Pursue Excellence Through Divine Wisdom and Academic Distinction: All Programs at The American University of Science (AUS)

Institutional Reference Code (IRC): AUS.POL.ACA.TRC.0002

Graduate Transfer Credit Policy

Sponsor: Office of Academics (inclusive of the Department of the Registrar)

Audience: Undergraduate programs and administrative units of The American University of Science (“AUS,” “the University”)

Institutional Reference Number (IRN): AUS.POL.ACA.TRC.0002

Effective Date: September 3, 2025

Next Review Date: August 3, 2026

Last Effective Date: September 3, 2024

Last Review Date: August 3, 2024

Last Effective Version: V1 (Initial)

Supersedes: Prior drafts and advisories on graduate credit transfer and residency

A. Statement of Purpose

This Policy establishes AUS’s sovereign framework for the award, application, and limitation of Graduate Semester Credit Hours (GSCH) earned externally. It ensures that every transfer determination is anchored in graduate-level equivalency, programmatic fit, residency integrity, and non-duplication of credit. The calculus is modality-neutral and calendar-invariant, auditable against the Academic Credit Hours Policy (AUS.POL.ACA.CHR.0001) and its Credit-Hour Equivalency Tables. The result is a system of crystalline transparency for students, unimpeachable defensibility for accreditors and regulators, and unwavering fidelity to AUS’s academic rigor.

B. Scope of Applicability

This Policy governs all graduate transfer credit determinations at AUS—both pre-matriculation and post-matriculation—including:

• Coursework from domestic institutions recognized by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor and from international institutions of recognized standing;

• Narrowly defined non-traditional pathways expressly authorized herein or in an Appendix;

• AUS-approved study-elsewhere activity subject to advance authorization.

It applies to Programs/Faculties, Faculty Course Review Committees (FCRCs), the Department of the Registrar, the Faculty Senate, and all graduate students in master’s, professional, and doctoral degrees.

C. Definitions and Principles

1) Definitions

• Graduate Transfer Credit (GTC): GSCH recognized by AUS for post-baccalaureate learning completed at another recognized institution.

• Residency Credit: GSCH earned through AUS courses (including AUS-sponsored exchanges recorded in residence).

• Course Equivalency: A determination that external graduate work substantially matches the content, level, learning outcomes, assessment, and credit value of an AUS graduate course, requirement block, or elective.

• Official Documentation: Transcripts or records sent directly by the issuing body; international credentials accompanied by an AUS-designated NACES/ACE evaluation unless specifically exempted.

• Graduate Bridge Module (GBM): A 0.5/1.0/1.5/2.0 credit AUS module authorized to harmonize sub-threshold transfer units to AUS’s 5.0-credit requirement blocks.

2) Governing Principles

• Graduate Level & Rigor: Only post-baccalaureate work demonstrably at the graduate level is eligible.

• Programmatic Fit: GTC must logically fit the degree architecture (core, specialization, research/methods, or elective).

• Non-Duplication / No Regression: No double counting of substantially the same subject; lower-level work cannot replace higher-level AUS requirements.

• Modality Neutrality: Online/hybrid work may be eligible when degree-applicable at the sending institution and evidencing regular and substantive faculty interaction.

• Transparency & Auditability: Every award is traceable to official evidence, published conversions, and recorded determinations; appeal is guaranteed.

D. Policy and Procedures

1) Eligibility & Documentation

• Recognized Institutions:

  • U.S.: Accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  • International: Institutions of recognized standing; evaluation by an AUS-designated NACES/ACE member as required.

• Graduate Timing: Work must be taken after the bachelor’s conferral. Coterminal-style exceptions may be considered with evidence of graduate-level rigor.

• Minimum Grade: B (3.0) or higher in each course. Pass/Satisfactory grades are acceptable only if the sending institution certifies equivalence to B (3.0) or above.

• Recency: Normally within 7 years of AUS matriculation for master’s/professional degrees; 10 years for doctoral residency credit. Programs may grant exceptions with FCRC concurrence.

• No Double Counting: Credits already applied to a conferred degree are not transferable, except as narrowly allowed for doctoral residency credit (see §D.6).

