Transferring In
Northampton Community College will accept credits when transferring from another institution and for appropriate prior learning when the following criteria are met. Transfer Credit will be determined by course equivalencies, including expected learning outcomes, which are aligned with the college’s curricula and standards.
In addition to regionally accredited colleges and universities, Northampton Community College also awards credit and course placement to students based on previous academic, employment, military, and other learning experiences not earned in a traditional course. Credit is also awarded for nationally recognized examinations, professional certifications, or by portfolio evaluation of prior learning based on course equivalencies and their stated learning outcomes.
A minimum of 25% of credits required for any degree, certificate, or specialized diploma must be earned through NCC course work. Remaining credits may be awarded through college transfer and credit awards for prior learning.
1. Credits may be earned from:
- U.S. colleges and universities that are regionally accredited. Coursework from other institutions not regionally accredited will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
- International institutions that are evaluated by a NACES-approved evaluation agency and a copy of the evaluation sent directly to NCC. For more information concerning an evaluation service provider, please contact the NCC Admissions Office.
- All branches of the Military based on a review of an official Joint Services Transcript as reviewed with credit recommendations by the American Council on Education or official transcript from the Community College of the Air Force.
- College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Excelsior College Examination Program, or DANTES Standardized Subject Test (DSST)
- NCC Departmental Challenge Exams
- Advanced Placement (AP) Exams taken through the College Board and International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams
- Non-traditional training as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE)
- Portfolio Assessment of Prior Learning
- Industry-recognized Credentials
- GED scores from the GED testing service, as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE)
2. Courses with a grade of C or better (grade value of 2.0) will be considered for transfer. Courses taken on a pass/fail basis may be accepted only if the official transcript states that a "pass" grade or a “satisfactory” is equivalent to a C or above. Courses will be considered for transfer regardless of their age; however, some programs may restrict the age of courses used for program admission, prerequisite purposes, and/or program completion.
3. Course content must be shown to be equivalent to a Northampton course or meet the criteria of a general education course or category or an elective in a given discipline.
4. A student must be accepted at NCC to have such credits applied to their academic record. Grades do not transfer; transfer credits have no effect on the Northampton Community College grade point average (GPA). Transfer credits earned will reference the test or method used for granting credits.
5. Official transcripts must be mailed or sent electronically to the Records Office directly from the student's previous college, university, or other post-secondary educational institution.
Transfer with a Bachelor's degree
A student possessing a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and enrolling at Northampton in an Associate's degree or Certificate program shall be considered to have completed the general education core requirements except for required courses identified by the program faculty. Check with Admissions Office for approved list of general education courses transferrable into each program. A student possessing a baccalaureate degree from an institution not regionally accredited will have the credential reviewed on a case by case basis.
Transfer Out to Other Institutions
More than half of the students at Northampton are enrolled in transfer programs. The College will recommend for transfer those students whose personal qualities and academic achievement indicate that they will succeed at other institutions. Although a C average is usually considered minimal for transfer, the specific average required varies with the selective admissions policy established by each individual institution.
The transfer of specific courses normally depends upon appropriateness of completed work to the intended transfer program. Generally, courses completed with a grade of C or better receive transfer credit. The maximum amount of transfer credit varies by college, but normally 60 to 70 credit hours of applicable course work can be transferred. The final decision regarding admission and the acceptability of transfer credit hours rests with the receiving institution.
A course-by-course reference guide is available for your use in the Northampton Advising and Transfer Office. The guide indicates how individual NCC courses transfer to many of the four-year institutions in eastern Pennsylvania. Some course guides are on the advising and transfer services web page.
The fact that freshman and sophomore requirements vary considerably among senior colleges suggests that students should discuss their transfer plans with both a faculty advisor and an advising specialist, who will help plan a program as near as possible to the requirements of the intended transfer program.
Unless there is no doubt that the student will transfer to a particular college, it is generally advisable to take courses at the College which are as close as possible to those offered at those colleges which might be considered for transfer.
Articulation Agreements
NCC has over 100 articulation agreements with more than 30 colleges and universities. Articulation agreements are signed by two institutions to make the transfer process easier for students. There are several types of articulation agreements that NCC has with various institutions. Most offer the greatest benefit to students who earn an associate degree then transfer to complete a baccalaureate degree. The most common types of agreements are explained below.
Dual Admissions
Dual Admissions agreements allow students to apply to both NCC and the partner four-year institution. Typically, students are provisionally accepted to the four-year institution provided they meet the admissions criteria outlined in the agreement. Admissions criteria usually require a student to earn an associate degree with a minimum grade point average. Dual admissions agreements are good for students who know before coming to NCC the four-year institution they want to attend.
Cooperative Agreements
Reading Area Community College
Harrisburg Area Community College
Core-to Core
Core-to Core agreements guarantee that credit earned by students who complete an A.A. or A.S. degree at NCC will be accepted towards the core requirements at the four-year institution. Core requirements are the general education portion of a baccalaureate degree. General education requirements vary among institutions. Students benefit from core-to-core agreements because all of the credit earned from the associate degree is applied to the four-year program without evaluating individual courses. Typically, there are also admissions criteria for transfer students outlined in the agreement.
