Transfer Credits

If you are a student who has completed college level coursework at another college or university, or through programs such as Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the Armed Forces you will need to submit an official transcript or official score reports from each institution to Dutchess Community College to be evaluated for possible transfer credit. It is highly recommended that you submit any transcripts for review prior to your first semester at DCC.

DCC only transfers in credits that are applicable to the student's current degree program and that were earned at a regionally accredited institution (e.g. Middle States Association.) To have a course accepted as transfer for an equivalent to an existing DCC course, the course content, learning outcomes, length/time of instruction of the course and credit value will be the primary determining factors to its transferability.

The maximum number of credits transferred in is 40 applicable academic credits. Only courses in which the student has received a grade of at least "C" will be considered for transfer credit. Courses and credits, but not grades, are accepted. Transfer credits from other institutions will have no bearing on a student's QPA or CPA. Some time limits apply to transfer credit eligibility for certain degree programs and this determined at the time of the evaluation.

The Registrar's Office may request either a more detailed course description or course syllabi to assist in determining the transferability of the course(s) in question. Whenever the situation requires a more complete course description or a detailed course syllabus, it is the responsibility of the student seeking the transfer credit to obtain copies from the prior institution and provide this information to the Registrar's Office.

Current Students

Before registering at another institution a Permission to Attend form should be filled out and submitted for approval. This is the only way to guarantee the course(s) will be taken in transfer toward your current program of study. Permission to Attend forms should be submitted to the Registrar's Office.

Credit by Examination

College-Level Examination Placement (CLEP)

Transfer credit may be awarded to degree seeking students who have credits that are earned through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) provided that the student has taken the appropriate CLEP examination and earned a minimum a score of "50" as certified by an official score report sent from The College Board to the Registrar's Office.

Dutchess Community College grants credit for CLEP exams as follows:

  1. The student must be matriculated in a degree or certificate program at DCC and the exam must be equivalent to a course which is applicable to the student's degree program.

  2. The student must earn a score of 50 or better on the exam.

  3. The credit earned will appear at the top of the student's DCC transcript with other transfer credits. This will appear only as transfer credit and no grade will be attached.

  4. CLEP credits may be used to meet the requirements for the 24-credit High School Equivalency (HSE, formerly known as GED) as described in the Dutchess Community College Catalog.

CLEP exams are offered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at test centers around the country including the Office of Community Services at DCC. Please call (845) 790-3734 or email HighStakesTesting@sunydutchess.edu to schedule a testing time.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Transfer credit may be awarded to degree seeking students who have taken the appropriate Advanced Placement examination (AP) and earned a minimum score of "3"or higher as certified by an official score report sent from The College Board to the Registrar's Office.

Dutchess Community College grants credit for AP exams as follows:

  1. The student must be matriculated in a degree or certificate program at DCC and the exam must be equivalent to a course which is applicable to the student's degree program.

  2. The student must earn a score of "3" or higher on the exam.

  3. The credit earned will appear at the top of the student's DCC transcript with other transfer credits. This will appear only as transfer credit and no grade will be attached.

Foreign College or University outside of the United States

In the case of Colleges and Universities outside of the United States the student must provide a a course by course evaluation done by an agency for international academics such as World Education Services (WES) or an equivalent professional credential evaluation to be evaluated for potential transfer credit.

Military

Credits earned through military service are evaluated according to the recommendations of the American Council on Education Registry (ACE). DCC only transfers in credits that are applicable to the student's current degree program. Appropriate military documents and must be submitted to receive transfer credit. In some instances, granting transfer credit must be approved by the chair of the appropriate department.

Credit for Prior Learning

Traditionally, credit is received by completing college courses. Dutchess Community College recognizes that college-level learning may occur outside the traditional classroom setting.

DCC Proficiency Exams

All matriculated students are eligible to receive credit for any course that is required in the curriculum by successfully passing a departmental proficiency examination. Students may not receive credit for elective courses by proficiency examination.

Students who are interested in taking a proficiency examination should pick up the Proficiency Exam application at the Testing Center in the Student Services Center, room 104 and then contact the appropriate department chair for permission to take a proficiency exam. If approved, it is recommended that students ask the department chair for information regarding the format and content of the examination.

A non-refundable fee of $35 is charged for each examination and is payable at Student Financial Services. Testing is scheduled through the Testing Center; a paid receipt must be shown in order to schedule the examination.

After the student takes the proficiency exam, the Testing Center sends it to the academic department chair for grading. If the student passes the exam with an equivalent of a C or better, paperwork is processed to submit a grade of "J" to the Registrar on the form entitled ‘Certification of Credit by Proficiency'.

Students who take an examination for a course in which they are currently enrolled will be required to withdraw from the course if they successfully complete the examination. Students may not take a proficiency examination for a course that they have failed without special permission from the department chair. Students may repeat a proficiency examination only with approval from the appropriate department chair.

In those instances where a department chair can determine that a student is proficient in a course without the results of a proficiency test, the department chair may initiate the Certification of Credit by Proficiency Form as soon as the student presents evidence of paying the required $35 fee.