Transfer Information

If students are currently enrolled in college and intend to transfer to another college, students are encouraged to:

• Discuss plans with a Riverland Community College counselor.
• Call or visit the intended transfer college. Obtain a college catalog, transfer brochure, admissions information including program or major requirements and information about financial aid. Request transfer application materials.
• Make an appointment to talk with the transfer specialist and an advisor in the intended program to ask about course transfer and admission criteria

 Facts about Credit Transfer

The receiving college or university determines which credits transfer and whether those credits meet requirements of a specific degree. Riverland counselors can help select courses that will transfer.

Like transfers to like:

Institutions accept credits from courses and programs which are similar to ones they offer. They look for similarity in course goals, content and level. Baccalaureate degree programs usually count credits in three categories: general education, major/minor courses and prerequisites, and electives. The key question is whether your credits fulfill requirements of the degree or program you choose; a course may transfer but not count toward graduation.

 General Transfer Guidelines

• Riverland will consider for transfer college-level coursework completed at a degree-granting college accredited by one of the regional associations of colleges and schools or by a comparable international college or university.
• When completing an Associate Degree at Riverland, twenty semester credits of college-level courses must be taken at Riverland by degree-seeking applicants. For students transferring from other MNSCU institutions, this number is reduced to twelve credits
• A completed Minnesota Transfer Curriculum course from another MnSCU institution, will be transferred even if Riverland does not offer similar courses or disciplines.
• All college courses in which a student has received a grade of A, B, C, or P will be considered for transfer evaluation.
• If a student has a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, D's will be considered for transfer evaluation on a course by course basis.
• Transfer credit grades will not be used in computing the student's GPA at Riverland. Only earned credits (not grade point credits or grade points) will be recorded on the official Riverland transcript.
• Riverland will consider for transfer applicable course work transcripted by an accredited college as Credit by Examination.
• Credits achieved through military training will be evaluated for transfer as specified in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services. Students should bring in their DD-214 discharge paper, Certificates of Training and/or military transcripts for evaluation.
• Competency-Based Education credits will transfer as general electives unless approved for other distribution requirements.
• Comparability: Courses approved for transfer must be comparable in nature, content and level and match at least 75% of the content and goals of the course for which the student is seeking equivalent credit.
• Time Limit: General education, some general studies and elective credits shall have no transfer time limit. Credits for technical programs have a five year life span unless otherwise approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Science courses required for Health Science programs have a seven year life span unless otherwise approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
• Equivalency/Conversion: The number of transfer credits granted per course shall not exceed the number granted by the originating institution.
• Repeated Courses: When a student transfers in courses and later successfullyrepeats a transferred course at Riverland, only credit from Riverland will be granted.

 Transfer Student Rights

Transfer Students have the right to:

• A clear, understandable statement of an institution's transfer policy.
• A fair credit review and an explanation of why credits were or were not accepted.
• A formal appeals process if unsatisfied with the transfer of credits.

The appeals process involves:

• Completion of an appeal form
• Documentation to support the appeal (course syllabus, textbook, course description, etc.)
• Review of documentation by Vice President of Academics Affairs
• Student receives in writing, the outcome of the appeal.