(updated January 28, 2021)
Policy Modification. On July 17, 2020, the Pitzer College Faculty Executive Committee approved a modification to the current transfer credit policy that applies to all current students regardless of the College Catalog language in place at the time of their original matriculation. Specifically, a student will be allowed to transfer up to a total of 2.0 Pitzer credits (i.e., 8 semester units or 12 quarter units) from an institution of higher education for coursework completed during the fall and spring semesters (or fall, winter, and spring quarters) of academic year 2020-21. This modification was adopted to facilitate academic continuity for students while also serving to maintain the academic quality and integrity of the Pitzer College educational program and degree.
On December 3, 2020, the FEC voted to amend this transfer credit policy modification so that the cap on transfer credits also covers any courses completed in summer 2021. This amendment was approved by the Pitzer College faculty on January 28, 2021.
Implementation. Students who intend to transfer course credits to Pitzer should seek pre-approval from the relevant field group(s) before enrolling in courses at another institution. The Pitzer field group will determine the criteria for approval of transfer credit but all requests for transfer credit (pre-approvals and requests for transfer credits) received in the Registrar’s Office after July 17, 2020 will be considered under this policy modification. However, any student who had fall 2020 or winter/spring 2021 courses pre-approved for transfer credit by the relevant field group and had this approval on file in the Pitzer Registrar’s Office prior to July 17, 2020 will be allowed to transfer the approved credits (i.e., the approved credits, even if greater than two, will be “grandfathered” for acceptance as long as the classes are successfully completed with grades of C or above).
Background & Rationale. The modification does not change overall flexibility in the current policy that permits up to 16 Pitzer equivalent courses be accepted for transfer credit, except for New Resources students who may transfer up to 24 Pitzer equivalent course credits (see https://pitzer.catalog.acalog.com/content.php?catoid=14&navoid=1152#Transfer%20Credits). The modification also does not change procedures in the current policy that specify that a faculty member representing the appropriate discipline (field group) must approve each transferred course, and that field groups may apply additional and more stringent criteria to determine whether a course can be accepted for transfer credit or count toward major/minor requirements or other graduation requirements. Transfer credit does not calculate into a student’s Pitzer GPA. Furthermore, the Leave of Absence request and approval process is separate from the Transfer Credit approval process. Students take leaves of absence for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with attempting to transfer course credits (see https://pitzer.catalog.acalog.com/content.php?catoid=14&navoid=1152#loa).
To support the transfer credit policy and signal to students the stringent requirements for transfer credit pre-approval for courses taken outside of Pitzer, field groups are encouraged to insert the following or similar language into field group descriptions: “Pitzer College field groups have a responsibility to preserve the academic integrity of the Pitzer educational program and degree. All courses proposed for transfer credit to Pitzer College require pre-approval by the appropriate disciplinary field group before the course is taken and transfer credit requested.”
To support the transfer credit policy and signal to students the stringent requirements for transfer credit pre-approval for courses taken outside of Pitzer, field groups are encouraged to insert the following or similar language into field group descriptions: “Pitzer College field groups have a responsibility to preserve the academic integrity of the Pitzer educational program and degree. All courses proposed for transfer credit to Pitzer College require pre-approval by the appropriate disciplinary field group before the course is taken and transfer credit requested.”
