Frequently Asked Questions
Some Helpful Definitions
AA and AS Degrees: Associate in science or associate in arts degrees. These are typically transfer degrees and have the same general education requirements as bachelor’s degrees.
AAS Degree: Associate in applied science degree. These are typically degrees designed to prepare students for specific jobs. These generally require fewer general education courses than AA or AS degrees.
Articulation: The process of equating courses from one institution to courses of another institution in order for students to earn a degree.
Course Equivalency Matrix: The web site maintained by the State Regents for students to determine if the courses they have taken will transfer as equivalent to a course at the receiving institution.
Lower-Division Courses: Typically 1000 and 2000 numbered courses taken in the first two years of college work.
Native Student: A student who began college at the institution and has not transferred to another institution since his/her initial enrollment.
Receiving Institution: The institution where the course will be transferred and accepted.
Sending Institution: The institution where a course was taken.
Transfer Student: A student who has earned at least 6 hours of college credit at another institution.
Upper-Division Courses: Typically 3000 and 4000 numbered courses taken in the last two years of college work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the steps I need to take before transferring?
What are the admission standards for transfer students?
How do I know if my courses will transfer?
How do I use the Course Equivalency Matrix?
What if my course or school is missing from the list?
I took my course five years ago. Where can I find equivalency information?
Is it better to get the associate degree or to transfer early?
How many credits will transfer?
How long will it take to complete a degree after I transfer?
What class standing will I have?
Can I transfer my financial aid?
Why is my advisor telling me I need more hours?
How do I get a transcript sent from one institution to another?
How do courses get on the Course Equivalency Matrix?
Why do I need an advisor?
What if the course I took is lower-division and the course that is listed as equivalent is upper-division?
Other helpful hints
What are the steps I need to take before transferring?
- Decide where you want to transfer.
- Consult an academic advisor at the receiving institution.
- Attend information sessions for transfer students conducted by the institution.
- Research the institution’s transfer admission policies.
- Find equivalent courses using the Course Equivalency Matrix.
- Search the institution’s Web site for transfer information, such as admission requirements, transfer guides, deadlines, and transfer agreements.
- Request all transcripts from previous institutions.
- Contact the financial aid office at the receiving institution.
- Submit your application for admission.
What are the admission standards for transfer students?
Students transferring from an Oklahoma public institution to another Oklahoma public institution must meet the following requirements:
7-23 Hours
Oklahoma State University – Have a 2.25 GPA and satisfy all freshman admission requirements.
University of Oklahoma* – Have a 2.5 GPA and satisfy all freshman admission requirements.
Regional Universities – Have a 1.7 GPA and satisfy all freshman admission requirements.
Community Colleges – Have a 1.7 GPA.
24-30 Hours
Oklahoma State University – Have a 2.25 GPA.
University of Oklahoma* – Have a 2.5 GPA.
Regional Universities and Community Colleges – Have a 1.7 GPA.
31-59 Hours
Oklahoma State University – Have a 2.25 GPA.
University of Oklahoma* – Have a 2.5 GPA.
Regional Universities and Community Colleges – Have a 2.0 GPA.
60+ Hours
All Institutions* – Have a 2.0 GPA.
*Some colleges at OU have higher transfer admission standards. Contact the institution for more specific information.
Students who have not met the required high school curricular requirements for college admission must complete the curricular requirements before transferring. Additionally, students who do not meet the criteria above and have not been suspended from an institution may be admitted as “transfer probation” students based on institutionally developed policies.
Students transferring from an out-of-state college or university must be in good standing at the sending institution and meet the receiving institution’s admission standards or have an average grade of “C” or better (whichever is higher). If transferring from an unaccredited institution, the student must validate the transferred credit by making satisfactory progress (an average of “C” or better) for at least one semester at the receiving institution.
How do I know if my courses will transfer?
There are several ways to determine this:
- If you’ve earned an AA or AS degree from a public institution in Oklahoma, the system guarantees that your 37 hours of lower-division general education requirements will be met at any other public institution in Oklahoma. Some institutions, however, require more hours and some may require some upper-division general education. Be aware that this does not apply to the AAS degree, since fewer general education hours are typically required.
- The State Regents maintain a Course Equivalency Matrix that you can use to check to see if your courses will transfer. Courses listed on the matrix are guaranteed to transfer as equivalent.
- Check the receiving institution’s Web site. Some institutions publish transfer guides to help students know what courses and programs transfer.
- Check with the receiving institution. They will have the final say on the acceptance of courses.
How do I use the Course Equivalency Matrix?
First, you have to know the year you took the course and the institution to which you will transfer.
The course equivalency matrix uses Adobe Acrobat Reader, which presents data in Portable Document Format (PDF) files. PDF files can display and print exactly as the author designed. For those who do not have the Adobe software, a link is provided below. Course equivalency information for years prior to 1998-99 do not require Adobe for viewing. Download a free copy of Acrobat Reader.
The matrix uses a menu-oriented system that is familiar to users of the Internet. Move the cursor to the drop-down menu and click on it. Move up and down the information by clicking on the scrolling arrows on the right or by using the up and down arrow buttons on the keyboard. To select a discipline, point to it with the cursor and click or use the "Enter" button to select a highlighted discipline.
The PDF will open in a new window. Use the Ctrl+ or Ctrl- buttons to enlarge or reduce the matrix size. Click on the various options Adobe provides to experience the multiple view and print formats. When using an Internet browser other than Netscape Navigator 3.0 or Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0, some formatting distortions may occur.
