Transfer Credits Policy

Pre-Matriculation

Robert Morris will consider up to 81 credits for transfer credit completed at other regionally or professionally accredited institutions, consistent with the Statute of Limitations Policy and subject to existing articulation agreements and accreditation requirements.  A prospective transfer student’s earned credits from post-secondary institutions will be evaluated by Robert Morris University. The student will be informed of transfer credits that may be awarded and their applicability to the RMU Core Curriculum or to requirements or electives in the student’s intended major. 

In evaluating such course work, Robert Morris will consider the appropriateness of the courses to the intended program of study. Credit will be granted only for courses with a minimum grade of “C”.  Students may be required to provide university catalogs, course descriptions and/or syllabi to assist in the evaluation process. Credits are considered for transfer in accordance with recommendations made by the American Council on Education. 

Post-Matriculation

Students who have matriculated at RMU are expected to complete their credits with Robert Morris University coursework, or with coursework completed at an institution with which RMU has an approved partnership or affiliation agreement.  Exceptions may be granted for students as follows:

  • With the approval of the Provost or designee, an RMU enrolled student may take up to 12 credits of coursework at another accredited two or four year institution to substitute for required courses in the RMU core.
  • With the approval of the Dean of the student’s major, an RMU enrolled student make take up to 12 credits of course work at another accredited two or four-year institution to be applied to the RMU major or electives.
  • Total post-matriculation transfer courses cannot exceed 12 credits and total transfer credits cannot exceed 81 credits.

Off-campus Credit Form
Off-campus Credit Process Map

Transfer Credit Limits/Residency Requirement

Credits accepted for pre- or post-matriculation transfer, after certification by the institution that a grade of C or better was earned, will be entered on the student’s RMU transcript as “T” (transfer course credit).  Grades earned will not be computed in the RMU grade point average. Students earning a bachelor’s degree at RMU must:

  • Complete at least 51% of the major area of study at RMU, and
  • Complete the final 30 credits of their degree with RMU coursework (See policy on Residency Requirements).

Credits awarded through either of the following means are considered Robert Morris University credits and do not fall under the pre or post-matriculation credit transfer limitation:

  • A maximum of 24 credits may be awarded to students through portfolio evaluation conducted by a Robert Morris University official, including, but not limited to, credit for life experience, credits earned during military service, and credits earned in professional certifications, training, or licensure programs.
  • Post-matriculation transfer credits earned under the auspices of partner institutions with established agreement with Robert Morris University, including but not limited to, the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education and the Online Consortium of Independent Colleges and Universities.

Enacted May 2018

Undergraduate Cross-Registration Policy

Students are permitted to cross-register at one of the Pittsburgh Council of Higher Education institutions for courses not offered by Robert Morris University. Only in unusual circumstances will permission be granted to enroll in a required course, and such permission is granted only by the department head. Interested students:

  • Must complete the PCHE Cross-Registration form during the registration period of the host institution.
  • Must be a full-time student carrying 12 semester hours or more (including the cross-registered course).
  • Will be permitted to cross-register for only one course per semester.
  • May not cross-register for courses during the summer session. Undergraduate Cross-Registration Procedure

Click here for instructions on how to complete the form using Adobe Acrobat. Students interested in Cross-Registration should be referred to the Office of the Registrar.

 

Complete the form linked above electronically. You must provide your current mailing address and phone number. This is the host institution's only way of contacting you. If you are registering for a course at the University of Pittsburgh, include both the course number and the CRN number listed in their catalog. You will then print the completed form in order to obtain advisor approval.

Submit the approved form to the Office of the University Registrar before host institution's add/drop deadline.
The host institution will inform you by mail if you are accepted into the course or if you need to complete additional steps to register.
The course will be added to your RMU schedule once approval is received.

If you choose to audit or take a course pass/fail, then you must indicate that on the request form prior to submission to the Registrar's Office. Contact the host institution if any additional paperwork is required. Students who want to Audit a course must follow the host school’s policy. Students are responsible for meeting the requirements and deadlines to audit a course.  If you choose to drop a PCHE course, you must notify the Office of the University Registrar at RMU prior to both the RMU and the host institution's drop deadline. 

If approved, the student will be enrolled by RMU's Registrar’s Office and will appear on the class and grade rosters for the course. A copy of the form will be mailed to the student marked “Approved”.  A copy of the form will also be mailed to the student’s home registrar.  Please note that all requests are sent via traditional mail through University mail systems. Forms are generally received by the Host School 5 to 7 days after being sent. From there, the Host School will process and notify students of their status according to their schedules. Students are advised to provide a valid local address on their forms and be sure that all information is correct, and to check their University e-mail account regularly if they are waiting to hear about their cross-registration status.

If denied, the requested course is full, the form will be marked “Not Available” and copies will be mailed to the student and the home registrar. Incoming cross-registering students cannot be added to a course’s waitlist. Students are not permitted to attend classes for which they are not formally enrolled.

We request that you do not contact the school where you would like to cross register for status updates. If a host school contacts us with information that a student has repeatedly contacted their university, then Robert Morris University reserves the right to deny the student's request.

Undergraduate Residency Requirements Policy

RMU has residency requirements for undergraduate degree programs. This is necessary since, in granting a degree, RMU is certifying students' knowledge and skills to prospective employers, to other universities, and to concerned individuals.

Courses that comply with this residency requirement are those offered by the University at any of its approved sites using any approved method of delivery. Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement (e.g., PCHE) are considered to be in-residence.

To be eligible for graduation, students must complete their final 30 credits and at least 51 percent of their "major area of study" at Robert Morris University. The "major area of study" is defined for the BSBA degree as all courses in the business core and major concentration. For all other bachelor degrees, the "major area of study" is defined as courses in the major and/or concentration.

Undergraduate Residency Requirements Procedure

Requests for exceptions to this policy must be referred to the appropriate department head by the student in a timely manner to ensure compliance with residency requirements.

Undergraduate Statute of Limitations (Academic Credit) Policy

All credits required for an undergraduate degree, whether earned in residence, transferred from another institution or granted via advanced placement, must have been earned within twelve years of the date on which the degree is granted. This statutory period can be extended by the dean of the student's school under the following conditions:

  • the courses taken prior to the statutory period still represent a reasonable part of the student's total academic program;
  • the prior courses provide adequate preparation for courses which must still be taken to fulfill the degree requirements;
  • there is a legitimate reason(s) for the student not completing the academic program within the statutory period.

Undergraduate Statute of Limitations (Academic Credit) Procedure

A request for a waiver of the statute of limitations must be submitted to the dean of the student's school. The request for a waiver should address all of the above conditions for an extension. For cases in which a waiver is granted, the waiver covers specific courses and is intended for a specific period during which the program must be completed. All granted waivers must be presented to the Office of Academic Affairs for processing.