Transfer of Credits from Other Institutions

During the academic year, students in residence at Converse will be allowed to take courses at other institutions with the approval of their advisor, the Registrar, and the Associate Provost for Student Success. Grades earned in these courses will not affect the grade-point ratio earned at Converse. Students taking courses at other institutions while in residence at Converse are governed by the overload regulations that are listed in this section. These students must also meet the requirements for the bachelor’s degree as stated in the section “Requirements for a Bachelor’s’ Degree.”

Courses taken in summer school at another institution will be credited toward the degree provided:

  1. The courses to be taken are approved in advance by the student’s adviser and the Registrar of Converse University. It is the responsibility of the student to provide the adviser with a course description from the institution and, to guarantee approval in advance, to submit the request before the last day of classes in the spring term. After that date students who enroll at other institutions do so at their own risk.

  2. The summer school is regionally accredited. No credit will be given for any course in which a student makes below a C-, nor will work be acceptable toward satisfaction of degree requirements. Grades transferred from the summer school of another institution will not affect the grade-point ratio earned at Converse University and will not be used to r move a student from probation.

Converse will accept a Directed Independent Study (DIS) for transfer credit only if the course is approved by the appropriate academic department. To achieve approval a course description and a course syllabus must be submitted to the Registrar who will in turn submit the documents to the appropriate department chair for review. If the department chair deems it necessary other documents may be requested for review. If the syllabus is judged sufficient for the student to receive credit the department will notify the Registrar of the number of credit hours approved and if the DIS has a Converse course equivalent. The approved course and hours will then be added to the student’s academic record.

Converse participates in a number of cooperative programs with other institutions. Therefore, the University will accept by transfer from these institutions at full quality point value and in other respects as if taken at Converse, any course for which Converse has charged tuition or which has been integrated into a Converse degree program.

Converse will review course work for transfer from institutions which are actively accredited by agencies recognized by the Department of Education. Coursework must be of at least equal academic rigor and cover sufficiently similar topics to be considered for transfer, and a grade of a C- or higher must have been achieved. Syllabi, course catalogs, or other documentation may be necessary and must be supplied by the student on request to make the appropriate determination of credit articulation. Converse does not give or accept transfer credit for Military Officer Training credits. 

Summer School at Converse

Converse University operates three summer sessions, one four-week term, one eight-week term, and one three-week term. Courses offered are chosen largely on the basis of student demand. Special fees are in effect for the summer session.

Courses taken in the Converse summer school are in all respects credited as if taken during the regular academic year. Converse students will be placed on, or removed from academic probation in accordance with the standards of the Fall Term of the academic year, provided that they attend Converse summer session for both terms, taking the regular course load of two courses per term. The summer session bulletin is published in late March and is available at www.converse.edu.

Alternate Year Courses

Some courses are offered only in alternate years. As they plan ahead to take any particular course, students should confer with the department to confirm the date when these courses will next be offered.

Courses of Instruction Key to the Numbering System

100-199 Introductory courses

200-299 Intermediate courses

300-499 Advanced courses

500-699 Graduate Courses

101:102 Indicates a course for which credit is not given unless the work of two terms has been completed.

101-102 Indicates a course for which credit for one term may be given but which may not be entered after the first term.

300/500 Indicates a course offered for both undergraduate and graduate credit.

101, 102 Indicates a course that may be entered in any term.

A student may enter a course at a level higher than that normally permitted the student's class with the permission of the student's major professor or academic adviser and the instructor of the course. The University reserves the right not to offer a course for which the enrollment is fewer than five.

Wofford College Cooperation Program

In some cases Converse students may take courses at Wofford College, a neighboring institution in Spartanburg, as part of their undergraduate degree programs. The cooperative arrangement allows both colleges to enrich the educational opportunities of their students. The cooperation is limited, however, and no student at one institution may complete a major program offered only at the other institution. The Registrars at the students’ home institution will handle registration for courses at the cooperating institution. Exceptions to the Guidelines of this Agreement shall be made with the consent of both Provosts or of both Registrars.

Guidelines:

  1. Enrollment in any class depends upon space being available. The Registrars of the two colleges, not the instructors, determine space availability. The two colleges agree that every effort will be made to accommodate requests for enrollment for the other college’s students.

  2. In general students must take courses required to complete their institutions majors, minors, or other programs at their home institution. Exceptions include:

    1. Courses in Art History and German, majors offered jointly between the two institutions;

    2. Courses in Philosophy, where the departments of the two colleges have a history of collaboration;

    3. Courses in languages and cultures, especially in Chinese, Japanese, and Modern Standard Arabic, and in other languages as developed by the two colleges;

    4. With the approval of their academic advisors, students may take courses at either institution to use as electives in completing majors, minors, or other programs;

    5. With the approval of their academic advisors and as limited exceptions, students may take courses specifically required by their home institution to complete majors, minors, or other official programs at the other institution, especially where the courses(s) in question are not available in a timely manner at the student’s home institution.

