Advance Credit

Transfer Credit

Saginaw Valley State University is a consenting (with provisions) institution of the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO) transfer agreement. Students transferring with the MACRAO Agreement will be granted a minimum of eight categories toward the SVSU General Education requirements as determined by the transfer credit evaluator.

Transfer Credit Policy

1. Saginaw Valley State University generally will consider for transfer credit course work that has been completed at a degree-granting college or university holding accreditation through a regional institutional accrediting association. In evaluating such course work, SVSU will consider the nature and content of the courses as they may be appropriate to the intended program of study. Full credit will be granted by the Registrar’s Office for courses that are determined to be comparable in nature and content to those offered by SVSU. Transfer students may be required to provide such materials as course descriptions, syllabi, papers and examinations to assure proper evaluation.
2. Credit earned in institutions of higher education that are not accredited as stated in section one (at the time the course was taken) generally is not acceptable for transfer to SVSU. By exception, such course work may be considered for credit upon individual course evaluation and the recommendation of the Registrar’s Office and the dean of the appropriate college.
3. Credit attained through non-traditional learning experiences such as credit by examination, high schoolbased programs, military schools, non-collegiate instruction, etc., is evaluated according to the general policies of the University as stated in the catalog or addendum. If no formal policy exists, the credit is evaluated on an individual basis by the Registrar’s Office for approval by the dean of the appropriate college. This policy applies to non-traditional educational sources regardless of previous validation by another educational institution, whether accredited or not.
4. Appeals of decisions regarding transfer of credit matters must be made in writing, with appropriate supporting materials, to the Associate Registrar. If the question is not resolved, the student may submit a course petition to the appropriate academic department and dean. The final authority for determining acceptance of transfer of credit is the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
5. Specific requirements and limitations for all students are:
   1. Course work submitted for transfer of credit must be by official transcript, not issued to the student. The validity of the transcript or alternate document for non-traditional course work will be determined by the Registrar’s Office.
   2. Transferred credits are not included in the Saginaw Valley State University grade point average computation.
   3. Grades such as “P” (Pass) or “S” (Satisfactory) that are credit-earned but do not carry grade point values must be validated by the issuing institution as being equivalent to the minimum acceptable grade for the appropriate degree program.
   4. Transferred credits will be reevaluated upon readmission to the University.
   5. Transferred credits become credits earned when the first Saginaw Valley State University credit is earned.
6. Specific requirements and limitations for undergraduate programs:
   1. The maximum credits accepted from all sources for an undergraduate degree program is 93 credits (with the exception of the 150-credit hour accounting program).
   2. The maximum credits accepted from all two-year institutions for an undergraduate degree program are 62.
   3. The minimum acceptable grade for transfer to an undergraduate degree program is “C-” or its equivalent.
7. Specific requirements and limitations for graduate programs:
   1. The maximum credits accepted from all sources for a graduate degree program are determined by each college, not to exceed 12.
   2. The minimum acceptable grade for transfer to a graduate degree program is “B-” or its equivalent.

Advanced Placement

Saginaw Valley State University participates in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board and grants either advanced credit, advanced placement or both, to Freshmen who have completed college-level studies while still in high school and have earned satisfactory scores on the Advanced Placement examinations.

Scores of three, four or five on the following examinations assure the entering student of both advanced placement and credit: American History, Studio Art, Art History, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science, English Composition and Literature, English Language and Composition, European History, Music, Physics B and Physics C. Credit and placement are granted for scores of four or five on Biology, French, German, Latin, Psychology and Spanish examinations.

College Level Examination Program

Saginaw Valley State University also participates in the College Level Examination Program of the College Entrance Examination Board and grants credit for both General and Subject Examination. See “Credit by Examination” for detailed policy.