Policies

Campus Policy for Transfer Credit

Policy Purpose

All applicants admitted to the college as transfer students must supply official transcripts for each college previously attended before the transfer credit evaluation process can begin. Transfer credit evaluations are in support of the State University of New York (SUNY) commitment to high academic standards, timely degree completion and seamless transfer.

Farmingdale State College accepts transfer credit for new transfer students and freshman who have earned college credit in high school as well as current students who file an Off Campus Studies Approval Form. Transfer credit evaluations for new transfers and freshman are performed by the Transfer Service Office, in consultation with the Academic Program Chairs.

In accordance with SUNY Transfer Guarantee policy (Document number 3303), New York State residents who are graduates of a State University of New York two-year college or a City University two-year college, including University community colleges operating under the program of the University, and who possess an A.A. or A.S. degree, shall be guaranteed an opportunity to continue their education on a full-time basis at a baccalaureate campus of the University. Specifically, students with an A.A or A.S. degree having successfully completed the SUNY General Education requirements and the transfer path courses specified for a bachelor’s degree shall be guaranteed admission to a four-year campus offering that program, under the same conditions as students enrolled at the campus as freshman, consistent with Strategic Enrollment Planning goals, for needs and capacity in each discipline.

Persons Affected

Students

Policy Statement

All credits accepted for transfer must be earned at institutions granted regional accreditation by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The CHEA database is an open resource to verify institutional accreditation status through the following regional accrediting bodies: Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Western Association of secondary Schools and Colleges (WASC)

For credits received from non-regionally accredited institutions of higher education, credits will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and appropriate documentation will be required including course descriptions and/or syllabi to assist in evaluating the course work.

Farmingdale State College awards transfer credit for those courses in which a grade of “C” or better was earned. Courses completed prior to matriculation with a grade less than “C” will be accepted only if a student has completed an Associate in Science (A.S.), Associate in Arts (A.A.) or a bachelor’s degree prior to the time of first admission. It is important to note that regardless of degree status, EGL 101 and EGL 102 – composition I and II will only be awarded transfer credit for a grade of “C” or higher. Furthermore courses that are designed to give students the necessary background for college-level work are not accepted for transfer credit. Examples of remedial courses include basic writing skills, prealgebra, and English as a Second Language (ESL).

The following provides general guidance on the transfer of college credit:

I. Residency Requirement
Candidates for a baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of 30 of the last 60 credits at the college, with 15 of those credits in the major. At least 9 of the 15 major credits must be taken at the 300/400 level. Associate degree candidates must complete 15 credits of the last 30 credits, and certificate programs require 25% of the course requirements to be taken in residence. Any exceptions to the final degree credit requirement are at the discretion of the program chair in consultation with their Dean. Credits earned through approved study abroad or exchange programs may count toward satisfaction of the residency requirements. However, credits earned through advanced standing {e.g., credit by evaluation, advanced placement, etc.) do not fulfill the minimum residency requirements.

II. Seamless Transfer
According to the SUNY Seamless Transfer Resolution, seamless transfer, permits students within the SUNY system to complete degree requirements without duplicative effort or unnecessary costs. SUNY transfer paths are designed to enhance seamless transfer within the State University because their courses in the major and associated cognates closely resemble lower-division courses required at other colleges and university, both public and private; and whereas typically several lower-division foundational major courses in a transfer path are completed during the first two years of full-time study of a baccalaureate program. Specifically, Farmingdale State College will grant credit to transfer students for successfully completing as defined, at any SUNY campus: (1) SUNY General Education Requirement courses; and (2) transfer path foundational major courses, as well as associated cognate courses. See approved transfer path programs.

III. College Credits through Standardized Testing
College credits will be granted for successfully passing standardized tests such as the College Proficiency Examination Program (CPEP), the College Level Proficiency Program (CLEP) and the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES; formerly USAFI). Credits can be obtained in subject areas and for general examination with departmental approval. Students may also receive advanced standing and/or credit for any specific courses (if applicable) taken through the Advanced Placement Program with (AP) exam scores of 3, 4 or 5.

IV. International Transfer Credit
Transfer applicants may be awarded credit for courses completed at a post-secondary institution outside the United States that has been approved by the government or ministry of education in its home country. Students submitting international course work for evaluation of transfer credit will need to have foreign credentials evaluated by a member of National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or World Education Services (WES) is recommended. The Office of Transfer Services will determine the number of credits and courses a student may transfer from previously attended institutions. Transfer applicants may also be required to submit college/university course descriptions or syllabi from previously attended institutions for the purpose of performing a transfer-credit evaluation. If the official transcripts of the academic records are not in English, an English translation validated by a certified public translator is required. International students being accepted through partnerships and articulation programs may not be required to have a third-party credential evaluation. Farmingdale State College students who study abroad will receive transfer credits only when credits have been approved prior to the student participation in the study abroad program. Students must complete a pre-approval form signed by their Farmingdale State College Department Chairperson and the Dean of international Education and Programs. All credits received abroad through Farmingdale State College or another SUNY institution are vetted and are transferred under a signed academic policy agreement.

V. Military Transfer Credits
Military credits may be granted on a case-by-case basis based upon review of a Military Smart transcript.

VI. Non-Semester Hour Based Transfer Credit
Farmingdale State College will award transfer credit for courses completed on other assignment of credit systems (quarter-hour, unit-based, etc.) During the transfer credit evaluation process courses from other systems will be converted to their semester-hour equivalent and be assigned transfer credit approval.

VII. Transfer Credit Placement
Transfer credit placement is divided into four levels

Course Type	Course Number	Course Level
Introductory	100-199	Freshman
Intermediate	200-299	Sophomore
Intermediate	300-399	Junior
Advanced	400-499	Senior

For a transfer course to be placed as a direct equivalent, it must be approximately the same course level as the course offered at Farmingdale State College. For example, a 100-level introductory course in Organizational Behavior offered at another college is not equivalent to Farmingdale State College’s 300- level Organizational Behavior course. Generally, courses completed at a two-year college will be placed at the 100 or 200 level. If the content and prerequisite course work matches the requirements at FSC, a course may be placed at the 300-level. In only rare instances will transfer courses be placed at the 400- level.

Farmingdale State College supports the position of the State University of New York that transfer students should not be required to repeat general education courses. If a student is transferring from a SUNY college, Farmingdale State College will recognize those courses that are approved at the prior institution to meet the general education requirement. For example, Adirondack Community College’s ENG 203 – British Lit I course is approved to meet the SUNY humanities requirement. The course will then transfer to FSC to meet the same requirement. Students transferring from non-SUNY institutions will have course placed as general education if the content offered in the course matches the learning outcomes of the specific requirement.

VIII. Programmatic Accreditation Requirements
While content, level and prerequisites are the three primary factors in determining whether a course is placed as a direct equivalent or a program elective, some programs have specific accreditation requirements that impact the placement of direct equivalents. Programs like Nursing, Dental Hygiene and programs in our School of Engineering must meet external program specific accreditation requirements for transfer credits, which generally limit how credit can be placed if the student is transferring from a non-accredited program.

Transfer credit evaluation appeals should be directed to the Transfer Services Office (631) 420-2733. Students requesting an appeal should be prepared to provide additional information (including course descriptions and/or syllabi) to assist in re-examining the course. In some cases, the faculty from the respective academic program may need to be consulted regarding the request for reconsideration of transfer credit. Finally, the SUNY System has established the SUNY Student Transfer Appeal Process, which is designed for any student in an associate degree program who does not agree with the decision of the college regarding acceptance and /or placement of credit earned elsewhere within SUNY.

In the event that a student would like to challenge the evaluation of transfer credits from other colleges or universities, a formal letter of appeal should be sent to:

Chair, Admissions and Academic Standards Committee

c/o Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Horton Hall, Room 230
Farmingdale State College
2350 Broadhollow Road
Farmingdale, NY 11735

All appeals should include the student’s name, Ram ID #, and a clear explanation as to why the student believes the initial response was inappropriate. Any information or evidence provided to justify that the course credit should be transferred would assist in the appeal process. Examples of support include a comparison of topics covered, credit hours, lab hours, sample course syllabi or other material indicating the courses are comparable.

Definitions

Direct Equivalent: a direct equivalent transfer credit must sufficiently match the content offered in the Farmingdale State College course. This includes both the content being taught as part of the courses, as well as the desired student learning outcomes.

Prerequisites: Background or foundational knowledge needed to ensure successful completion of the enrolled course.

Responsible Office

Office of the Provost

Policy History

Effective Date: June 4, 2015;
Updated August 15, 2017