  3. The privileges of the agreement are available only to students in good standing, academically and socially.

  4. Directed Independent Study, summer session courses, supervised practical applications, private lessons, and internships are not included in this Agreement.

  5. When the colleges have academic terms with different beginning and ending dates, students must adjust their schedules accordingly. Dates for final examinations and for reporting grades will be those set by the institution in which a course is taken.

  6. Students participating in the program will not be charged additional fees except for those courses for which students at the host institution must pay extra. Students are responsible for fines or fees normally assessed for traffic or parking violations or for misuse or loss of supplies.

  7. Students participating in the cooperative program must abide by the rules and regulations of the host institution. They are subject to the honor code of their home institutions.

  8. Grades earned by students at the cooperating institution will be treated as if they were received at the home institution and are included in the calculation of the grade-point averages.

  9. With the approval of their academic advisors and within the other limits of this Agreement, students may take courses used to fulfill their institution's general education requirements at either institution.

  10. Courses offered simultaneously at both colleges will be taken at the home institution if space is available.

Converse Clemson Dual-Degree Program

Students enrolled in a liberal arts or science program at Converse University who wish to prepare for a career in engineering may, upon successful completion of an approved three-year pre-engineering curriculum, transfer to Clemson University to complete requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in an engineering curriculum from Clemson and the Bachelor of Arts (or Science) degree from Converse University. The University of Engineering and Science at Clemson University recommends a program of pre- engineering study to include the general education courses required by an engineering curriculum. The details of the program and the understanding are as follows:

  1. During the first three terms at Converse University, the student participating in the pre- engineering program must complete and send to the Associate Dean of the University of Engineering and Science at Clemson University the form “Intention to Pursue the Dual Degree Program at Clemson University.” The Associate Dean at Clemson will appoint an academic advisor for the student and will forward the name and address of the appointed advisor to the student and to the Converse University pre-engineering program director.

  2. A three-year pre-engineering program of study will be developed by the Converse University faculty in consultation with the Clemson Associate Dean of Engineering and Science from courses offered at Converse University. This program of study shall include the general education courses required by Converse University and by the engineering curricula at Clemson University. A list of basic course requirements recommended by Clemson may be obtained from the pre-engineering program director. However, the specific course requirements to best prepare and facilitate progress toward graduation varies with engineering major. Specific pre-engineering programs recommended for various Clemson engineering majors are available at www.ces.clemson/dual-degree.

  3. The total study program at Converse University shall include a minimum of 90 semester hours. Dual degree candidates shall complete all basic requirements at Converse University for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree before transfer to Clemson.

  4. The student will apply to the Clemson University Office of Admissions after completion of the second academic year at Converse University. A student with grades no lower than “C” in all courses in the dual-education program, and a grade point average of at least 2.7/4.0, is assured of admission into the Clemson engineering program of their choice. Students not meeting these requirements will be considered for admission under Clemson’s general transfer student admissions standards. Prior to enrollment at Clemson, the student must be certified by the Converse University academic official as having satisfactorily completed the academic requirements of Converse University as stated above.

  5. Credit for courses in the approved pre- engineering program at Converse University and passed with a grade of “C” or higher will be transferred to Clemson University. It shall be the joint responsibility of the Clemson University and Converse University academic advisors to coordinate the transfer equivalency of the Clemson and Converse University courses in the pre-engineering program

  6. Upon completion of an engineering curriculum at Clemson University, the student will be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in an engineering discipline from Clemson. Converse students enrolled in this program will receive their Converse Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree after completing a minimum of 90 hours of study at Converse, a total of 120 hours of study combined at Converse and Clemson, and the General Education and major program requirements of Converse as specified by Converse. The student must apply to the Converse University Registrar for their diploma.

  7. Converse University will provide academic advising to assist students in the pre- engineering program with all matters related to their transfer to Clemson University. The Associate Dean of Engineering and Science, or duly appointed representative, at Clemson University will cooperate in the advising of these students. While advice and counsel will be offered, the final responsibility with regard to transfer remains with the student.

  8. Pre-engineering students at Converse University will be encouraged to attend summer school at Clemson (or another engineering college) and take certain basic engineering courses in order to ease the transition into engineering coursework and facilitate timely completion of the engineering program. A list of recommended courses for each Clemson University engineering program is maintained at www.ces.clemson/dual-degree.

  9. Conferences between the Clemson University engineering and Converse University pre engineering advisors will be held regularly to review the curricula and all matters related to the dual-degree agreement.

  10. Dual-degree candidates from Converse University are eligible to seek Bachelor of Science degree in the following majors at Clemson University: Biosystems Engineering, Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Ceramic and Materials Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.

Transportation

Converse University does not provide transportation to off-campus classes and events.