Frequently
Asked Questions
What should I do if I don't know for certain that I'll
meet admission requirements?
If you are uncertain about whether you meet admission requirements,
contact a BLS advisor at the school of your chioce.
What is considered transferable credit?
You can transfer credit from any or all of the following educational
institutions.
-
All credit from regionally accredited institutions can be transferred
to Iowa. (Regional accrediting agencies are the North Central,
Middle States, and Southern Associations of Colleges and Schools;
and the
New England, Western, and Northwest Associations of Schools
and Colleges)
-
Evaluation of credit from schools that are not
regionally accredited is based on recommendations in the current
issue
of Transfer Credit Practices of Designated Educational Institutions,
published by the
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and
Admissions Officers.
-
Note: Regents University exam credit is not accepted.
Two-year institutions:
Transfer policies amoung the Regents institutions differ
slightly. Please contact the individual school for more details.
-
A maximum of 65 s.h. of credit from regionally accredited
institutions will be counted toward the 120 s.h. graduation requirement.
-
Community college credit earned beyond 65 s.h. should
still be transferred to Iowa. It may be used to satisfy categorical
graduation requirements, but it will not reduce the total number of
hours needed to graduate.
- Note: A maximum of 16 s.h. of vocational-technical credit can be counted
toward the 120 s.h. needed to graduate. These hours are considered part
of the 65 hours of community college credit.
I attended a college
that used a quarter-based academic term. What's the difference
between a quarter hour (q.h.) and a semester
hour (s.h.) of credit?
If you attended
a college that
had two academic
terms in the
regular nine-month
school year,
you earned
credit
in
a semester-based
system. If
your college
had three
academic
terms
in the regular
nine-month
school year,
your academic
credit was
most
likely awarded
in quarter-hour
units instead
of semester-hour
units. Both
types
of credit can
be transferred
to
Iowa.
Multiply
your quarter
hours
of credit by
0.67 to determine
how many semester
hours of credit
you've
earned. For
example,
a 3 q.h. course
will convert
to 2
s.h. of
credit.
I'm in the military. Will my educational efforts and military training
help me graduate faster?
Contact us for the "Military Transcripts" fact sheet. It
includes information about what transcripts are needed for military
training experience, along with the forms that are needed to order
those transcripts.
Military training
Transcripts from the military services are evaluated
according to the recommendations published in the American Council
on Education (ACE)
Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed
Services. Upper- and lower-division baccalaureate credit recommendations
are
accepted. Credit is not awarded for Basic Training, Army Military
Occupational Specialty (MOS), Navy Enlisted Ratings (NER), or
vocational-technical recommendations.
Note: A maximum of 20 s.h. of ROTC credit can be counted toward graduation
requirements.
Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
All CCAF credit is considered to be vocational-technical;
a total of 16 s.h. is accepted toward graduation.
Note: In addition to standard CCAF transfer credit policies, The University
of Iowa awards regular college credit for some courses in the Leadership
Management series.
Do the Regents award credit for professional training
or life experience activities?
The Regents award credit only for academic course work. In general,
no credit is awarded for "life experience."
Exceptions:
-
American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations are
used to evaluate non-collegiate training programs. Credit may be available
for training
programs that are offered on a nationwide or industry-wide
basis or by a major corporate employer. Evaluation of local, statewide,
or regional training is typically not available.
-
Satisfactory performance on the foreign language proficiency
test may satisfy all or part of the foreign language requirement.
No credit is awarded, but the foreign language requirement may be
considered satisfied without completion of formal course work.
I've been out of college for nearly thirty years. Will
my credits still transfer?
In most cases, the date your course work was completed
is unimportant. Courses completed several years
ago will be evaluated in the same manner
as those completed last year.
How do I apply for admission, and then what happens?
You can request a BLS information packet, including an application for
admission, by contacting the Regents institution of your choice. Or
you can file an application electronically with the Office of Admissions.
The following documents are needed to complete your application for
admission.
-
application for admission
-
$30 application fee
-
an official high school transcript (call
us if it's not available)
-
official transcripts from each postsecondary
institution you've attended
-
documentation of military training,
if applicable
-
official transcripts for professional
training programs, if applicable
What are the deadlines to apply for admission?
If you plan to complete most of your course work outside of the regular
on-campus daytime classes, you can apply at any time. Applications are
processed as soon as possible after all transcripts are received. Guided
Independent Study course work can be started at any time, but it's usually
wise to wait until you have received your degree evaluation to be sure
that your course selections will meet some of your graduation requirements.
What if I am not a U.S. resident? Can I still
enroll in the BLS program?
Depending on your previous college study and on your English skills,
foreign applicants may be admitted to the BLS degree program. Admission
to the BLS program is subject to the policies described below.
Foreign students who wish to enroll in on-campus courses
are encouraged to apply at least twelve months before they wish to enroll.
This same amount of time is applicable to foreign students who wish
to enroll in the BLS program. In addition, distance education applicants
who are non-native speakers of English are required to achieve a TOEFL
score of 600 (or the equivalent computerized score).
What are upper-level credits?
Upper-level credits are earned for course work that is considered to
be of a junior or senior level at a four-year institution. At The University
of Iowa, upper-level courses are primarily those numbered XX:100 or
higher. At Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa,
the upper level designation often is XX:300 or higher. Course work completed
at a community college is always considered lower level.
How quickly can I graduate?
The BLS program is unique in that there is no specific time for completion.
How long it takes you to graduate will depend upon the requirements
you need to complete, your course load, and how much time you can devote
to your courses.
Will graduate schools accept my BLS degree?
Your BLS degree is an accredited degree. Students who have completed
BLS degrees have gone on to pursue graduate degrees in fields such as
law, business, education, and medicine.
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