Transfer of Credits

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Northwest Nazarene University accepts transfer credits as follows:

  • University-level credits earned in academic degree programs at colleges and universities accredited by either regional or national accrediting associations are accepted at upper- and lower-division levels, in accordance with the U.S. Department of Education's regulations published November 1, 2019.
  • Credits earned at Bible colleges accredited by the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) are accepted at the lower-division level.
  • Military credit is accepted according to ACE (American Council on Education) recommendations.
  • Credits earned at an international college or university that have been evaluated by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (www.naces.org) are accepted at upper- and lower-division levels.
  • Credits earned at colleges and universities that are not regionally or nationally accredited but are accredited by an organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are granted on a case-by-case basis through the Special Academic Petition process.

The following policies apply to the acceptance of transfer credits by Northwest Nazarene University:

  • Credits must be presented on an official transcript from the institution granting the credit.
  • Credits are not accepted in which a grade lower than C- (1.70) was received.
  • Remedial and developmental level courses are not accepted.
  • Credits earned in vocational or technical programs are not generally accepted.
  • A transfer student's classification is based on the total number of credits accepted.
  • A maximum of 62-semester credits may be transferred from two-year colleges.
  • The cumulative grade point average while at Northwest Nazarene University is based only on grades received from Northwest Nazarene University and does not include grades earned at other colleges, institutions, or universities.

Transfer without an approved Associate of Arts (AA) degree

The following policies apply to a student who enrolls at Northwest Nazarene University without an approved Associate of Arts Degree.

  • Freshmen transferring 0-27 credits will receive no waivers
  • Sophomores transferring 28-59 credits will have HUMN1020 Cornerstone waived*
  • Juniors transferring 60-89 credits will have the following courses waived:
    • ​HUMN1020 Cornerstone*
    • BIBL1100 Introduction to Biblical Studies (may be used as BIBL elective)
    • KINE1020 Heart Healthy Activity
    • One CC level Cultural Competency course (only one required)
  • Seniors transferring 90+ credits will have the following courses waived
    • ​HUMN1020 Cornerstone*
    • BIBL1100 Introduction to Biblical Studies
    • Upper Division BIBL elective
    • KINE1020 Heart Healthy Activity
    • One CC level Cultural Competency course (only one required)

* All students defined as freshmen in IPEDS must complete the Cornerstone course.  This includes all students who have graduated from high school the year prior to enrollment at NNU, regardless of the number of college credits or degrees earned while in high school.


Transfer of Associate of Arts Degree

A student who enrolls at Northwest Nazarene University with an Associate of Arts Degree from a regionally accredited institution posted to their final, official transcript, completed prior to admission will receive:

  1. Junior standing
  2. Transfer credit up to a maximum of 62-semester credits from 2 year colleges. 
  3. Waiver of all general education requirements, with the following exceptions:
    1. BIBL1100 or an elective in Biblical literature (BIBL) (3 credits)
    2. THEO2100 Introduction to Christian Theology (3 credits)
    3. KINE1000 Fundamentals of Wellness (1 credit)
      (An equivalent transfer course may be substituted for this requirement.)
    4. HUMN1020 Cornerstone (1 credit).  See note above regarding freshmen under IPEDS.
    5. Approved Capstone course (1-6 credits). See list of approved courses under General Education requirements.
    6. Cultural Competency Requirement: Transfer students are required to complete one course with the Cultural Competency (CC) designation.
    7. Math Proficiency

Note: A two-year transfer degree does not guarantee a bachelor's degree completion within two years. Course prerequisites, course sequencing, and upper-division requirements must also be met. The waiver of degree requirements for transfer students with Associate degrees other than the Associate of Arts (AA) will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Transfer students are encouraged to contact the Office of the Registrar to determine the applicability of their coursework to specific General Education requirements. A complete transcript evaluation is performed when an official transcript is received directly from a university previously attended. The transcript may be sent via email to registrar@nnu.edu or via postal mail to Office of the Registrar, Northwest Nazarene University, 623 S. University Blvd., Nampa, ID 83686.

The minimum number of credits required to complete a degree is 124-semester credits of which 32 must be upper-division (courses numbered 3000 and above). For a complete listing of the undergraduate degree requirements, refer to the section in this catalog entitled "Undergraduate Degree Requirements."