The courses are organized by discipline: biology, history, etc. Within each discipline, several equivalency groups appear, each containing a collection of courses from sponsoring institutions. A generic course title and State Regents' equivalency number (a two-letter prefix and three-digit number) located at the top of columns identify each equivalency group. Credit for a course within a group can be transferred to any system institution which sponsors a course in that group.
When you select an academic discipline, such as mathematics, all established course equivalencies for that discipline will appear along with a list of system institutions that offer equivalent courses in that discipline. The equivalency information is in a matrix format with institutions listed vertically to the left and equivalency group headings and numbers listed horizontally along the top. All courses appearing in a column are considered equivalent at "only" the course-offering institutions.
For more detailed information about a particular course (course content, credit hours awarded, relationship to degree requirements and specified prerequisites) select an institution's home page by selecting Colleges and Universities from the main Student Center menu. If available, search the institution's home page for its course catalog or course offerings.
For an explanation of the notes, common course descriptions and institution acronyms, see the Appendix (PDF, 238k).
What if my course or school is missing from the list?
Not all disciplines have a place on the Course Equivalency Matrix and not all courses at all institutions are listed in the groupings that do exist. Contact the receiving institution for information about specific courses that are not listed on the matrix.
I took my course five years ago. Where can I find equivalency information?
Every year, faculty representing all system institutions meet to update and add courses to the course equivalency matrices. There is a different CEP version for each academic year beginning with 1996-1997. Institutions keep a record of previous CEPs so that students can transfer to other system institutions without losing the established equivalencies for completed course work.
Is it better to get the associate degree or to transfer early?
In general, it is preferable to have a completed degree program on your academic record and on your résumé. Also, your lower-division general education will be guaranteed to transfer in whole if you earn the associate in arts or associate in science degree.
How many credits will transfer?
It depends. Oklahoma bachelor’s degrees require the following:
- At least 120 hours total.
- 40 hours general education.
- 30 hours in residence at the awarding institution.
- 15 of the last 30 hours or 50 percent of the major in residence at the institution.
- 60 hours from a bachelor’s degree granting institution.
- 40 hours of upper-division course work from a bachelor’s degree granting institution.
- 30 hours in a specialization (major).
- 50 percent of the major at the upper-division level.
Some institutions may require more hours in some categories. The receiving institution will help you determine how many additional hours you will need for a bachelor’s degree.
How long will it take to complete a degree after I transfer?
It depends on your personal circumstances. The number of hours you need, whether you will be a part-time or full-time student, and your major will determine the amount of time it takes. If you change majors, it might take longer than if you do not change.
What class standing will I have?
This is based on the number of credit hours the receiving institution accepts in transfer. Generally if you have 0-30 hours you are a freshman, 31-60 hours a sophomore, 61-90 hours a junior and over 90 hours a senior.
Can I transfer my financial aid?
If you are receiving state or federal financial aid, it should transfer to another institution. Talk to the financial aid office at the receiving institution to find out the procedures to make sure you can use your aid at that institution.
Why is my advisor telling me I need more hours?
It is possible that you need to have more hours at a baccalaureate degree-granting university or more hours in residence at that university. State Regents’ policy requires that all bachelor’s degrees consist of the following:
- At least 120 hours total.
- 40 hours general education.
- 30 hours in residence at the awarding institution.
- 15 of the last 30 hours or 50 percent of the major in residence at the institution.
- 60 hours from a bachelor’s degree granting institution.
- 40 hours of upper-division course work from a bachelor’s degree granting institution.
- 30 hours in a specialization (major).
- 50 percent of the major at the upper-division level.
Keep in mind that some institutions require more in some categories.
How do I get a transcript sent from one institution to another?
Most institutions require a request in writing, and some may require that you pay a fee. Check with the registrar’s office at the sending institution to find out how to get a transcript, and also check with the admissions office at the receiving institution to verify where you need to send the
transcript(s).
How do courses get on the Course Equivalency Matrix?
Faculty at the public institutions meet on a regular basis and develop common course descriptions for courses within their discipline. These are reviewed by the academic officers at each institution and updated annually for inclusion on the matrix.
Why do I need an advisor?
Incomplete educational planning can lengthen the time it takes students to complete a degree and add unnecessary costs. Visit with your academic advisor to develop a comprehensive and accurate educational plan. Advisors can identify those courses listed in the Course Equivalency Matrix that require prerequisites and can help outline institutions' program degree requirements. Advisors can also inform students about those courses that individual institutions consider equivalent in separate articulation agreements but are not included in the statewide matrix. Finally, academic advisors inform students of support services and other valuable campus information that can give students a competitive edge.
What if the course I took is lower-division and the course that is listed as equivalent is upper-division?
Lower-division course work cannot substitute for upper-division credit-hour requirements. However, the content is transferable. For example, if a student completes Smart Course 2000 at two-year college A, it will transfer in content to four-year college B for its Smart Course 3000. The student will not need to repeat the content or learning competencies acquired in Smart Course 2000. But, the student must still complete the full amount of 3000- and 4000-level semester hours that college B requires for a baccalaureate degree.
Other helpful hints
Keep copies of everything you submit; you may need to reproduce them again. Also, keep records of phone calls and conversations so that you know who you’ve talked to and what you talked about. Keep your course syllabi and outlines for the courses you have taken before you transfer. These may be helpful if there are questions about equivalency. Finally, talk to your advisor early and often, and check your degree plan frequently.
