Percentage of IU Indianapolis Courses Required for Conferral of Certificate
IN-POL-TC19
About This Policy
- Effective Date:
- 05-05-2020
- Date of Last Review/Update:
- 03-20-2026
- Responsible Campus Administrator:
IU Indianapolis Faculty Council
Academic Affairs Committee
- Policy Contact:
IU Indianapolis Faculty Council, ude[dot]ui[at]licnuocf
Office of the IU Indianapolis Provost, ude[dot]ui[at]tsvrp
Scope
Students completing a certificate program from IU Indianapolis with completed courses from another Indiana University campus or external institution.
Policy Statement
IU Indianapolis requires that a minimum of 25% of the credit hours earned for the conferral of a certificate be earned at IU Indianapolis.
Reason for Policy
While specific policies exist for the conferral of a bachelor's or associate's degree, no policy currently exists for the conferral of IU Indianapolis certificates.
The Higher Learning Commission has outlined specific criteria with respect to the minimum number of credit hours required for an institution to confer a bachelor’s or associate’s degree.
The institution maintains structures or practices that ensure the coherence and quality of the programs for which it awards a degree. Typically, institutions will require that at minimum 30 of the 120 credits earned for the bachelor’s degree and 15 of the 60 credits for the associate’s degree be credits earned at the institution itself, through arrangements with other accredited institutions, or through contractual relationships approved by the Commission. Any variation from the typical minima must be explained and justified.
Based on the established minimum number of credit hours, a bachelor’s or associate’s degree requires that 25% of the course requirements be completed by the conferring school. The same standard should be used for conferral of an IU Indianapolis certificate.
Procedures
In reviewing requirements for the conferral of an IU Indianapolis certificate, academic units must require that at least 25% of the completed coursework be earned at IU Indianapolis.
Example: A 15-credit hour certificate (based on five, 3-credit hour courses), requires that at least two of the courses be completed at IU Indianapolis to award the certificate. The 25% calculations come to 1.25 courses or 3.75 credit hours which would round up to 2 courses, in this example.
Example: An 18-credit hour certificate (based on six, 3-credit hour courses) requires that at least two of the courses be completed at IU Indianapolis to award the certificate. The 25% calculations come to 1.5 courses or 4.5 credit hours which would round up to two courses, in this example.
Sanctions
Conferral of an IU Indianapolis certificate with fewer than 25% of the coursework earned at IU Indianapolis could result in rescinding the certificate.