgan. A recommended transfer program represents an agreement between the two institutions that allows students aspiring to the baccalaureate degree to plan their programs. These programs constitute freshman/ sophomore level course work to be taken at the community college in fulfillment of Morgan's lower division course work requirement.

2. Recommended transfer programs in effect on September 3, 1996, which conform to this Policy, may be retained.

F. Academic Success and General Well-being of Transfer Students.

1. Sending Institutions.

a. Community colleges shall encourage their students to complete the Associate degree or to complete 56 hours in a recommended transfer program which includes both general education courses and courses applicable toward the program at the receiving institution.

b. Community college students are encouraged to choose as early as possible the institution and program into which they expect to transfer.

c. The sending institution shall:

(1) Provide to community college students information about the specific transferability of courses at 4-year colleges;
(2) Transmit information about transfer students who are capable of honors work or independent study to the receiving institution; and
(3) Promptly supply the receiving institution with all the required documents if the student has met all financial and other obligations of the sending institution for transfer.

2. Receiving Institutions (Morgan).

a. Admission requirements and curriculum prerequisites shall be stated explicitly in institutional publications.

b. Morgan shall admit transfer students from newly established public colleges that are functioning with the approval of the Maryland Higher Education Commission on the same basis as applicants from regionally accredited colleges.

c. Morgan shall evaluate the transcript of a degree-seeking transfer student as expeditiously as possible, and notify the student of the results not later than mid-semester of the student's first semester of enrollment at Morgan, if all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working days before mid-semester. Morgan shall inform a student of the courses which are acceptable for transfer credit and the courses which are applicable to the student's intended program of study.

d. Morgan shall give a transfer student the option of satisfying institutional graduation requirements that were in effect at Morgan at the time the student enrolled as a freshman at the sending institution. In the case of major requirements, a transfer student shall satisfy the major requirements in effect at the time when the student was identified as pursuing the recommended transfer program at the sending institution. These conditions are applicable to a student who has been continuously enrolled at the sending institution. For the purpose of this subsection d only, continuous enrollment is defined as a student who has officially registered for at least one course and has not dropped all of the student's course(s) or withdrawn from school during any given semester.

G. Programmatic Currency.

1. Morgan shall provide to the community college current and accurate information on recommended transfer programs and the transferability status of courses. Community college students shall have access to this information.

2. Recommended transfer programs shall be developed with each community college whenever new baccalaureate programs are approved by the degree-granting institution.

3. When considering curricular changes, institutions shall notify each other of the proposed changes that might affect transfer students. An appropriate mechanism shall be created to ensure that both 2-year and 4-year public colleges provide input or comments to the institution proposing the change. Sufficient lead time shall be provided to effect the change with minimum disruption. Transfer students are not required to repeat equivalent course work successfully completed at a community college.

H. Transfer Mediation Committee.

1. There is a Transfer Mediation Committee, appointed by the Secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission, which is representative of the pubic 4-year colleges and universities and the community colleges.

2. Sending and receiving institutions that disagree on the transferability of general education courses as defined by COMAR 13B.06.01 shall submit their disagreements to the Transfer Mediation Committee. The Transfer Mediation Committee shall address general questions regarding existing or past courses only, not individual student cases, and shall also address questions raised by institutions about the acceptability of new general education courses. As appropriate, the Committee shall consult with faculty on curricular issues.

3. The findings of the Transfer Mediation Committee are considered binding on both parties.

I. Appeal Process

1. Notice of Denial of Transfer Credit by Morgan

a. Except as provided in §I.I.1.b below of this Policy, Morgan shall inform a transfer student in writing of the denial of transfer credit not later than mid-semester of the transfer student's first semester, if all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working days before mid-semester.

b. If transcripts are submitted after 15 working days before mid-semester of a student's first semester, Morgan shall inform the student of credit denied within 20 working days of receipt of the official transcript.

c. Morgan shall include in the notice of denial of transfer credit:

(1) A statement of the student's right to appeal; and
(2) A notification that the appeal process is available in the institution's catalog.
(3) The statement of the student's right to appeal the denial shall include notice of the time limitations in §I.2 of this regulation.

