Transfer Credit
Credit for academic work completed elsewhere will be accepted by official transcripts from colleges and universities accredited by one of the following accrediting organizations if the courses are appropriate to the academic curriculum of Roanoke College: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; Higher Learning Commission; Middle States Commission on Higher Education; New England Commission of Higher Education; Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges; WASC Senior College and University Commission.
At least 17 of the total units required to graduate from Roanoke College (excluding Health and Human Performance 160 and Health and Human Performance activities) must be earned at Roanoke College. At least one-half of the minimum number of units required for a major must be completed at Roanoke College. After a student has registered with Roanoke College, degree credit will be granted only for elective courses and, in exceptional cases, up to a total of two units in the student’s major or minor or concentration taken at another institution. Transfer credit will not be approved for courses taken to meet core requirements. Approval for courses taken in the major, minor, or concentration must be obtained in advance from the departmental chairperson and the Registrar. Approval will not be granted for courses previously failed at Roanoke College. Credit will be granted for work in which a grade of “C-” or higher has been earned; transfer grades will neither appear on the Roanoke College transcript nor be used in calculation of the cumulative or major grade point average. Exceptions to these policies may be made in extenuating circumstances as approved by the Panel on Admissions, Readmissions, and Appeals.
The College does not accept credit for nonacademic experiential learning or professional certificates. However, in cases where coursework is appropriate to the academic curriculum of the College, exceptions may be made for military service school credit, as evaluated by the American Council on Education’s Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.
Through a longstanding agreement with Hollins University, Roanoke College will grant academic credit for courses appropriate to a Roanoke College program, including grades and quality points, to those regular students who, with the approval of the appropriate advisor or departmental chairperson and the Office of the Registrar, enroll in a course at Hollins, assuming that the course concerned is not currently available to the student through Roanoke College. The agreement applies only to fall and spring terms.
There are additional conditions and limitations on transfer credit for persons seeking a second degree. (See the “Additional Bachelor’s Degree” section.)
Degree credit will not be granted to a student for courses taken at any institution when the student is in a status of expulsion from Roanoke College or when in a status of suspension or expulsion from any other college or university.
Advanced Placement and Credit
Roanoke College grants advanced placement (competency) and unit credit on the basis of the Advanced Placement Tests of the College Entrance Examination Board, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination for courses which normally would be introductory for new students at the College. Generally, on the Advanced Placement Test, students who scores 3 will be granted competency in the equivalent Roanoke College course. Unit credit in the equivalent Roanoke College courses will be granted if a candidate scores a 4 or 5. For the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examinations, for the equivalent Roanoke College course, students who scores a 4 will be granted competency, and unit credit will be granted if a candidate scores 5, 6, or 7. Students scoring the equivalent of a “C-” or higher on the College Level Examination Program test will receive unit credit. However, no student may accrue more than eight units of credit through Advanced Placement tests, College Level Examination Program tests, International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examinations, and/or Credit by Examination.
Military service school credit, as evaluated by the American Council on Education Guide to the evaluation of educational experiences in the armed services, may also be considered for credit, provided the coursework is appropriate to the academic curriculum of Roanoke College.
Specific information can be obtained from the Registrar.
Competency Standards
In addition to the options described above, by meeting competency standards as described below, students are excused from taking some courses to satisfy the General Education requirements. The awarding of competency does not carry academic credit. Rather, it gives students more program flexibility by increasing their number of elective courses and allowing them to move to higher levels of study at a faster pace if they wish. If a student elects to take a course for credit after being awarded competency for that course, the competency is removed (except in foreign language where students cannot elect to repeat coursework for which they have earned competency).
Biology: Competency may be attained in Introduction to Biology by satisfying either of the following requirements: (1) a score of 3 on the Advanced Placement Test, or (2) a score of 630 on the SAT II Test in Biology and no secondary school grade lower than a “B” or its equivalent in a biology course.
Chemistry: Competency may be attained in Chemistry 111 by scoring in the 50th percentile or better on the ACS Exam in General Chemistry or to students who score a 3 on the Advanced Placement Test in Chemistry For competency in advanced courses, a student must score in the 50th percentile or better on the appropriate ACS Exam.
Foreign Language: Competency for the 101, 102 and 201 courses in a foreign language may be attained by students who earn: (1) a minimum score of 570 on the SAT II Subject Test in a foreign language or (2) a score of 3 on the appropriate language Advanced Placement Test. Academic credit at the 201 course level of a foreign language will be awarded for a score of four or five on the Advanced Placement Test. For the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examinations, the candidate who scores a 4 will be granted competency at the 201 course level. Unit credit for the 201 course level will be granted if a candidate scores 5, 6, or 7. Competency will be determined otherwise on an individual basis by scores on an examination administered by Roanoke College faculty. Students who successfully complete the 102- or 150-level foreign language course will be awarded competency at the 101-level. Students who successfully complete the 201-level foreign language course will be awarded competency at the 101 and 102-level. (Note: Upon completion of INQ/SPAN 277, students who have also completed Spanish 102 or 150 will receive competency in Spanish 201.)
History: Competency will be granted in History 140, Modern World, or History 200, US History by satisfying either of two requirements: (1) a score of 3 on the Advanced Placement Test, or (2) a score of 590 on the corresponding SAT II Test.
Mathematics: Competency may be attained in Mathematics 121 (Calculus I) with a score of three on the Calculus AB Advanced Placement Test. Competency may be attained in Mathematics 121 and Mathematics 122 with a score of 3 on the Calculus BC Advanced Placement Test.
Competency for all other mathematics courses will be determined on an individual basis by considering secondary school grades, standardized test scores, and scores on examinations administered by Roanoke College.
Physics: Competency in Introductory Physics may be attained by satisfying either of these two requirements: (1) a score of 3 on the Advanced Placement Test, or (2) a score of 650 on the SAT II Test in Physics. Competency in advanced physics courses may be determined on an individual basis upon completion of an examination administered by the department.
Physical Education: Competency will be granted in one team sport or one individual sport through a full season of varsity intercollegiate participation.