Transcripts, Credits & Grades

Courses offered at IAU have been identified by course codes and numbers that are comparable to accredited institutions’ numbering system. The course code is a 3 letter identifier for a major division of an academic subject. The course code is related to the content of the course, rather than the department in which it is taught.

• 100-299 Undergraduate courses lower division
• 300-499 Undergraduate courses upper division
• 500-999 Graduate courses

“Satisfactory Progress” is only applicable to students who are near the end of the DBA Program. DBA Comprehensive Exam and Project courses may take longer than one session to complete. Student CGPAs should not be negatively affected if the students are making satisfactory progress as determined by their instructor/mentor.

The grade “S” was adopted in the current grade scale. At the end of a session, an instructor shall assign grade “S” for students demonstrating satisfactory progress in DBA Comprehensive Exam and Project courses. Students shall receive appropriate credits/units for their coursework on their transcripts. The grade “S” shall be excluded from the CGPA computation.

Transfer Credit (TRC) 

IAU will consider awarding credit from other institutions to transfer students as determined by the Office of Admissions, Chief Academic Officer, or qualified faculty member. To transfer to IAU, an applicant must file an application for admission, satisfy all admission requirements, and submit original transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended. Credit earned for courses for which a grade of “C” or higher will be considered for transfer. IAU considers the accredited status of the transferring institution as a major factor, but not the sole determinant of the transfer decision. There is no age limit to the academic credit which has been completed. The Office of Admissions has the sole discretion to award transfer credits. If a student wishes to ask for reconsideration of this decision, they may contact the Office of Admissions.

Standardized Exam Credit (SEC)

IAU will consider awarding credit for standardized tests for specific academic disciplines. Students who obtain the credit-granting score required can earn credits and course exemptions. The institution establishes standards that are recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). IAU grants a credit on standardized exams for undergraduate credit only. 

 Some standardized exams accepted include: 

1. Advanced Placement Program (AP)
2. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) – IAU CLEP College Code: #2641
3. DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)
4. Excelsior College Examinations (ECE)
5. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Advanced Subject Tests
6. New York University (NYU) Proficiency Testing in Foreign Languages
7. Thomas Edison College Examination Programs (TECEP)

Prior Experiential Learning (PEL) Credit

IAU will consider awarding credit to a student for Prior Experiential Learning (PEL) that is equivalent to a college or university level of learning. The learning experience must demonstrate a balance between theory and practice. The credit awarded for the prior learning experience directly relates to the student’s degree program and is applied in satisfaction of some of the degree requirements. PEL credit is not awarded for non-degree programs. PEL Portfolio may be submitted anytime during the student’s degree program. PEL Portfolios are not acceptable before being officially admitted or during the semester of intended graduation. PEL credit awarded during a particular academic term does not count towards meeting enrollment requirements. 

Students are required to register for courses in accordance with academic policy, even if their PEL results are still pending. If a student later chooses to withdraw or adjust their course enrollment based on the PEL results, all applicable registration policies, deadlines, and fees will remain in effect.

For the complete PEL policy/procedure, please visit: iaula.edu/pel.

Transfer Credit (TRC) 

1. Submission of Documents.  Students requesting transfer credit must submit original transcripts from institutions directly to IAU. Foreign-educated applicants, see policy on Foreign-Educated Applicants.Course descriptions or syllabi may be required for evaluation.
   
2. Initial Review.  The Office of Admissions conducts an initial review to verify institutional accreditation, course level, credit hours, and minimum grade requirements in accordance with IAU transfer credit policies.
   
3. Academic Evaluation.  Qualified academic personnel or Subject Matter Expert (SME) evaluate courses for equivalency, relevance, and alignment with IAU program learning outcomes and degree requirements.
   
4. Credit Determination.  Transfer credit is awarded only for courses that are comparable in content, rigor, and learning outcomes to IAU courses.
   
5. Notification to Student.  Students are notified via email of the transfer credit decision, including the number of credits accepted and how they apply toward the degree program.
   
6. Recording of Transfer Credit.  Approved transfer credits are posted to the student’s academic record and transcript as transfer credit. Transfer credits do not affect the student’s IAU grade point average (GPA).
   