2) Timing

• Pre-Matriculation: Evaluation upon receipt of final, official documentation.

• Post-Matriculation (Study Elsewhere): Requires advance written approval via the Graduate Permit to Study process.

3) Equivalency & Application to the Degree

• Evaluation Sequence:

  1. Registrar (intake, authenticity, conversions);

  2. FCRC (academic equivalency/mapping, GBM sizing if needed);

  3. Program (degree applicability to core/specialization/research/electives).

• Use Toward Requirements: GTC may satisfy requirements only when formally articulated. Certain requirements (e.g., candidacy milestones, thesis/dissertation research, clinical capstones) are AUS-resident by design.

• Credit Value Matching: After conversion, awarded credit must be equivalent or approximately equivalent to the AUS requirement; sub-threshold totals require a GBM (§C).

4) Unit Conversions (AUS uses semester credits; 5-credit norm)

• Quarter → Semester: quarter units ÷ 1.5

• Trimester → Semester: trimester units × 0.75

• Non-standard systems: Map to CHR minute minima when necessary.

• Rounding: To the nearest 0.5 credit unless a published articulation specifies otherwise.

• Five-Credit Harmonization: To satisfy a 5.0-credit AUS block, subject-matched transfer credits must total ≥ 5.0; otherwise attach an authorized GBM (0.5/1.0/1.5/2.0).

5) Online / Hybrid Eligibility

Eligible when: (a) degree-applicable at the originating institution; (b) regular and substantive faculty interaction is documented (syllabi, LMS logs, assessed artifacts); (c) all other thresholds are met.

6) Restrictions & Special Categories

• Graduate Thesis/Dissertation (GTD), Qualifying/Comprehensive Exams, Clinical/Practicum Capstones: Not satisfied by GTC except where a published program exception exists.

• Prior Graduate Degree Coursework (Already Conferred): Not transferable to a new AUS degree except as doctoral residency credit within the caps in §D.7 and only by formal articulation; no automatic course waivers.

• Military Graduate Learning (ACE-evaluated): Considered case-by-case for graduate-level outcomes; typically posts as elective or methods credit; caps apply.

• Credit by Examination (Graduate): Not customary for transfer. Where a program offers a graduate challenge exam, any resulting credit is AUS residency credit (not transfer) and remains within program caps.

• Exclusions: MOOCs/bootcamps, CEUs, corporate trainings, and uncertified experiential portfolios—unless embedded in ACE-evaluated graduate transcripts and validated as above.

7) Maximum Transfer Credit & Residency Requirements

• Master’s / Professional Degrees

  • Maximum GTC: The lesser of 20 GSCH (four 5-credit courses) or one-third (33⅓%) of the program’s total credits, rounded to the nearest 5.0.

  • Residency Minimum: At least 60% of degree credits must be completed in residence at AUS (programs may require more).

• Graduate Certificates

  • Maximum GTC: The lesser of 5 GSCH or one-third of the certificate curriculum, rounded to 2.5–5.0 as the curriculum permits.

  • Residency Minimum: At least two-thirds in residence.

• Doctoral Degrees (Ph.D./Professional Doctorates)

  • Maximum GTC toward Residency: Up to 30 GSCH (six 5-credit courses) or one-third of the pre-candidacy residency requirement, whichever is lower.

  • Candidacy & Milestones: Transfer of units does not waive candidacy examinations, prospectus, dissertation research, or publication requirements.

8) GPA, Transcript, and Duplicate Credit

• Transcript Notation: AUS records the credits; external grades do not enter the AUS GPA.

• Duplicate/Regressive Credit: If a student later completes the equivalent AUS course, any previously awarded transfer credit for the same content is rescinded and the degree audit is adjusted.

9) Appeals

• Window: 30 calendar days from notice.

• Packet: Appeal form; detailed syllabi; assessment artifacts; evidence of modality and contact/engagement; lab/clinical documentation if relevant; official evaluations/transcripts; certified translations as required.

• Sequence: Registrar completeness → FCRC adjudication → Program confirmation → written decision.

• Final Appeal: Procedural/policy grounds to the Provost within 10 business days of the FCRC decision.

