Adult Students

Who is an Adult Student?

At BW, students meeting one or more of the following criteria may be considered an adult student:

Students pursuing a bachelor's degree who are age 24 years or older, starting or returning to college more than five years after high school.
Veteran, active military or reservist.
Considered financially independent for purposes of determining financial aid.
Fulfill multiple adult roles such as parent, spouse/partner, caregiver, employee and student.

Flexible Schedules for Working Adults

Accelerate your degree or take it at your own pace. Adults bring a high level of motivation and commitment to their college studies, but the reality is that college has to fit with the rest of your life. At Baldwin Wallace University, you'll work one-on-one with an advisor who understands your priorities and helps you find a schedule that works for you, even if that changes from semester to semester.

Degree Completion Options

BW offers many options to complete your degree:

Evening classes, just one night a week
Accelerated eight-week minimester classes
Accelerated five-day immersion classes
Online and hybrid classes
Traditional day classes too, if that fits your schedule (some start as early as 8 a.m.)

Evening or Online Programs of Study

View all undergraduate majors and minors.

Associate to Bachelor's Program (A2BW)

Associate to Bachelor's Program (A2BW) - If you've earned an associate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, all the credit you've earned with your associate degree will be honored and you may have reduced core requirements, putting you on a fast track toward the completion of your bachelor's degree at BW.

BW Transfer Core

How does my credit transfer if I attended another four-year school or have community college credit without an associate degree?

Students transferring to BW with 25 credits or more but no associate degree follow the BW Transfer Core, which is based on the State of Ohio's Articulation and Transfer Policy - Ohio Transfer 36 (OT36). The BW Transfer Core includes:

3 credits English Composition and Oral Communication
3 credits Mathematics, Statistics and Logic
6 credits Arts and Humanities (2 different disciplines)
6 credits Social and Behavioral Sciences (2 different disciplines)
6 credits Natural Sciences (at least 1 lab course)
Plus 12 credits of additional coursework from the disciplines above or courses based on proposed major at four-year school.

BW's Online Transfer Guide

BW's online transfer guide shows how courses transfer from more than 80 area colleges and universities. Students also transfer credits from many other accredited schools not included in the online transfer guide.

Transfer Equivalencies

BW transfer admission counselors assist prospective transfer and adult students by advising for general education and major requirements while you are still at your community college or previous institution.

Our counselors will work with you to review your credits. Visit campus and meet with a BW transfer admission counselor to see how your credits transfer - before you even apply for admission! You can also upload your college transcripts and a transfer admission counselor will review your transcripts.

Transfer FAQ

The following are frequently asked questions we receive from transfer students. Send an email to transfer@bw.edu if you have additional questions.

Frequently Asked Questions: How do transfer credits apply to a BW degree?

Courses transferred from other colleges or universities may count directly toward your major or minor, core requirements, or electives - all are valuable credit toward the minimum 120 credits needed to graduate. All college-level courses with a grade of C or better from a regionally accredited college or university will transfer to Baldwin Wallace, given that they fall within the academic scope and level of BW's programs. Grades of C- or below do not transfer.

How much credit can transfer to BW?

There is no limit on the number of hours that may be transferred from four-year colleges and universities; however, the last 45 semester hours of your degree must be earned at Baldwin Wallace University. A maximum of 60 semester hours may transfer from two-year or community colleges.

There is a limit on how much credit may transfer in some academic areas as determined by the BW faculty, such as engineering or other technical areas.

What is the difference between equivalency credit and elective credit?

Baldwin Wallace wishes to award the maximum in transfer credit whenever possible. Students may need to provide a course description or syllabus to determine if a transfer course is equivalent to a course at BW. If it is not the same as a BW course, students will still receive elective credit which counts towards the 120 credits needed for a bachelor's degree.

Are there time limits on how old courses can be?

Most courses have no time limit to qualify for transfer toward a bachelor's degree. However, some areas are more time sensitive, such as accounting, computer science, education and nursing.

Will my grade point average from a previous college/university transfer?

No, only your credit hours will transfer. When you enroll at Baldwin Wallace University, you will establish a new BW grade point average.

Does BW offer alternative transfer credit?

The American Council on Education (ACE) provides credit recommendations for workplace and military training. Official ACE Transcripts and Joint Services Transcripts may be sent to BW for transfer evaluation. You may also earn credit through the College Level Examination Program.

Questions?

If you have questions, please contact the BW Admission Office at (440) 826‑2222.