Transfer Credit

This page contains information regarding transfer credit. Additional information can be found in the College Catalog. If you have any questions, please refer to the FAQ link below and/or contact Alexandra Wog at transfercredit@whitman.edu.

Acceptance of Online Coursework completed during Spring 2020 (COVID-19) and Beyond:

As of Summer 2021, the Board of Review has elected to permanently lift the restriction of a maximum amount of 10-online credits which may be counted toward a Whitman degree. From Fall 2021 and later, online labs will be considered as Whitman lab course equivalents on a case by case basis. Please be aware there is a limit of 70 transfer credits (62 from a 2-year college) which can be applied toward a Whitman degree. 

The Biology department currently does accept online labs for transfer credit towards a Biology major. However, if your interests include the health professions, we strongly recommend discussing your plans with Health Professions advisor Kimberly Mueller. Some advanced degree programs in the health professions do not accept online labs, other than those taken during the height of the Covid pandemic.

Transfer Credit FAQs 
Transfer Rights and Responsibilities

The electronic Transfer Guide is only to be used as a tool. The guide is a compilation of what has historically been accepted at Whitman College and does not guarantee transferability, as each request is evaluated on an individual basis. You will need to work with your advisor and submit the RATC.

Information on how to read a Transfer Equivalency Report. For information on AP and/or IB credit, check the Academics section of the online catalog.

Transfer Credit Policy

Work satisfactorily completed at an accredited collegiate institution is accepted for transfer provided it is academic in nature and is generally applicable toward a liberal arts program of study. In general, professional or vocationally oriented courses are not accepted for transfer.

A record of all academic work undertaken in other collegiate institutions, including a record of correspondence and distance learning work and registration in summer sessions, must be presented to the Registrar by every student who has undertaken such work. Students who fail to provide such transcripts may be guilty of unethical conduct and may be subject to disciplinary action including suspension or dismissal from the college.

Is it not advisable to enroll in additional coursework, including extension and online courses, at another collegiate institution while the student is enrolled at Whitman College or in a Whitman College Off-Campus Study program. In the event a student wishes to be dual enrolled, they will need to obtain permission, in advance, from their advisor. The student will need to submit the Request for Approval of Transfer Credits (RATC) form to the Registrar’s Office prior to starting their non-Whitman course. Nothing in this rule makes mandatory the granting of any credit by Whitman College.

A total of 70 credits of advanced standing transferred from other accredited collegiate institutions is the maximum non-Whitman work creditable toward a bachelor's degree. This includes credit allowed on the basis of scores made on the Advanced Placement Test of the College Board, higher-level courses for the International Baccalaureate, Cambridge A-Level Exams, Running Start courses, or certain military service. Credit earned exclusively from two-year colleges is limited to 62 semester credits applicable toward a bachelor's degree.

No transfer credit is applied toward a Whitman degree unless it is of average (C- or 1.7 on a numerical grade scale) or better quality. Grades awarded by other institutions are not made a part of the student's Whitman record.

Running Start and Similar Dual Enrollment Programs

Whitman will review credit earned through the Running Start Program and similar dual enrollment programs on a course-by-course basis. Credits awarded will be for classes at a commensurate level and in subject matter relevant to the Whitman College liberal arts curriculum.

Students who earned credits from Running Start (either Washington’s Running Start or a similar program from another state) will initially be allowed to transfer in up to 14 credits. Starting Week 10 though the end of their first term, they may elect to add the remainder of their Running Start credits.

Whitman College is dedicated to being accessible to all students and we realize that for some students that may mean an expedited experience; however, Whitman also understands  that some students have a transformational experience in their coursework at the college. Based on this knowledge, the College allows up for 14 Running Start/Dual Enrollment credits to be applied to the Whitman College degree at the point of matriculation. Starting week 10 of their first term at Whitman College, a student may notify the Registrar Office that they want to apply the remainder of their Running Start/Dual Enrollment credits to their Whitman College degree. Once this decision has been communicated to the Registrar's Office, it is final and irreversible. 

College Courses Offered in the High School

Whitman will review credit earned through the College in the High School program on a course-by-course basis. Credits awarded will be for classes at a commensurate level and in subject matter relevant to the Whitman College liberal arts curriculum.

Two-Year Colleges

A maximum of 62 semester hours of credit may be transferred from accredited two-year colleges. Whitman will accept credit on a course-by-course basis from any Associates degree programs.