7. Appeal Process.  Students may appeal TRC decisions by submitting a written appeal with supporting documentation to IAU within 2 weeks from the date of the result.

Standardized Exam Credit (SEC)

1. Submission of Official Scores. Students seeking Standardized Exam Credit must submit official score reports (e.g., CLEP, DSST, AP, IB, or other approved examinations) directly to IAU.
   
2. Verification of Exam Eligibility.  The Office of Admissions verifies that the examination is approved by IAU and that the scores meet the minimum required standards for credit consideration.
   
3. Academic Review.  Qualified academic personnel (Program Chair, Faculty Evaluator, or Registrar) review the exam subject matter to determine alignment with IAU course objectives, learning outcomes, and program requirements.
   
4. Credit Award Determination.  Credit is awarded only when exam content and score levels demonstrate college-level learning comparable to IAU coursework. Credit hours awarded follow policy limits and program requirements.
   
5. Notification to Student.  Students are notified via email of the SEC decision, including the specific credits awarded and how they apply toward degree requirements.
   
6. Recording of Credit.  Approved Standardized Exam Credits are recorded on the student’s academic record and transcript as exam credit. These credits do not affect the student’s IAU grade point average (GPA).
7. Appeal Process.  Students may appeal SEC decisions by submitting a written appeal with supporting documentation to IAU within 2 weeks from the date of the result.

Prior Experiential Learning (PEL) Credit

For the complete PEL policy/procedure, please visit: iaula.edu/pel.

Transfer Credit (TRC) Evaluation

Repeat Course policy refers to the successive attempts of a course with the same code, title, and content of the initial attempt, except when equivalencies or changes have been indicated in the IAU catalog and IAU website. Course Substitution does not constitute a Repeat Course.

Undergraduate students may repeat any course two times (maximum of three attempts per course) for credit completed with a Fail grade or letter grade below a C. Graduate students may repeat any course two times (maximum of three attempts per course) for credit completed with a Fail grade or letter grade below a B. If a student cannot successfully complete a course by the last permitted attempt, the student must be advised and seek approval from the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) or respective program chair to continue in the enrolled program. There is no limitation on the maximum number of attempts within the length of the program for internship courses and doctoral projects, provided that it does not violate any other institutional policies. Course attempts resulting in Satisfactory grade “S” or Withdrawal mark “W” constitute a Repeat Course. 

Standard tuition fees are applicable. Students are required to pay for the additional tuition fee for all repeated courses at the tuition rate stated in the signed Enrollment Agreement. The repeated courses will affect the total tuition for the program originally stated in the Enrollment Agreement.

All attempts of a given course will appear on the transcript with the grades and the corresponding units. Initial and subsequent grades will be automatically computed into the student’s GPA and units earned. Repeated courses may be used for Grade Replacement. Repeating a course by no means guarantees approval for Grade Replacement. The Grade Replacement process is not automatic. After a course repetition is completed, students must initiate the process. This policy does not imply a guarantee that openings will be available in courses if and when students wish to retake them.

If an applicant completed their coursework at a foreign (outside of the U.S.) institution, they will need to provide transcripts in English. Transcripts not in English must be evaluated by an appropriate third party and translated into English or evaluated by a certified transcript evaluator fluent in the language of the transcript. In this case, the evaluator must have expertise in the educational practices of the country of origin and include a certified English translation of the review.

• Certified Translation: Foreign transcripts must be submitted in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Translations must be literal, complete versions of the originals and must be translated by a university, Government official, or official translation service. An applicant may not complete their own translation.
• General Report: For purposes that require showing evidence of an earned degree, an official evaluation of a General Report translated in English of the degree is acceptable.
• Course-By-Course Report: If an applicant wants to receive transfer credit for coursework completed at a foreign (outside of the U.S.) institution, they will need to submit a certified course-by-course English-translated evaluation of the transcript of records.

IAU recommends a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member or other reputable foreign credential evaluation agency for course-by-course or general report evaluations. For a list of NACES approved agencies, go to www.naces.org. In the event that applicants cannot obtain official copies due to circumstances, notarized (or otherwise certified) copies of academic documents are acceptable.