Policies

Students who have evidence of 1000 hours of employment as a LPN within the last 3 years are eligible for advanced placement nursing credits with a passing score of 78% or higher on the NLN Foundations of Nursing NACE NLN exam.

Courses taken and grades earned before the restart will remain on the student’s transcript (permanent record), but they will be treated as the equivalent of transfer credits.

All non-nursing transfer credits will be evaluated by the registrar and the nursing department chair (or designee) to determine equivalencies.

Advanced standing or special consideration for previous coursework or degrees are not provided.

Level I fieldwork will enhance student learning with a variety of potential experiences including but not limited to: simulated environments, standardized patient role plays, case-based clinical reasoning assignments, traditional fieldwork experiences, as well as faculty led experiences; all of which will have integrated assignments that draw upon prior learning in the OT curriculum.The experiential nature of the learning is a hallmark of Level I Fieldwork and carries the expectation of engagement with people in occupation across the life span continuum in a variety of settings.

Any grades earned in DPT prerequisite Natural Science course for transfer credit are included in the academic requirements. If the student has taken a Natural Science prerequisite course for transfer credit, the student must submit an official transcript to the Physical Therapy Department in addition to the one submitted to the Registrar by the end of November of the student’s senior year.

Army ROTC Military Science Center for Adult and Continuing Education Center for Worksforce Development & Talent Solutions Consortium Programs Credit Options Outside the Classroom Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Guaranteed Placement Program (GPP) Honors Program Pre-Professional Programs Service-Learning Office for Students With Disabilities Women with Children Program Air Force ROTC Through cooperative programs with Wilkes University, Misericordia University students can take part in Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

Credit will be awarded only when the equivalent course fulfills core curriculum, major, minor, or elective requirements within the student’s declared program of study. CLEP credit is awarded on a credit/no-credit basis and is recorded as transfer credit.

Credit By Examination A maximum of 40 credits may be awarded toward degree requirements through Credit by Examination, Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) (see “Credit Options Outside the Classroom” under Special Programs for more information), or a combination of these options. Credit is awarded only when the applicable course equivalency satisfies degree requirements within a student’s academic program. Credit by Examination and PLA may not be used to earn credit for coursework that does not apply to the student’s degree requirements. Credits obtained by examination include, but are not limited to, the following: Advanced Placement (AP) International Baccalaureate (IB) College Level Examination (CLEP)

For adult students who would like to receive credit for knowledge they have already acquired, Credit by examination (see “Credit by Examination” in the Undergraduate Admissions section of the catalog) and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) permit them to translate their learning into college credit.

The plan of study will outline any previously transferred credits and identify the remaining courses required to complete the MSN degree or Post-Master’s Certificate.

After transfer credits are applied, transfer students must complete all of the remaining English requirements as listed in the sequence of required courses in this catalog.

After transfer credits are applied, transfer students must complete all of the remaining Medical and Health Humanities requirement as listed in this catalog.

Final approval for transfer credits in Medical and Health Humanities or approval of off-campus courses in Medical and Health Humanities rests with the program director.

As adult learners, RN students also have the opportunity to earn credit by CLEP subject exams and Prior Learning Assessment. In addition to meeting the admission requirements for RN students, articulation status and the awarding of advanced placement credits is determined by the following: Graduates from accredited associate’s degree or diploma nursing programs within three years of the application date are eligible for direct articulation and will be awarded 32 advanced-placement credits for their prior nursing course work. These candidates may be required to complete a full portfolio or validation testing prior to being eligible for articulation and the awarding of 32 advanced-placement credits prior to nursing course work. Applicants who have not graduated from an accredited nursing program must successfully complete validation testing before prior learning credits are awarded.

The program plan for the specific program of study (see links above) reflects all previous transfer credits and the remaining courses needed to complete the Post- Master’s Certificate.

Transfer credit through courses taken at other postsecondary institutions During the summer, or in a fall or spring semester when a bachelor’s degree seeking student is not currently enrolled in coursework at Misericordia, students may opt to take courses at other accredited, postsecondary institutions, or an approved equivalent institution outside the United States. Students may receive approval to transfer in a maximum of three (3) 3-4 credit courses (no more than two (2) of which may be 3-4 credit core classes) for a total of no more than 12 credits.Coursework may be taken at associate’s level institutions, so long as the additional coursework would not result in the student receiving more than 61 total credits from associate’s level institutions. All courses taken for transfer credit must be evaluated and approved as to their equivalency to Misericordia University courses. Grades of C- or better may be accepted for transfer in accordance with individual program requirements and/or restrictions. If a course is not approved in advance of taking the course, it will not be accepted in transfer.

Curriculum requirements, relevant university policies, the process for transfer credit evaluation, and financial aid referral will be explained in detail at that time.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Credits Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits provide students the opportunity to validate their relevant learning in a written document called a portfolio. The portfolio information is organized to correspond as closely as possible to comparable courses from Misericordia University inventory of undergraduate and graduate offerings. Emphasis is placed on the satisfactory presentation of the student’s knowledge relative to each course’s learning objectives. Eligibility for PLA application will be determined by: Graduate : the appropriate program director who will select a faculty assessor from the involved department. Undergraduate : the appropriate college’s dean who will select a faculty assessor from the involved department. The assessor will review the portfolio according to the following criteria: Learning will be demonstrated to be college level; Learning is current, particularly in quickly-changing fields; Learning must be able to be generalized and transferred, i.e., it can be applied outside of the specific context or situation in which it was acquired; Learning must be measurable; Learning must have a theoretical as well as a practical component; Credits will be awarded for competence and actual learning outcomes, not merely the experience; Credits awarded will not duplicate other earned credits. This includes but is not limited to transfer, CLEP, AP, NLN exams and/or other completed course credits. Students who request assessment of their prior learning must: Be matriculated at the university with a declared major; Limit requests for assessment to those course areas that will fulfill degree requirements in their declared major; Have had all transfer credits officially evaluated prior to attempting this credit option; Submit the designated fee for each PLA assessment being evaluated made payable to the Center for Adult and Continuing Education. Graduate : The cost of each PLA is equal to the cost of one (1) graduate credit at the current academic year rate. Undergraduate : The cost of each PLA is equal to the cost of one (1) undergraduate credit at the current academic year rate. Students who have been awarded prior learning assessment credits at another institution will not automatically be awarded such credit in transfer. Students have the opportunity to present their portfolios, with updated information, to the appropriate program director for consideration. In no case may the number of PLA credits brought into a graduate program at Misericordia University after matriculation exceed twelve (12), nor can the combination of PLA credits and/or transfer credits exceed twelve (12). The option for prior learning assessment will be available only during fall and spring semesters. The PLA decision of the department is final. For more information contact the Center for Adult and Continuing Education at 570-674-6450.

The term “Competency” used by CSWE will be considered equivalent to “Student Learning Outcome.” Service-learning opportunities are available via the Office of Service Learning and can significantly enhance a student’s learning. Graduates may be eligible for advanced standing in numerous graduate schools of social work throughout the country, thus potentially decreasing the length of time and cost of graduate school.

Transfer students, once accepted based on the combination of transfer credits and MU credits, need to be aware that only the MU credits will be used for calculation of GPA for retention in the program.

PACE is calculated by dividing total credits earned by total credits attempted and includes accepted transfer and advanced standing credits in both the numerator and denominator.

Students previously enrolled at other accredited institutions can request to transfer up to 12 credits to meet the degree requirements. The university may award transfer credit based upon course equivalencies, expected learning outcomes and applicability to Misericordia University’s curricula, standards, and course offerings.

Transfer Credit Evaluation Misericordia University evaluates transfer credit on an individual basis after a student has completed their admissions application and has been admitted to the University. In determining transferability, the University may consider factors including course equivalencies, student learning outcomes, quality and recency of academic work, cumulative grade point average, number of credits completed, intended field of study, relevance to the student’s academic program, and the applicability of completed coursework to Misericordia University’s curricula, academic standards, and degree requirements. Only credits that are degree applicable are transferable to a student’s academic record. Transfer credit determinations are made in consultation with the appropriate department chair and the Registrar’s Office.

Transfer Credit Policies Students must complete a minimum of 30 credits at Misericordia University to earn a bachelor’s degree. T The University accepts a maximum of 61 transfer credits from any one associate degree program or from a combination of associate degree programs. Only coursework completed with a grade of C- (1.67) or higher is eligible for transfer credit. Transfer credit is recorded on the student’s academic record; however, grades earned at other institutions are not calculated in the Misericordia University cumulative GPA. Transfer credit may be awarded for coursework completed at other institutions when one of the following criteria is met: The institution is legally authorized to confer postsecondary degrees and is accredited by an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The coursework has been evaluated and recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE). Students matriculating with an earned Associates of Arts or Associates of Science may be eligible to receive a core waiver. The full policy can be viewed here: AA/AS Core Waiver Policy

Transfer of Credit In graduate programs that allow transfer or prior learning assessment (PLA) credits, applicants may transfer credit within the limits established by the residency requirement of the individual program, provided the courses were completed with a grade of “B” or better, and the credit was earned at an institution that is legally authorized to grant graduate degrees and is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. The university may award transfer credit based upon course equivalencies, expected learning outcomes and applicability to Misericordia University’s curricula, standards, and course offerings. Please refer to the individual program for residency criteria. Applicants from institutions outside of the United States will be required to provide a credential evaluation prepared by a credentialing service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES – a list of members may be found www.naces.org ). The University may award graduate transfer credit to graduate level coursework based upon course equivalencies, expected learning outcomes and applicability to Misericordia University’s curricula, standards, and course offerings, consistent with the residency requirements of the individual program.

Prospective transfer students will be considered for admission if they have maintained a cumulative GPA (grade point average) of 2.0 or better (based on a 4.0 system). Candidates who meet the GPA requirements for general admission and who seek advanced standing for previous college work, regardless of delivery mode or teaching/learning format, must provide the director of admissions with the following: Application for Admission ( www.misericordia.edu/apply ). Official copy of secondary school transcript or GED test results.

Advanced placement into the sophomore level of the Medical Imaging program may be considered for external transfer students and for currently enrolled Misericordia students seeking to change majors. Eligibility for advanced placement requires: Availability of clinical placement space A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 Completion of at least 24 credits applicable to the major Fulfillment of all pre-admission requirements, including BIO 121 and BIO 122 (or approved equivalents) with a minimum grade of B‑ Depending on the number of transfer credits accepted, students may be able to complete all Medical Imaging program graduation requirements by December of their senior year.

Depending on degree requirements and transfer credit applicability, more than 30 institutional credits may be required.

Students who have completed courses at a postsecondary institution from which the University accepts credit (see Transfer Students/Transfer of Credit Policy ) are eligible to have all coursework that will apply to the academic requirements of their program considered for transfer credit.