1. Purpose
To provide students options to substitute or augment a VinUni course with advanced or independent study.
2. Content
2.1 Transfer Credit
Students can transfer acceptable credits from studies at another university or count some AP and IB tests toward VinUni’s requirement. The following can be applied for transferring credits:
- Credit for Exams taken: Earn credits for AP, IB, French Baccalaureat and GCE A-level exams. Faculty of Arts and Sciences will define the English exam credit and placement that are specific to the Faculty.
- External transfer student credit evaluations: to be eligible for VinUni credit, a course must be substantially equivalent to a comparable VinUni course in terms of content and rigor. This will be determined using criteria such as content hours, assessments, and textbooks. A grade of “C” or higher is required for a course to transfer. Faculty/College will determine how transfer courses may be used to fulfill major or minor requirements.
There should be a Transfer Credit Application Form with the following sections:
- To Be Completed by Student: include transfer course information, with appropriate attached materials (i.e. syllabus of equivalent course, course description, textbook used for the course, example completed assignments/coursework).
- To Be Completed by Faculty (Course Instructor or Program Director): to certify that faculty has reviewed the appropriate materials and believe that the transfer course is equivalent in content, rigor, and level of the specified VinUni course.
- To be Completed by College Dean/Head of Faculty for final approval
The Registrar will finally approve this application and enter the grade as “T – Transfer Credit” for the specified VinUni course on student’s transcript.
| Refer to the Procedural Guidelines for Credit Transfer Requests HERE |
2.2 Proficiency Exam
When appropriate (and only for first-year courses), the course instructor can offer a proficiency exam near the beginning of the semester to allow the student to demonstrate their proficiency of all course learning objectives as stated in the course syllabus. If the student passes the proficiency exam, he/she can obtain the equivalence of the transfer credit.
2.3 Honors Course
Offered 1-hour extra credit in conjunction with another VinUni course taken concurrently. Students must complete extra, and advanced class assignments as specified by the course instructor. A special exam may be required for admission to this course.
2.4 Individual (Independent) Study
It ranges from one to three credits per semester, is repeatable, and only counts as an elective credit. There should be an Individual Study Form (PDF or online – Appendix 2) that the student has to submit within the first 8 weeks of the semester and obtain the agreement from a VinUni faculty, who serves as the course instructor for this student’s Individual Study course. The Individual Study form contains the title, outline, and description of the project that would be conducted by the student for this Individual Study course.
The agreed instructor would have to submit a grade for the Individual Study course at the end of the semester like for a regular course. The expected workload, as for other regular courses, is 3 times the number of signed up credit hours, per week on average. The expected deliverables at the end of the semester are either a presentation at the Undergraduate Research Symposium and/or a project report as specified by the course instructor.
| Refer to the Procedural Guidelines for Independent Study HERE |