Credit for previous college work
If you’ve taken courses at a college other than UMN Morris, it’s possible that those credits may be used to satisfy requirements in your major or the general education requirements (Morris Core).
Transfer coursework may be accepted
- from institutions that are regionally accredited;
- from institutions that provide courses that are intended for transfer to baccalaureate programs;
- if it’s comparable in nature, content, and level to courses offered by UMN Morris;
- applicable to the bachelor of arts; or,
- with the grade of D or above, subject to the restrictions of Morris's degree requirements.
In general, coursework is transferable if it’s from a regionally accredited college and is comparable in nature, content, and level to courses offered by UMN Morris. Your transfer credit will be evaluated by the UMN Morris transfer evaluation coordinator who will determine the level and credit value of courses based on materials provided by the other institution. Acceptance of transfer credit is governed by University policy, the Morris campus Scholastic Committee, and the appropriate UMN Morris discipline faculty
To earn credit for college courses, have official transcripts for all coursework sent to the Office of Admissions via email to [email protected] or have them mailed to:
Office of Admissions
600 E 4th Street
Morris, MN 56267
Note: An official credit evaluation cannot be completed without official transcripts.
Credit for AP, IB, and CLEP
UMN Morris happily accepts or grants credit for college coursework, Advanced Placement (AP) exams, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams, and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, as well as special examinations that are arranged individually.
AP- and IB-accepted courses and college credits will be added to your UMN Morris transcript to give you a head start on your undergraduate degree requirements. You must submit a transcript from the agency where the credits originate.
The University of Minnesota has a systemwide policy for awarding credit by examination.
- Minimum score for awarding AP credit is 3.
- Minimum score for awarding IB credit is 5, or 4 if part of the diploma.
- Scores on CLEP examinations follow national norms and vary by subject.
You can receive up to eight semester credits for each higher-level subject passed with a grade of five or higher for IB classes or with a grade of three or higher for AP courses.
Special Exams
You may also earn credit by special exams arranged individually and provided at the discretion of the discipline. For special exams, contact the Scholastic Committee coordinator at [email protected].edu to make arrangements.
Specific Transfer Credit Policies
Your transfer credit will be evaluated by the UMN Morris transfer evaluation coordinator who will determine the level and credit value of courses based on materials provided by the other institution. Acceptance of transfer credit is governed by University policy, the Morris campus Scholastic Committee, and the appropriate UMN Morris discipline faculty. UMN Morris accepts higher education institution coursework applicable to the degree you’re seeking at UMN Morris.
Credits and Grades from Previous College
Credits and grades are assigned by the previous college. The University of Minnesota posts only the name of each previous college with the number of credits accepted on students' official transcripts. Transfer courses appear in the Academic Progress Audit System (APAS) reports. Transfer courses may be applied, with appropriate approval, to general education requirements (Morris Core) and major and minor requirements. Per the University of Minnesota’s grading and transcript policy, grades earned at other institutions will not be calculated into the University of Minnesota GPA except to determine qualification for the teaching licensure program.
Courses in Religion
Religious studies from public regionally accredited colleges go through the normal transfer review. Religious studies from private colleges go through a special faculty review committee. Religious studies courses transfer if they are not doctrinal, confessional, or sectarian in nature.
Remedial Courses
To be acceptable for transfer, coursework must be college level, not remedial. Coursework is remedial if the majority of the content is found in the usual secondary school curriculum.
Technical and Applied Courses
UMN Morris accepts transfer courses that are appropriate for application to the mission of a liberal arts college. Courses that are technical and applied will not transfer. Coursework in the generally accepted liberal arts disciplines, like mathematics, philosophy, history, and geology, is usually accepted.
Proprietary Colleges
UMN Morris does not routinely accept transfer coursework from proprietary technical colleges, business colleges, and similar postsecondary schools. However, credit from these programs for knowledge acquired in liberal arts may be obtained by special examination. UMN Morris must determine that instruction is collegiate level and appropriate for UMN Morris's liberal arts mission before credit is awarded.
Grading Policy
UMN Morris accepts coursework with the grade of D or above, subject to the restrictions of UMN Morris's own degree requirements.
