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Policy FAQs

Transfer Credit

Per our transfer credit policy, no credit will be awarded for correspondence courses or internships.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Incoming First-Year students and Transfer students do not need to fill out an Enrollment in Another Institution Form.

Can I take classes at another college or university during the academic year?

Students enrolled at the college may not take non-Dickinson affiliated classes at another academic institution in fall or spring semester. Students on an approved leave of absence may take a maximum of two preapproved courses per term for transfer back to Dickinson.

How many courses/credits may I transfer to Dickinson?

A maximum of 16 courses may be accepted for transfer.

What is the credit hour equivalency for a Dickinson course?

Each Dickinson course is equivalent to four credit (or semester) hours, unless otherwise noted in the course description. This is based on the assumption that at least three hours of study accompany each class period (excluding labs). Half courses meet either for only half the semester or on a half-time basis for the full semester. Some military science courses carry no academic course credit.

Can I take Summer or January-Term courses at another institution?

You may attend summer school or a January term at another institution in the United States or abroad, provided that:

  • you are in good academic standing, i.e. you have a 2.00 grade point average or better

AND

  • the other institution is accredited and has been approved by Dickinson College

In order to assure credit transfer you must secure prior approval of course(s).

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you do not complete the approval process before you leave campus to attend the other school, you run the risk of not receiving approval for your course(s).

To secure approval, complete the Enrollment in Another Institution Form.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Incoming First-Year students and Transfer students do not need to fill out an Enrollment in Another Institution Form. 

Be sure to:

  • List all courses to be taken (indicate any alternate choices).
  • Attach a photocopy of the official course descriptions.
  • Sign and date the enrollment form.
  • Secure your academic advisor's signature.
  • Obtain the signature of the appropriate Dickinson department chair, only if a course is to count towards a major, a minor or a Distribution Requirement. (General College/Elective Credit is approved by the Registrar.)
  • Submit the form to the Registrar's Office.

You will be notified regarding final approval or denial within 10 days of receipt of the completed form in the Registrar's Office.

As soon as the summer session or January term is over, it is your responsibility to see that the institution you attended sends an official transcript of your academic work to:

Dickinson College
Registrar's Office
P.O. Box 1773
Carlisle, PA 17013

You will receive only transfer credit for approved courses in which a grade of "C" (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better is earned, i.e. grades earned at another institution will appear on your Dickinson transcript, but they will not count in your cumulative grade point average. (Exception: courses taken at a Central Pennsylvania Consortium College during Fall or Spring semesters)

Courses may not be taken pass/fail unless it can be documented that pass is equivalent to a grade of "C" or better.

Can I transfer my Internship to Dickinson?

Transfer Credit will not be approved for Internships.

What credit can I receive for Advanced Placement tests?  How do I go about receiving credit for my Advanced Placement scores?

Check out the listing of Advanced Placement scores and the credit and/or placement received for each.

To receive credit/placement at Dickinson for your Advanced Placement scores, you will need to have an official copy of your scores sent to the Registrar's Office. To request that your official scores be sent contact the College Board at 1-888-CALL-4-AP (1-888-225-5427).

AMOUNT OF CREDIT:

The maximum credit transferable for a short-term study abroad is one (1) Dickinson course, regardless of the credit hours assigned by the host institution or number of courses taken by the student.

You may receive up to a total of four (4) transfer credits for summer and/or January study at other approved institutions. (You may take courses during one or more summer and January sessions as long as the total number of transfer credits do not exceed four (4) courses.)

If you wish to receive more than four (4) transfer credits for summer and January study at other approved institutions, you must obtain prior approval from the college. Petitions and supporting documentation should be submitted to the ASC (asc@dickinson.edu). Approval will be based on demonstrated relevance and coherence in your overall educational program.

The maximum number of courses that can be transferred to Dickinson College is sixteen (16). College regulations require a student to complete at least sixteen (16) courses on campus, including six (6) of the last eight (8), or the last four (4). In addition, you must complete at least twelve (12) courses on campus after declaring a major.

As an incoming student, can I transfer credits to Dickinson from another institution I attended?

Dickinson College allows incoming students to transfer credits from another institution (including college courses taken while in high school), if they meet the following criteria:

  • The institution is an accredited college-level institution.
  • The academic work must be satisfactorily completed with a grade of C or better (2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale)
  • The program of study reasonably parallels the curriculum of Dickinson College.
  • Credit must be documented on an official college/university transcript.

Final determination of credit and the satisfaction of requirements will be made by the Registrar. NOTE: Final determination of credit for language courses will not occur until language placement is determined via the on-line test or consultation with department once you have arrived on campus. Among the academic regulations applicable to all students and of particular note to transfer students is the graduation requirement that at least 16 courses be taken on campus, the last 12 of which must be taken while the student is matriculated with an approved major field of concentration.

For more information see the Transfer Admission Requirements section of the College Bulletin.

What credit can I receive for International baccalaureate exams?

Students who have taken International Baccalaureate courses will be granted general college credit for higher level IB exams in which they achieve grades of 5 or better. Placement and credit in the appropriate departments will be granted at the discretion of the departments.

Why doesn't my coursework taken at another institution appear on my Dickinson record?

There are two main reasons your transfer credit from another institution is not appearing on your Dickinson record:

  1. You have not submitted the completed Enrollment at Another Institution form to the Registrar's Office. This form contains the signatures necessary to approve the transfer of the course(s). You can obtain this form from Biddle House, First Floor or on the Forms link.
  2. Our office has not received an official copy of your transcript from the other institution. It is your responsibility to request that the other college/university send an official transcript to the Dickinson Registrar's Office.

Once all of the information is received by our office, please allow some processing time. You will be notified by our office once the transfer credit has been posted to your record.

How do I make sure that a course I want to take (or have already taken) at another institution will count as a US Diversity?

  1. Complete the Enrollment in Another Institution Form.

  2. Attach the syllabus and any other relevant course materials (papers/exams/etc.).

  3. Submit to The Registrar, Biddle House who will consult with the relevant committee to make a decision or e-mail the information at reg@dickinson.edu. You will be notified of the decision via your Dickinson College e-mail.