Incoming Transfer Students
One of American National University’s goals as a higher-educational institution is to provide students with seamless transitions in advancing their education to new levels. We do this in a variety of ways:
- Our “Stackable Programs” where each of our degrees feeds into the next degree level, from our diploma and certificate programs all the way to our graduate degrees.
- And through our Academic Partnerships Agreements with other higher-educational institutions across the country. Academic Partnership Agreements allow students, such as yourself, to maximize their degree potential and further their career goals. They remove roadblocks to credit transfer and admissions into programs and allow you to easily move to the next degree level at American National University
To learn more about how you can seamlessly transfer into a program that fits you, speak with an American National University representative today and find out where you could be reducing the time and costs to your degree.
UNIVERSITY TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIP
The University Transfer Scholarship is designed to enhance collaboration between educational institutions and facilitate continued higher education for international students. It is offered to students from Universities and Colleges or an English as a Second Language program within the United States with whom American National University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding and certain Program Agreements as needed (for academic institutions) and international F–1 students who transfer from United States institutions. The Program agreements may either relate to joint programs or to the acceptance of academic credits earned in certain other specific eligible programs.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CREDIT, PRIOR LEARNING CREDIT OR LIFE WORK EXPERIENCE CREDIT
American National University offers credit for prior learning; however, it does not give the student automatic credit for past experiences – the student must work directly with their Academic Advisor to complete the process of applying to receive credit.
To be eligible to receive prior learning credit for a course, students must demonstrate that past experiences resulted in college level learning and met the course learning objectives. There are a variety of options to help the student do this:
- Taking a Test Out Exam
- Providing a resume, with work history and documented letter from employer that outlines how course learning objectives were demonstrated.
- Military Training: Army/ACE (American Council on Education) Registry Transcript System
- Providing a portfolio that demonstrates knowledge and how course learning objectives were demonstrated.
- CLEP exams
Students gain experience at work, in the military, or in volunteer positions. This knowledge may mean that they do not need to start from scratch. This saves the student from taking courses in subjects that they already understand.
CREATING A PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO
This portfolio should contain information regarding all the student’s workplace or military training; any licensure, certifications, or diplomas the student may have received and any civic activities, volunteer services, or similar ventures. The student should include supporting documents, any competency-based exam results, as well as other written documentation that details what the student knows, how the knowledge was learned and how it can be demonstrated.
The benefits of completing this process should not be overlooked. A successful application allows the student to receive credit for the skills acquired. This helps the student earn his/her degree more quickly.
NON‐TRADITIONAL CREDIT ALLOWANCE
American National University is committed to providing a comprehensive Academic Plan to students that accounts for both traditional learning and nontraditional sources or experiences that contribute to degree achievement. The maximum allowable nontraditional credit incorporated into an individual degree plan is up to 25% of the total credit requirement of any program offered by American National University. Nontraditional credit allowances do not satisfy any portion of the residency requirement for graduation from any American National University program.
Nontraditional sources of experiential learning must demonstrate that the student’s knowledge (from work, hobbies, volunteering, etc.) is equal to what they could learn in a college classroom.
CREDIT GRANTED FOR WORK EXPERIENCE
The University recognizes the value of work experience as a part of the applicant’s overall educational experience. Students must demonstrate a minimum of one year’s work experience as a threshold for awarding Work Experience credit. The maximum amount of credit earned for work experience will be limited to up to two classes or 8 credits for a Certificate program, up to five classes or 20 credits for an associate degree program, up to eight classes or 32 credits for a baccalaureate degree and up to 3 classes or 12 credits for a Master’s Degree program. Certain programs, such as the Phlebotomy and ECG Certificate program, the Paralegal Certificate, Paralegal Associate degree, Health Information Management Associate degree, and the Medical Billing and Coding Diploma have coursework that cannot be satisfied with work experience or other nontraditional credit due to programmatic accreditation, approvals, and live competency demonstration requirements.
If an applicant desires the University to evaluate work experience for credit, the applicant must:
- Discuss the experience with his/her Program Chair or Academic Advisor to determine proper procedure for presentation.
- Submit a completed Work Experience Course Credit Application, which may be obtained from the student’s Academic Advisor.
- Prepare detailed documentation and substantiation of the experience to be considered (documentation should include duties, responsibilities, seminars, etc., and superiors or coworkers who can attest to the experience).
- Only experience directly related to the course will be considered. The student must be able to show how all of the course objectives as found in the syllabus, have been achieved through work experience.
- All materials must be received by the Work Experience Review committee prior to the upcoming term to be considered for review and approval.
- The final decision is made with the committee and students have the right to appeal through the appeals process.
HOW ARE THE CREDITS APPLIED TO THE STUDENT’S PROGRAM:
Credits are awarded as transfer credit. These credits reduce the overall number of required classes a student needs to earn a degree from American National University.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST:
This service is provided through your enrollment program. If prior work life credits are accepted, there is a $50.00 fee per course that is accepted. Once a course is accepted, the student will be notified. The student must pay the fee prior to the transfer of work life credits being posted to the student account. The student has 14 business days from the time of approval to pay the fee.