Program-to-Program
Program-to-Program agreements are designed to map out the curriculum necessary for students to earn an associate degree at NCC and meet the requirements for a corresponding baccalaureate degree at a four-year institution. The agreements stipulate the exact major courses, general education courses, and electives students should take to make a seamless transfer.
Take your Credits with You
Take your Credits with You Pennsylvania has an innovative statewide transfer system that allows up to 30 foundation credits to be transferred from one participating college or university to another, anywhere in the state. pacollegetransfer.com offers all the information you need to make full use of this transfer system.
List of Institutions with Agreements
- Albright College
- Bloomsburg University of PA
- Cabrini College
- Capella University
- Cedar Crest College
- Centenary College
- Central Pennsylvania College
- Champlain College
- College Misericordia
- DeSales University
- Dickinson College
- Drexel University
- East Stroudburg University of PA
- Eastern Kentucky
- Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Franklin University
- Immaculata University
- Kaplan College
- Keystone College
- King's College
- Kutztown University of PA
- Lafayette College
- Lehigh University
- Marlboro College
- Marywood University
- Misericordia University
- Moore College of Art and Design
- Moravian College
- Nova Southeastern University
- Old Dominion University
- Peirce College
- Pennsylvania College of Technology
- PSU Lehigh Valley
- St. Joseph's College of Maine
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
- Temple University
- Thomas Jefferson University
- University of Delaware
- University of Illinois at Springfield
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of the Arts
- Upper Iowa University
- West Virginia University
Bachelor Degree Completions at NCC
Business Administration, East Stroudsburg University
Beginning Fall 2016, East Stroudsburg University will offer a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Business Management at the NCC Bethlehem Campus. This accelerated three-year program is geared for NCC's traditional students after completing their associates degree, with a choice of either a Marketing or Management concentration.
Registered Nursing, East Stroudsburg University
Graduates of the NCC registered nursing (RN) program can transfer seamlessly to the East Stroudsburg University RN to BS in Nursing completion program offered on the NCC Bethlehem campus. The program features an evening class schedule of courses delivered in a blended format with rotating in-class and on-line meetings. An ESU advisor is on site during the academic year to provide guidance.
Technical Leadership, Bloomsburg University
Bloomsburg University (BU) offers a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Technical Leadership on the NCC Bethlehem Campus. Students who earn an Associate in Applied (AAS) degree in a technical program at NCC may stay at NCC to complete additional NCC courses that will count towards general education requirements for the BAS. The remaining BU requirements for the BAS will be offered as a mix of evening on-campus courses at NCC and online courses.
For more information on these opportunities, please contact your advisor.
Academic Passport
Academic Passport is an agreement between Pennsylvania Community Colleges and the State System of Higher Education (SSHE). It allows community college students who earn an A.A. or A.S. degree with a GPA of 2.0 or higher to be accepted to a SSHE university. It also guarantees the acceptance of up to 60 credits to be applied towards a Baccalaureate degree entitling a student to junior status. The first 45 credits will be used as general education requirements with the additional 15 credits applied to major requirements or electives. Although this agreement allows students to be accepted at the 14 SSHE universities it does not guarantee acceptance to selective admission or enrollment capped programs. Other criteria will be used for these programs.
Programs eligible for Academic Passport at NCC are: Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Communication Studies, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Education, Engineering, Fine Art, General Studies, Individual Transfer Studies, Journalism, Liberal Arts, Mathematics, Social Work, Sport Management, and Theatre.
Universities in the PA State System of Higher Education are:
- Bloomsburg University of PA
- California University of PA
- Cheyney University of PA
- Clarion University of PA
- East Stroudsburg University of PA
- Edinboro University of PA
- Indiana University of PA
- Kutztown University of PA
- Lock Haven University of PA
- Mansfield University of PA
- Millersville University of PA
- Shippensburg University of PA
- Slippery Rock University of PA
- West Chester University of PA
Individualized Transfer Studies Program
The Individualized Transfer Studies program at Northampton is designed for students who have a clear intention to transfer to a specific baccalaureate college. The program is unique in that each student works with the four-year institution and designs a curriculum to meet the specific requirements for the major at the baccalaureate institution.
The program consists of a three-part curriculum which includes:
- The current general education core for the associate in arts (A.A.) programs;
- The addition of one Humanities and one Social Science to the general electives;
- The remaining credit hours will align with the requirements at the transfer institution.
The Individualized Transfer Program ensures that students take only those courses at NCC which are required by the four-year institution to which they intend to transfer. This option is intended for students who have identified their baccalaureate institution of choice. The student must meet with an advisor at the four-year institution to pre-plan a program of transferable courses. These Northampton courses will fulfill the general distribution requirements and other courses that are required at the four-year institution. This enables students to get a head start on their baccalaureate degree with an associate's degree from Northampton.