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Transferring Credit From Non-Regionally Accredited Schools
Excelsior College remains loyal to its philosophy of "What you know is more important than where or how you learned it". The College offers flexibility in its credit transfer policies to individual students; however, partnerships or contractual relationships with educational institution or corporations are subject to special policies.
Excelsior College will consider transfer credits from non-regionally accredited institutions, recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), that award at minimum an Associate or Baccalaureate college degree program. Transfer eligible credit must be applicable to the previously mentioned college degree programs. Certificate-only credit is not eligible for transfer under this policy. Institutions chartered by the NYS Board of Regents are exempt from this policy as they are covered in policy 023 – Recognition of Accredited Institutions. Noncredit programs must follow process outlined in policy 071 – Assessment of Training and Credentials for Credit unless already assessed by the American Council on Education (ACE) or the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) as per policy 024 – Non-Collegiate Sources of Credit.
Credits from non-regionally accredited institutions submitted by individual students will be evaluated and considered as long one of the following criteria are met:
Non-regionally accredited institutions with USDE-recognized accreditation – All credits submitted by individual students will be considered if at the time of the student's attendance, the institution was accredited and the accrediting body was recognized by the USDE. The Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs includes a listing of all approved accredited bodies. The accrediting body must be recognized by the USDE. It is not necessary for the individual school to appear on the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. Students may continue taking degree applicable credit at these institutions after admission (enrollment) and course approval may be provided.
Non-regionally accredited institutions holding only CHEA-recognized accreditation – Credits submitted by students will be considered if at the time of the student's attendance, the institution was accredited and the accrediting body was only recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The CHEA maintained "Directory of CHEA-Recognized Organizations." Only 25% of the number of credits required for the Excelsior degree may be transferred into Excelsior. Courses completed at a non-regionally accredited institution after a student is admitted (enrolled) into Excelsior College will not be applied to degree requirements, thus course approval will not be considered.
In both options listed above, credits completed during candidacy status will not be acceptable toward degree requirements. Excelsior College reserves the right to accept or deny credit from any institution or program.
Restrictions on acceptance of credit from institutions that are not regionally accredited are listed below:
Associate in Applied Science in nursing (no core courses/professional or other requirements specified by Excelsior College faculty will transfer)
Associate in Science in nursing (no core courses/professional or other requirements specified by Excelsior College faculty will transfer)
Bachelor of Science in nursing (no core courses/professional or other requirements specified by Excelsior College faculty will transfer). Credit for lower level nursing courses will be awarded from such institutions if they hold full accreditation at the time of attendance from either the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the student holds a valid and current RN-license. Additional General Education credits will not be awarded.
Master of Science in Nursing (No core courses/professional or other requirements specified by Excelsior College faculty will transfer).
The undergraduate component of the RN to MS in nursing (no core courses/professional or other requirements specified by the faculty from Excelsior College will transfer. Credit for lower level nursing will be awarded from such institutions if they hold full accreditation at the time of attendance from either the Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), formerly known as National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the student holds a valid and current RN-license. Additional General Education credits will not be awarded.
Syllabi must be provided for credits submitted for acceptance under policy 134 for the following degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering Technology (including dual degree with MBA), Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (including dual degrees with MBA and MS in Cybersecurity), Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity.
Excelsior College may engage in partnerships with Non-Regionally Accredited institutions if they appear in the USDE Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs and are currently participating in the Title IV federal aid program.
Students seeking to transfer credit from non-regionally accredited institutions must have official transcripts submitted to receive credit (see Official Transcripts). Students need to request that an official transcript of the credits they have successfully completed be sent to: