As a new institution, we have found that many interested learners like our programming, but are concerned about the transferability of their Ames Christian University credits.
They wonder if the credits they earn at Ames Christian will transfer to other schools, if necessary.
To address this is legitimate concern, we have introduced the External Degree
Program. The External Degree Program combines the elements of an "external"
degree with the content of our Bachelor of Arts. (External Degree Program is not available for the M.Min.)
With an "external" degree, learners take
courses from providers other than their degree-granting schools (providers that are "external" to the schools). They then transfer the credit back to the degree-granting school to complete their requirements and
earn a degree.
Some of the most famous, and earliest, distance learning schools offer "external" degrees, including Excelsior College (formerly Regents College) in New York, Thomas Edison State College in New
Jersey, and Charter Oak State College in Connecticut. With each of these schools, it is possible to take all of the courses required for a degree from other schools and providers.
The External Approach
In an external degree program, learners are able to take courses from any approved or accredited provider, then transfer them back to the degree-granting school. Courses can be taken from a local community college,
a university's night school program, or an online provider, among many others.
Once a course is completed, the learner requests a transcript from the course provider to be sent to the degree-granting school. Upon
receipt, credit is extended and a degree requirement is considered complete. The external approach enables learners to "pull together" credits from a variety of sources to make up a completed degree.
Benefits of the External Approach
An external degree offers learners several options that the traditional models lack, including cost and convenience. They are offered a variety of course options, from which
they can choose the one that best suits their particular needs.
The external degree process enables learners to choose the most cost-effective method for completing their degree requirements. It becomes possible
to choose from many options for most courses and to pick the one that best meets the learner's unique situation.
In addition, the external approach can be a benefit in the case of credit transfer. The learner
builds an official transcript with the course provider school as they take courses. So if it becomes necessary to seek transfer credit for courses taken as part of the external degree program, transcripts are issued
by the schools from which the courses are taken. Especially if the schools have prestigious reputations or accreditation, this can greatly aid the transfer process.
How the External Degree Program Works
The External Degree Program blends the benefits of the external degree with that of Ames Christian's concentration courses. Learners will take their non-concentration courses from external accredited universities
and take their concentration courses from Ames Christian.
The non-concentration component includes all of the general education, arts, science, math, etc. courses not included in a particular degree
concentration. Concentration courses, of course, are those devoted to each particular degree concentration, Doctrine, Service, or Education.
All Ames Christian University Bachelor of Arts degree concentrations are
eligible for the External Degree Program.
We have arranged with several top-name American universities to offer their courses to Ames Christian External Degree learners on a correspondence basis. As an External
Degree Program learner, you will be able to choose courses from providers such as Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University, University of Kentucky, Oklahoma State University and University of North
Carolina, among others.
The Degree Completion Plan
Upon enrollment in the External Degree Program, like any Ames Christian degree program, a learner files a Degree Completion Plan (DCP). The External
Degree Program's DCP outlines the general requirements to be met for the Ames Christian degree. (Unlike the traditional DCP, which lists the actual Ames Christian course which fills each requirement.)
For example,
for English Composition, the External Degree DCP lists requirements for English I and English II, but no particular course requirements. Learners have the opportunity to take English I and English II from any
provider school that offers them.
Once a particular course is complete, the learner requests a transcript from the provider school to be sent to Ames Christian. Upon receipt, credit is granted and the DCP is
updated.
The External Degree Program observes Ames Christian's transfer policy for grades. All courses passed with a grade "C" and above transfer.
Enrolling In Courses
It is very important to
understand that in the External Degree Program, learners are building relationships with multiple schools. They have a relationship with Ames Christian and separate relationships with the schools from which they
take their courses.
To enroll in courses, learners will review their Ames Christian Degree Completion Plan, identify a course they need to take, and seek out provider courses. Ames Christian keeps a database of
approved courses from which to choose. Often, this gives learners the opportunity to comparison shop between providers' offerings.
Once they identify a course they wish to take, they visit that course provider
university's Web site, make the necessary applications, and enroll in the course. Tuition is paid directly to the course provider university. At that time, the relationship between the learner and the course
provider university is established.
Generally, once the enrollment is processed, learner's will receive the course materials, or a link to the online course, and a faculty contact. They complete the course
materials, turn them in for grading, and receive a grade for the course.
Once the course is complete, they request an official transcript to be sent to Ames Christian. Upon receipt, Ames Christian grants credit
for the course "as if" it had been taken at Ames Christian.
Terms of External Courses
All courses taken from Ames Christian University external course provider universities are exclusively subject to the
terms and conditions as set out by the provider school. Ames Christian makes no statement or claim of affiliation with the schools as to course content, faculty choice, or course delivery.
In other words, to
receive credit from a prestigious university, learners take their courses from those universities. We facilitate that only on an "arms length" basis.
In addition, it is also important to note that any transfer
credit decision is always at the discretion of the receiving school. We automatically accept courses taken from our approved course provider universities. However, if you are concerned about transferring those
credits on to another school, you need to check with that school to determine its transfer policies.
Costs for the External Degree Program
Learners pay the following tuition and fees for the External Degree Program:
Tuition: As set by the course provider university
Course Fees: As set by the course provider university
Transfer Fee: $15 per course, paid to Ames Christian University
The correspondence courses offered by our partner universities are often significantly less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. Consequently, learners save significantly by taking courses from the
provider universities and transferring the courses to Ames Christian, compared to taking the courses on campus from the course provider university.
