Alternative Credit Methods

Wilmington University grants academic credit for work completed through seven alternative credit sources. These sources in addition to transfer credit which may be granted for work completed at another academic institution.

Undergraduate Policy for Residency
Requirements and Transfer Credit

Residency is defined as those courses completed at Wilmington University. The University will maintain a 45-credit hour residency requirement for a bachelor's degree and a 30-credit-hour residency requirement for an associate degree. All baccalaureate degree programs require a minimum 120 credits, of which 45 credits must be upper division level course work. The maximum credit allowed for transfer from other accredited institutions is 75 credit hours for a bachelor's degree and 30 credit hours for an associate degree with a grade of "C" or better. A maximum of 6 credit hours may be transferred into a certificate program.

Graduate Policy for Transfer Credit

Up to six credit hours of graduate study from a fully accredited graduate school may be accepted. Students seeking credit for course work completed at other accredited institutions must submit an official transcript sent directly from the institution to Wilmington University and a catalog course description from that institution. Transferred course work must be relevant to the major area of study. Courses graded below a "B" will not be considered. Transfer students need to have all transcripts from other accredited institutions in the possession of the Admissions Office or home site office at least two months prior to registration. Failure to attend to this can result in duplication of courses previously completed at those institutions. Credit will not be granted for course duplication.

Policy for Prior Learning Assessment
(previously Competency-Based Evaluation)

PLA involves presenting evidence of non-classroom learning experience for academic credit consideration. The University allows students to obtain academic credit for learning that has taken place outside the classroom. Find out more about PLA…

Challenge by Examination

Undergraduate Level

Challenge-by-Examination measures college-level knowledge through an examination process. Faculty members administer an exam which incorporates all tests and exams required in the actual course. A minimum passing grade of "B" is required. A maximum of 15 credit hours are accepted through Challenge-by-Examination. Tuition and fees are the same as standard course tuition.

Graduate Level

Challenge by examination measures graduate-level knowledge through an examination process. Challenge by examination is limited to graduate prerequisites. Students interested in challenge by examination must register in advance for the specific course and, upon payment of the specified fee, will receive notification of prearranged date, time, and place of examination. Results of the examination will be available to the student no later than one week prior to registration for the next block.

Credits through Examination

Students who are interested in earning credit through one of the credits by examination programs should contact their academic or program advisor before taking an examination to ensure it will be accepted for their program of study. Credits earned through these examination programs are treated as transfer credit and do not affect a student's grade point average. A maximum of 15 credits through examination will be accepted by the University. See a list of eligible exams…

Extra-Institutional Course Assessment (ECA)

The University recognizes that college-level learning takes place both in and out of the classroom. A process of reviewing corporate training programs and other formal training/courses offered by non-accredited institutions/entities has been implemented to determine if college-level learning is present and to determine what credit, if any, should be awarded for the prior learning.

Undergraduate Internship/Field Placements

Students can be provided with field placement in public or private agencies and companies. Field placements provide first-hand experiences upon which future career choices can be based. Students gain a better understanding of the relationship between theoretical concepts and their practical application.

Written permission must be obtained from an academic advisor or internship coordinator. Students are reminded that coordinating the requirements for an internship requires prior planning. Students must communicate with their internship coordinator or academic program coordinator at least 60 days prior to their expected internship start date.

Upon approval by the Academic Dean, a student should complete the official registration procedure with the Office of the Registrar. Tuition and fees are the same as standard course tuition. Internships/field placements are graded on a pass/fail basis. A minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average is required to be eligible for internships/field placements. A maximum of 15 credits may be earned through internship/field placements and may e used towards residency credits.

Graduate Internship/Field Placements

Students can be provided with field placement in public or private agencies and companies. Field placements provide first-hand experiences upon which future career choices can be based. Students gain a better understanding of the relationship between theoretical concepts and their practical application.

For additional information related to internships and field placements, students should consult their specific academic program guides and handbooks.

Military Science Program/Army and Air Force ROTC

Wilmington University has a cross-enrollment agreement program with the Air Force and Army ROTC Departments of the University of Delaware. Students who are interested in pursuing such a program can obtain information on ROTC courses from the Wilmington University Academic Advising Office.

Classes for the Military Science or ROTC Program are instructed in a partnership status with the University of Delaware on its Newark campus. The program consists of two major subsets – the Basic Course and the Advanced Course. Both courses are straightforward and hands-on, rather than conceptual, and tend to include small groups of students (25 or less), with considerable personal interaction between the cadre and the students.

The Basic Course is for freshmen and sophomores and consists of a series of four, one-credit classes that are open to all students with no military obligation. Student instruction includes basic leadership skills, an orientation to the U.S. Army, time management and other academic skills, decision making, and adventure training opportunities (rappelling, land navigation, etc.).

Faculty and the advanced course cadets form support groups and act as mentors to the basic course students, providing assistance and a positive environment. Students enrolled in the basic course can compete for two- and three-year scholarships that will pay full tuition/fees and provide stipends.

The Advanced Course is for juniors and seniors and leads to a commission as a Second Lieutenant. This series of four, two-credit classes involves advanced practical leadership and military skills training, including a five-week summer training camp at Fort Lewis in the state of Washington. Students are paid and all travel, medical needs, lodging, and meals are provided while attending Advanced Camp.

No military obligation is incurred until the beginning of this phase. Once the student satisfactorily completes all ROTC requirements and graduates from the University, he/she receives a commission in the U.S. Army (Active Duty or Reserve status).

Credit for Corporate, Military, or Professional Training

You can also receive credit for corporate, military, or professional training. The American Council on Education provides credit recommendations for many corporate training programs which are listed in The National Guide to Education Credit for Training Programs, published by the American Council on Education. Wilmington University will evaluate local training programs for credit provided the student is able to furnish all required documentation. Speak to your academic advisor for more information.

The National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction

The National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI) evaluates courses of instruction and makes the results available to colleges to use as a guide in awarding credit for noncollegiate course work. Wilmington University recognizes National PONSI credit recommendations.