Steps for taking Transient Coursework

(Coursework at another institution):

  1. 1

    Locate an institution (Timestamp 0:00)

    Locate the institution's process for Transient or Visiting students. Here is an example from a local community college (Tri-C). Begin this application and enrollment process while completing BW's steps below.

  2. 2

    Determine BW credit (Timestamp 0:48)

    Use the BW Transfer Course Search tool to see if your desired course was transferred to BW in the past.

    If your course or institution is not on the search tool, submit the Transfer Equivalency Approval form to have the course reviewed for credit before registering with the other institution.

  3. 3

    Transient Student Permit & policies (Timestamp 3:19)

    Complete the BW Transient Student Permit and review our transfer policies to ensure your desired course falls within the guidelines.

  4. 4

    Submit an official transcript (Timestamp 4:35)

    Once the class is complete and final grades are posted, send an official transcript to BW. Students must earn a "C" or higher to receive credit and the course must follow all other transfer policies.

 

Taking Transient Coursework full video:




Things to consider about transfer / transient credit

BW Residency requirement & 60 credit hour cap:

Students can transfer in 60 credits from a two-year school. There is no limit on how many credits can be transferred from a four-year university.

All students must earn 45 credits at BW to fulfill the residency requirement.

In general, transfer students are required to complete 40% in their major field of study at BW. Some departments require more than 40%. A minimum of 6 credits in a student's minor must be completed at BW.

Students earn credit, but do not receive a grade or impact on their GPA

Students will receive credit for transient courses only after the Office of Registration and Records has both an approved Transient Permit and the student's official transcript from the transient institution.

Students will receive credit for courses that meet the requirements; however, the course will not be GPA-bearing. This means transfer courses will not impact students' GPA.

Department-specific or subject restrictions:

Individual departments may have restrictions regarding transfer time limits or major residency requirements. Department-specific guidelines can be found here.

BW does not award credit for all courses in any discipline. Some programs do not award transfer credit, and BW does not award credit for courses in some disciplines not taught at BW. Notably, we do not award any transfer credit for courses in Nursing.

Policies and requirements:

Please review the full policy here.

  • Students must have sophomore standing and a 2.0 GPA or higher

  • Students must fill out a Transient Permit before taking courses.

  • Students must receive a grade of C or better

  • It is the responsibility of the student to reach out to the BW department chair if the course is not available on our Transfer Search Tool. The department chair decides what credit the student will receive for the course

  • The student is responsible for sending their grades back to BW via an official transcript

  • Financial obligations to BW must be satisfied.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Transfer/Transient coursework:

  • What's the difference between a transfer student and taking transient courses?

    Transfer student: Students who change schools and continue working toward their degree at their new institution, often sending a transcript to receive credit for coursework completed at their previous institution.
    Transient student: Students who are temporarily taking courses at another college or university (usually for one semester or summer). These students usually have the intention of transferring those credits back to their home institution, so they remain officially enrolled at their original school.

  • Am I considered a transfer student?

    If a student is transferring their previous college coursework to Baldwin Wallace in order to complete their degree, they would be considered a transfer student.
    Students coming directly from High School are NOT transfer students, even if they earned college credit and are transferring it to BW.

  • Can I take summer courses elsewhere?

    Yes, students can take transient coursework elsewhere during the summer semester and transfer the credit back to BW. Please see the steps above on how to take courses at other institutions.

  • What about taking a few courses at a community college during my Fall or Spring semester at BW?

    Yes, students can take transient coursework during a Fall or Spring semester while enrolled in their BW courses. Please see the steps above on how to take courses at other institutions. Students will also want to discuss this plan with financial aid.

  • Do transfer students complete the same core requirements?

    It depends on the amount of transferred credits. Transfer students bringing in 25 or more transfer credits (this does NOT include test credits like AP or CLEP) are expected to complete the OT36 Transfer Core instead of the University Core. The OT36 is a simplified version of the BW Core. Once applied to your MyProgress, your OT36 core requirements will be at the bottom, and your BW core will look like this:

    Transfer students who earned an associate degree are expected to complete the A2BW core in place of the University Core. The A2BW core only includes math, English, and 24 credits of coursework in liberal arts disciplines. Many students who have completed an associate degree will have fulfilled most, if not all, of the requirements during their associate degree program. Once applied to your MyProgress, your A2BW core requirements will be at the bottom, and your BW core will look like this:

  • How do I make sure I received all of my transfer credit?

    You can access a Transfer Summary Report in Student Planning. You can watch this video tutorial to learn how to review and read your transfer report. To ensure everything looks correct, consider the following questions during your review:
    • Are the total number of transfer credits correct? Do all of your previous courses appear on the transfer report? Do you have the correct core on your Student Progress tab? Do you have any ELECT-REVIEWs or DEPT-REVIEWS (If so, you'll need to submit a course description or syllabus with our Transfer Equivalency Approval form)?
    • Do all of your previous courses appear on the transfer report? Do you have the correct core on your Student Progress tab? Do you have any ELECT-REVIEWs or DEPT-REVIEWS (If so, you'll need to submit a course description or syllabus with our Transfer Equivalency Approval form)?
    • Do you have the correct core on your Student Progress tab? Do you have any ELECT-REVIEWs or DEPT-REVIEWS (If so, you'll need to submit a course description or syllabus with our Transfer Equivalency Approval form)?
    • Do you have any ELECT-REVIEWs or DEPT-REVIEWS? (If so, you'll need to submit a course description or syllabus with our Transfer Equivalency Approval form)