2. A student believing that Morgan has denied the student transfer credits in violation of this Policy may initiate an appeal by contacting the Transfer Coordinator or the Dean for the school or college in which the student's major is located (or the Dean for the College of Liberal Arts where no major has been declared) within 20 working days of receiving notice of the denial of credit.

3. Response by Morgan.

a. Morgan shall:

(1) Establish expeditious and simplified procedures governing the appeal of a denial of transfer of credit;and
(2) Respond to a student's appeal within 10 working days.

b. Morgan may either grant or deny an appeal. Morgan's reasons for denying the appeal shall be consistent with this Policy and conveyed to the student in written form.

c. Unless a student appeals to the sending institution,the written decision constitutes Morgan's final decision and is not subject to appeal.

4. Appeal to Sending Institution.

a. If a student has been denied transfer credit after an appeal to Morgan, the student may request the sending institution to intercede on the student's behalf by contacting the transfer coordinator of the sending institution.
b. A student shall make an appeal to the sending institution within 10 working days of having received the decision of Morgan.

5. Consultation Between Sending and Receiving Institutions.

a. Representatives of the two institutions shall have 15 working days to resolve the issues involved in an appeal.
b. As a result of a consultation in this section, Morgan may affirm, modify, or reverse its earlier decision.
c. Morgan shall inform a student in writing of the result of the consultation.
d. The decision arising out of a consultation constitutes the final decision of Morgan and is not subject to appeal.

J. Periodic Review.

1. Report by Receiving Institution.

a. A receiving institution shall report annually the progress of students who transfer from 2-year and 4-year institutions within the State to each community college and to the Secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

b. An annual report shall include ongoing reports on the subsequent academic success of enrolled transfer students, including graduation rates, by major subject areas.

c. A receiving institution shall include in the reports comparable information on the progress of native students.

2. Transfer Coordinator. A public institution of higher education shall designate a transfer coordinator, who serves as a resource person to transfer students at either the sending or receiving campus. The transfer coordinator is responsible for overseeing the application of the policies and procedures outlined in COMAR 13B.06.01 and interpreting transfer policies to the individual student and to the institution.

3. The Maryland Higher Education Commission shall establish a permanent Student Transfer Advisory Committee that meets regularly to review transfer issues and recommend policy changes as needed. The Student Transfer Advisory Committee shall address issues of interpretation and implementation of COMAR 13B.06.01.

II. All Other Transfer Students - The following provisions apply to students who are transferring from Maryland private institutions of higher education and from non-Maryland institutions of higher education (both public and private).

A. General Requirements

1. Students transfer ring from private colleges and universities in Maryland and from non-Maryland colleges and universities will have their official college transcripts evaluated once they have received notice from the University's Director of Admission that they have been admitted to the University.

2. The evaluation of transfer credit is the responsibility of the Transfer Coordinator, for the School/College in which the transfer student's major is located.

3. The responsibility for the evaluation of the transcripts of transfer students who are undecided about their major rests with the Transfer Coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts.

4. In general, the assignment of equivalent course credit or free elective course credit involves a course by course evaluation and comparison of courses on the student's transcript from the sending institution with appropriate courses offered at Morgan.

5. Transfer Coordinators may consult with the chairperson or coordinator of a discipline or program regarding the final determination of course and/or credit transferability.

6. The University will typically accept for credit college level courses (i.e., non-remedial and/or non-developmental courses) in which the student has earned grades of "C" or better from a regionally accredited college or university.

7. Students from non-Maryland community colleges may transfer up to a maximum of 70 credits. Students from non-Maryland 4-year institutions of higher education may transfer up to a maximum of 90 credits.

8. Transfer students must earn their final 30 hours at the University. Two thirds of the major requirements at the 300 or 400 level must be completed while the student is enrolled at the University.

9. All transfer students must satisfy the Writing Proficiency and Speech Proficiency examinations as well as complete all School/College graduation requirements while enrolled at the University.

10. Students shall be governed by the academic requirements in effect at the time they transferred to the University. Students who change their major after transferring to Morgan must satisfy the academic requirements in effect at the time when they changed their major.

11. The Dean for each School or College within the University appoints the Transfer Coordinators for his or her School/College. Students who have questions about the transfer of courses and/or credit are encouraged to contact the Dean's office in which their major is located in order to meet with the Transfer Coordinator.

