Considering Transferring to Luther?
Whether you’re finishing up a two year degree and looking ahead or transferring from a four year institution, we’re here to provide transfer students and educational partners with clear, practical guidance about how transfer credits will apply, existing pathways, and how to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Want to learn more about Luther? Connect with our Admissions team!
Transferring Credit
Full credit (in semester hours) is given for undergraduate level work from regionally accredited institutions, provided that courses earn a final grade of C- or higher and are in comparable fields of study offered at Luther. Learn more about our transfer credit policy here.
Luther College has partnered with Transferology to show students how we award credits for transferable courses and exams:
Prior Learning Credits:
The Office of the Registrar maintains general education guides for the following schools:
- Des Moines Area Community College
- Hawkeye Community College
- Iowa Lakes Community College
- North Iowa Area Community College
- Northeast Iowa Community College
- Riverland Community College
- Rochester Community and Technical College
If your college isn’t listed here, your credits can still transfer! Check out Transferology or chat with our Admissions team about your coursework.
Current students: please visit information for students regarding transferring credits towards your degree.
Luther recognizes a variety of transfer majors from Iowa community colleges, helping the work you’ve completed toward your associate’s degree carry forward to your bachelor’s degree.
Developed by the Iowa Department of Education in partnership with Iowa community colleges and participating four-year institutions, transfer majors provide a structured set of courses and clear pathways from your two year college to a four year institution.
Luther’s Established Transfer Pathways:
Chemistry Learn more about Chemistry at Luther
History Learn more about History at Luther
Psychology Learn more about Psychology at Luther
Social Work Learn more about Social Work at Luther
Luther College maintains the following Social Work agreement with Northeast Iowa Community College, including a recommended course of study across four years:
Don’t see your major?
We’re committed to helping you build on your credits efficiently and confidently. If your transfer major isn’t listed, we’ll work with you to make the most of the credits you’ve already earned.
We’re here to help
If you have any questions, your admissions counselor is available to help you to learn more about how we can help turn your hard work into a Luther College degree.
During the enrollment process, transfer students will be connected with an advisor in their program to plan their remaining studies. Those pursing a transfer major not listed above, or who haven’t yet chosen a major, are enthusiastically encouraged to apply and will be matched with an advisor best suited to their path.
The Luther College Core Curriculum provides the foundation of a liberal arts education, and is designed to develop essential intellectual skills, interdisciplinary knowledge, and global awareness.
Transfer coursework may satisfy Literacy, Global Engagement, and Social and Environmental Justice requirements upon evaluation. Some transfer students may be eligible to partially or completely satisfy Paideia I with transferred English Composition courses taken post high school. Experiential Learning and the Paideia 450 Capstone will be completed at Luther.
Paideia I (Paideia 111 & 112)
Paideia I is a two-course sequence designed to develop students’ ability to read, write, analyze, discuss, and research by engaging with works drawn from different time periods, genres, and parts of the world.
Literacies
The curriculum includes six literacies that cultivate essential skills and knowledge for a liberal arts education:
- Creative Literacy
- Data Literacy
- Scientific Literacy
- Religious Literacy
- Social Systems Literacy
- Textual Literacy
Global Engagement (GE)
The multi-course Global Engagement requirement develops students’ capacity to understand and engage diverse cultural perspectives and practices.
Students must complete three GE courses. At least one course (GE-L) must be language-learning or taught in a language other than English. Some international students may be exempt from the GE-L portion.
Social and Environmental Justice (SEJ)
The Social and Environmental Justice requirement will help students to understand that social structures and systems are designed, therefore they can be redesigned or dismantled. SEJ courses will provide students a basis for understanding injustice in social and/or environmental contexts.
Experiential Learning
Through the Experiential Learning requirement, students will engage in a sustained and substantive experiential learning activity that applies learning in context beyond the traditional classroom setting.
Paideia 450 CapstoneÂ
Students will demonstrate ethical reasoning and deliberation across perspectives and academic disciplines, connecting course content and community-based learning experiences to articulate their own responsibilities as ethically engaged global citizens.
Your admissions counselor or advisor may ask to see an unofficial transcript from your previous college, which are often free and useful for initial conversations.
Your official transcript is required for your credits to be officially evaluated and applied to your degree. Submit a request to your previous institution to send your official transcript to Luther College. If an email or postal address is required, official transcripts should be sent to the Registrar’s Office:
registrar@luther.edu
or
Luther College Registrar’s Office
700 College Drive
Decorah, IA 52101
International Transcripts:
In addition to an original official transcript, students who have completed college-level coursework at an institution outside the U.S. may be required to submit a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-approved credential evaluation agency, such as The Evaluation Company (TEC), World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), to verify their credentials and U.S. equivalencies. Please note that the cost of this evaluation is the responsibility of the student.
Reverse Credit Transfer for Students with Community College Credit
Students who transfer from a community college before finishing a two year program may be eligible to complete their community college credential with credits earned after they’ve become a Luther College student.
It is recommended that students speak with an advisor or other representative from their former community college to inquire if Luther College credits can be transferred back to fulfill the necessary requirements for degree or credential completion there. It is the purview of the community college to accept and determine transfer of credits and whether a credential can be awarded.
Students needing to have their official Luther College transcript sent to their community college can do so with no charge at Request a Transcript.
Please note that transfer credit guides and official evaluations are administered by the Registrar’s Office. The Office of Admissions may have additional requirements. Though resources here may indicate transferability of particular coursework, this does not guarantee admission to Luther College.
If you have questions about what’s needed for admission, we’re here to help!
Office of the Registrar
Main Building 123
700 College Drive
Decorah, Iowa 52101
Phone: 563-387-1167
Fax: 563-387-1129