Grading and Transcript Policy Transfer of Undergraduate Credit policy
Adding Teaching Licensure after Earning a Degree from Another College
If you’re transferring to UMN Morris after earning a degree from another college, note the following information:
- You need to be admitted to both UMN Morris and the UMN Morris teacher preparation education program.
- Since you already have a degree, you will be considered a teacher candidate pursuing a "teaching licensure only" option without a degree notation on the official transcript.
- We cannot accept any grades below C- in any licensure course, including specific courses in content areas required for licensure.
- If you will be studying a completely new major, you may earn a bachelor of arts degree that would be recorded on the University of Minnesota official academic transcript. It is very rare to earn a second bachelor’s degree or to add a major rather than being classified as licensure only.
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum
If you’re a transfer student who has earned an associate of arts degree from a Minnesota institution or has earned the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MNTC) before enrolling at UMN Morris as a degree-seeking student, you will have satisfied all of the general education requirements of the Morris Core Curriculum. However, this does not include the world language, writing enriched, Morris Core experience, nor Morris capstone requirements.
While an associate of arts earned at non-Minnesota colleges does not qualify for the MNTC, all transfer courses completed will be evaluated for the UMN Morris general education (Morris Core) fulfillment. So if you’re a prospective out-of-state student planning to transfer to UMN Morris after completing an associate of arts, you may request a course prior approval to confirm that courses completed at the out-of-state institution will fulfill UMN Morris general education (Morris Core) requirements upon admission.
General Education Requirements (Morris Core) Satisfied
First Year Experience
- Intellectual Community (IC)
- College Pathways Morris IS 1101 (CP)
Skills for the Liberal Arts
- Writing for the Liberal Arts (WLA)
- Quantitative/Mathematical/Symbolic Reasoning (M/SR)
- Artistic Process (ArtP)
Liberal Arts Perspectives
- Historical Perspectives (Hist)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (SS)
- Humanities (Hum)
- Fine Arts (FA)
- Physical and Natural Sciences (Sci- without a lab; Sci-L- with a lab)
Morris Mission Themes
- Human Diversity and Equity (HDE)
- Sustainability & the Environment (SE)
- Global Perspectives (GP)
- Ethical and Civic Responsibility (E/CR)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I send my official transcripts?
To earn credit for college courses, have official transcripts for all coursework sent to the Office of Admissions via email to [email protected] or mail to:
Office of Admissions
600 E 4th Street
Morris, MN 56267
How many UMN Morris credits do I have to earn to receive my University of Minnesota Morris degree?
You’ll need to earn at least 30 UMN Morris credits. Additionally, at least 15 credits of the last 30 credits earned prior to the awarding of your UMN Morris degree and half of your upper-level coursework in your major must be earned at UMN Morris.
I applied last year and was accepted. Do I have to submit a new application?
If you are transferring from another institution, yes, you do need to submit a new application. You can contact the Office of Admissions for an application fee waiver. We will need the following, if we don’t already have them:
- Official college or university transcripts
- If you have less than 30 completed college credits include
- official high school transcripts (and GED transcripts if applicable) sent directly from the school to UMN Morris and
- official ACT or SAT reasoning score report (if your score is printed on your high school transcript, it is considered an official score). The Morris ACT code is 2155 and the SAT code is 6890. (optional)
Your application will be evaluated again based on past and updated application information. Re-admission is not guaranteed. Please contact Admissions with questions.
I applied and was accepted last year and was offered a scholarship. Do I automatically receive this scholarship again?
It depends. If you received a Transfer Academic Scholarship and still meet the required credit and transfer GPA requirements, and have not attended another University of Minnesota college since the scholarship was initially awarded, your Transfer Academic Scholarship will be reinstated. Other scholarships are canceled when you don’t enroll at UMN Morris. If eligible, you may re-apply for other scholarships.
What is the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum?
The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MNTC) is an agreement for transferring general education requirements as a package from and between participating colleges. The MNTC can be completed as a stand-alone program and is built into the associate of arts degree at participating colleges. UMN Morris accepts the MNTC. Contact your previous college for more information on availability and for guidance in completing the program.
I have completed the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum. What does that mean if I attend UMN Morris?
All of your general education requirements are fulfilled for UMN Morris. This does not include the world language, writing enriched, Morris Core experience, nor Morris capstone requirements.