B. Appeal of Transcript Evaluations

1. After receiving an official copy of their transfer evaluation from the Transfer Coordinator, students shall have thirty (30) days from the date that the official evaluation was forwarded to the student to appeal all or any portion of the evaluation.

2. All appeals must be in writing and addressed to the Dean of the School/College in which their major is located (or the Dean for the College of Liberal Arts where no major has been declared).

3. The Dean shall review the issues raised in the appeal letter and deter mine whether an amendment to the original transfer evaluation is warranted. The Dean may require a student to provide additional information including, but not limited to, course descriptions,catalogs, and syllabi.

4. The Dean shall provide a written response to the transfer student within thirty (30) days of receipt of the student's written appeal.

5. Students who fail to appeal in writing within thirty (30) days of the date that the official evaluation was forwarded to them shall be deemed to have lost their right to appeal.

III. Definitions

A. Terms defined:

1. "AA degree" means the Associate of Arts degree.

2. "A.A.S. degree" means the Associate of Applied Sciences degree.

3. "Arts" means courses that examine aesthetics and the development of the aesthetic form and explore the relationship between theory and practice. Courses in this area may include fine arts,performing and studio arts,appreciation of the arts, and history of the arts.

4. "AS degree" means the Associate of Sciences degree.

5. "Biological and physical sciences" means courses that examine living systems and the physical universe. They introduce students to the variety of methods used to collect, interpret, and apply scientific data, and to an understanding of the relationship between scientific theory and application.

6. "English composition courses" means courses that provide students with communication knowledge and skills appropriate to various writing situations, including intellectual inquiry and academic research.

7. "General education" means the foundation of the higher education curriculum providing a coherent intellectual experience for all students.

8. "General education program" means a program that is designed to:

a. Introduce undergraduates to the fundamental knowledge, skills, and values that are essential to the study of academic disciplines;
b. Encourage the pursuit of lifelong learning, and
c. Foster the development of educated members of the community and the world.

9. "Humanities" means courses that examine the values and cultural heritage that establish the framework for inquiry into the meaning of life. Courses in the humanities may include the language, history, literature, and philosophy of Western and other cultures.

10. "Mathematics" means courses that provide students with numerical, analytical, statistical, and problem-solving skills.

11. "Native student" means a student whose initial college enrollment was at a given institution of higher education and who has not transferred to another institution of higher education since that initial enrollment.

12. "Parallel program" means the program of study or courses at one institution of higher education which has comparable objectives as those at another higher education institution,for example, a transfer program in psychology in a community college is definable as a parallel program to a baccalaureate psychology program at a 4-year institution of higher education.

13. "Receiving institution" means the institution of higher education at which a transfer student currently desires to enroll.

14. "Recommended transfer program" means a planned program of courses , both general education and courses in the major, taken at a community college, which is applicable to a baccalaureate program at a receiving institution, and ordinarily the first 2 years of the baccalaureate degree.

15. "Sending institution" means the institution of higher education of most recent previous enrollment by a transfer student at which transferable academic credit was earned.

16. "Social and behavioral sciences" means courses that examine the psychology of individuals and the ways in which individuals, groups, or segments of society behave, function,and influence one another. The courses include, but are not limited to, subjects which focus on:

a. History and cultural diversity;
b. Concepts of groups, work, and political systems;
c. Applications of qualitative and quantitative data to social issues; and
d. Interdependence of individuals, society, and the physical environment.

17. "Transfer student" means a student entering an institution for the first time with academic credit earned at another institution which is applicable for credit at the institution the student is entering.

IV. International Students and Veterans
Additional guidelines,in addition to and at times different from those provided in this policy may affect the evaluation of transfer credits for international students and veterans. International and veteran students should consult relevant sections of the Morgan State University Catalog and should schedule an appointment with the appropriate Transfer Coordinator for more information.

International Students
Morgan State University is authorized by the United States Department of State and the Office of Immigration to accept students who wish to enter this country possessing an F-1 (Student) Visa or an Exchange Visitor Visa.

