Placement of first-year students and transfer students into Kalamazoo College courses may depend on previous coursework, College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations, the International Baccalaureate (IB), or departmental placement exams. The College does not place students, nor grant credit toward graduation, based on the College Level Examination Program (CLEP).
Chemistry and Mathematics Placement
Placement in chemistry and mathematics courses depends on scores earned on Kalamazoo College placement tests (offered online during the summer before the first year) or the appropriate College Board Advanced Placement Examination. See the Chemistry and Mathematics pages under the Courses of Instruction section for more information on placement in those departments. Placement does not imply academic credit toward graduation; see the Admissions Policies section of this catalog.
Language Placement
Students who have previously studied a non-English language must complete the Kalamazoo College language placement test. Placement into language courses is determined by the student’s score on the College’s placement test, a College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examination, or an International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level examination. Students who have completed three or more years of language study in high school will not be placed into a 101-level course. Placement does not confer academic credit toward graduation; see the Admissions Policies section of this catalog for more information.
Transfer Credit
Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
Please refer to the Admissions Policies section of this catalog.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit
Please refer to the Admissions Policies section of this catalog.
Dual Enrollment Credit
Please refer to the Admissions Policies section of this catalog.
New Transfer Students
Please refer to the Admissions Policies section of this catalog.
Continuing Students
Students who wish to receive credit for academic work completed over the summer must ensure that both the program and course(s) meet College requirements. For coursework taken at U.S. institutions, prior approval is not required but is strongly recommended to confirm transferability. For international programs and institutions outside the United States, prior approval is required.
Students may earn credit (with a grade of C or better) for courses taken at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, through a U.S.-based program offered by a regionally accredited institution, or at an appropriately accredited institution abroad. The Registrar’s Office determines the accreditation and suitability of U.S. institutions, while the Center for International Programs (CIP) evaluates international institutions and programs, including risk management considerations. The Registrar’s Office, in consultation with appropriate academic departments, will determine whether specific courses are eligible for transfer credit.
Students may not transfer more than 18 total units toward graduation. Credit transferred from other institutions is not used in the calculation of the Kalamazoo College cumulative grade point average (GPA). A student may not transfer credit for a repeated course if the student earned credit (D or better) for the original course.
Transfer units may be used to satisfy language and physical education requirements and, at the discretion of the departmental faculty, may be used toward majors, minors, and concentrations. All work to be considered for transfer credit must be submitted on an official transcript mailed directly from the transfer institution to the registrar.
Kalamazoo College does not permit concurrent enrollment. Credits earned at another college or university while a student is enrolled in a regular academic term at Kalamazoo College are not transferable. This policy ensures that students remain fully engaged in the College’s academic program, maintains the integrity and coherence of the curriculum, and prevents unapproved course overloads.
This policy does not apply to approved interinstitutional coursework, as described below.
Study Abroad Course Credit
Students must obtain prior approval for participation in any study abroad program by applying to the Center for International Programs. See the section on Study Abroad Grades for information on how credit from approved courses is transferred. Study abroad courses do not apply toward the maximum allowable transfer units, and study abroad grades are not used to calculate the grade point average (GPA).
Interinstitutional Enrollment
Students may take advantage of opportunities offered through the Kalamazoo Consortium for Higher Education by enrolling in courses at Western Michigan University (WMU) or Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC). This program is intended for students in good academic standing who wish to take courses not available at Kalamazoo College that meaningfully enhance their academic program.
First-year students must obtain approval from the Dean of the First Year to participate. Enrollment in interinstitutional courses is subject to space availability, and the College reserves the right to deny participation. Final approval must be granted by the Registrar’s Office. Students must comply with the policies of both their home institution (Kalamazoo College) and the host institution during the period of enrollment.
Credit will be awarded to students based on the number of credits the interinstitutional course is worth at the school offering it. Courses worth 3 semester credits will be awarded .9 units, and courses worth 4 semester credits will be awarded 1.2 units. Questions regarding how this affects degree completion should be directed to the Registrar’s Office.
Kalamazoo College students must be registered for a minimum of two Kalamazoo College academic units during the quarter in which they enroll in an interinstitutional course and must include the course as part of a normal full-time course load. Interinstitutional courses do not count as part of the residency requirement. The overload policy does apply to the registration of interinstitutional courses; interinstutional courses worth 3 or 4 semester credits will count as a full academic course regardless of course credit conversion. Students may also not register for more than two courses at the host institution.
Credit is awarded based on the credit value assigned by the host institution. Courses carrying 3 semester credits are awarded 0.9 Kalamazoo units, and courses carrying 4 semester credits are awarded 1.2 units. These courses appear on the Kalamazoo College transcript, and grades earned are included in the Kalamazoo College GPA. Tuition for interinstitutional courses is included in Kalamazoo College tuition; however, student are responsible for any class fees associated with the course. Students with questions about how these credits apply to degree requirements should consult the Registrar’s Office.
Students are strongly discouraged from enrolling in interinstitutional courses during the Spring quarter due to differences in academic calendars, potential housing complications, and timing related to graduation requirements.
Students from WMU or KVCC who wish to take courses at Kalamazoo College through this program must submit an approved Michigan Guest Student Application to the Registrar’s Office at least 30 days prior to the start of the term.