What if I haven’t completed the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum?
Don’t worry! We will just look at your previous courses and make transfer decisions on a course-by-course basis. In many cases, it’s best to complete prerequisites for your major instead of completing the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum.
Please contact UMN Morris as early as possible to ensure a smooth and efficient completion of your four-year degree.
Will credits from colleges that are not regionally accredited transfer to UMN Morris?
Not automatically. We do not accept transfer coursework from proprietary technical colleges, business colleges, and similar postsecondary schools that are not regionally accredited. However, you may be able to take an exam in certain subjects for credit. In lieu of regional accreditation, determination must be made that instruction is collegiate level and appropriate for UMN Morris’s liberal arts mission before credit is awarded.
Will my previous college GPA transfer to UMN Morris?
The only GPA that will transfer to Morris is one earned at another University of Minnesota campus. GPAs from a college or university outside of the University of Minnesota System will not be calculated in your UMN Morris GPA. Individual transfer courses, credits, and grades earned outside of the University of Minnesota System will not appear on your UMN Morris transcript, even if those transfer courses are used to complete your UMN Morris degree requirement.
I have already earned a four-year degree from another college but want to add a teaching license at UMN Morris. What do I need to do?
Apply for admission to the University of Minnesota Morris, following the steps that match the type of college from which you are transferring. You will need to be admitted to both UMN Morris and the UMN Morris teacher preparation program. Once admitted to the University, reach out to the Division of Education as early as possible to determine what licensure requirements you will need to fulfill, information on how and when to apply to the program, and to avoid missing important application deadlines.
If you are transferring to UMN Morris after earning a degree from another college, note the following information.
- You need to be admitted to both UMN Morris and the UMN Morris teacher preparation program.
- Since you already have a degree, you will be considered a teacher candidate pursuing a "teaching licensure only" option without a degree notation on the official transcript.
- If you will be studying a completely new major, you may earn a bachelor of arts degree that would be recorded on the University of Minnesota official academic transcript. It is very rare to earn a second bachelor’s degree or to add a major rather than being classified as licensure only.
What if I already have a bachelor’s degree from another college?
Great! You are exempt from our general education (Morris Core) requirements. You may not earn a second bachelor of arts degree, but you can pursue additional coursework or a new major at UMN Morris.
Do I automatically get junior standing when I transfer with a two-year degree?
No. We do not automatically grant junior standing. Class standing at UMN Morris depends on your total earned credits in transfer coursework, not time in school or degrees earned. On a similar note, if you have completed two years of coursework, you may have more than two years left at UMN Morris to complete your major, depending on previous coursework completed.
Is there a limit to the number of credits I can transfer?
No. There is no absolute limit on the number of credits in appropriate coursework that may be transferred to Morris. You will still need to fulfill all UMN Morris degree requirements, regardless of the number of credits you are transferring.
Will credits in religious studies transfer to UMN Morris?
Religious studies from public regionally accredited colleges go through the normal transfer review. Religious studies from private colleges go through a special faculty review committee. Religious studies courses transfer if they are not doctrinal, confessional, or sectarian in nature.
Do repeated courses count twice?
No. If you have repeated a course, only the last enrollment for the course will transfer.
Do study abroad courses count?
Maybe. Study abroad courses may or may not transfer, depending on the international institution offering the courses and other variables. We use the same transfer review guidelines for study abroad coursework as we do for domestic college coursework. Prior approval from UMN Morris is always recommended to ensure that you can transfer the credits earned to UMN Morris. Contact Admissions with questions.
Do independent studies, workshops, field experience, or internships transfer?
Maybe. A special review will determine if the work was college level and meets our liberal arts requirements. We use the same transfer review guidelines for independent and applied coursework as we do for domestic college coursework.
What courses don’t transfer?
Courses that are not from regionally accredited institutions or those not designed for college credit, such as vocational, remedial, or developmental courses, do not transfer. Additionally, college-level courses with a W or F grade do not transfer.
What about credits earned under quarters vs. semesters?
We are on a semester system and will convert your quarter credits to semesters. To convert quarters to semesters, multiply the number of quarter credits by two-thirds. For example, 15 quarter credits equals 10 semester credits.