1. To apply to Morgan, international students must submit the following materials by April 15 for the Fall semester and October 15 for the Spring semester:

a . Completed application with a $25 nonrefundable FEE in U. S. dollars, in the form of a money order or certified check (made payable to Morgan State University), to the Office of Admissions. DO NOT SEND CASH! The penalty for falsifying this application or its supporting documents is rejection by this University.

b. Official certificates of all secondary and college work as well as copies of results on national examinations (G.C.E., etc.).

c. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

2. Applicants are required to certify that they are able to support themselves for the first year of study at Morgan. Financial aid is severely limited for students from abroad. Private scholarships/grants from outside the University's regular financial aid program are the usual source of such aid.

3. The I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility) is not issued until the applicant has been accepted by the Office of Admission.

Mature Students
Any student out of school continuously for three years or more is admitted regardless of the previous college or high school record.

Special Students
The special student category is designed to provide an opportunity to take courses at Morgan State University for professional or personal advancement. The special student is not a degree candidate.

Veteran Students
Students who are eligible for benefits under the Veterans Educational Assistance Act must notify the University each semester that they are enrolled so they may be certified to receive the appropriate benefits.

Students who have never applied for benefits must submit an application (VA Form 22-1990) along with a copy of their DD 214 and all documents necessary to support evidence of dependency.

There will be a designated area during the registration period where you may request your V.A. certification.

CONTINUING STUDENTS who are receiving veterans benefits will be eligible for advance payment. Advance payment is offered when a veteran student first applies for benefits or when a veteran student returns after missing semesters. An enrollment certification should be completed in the Office of Records and Registration 60 days prior to the registration period. Continuous payment will be offered to the continuing student for the remainder of his/her enrollment. Veteran students must meet the same admission standards as all other students. Since it takes 60 days or more to clear a V.A. application for educational benefits, new students are urged to apply to the Admissions Office for acceptance as early as possible. A copy of the letter of acceptance MUST be presented to the Office of Records and Registration in order to apply for veteran's educational benefits.

TRANSFER APPLICANTS from other colleges or universities MUST advise their local V.A. office by filing "A Change of Program or Place of Training" (22-1995) form. In order to receive an advance payment check, the student must file at least 60 days prior to Morgan's registration.

REPORTING UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS OF VETERAN STUDENTS

"NC" GRADES
Veterans are not eligible to receive educational benefits for courses in which a grade of "NC"has been assigned. A "NC" grade in a course will reduce the veteran's total number of credit hours pursued for any given semester. Should the reduction result in a change in enrollment status reported in his original certification, the Veterans Administration will be duly notified of the credit hour change.

V.A. 'I' GRADE POLICY
The Veterans Administration's "I" grade policy affects payments to V.A. students. The Veterans Administration policy states that "I" grades must be made up within one (1) calendar year from the date the "I" grade was earned. Failure to do so within the allotted time will result in an overpayment which the student must repay to the V.A. because the V.A. does not pay for courses in which "I" grades are earned. Any questions about the V.A. "I" grade should be directed to the V.A. Certification Officer, Office of Records and Registration, 443.885.3257. Please refer to "I" grade policy on page 30 of catalog.

UNIVERSITY ACTION
Veterans who are placed on Academic Probation or officially dropped from the University for any reason will be reported to the Veterans Administration within (30) days of the University's action.

CHANGE IN ENROLLMENT
IT IS THE VETERAN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY THE OFFICE OF RECORDS OF ANY CHANGES IN COURSE LOAD THAT MAY AFFECT HIS MONTHLY ALLOTMENT. Timely reporting of such changes will prevent subsequent charges of over payment by the Veterans Administration. Should a veteran know in advance that he/she will be returning for any succeeding semester or summer session,it is his/her responsibility to notify the Office of Records and Registration that he/she is desirous of being certified continuously. Moreover, should a veteran be certified for any given semester or summer session and not attend or withdraw, it is his responsibility to notify the Office of Records and Registration.

TRANSFER STUDENTS
Students transferring from other colleges must present to the VA certifying official of Morgan State University a copy of their official transcript from all other institutions for which educational benefits were paid.

STUDENT STATUS
All persons requesting certification for educational benefits must be matriculating students pursuing courses leading toward an academic degree. A SPECIAL STUDENT IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE MATRICULATING.

ADMISSION TO DEGREE PROGRAMS
Admission to the University does not constitute admission to particular degree programs. Students should contact individual departments or deans in appropriate schools for policies and procedures for admission to degree programs.

See Also:

• Transfer Student Information