E. Roles and Responsibilities

• Provost (Responsible Official): Final authority for compliance and appeals beyond FCRC.

• Office of Academics — Department of the Registrar (Policy Custodian): Intake, authenticity checks, conversions, posting; maintains conversion matrices and the Study-Elsewhere procedure; archives determinations.

• Faculty Course Review Committees (FCRCs): Academic equivalency judgments; requirement mappings; GBM sizing; appeal adjudication.

• Programs/Faculties: Degree applicability decisions; plan-of-study integration; publication of stricter local standards.

• Faculty Senate: Approves substantive matrix updates and systemic policy changes upon recommendation of the Office of Academics.

F. Implementation Measures

1) Deployment Strategy

• Effective for students matriculating on/after September 3, 2025. Earlier cohorts may elect this Policy if it advances degree progression without violating standing requirements.

• Training & Briefings: Annual workshops for advisors, FCRC members, and Registrar staff; publication of a Graduate Transfer Guide and GBM catalog.

2) Resource Allocation

• Systems: Integrated articulation database; student-facing status tracker; analytics for audit and equity monitoring.

• Support: Dedicated help desk channel within the Registrar; template syllabi articulation checklist.

G. Enforcement and Compliance

• Monitoring: Periodic sampling audits of approvals/denials; equity review across sending institutions and disciplines; LMS-based verification for online/hybrid parity where relevant.

• Sanctions/Remedies: Corrective re-articulation; withdrawal of ineligible credit; process remediation; egregious misrepresentation referred under graduate conduct policies.

H. Review and Amendment

1) Scheduled Review

Annual review each summer prior to Fall scheduling; next review due August 3, 2026.

2) Amendment Process

Office of Academics (via the Department of the Registrar) drafts amendments; FCRCs and Graduate Programs Council review; Faculty Senate recommends; Provost approves; updates published with version control under the IRC.

I. Related Policies and References

• Academic Credit Hours Policy (AUS.POL.ACA.CHR.0001) & Appendix A — Credit-Hour Equivalency Tables

• Graduate Permit to Study (External Coursework) Procedure

• Graduate Thesis/Dissertation & Candidacy Policies

• Distance and Online Education Standards

• Records Retention & Data Protection Policy

J. Appendices and Additional Resources

• Appendix A: Graduate Unit Conversions & Five-Credit Harmonization Examples

• Appendix B: Program-Specific GTC Caps & Residency Tables (if higher than §D.7)

• Appendix C: Graduate Articulation Appeal Form & Evidentiary Checklist

• Appendix D: Online/Hybrid Documentation Guide for AET/APT Parity

GOVERNANCE, GUARDIANSHIP, AND PERPETUAL ALIGNMENT

The governance of AUS, entrusted to its Board of Governors, constitutes a sacred guardianship of the University’s mission, vision, and institutional integrity. This stewardship transcends administrative obligation; it is a solemn vocation of moral leadership, doctrinal fidelity, and eternal accountability.

Each section of this codified text—whether doctrinal, academic, ethical, or structural—is subject to continuous review and conscientious reaffirmation. This process ensures that the living identity of AUS remains harmonized with its divine mandate and responsive to the evolving exigencies of global higher education. The Board conducts annual reviews of all foundational texts, policies, and institutional declarations, ensuring their alignment with the transcendent principles upon which the University was founded.

As of this publication, the schedule of reviews and ratifications is as follows:

• First Review: August 3, 2021

• First Publication: September 3, 2021

• Second Review: August 3, 2022

• Second Ratification: September 3, 2022

• Third Review: August 3, 2023

• Third Ratification: September 3, 2023

• Fourth Review: August 3, 2024

• Fourth Ratification: September 3, 2024

• Fifth Review: August 3, 2025

• Fifth Ratification: September 3, 2025

• (and perpetually henceforth, on an annual basis)

This living governance process does not merely preserve institutional integrity; it embodies the University’s irrevocable vow to uphold the highest standards of transparency, moral clarity, doctrinal fidelity, and visionary continuity. It affirms that AUS is not merely an academic institution, but a consecrated covenant—binding wisdom to governance, mission to accountability, and leadership to eternal truth.