Transfer Articulation

The most frequent question that transfer students have is, “How will my courses transfer to WOU?” Once admitted to WOU, your credits are officially articulated and you will receive a transfer articulation report. In general, courses taken at a regionally accredited institution that are college-level (i.e., not developmental) will transfer. Limitations do apply. If WOU offers a similar course at the same level, the course will usually transfer as a direct equivalency. If WOU does not offer a similar course, or offers it at a different level, the course may transfer as either an elective credit from a specific department (LD for lower division; UD for upper division) or as a general elective credit.

If you can’t wait until you are officially admitted to determine how your credits will transfer in, there is an unofficial tool you can use to check how the credits may transfer. The Transfer Articulation website lists WOU course equivalencies from hundreds of other institutions. This extensive list of courses is an unofficial guide for you as a student to determine transfer equivalency. This list is comprised of courses which have been transferred to WOU in the past, though it does not mean it will transfer exactly as listed, it is a rough guide which you can use as a tool.

Advisors are more than happy to look at your unofficial transcripts from other institutions; however their evaluation will also only be unofficial. They will use the Transfer Articulation guidelines to give you an estimate on how your credits will transfer. If you have credits which may or may not fit into a particular major, it is always best to discuss those courses with the department in which you intend to major.

Oregon Transfer Agreements

Transfer students entering WOU who have earned either an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree (AAOT) from an Oregon community college under the May 1988 transfer agreement or an Associate of Science in Business degree (ASOTB) from an Oregon community college under the April 2003 transfer agreement will be considered as having met WOU’s Liberal Arts Core Curriculum (LACC). For purposes of course registration only, students holding an AAOT or ASOTB will be considered to have junior standing.

Students who have earned the Oregon Transfer Module (OTM) will meet the WOU first-year, general education graduation requirements. For purposes of registration only, students holding the Oregon Transfer Module will be considered to have at least sophomore standing.

A notation verifying that the associate’s degree meets the Oregon Transfer Degree requirements or Oregon Transfer Module requirements must be included on the stu­dent’s official transcript.

Other Transfer Agreements

Students from designated states who have earned specific transfer degrees will be considered as having met WOU’s Liberal Arts Core Curriculum (LACC). These transfer degrees are as follows:

• California: Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or California State General Education Breadth Certificate (CSU)
• Hawaii: Articulated Associates of Arts from University of Hawaii
• Washington: Direct Transfer Degree
• Florida: General Education Associate of Arts from Florida State College at Jacksonville, Hillsborough Community College, and St Petersburg College

Students who have earned one of the transfer degrees listed above will have automatically met WOU’s Liberal Arts Core Curriculum (LACC) requirements, but not automatically met the BA, BS, or BM special graduation requirements.

If you have received one of the transfer degree listed above, it is best to begin your advising process with a faculty advisor (see the shared advising model for more information). You are still more than welcome to meet with our staff to discuss your B.A./B.S. requirements, though you will likely be beginning your major course work during your first term at WOU.

If you have not received an AAOT/ASOT degree, you should set up a meeting with both an Academic Advisor in the Student Success and Advising office to review your articulated credits then apply them towards the WOU general education requirements and a faculty advisor in the department you intend to major in.

Your First Term at WOU as a Transfer Student

You will be able to register for your classes on the first Monday following registration week (Registration week posted on the Academic Calendar). To get assistance for the registration process, make an appointment with an advisor in your intended major area, or with an advisor in the Student Success and Advising office.

Once at WOU (or even before), you should meet with your major and minor advisors to develop and sign a degree plan to be filed in the Registrar’s Office. Although departments differ in their timelines for completing this process, you would be wise to submit your degree plan as soon as possible. It will not only keep you on-track for graduation, but also permanently remove your Advising Hold, unless you are placed on Academic Warning. No later than three terms before you expect to graduate, you must file an Application for Undergraduate Degree with the Registrar’s Office. Application forms are available in the Registrar’s Office.

To ensure that students meet with their academic advisors regularly an Advising Hold is placed on all undergraduate students each term during week 5. It is your responsibility to meet with your advisor prior to registration each term. It is your advisor’s responsibility to release the Advising Hold. If you have not met with your major advisor prior to registration, you will not be allowed to register. If you have any questions or problems, come to the Student Success and Advising office.