Academic

Transfer Credits/Dual Credit Use

Transfer Credit Policy Link to section

Graduate-level coursework taken prior to matriculation in a graduate degree program is classified as possible transfer work. Limits on transfer credits are set at the program level. Credit hours may be accepted toward degree requirements if the subjects taken form an integral part of the proposed program of study and if taken within five years of the date of matriculation with a grade of B or higher as interpreted in this University.

Requests for transfer credit must have the approval of the department and AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs. Similarly, permission to take work at another institution for transfer credit after matriculation in a graduate program must be approved in advance by the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs. Credit hours already applied to two degrees, whether at the University of Rochester or elsewhere, cannot be applied to a third degree at the University.

For additional information, please review the Graduate Studies Bulletin.

Policy for Transferring in Credits Toward a PhD Link to section

Arts, Sciences & Engineering (AS&E) allows up to 30 credit hours of acceptable graduate work taken at this or another university to be transferred toward the 90-credit requirement for the doctoral degree. All transfer credits must not have been used as part of an undergraduate degree program and require the approval of the program (either the director of graduate studies or the chair) and the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs in order to be applied to a PhD program of study.

Note that programs may have their own requirements or guidelines that limit the number of credits they will accept toward the degree. Any program-specific policy that restricts the number of credits to fewer than 30 supersedes this policy.

Policy for Transferring in Credits Toward a Master’s Degree Link to section

Arts, Sciences & Engineering allows no more than 10 credits taken prior to matriculation in a graduate program to be transferred in for the master’s degree program of study free of charge.

If a student has completed an advanced certificate at the University of Rochester in the same field as the master’s degree, with departmental approval, those credits may transfer toward the master’s program without counting toward the 10-credit limit.

All transfer credits must not have been used as part of the undergraduate degree program and require approval of the program (either the director of graduate studies or the chair) and the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs in order to be applied to a graduate program of study.

Note that programs have their own requirements beyond completion of credit hours, such as distribution requirements, TA requirements, and specific work toward the exit exam or essay that the student must complete in order to earn a master’s degree. Students are encouraged to meet early in their planning process with the program’s graduate coordinator and/or director of graduate studies in order to devise a program of study that will meet all the requirements for the degree.

Policy for Transferring in Credits Toward an Advanced Certificate Link to section

Arts, Sciences & Engineering allows no more than four credits taken prior to matriculation in a graduate program to be transferred in for the certificate program free of charge.

If a student wishes to transfer in more than four credits for courses taken prior to matriculation in a graduate program, the student must pay for these credits. The cost shall be based on the per-credit tuition rate at the time the credit transfer is requested, and any graduate tuition scholarship that has been provided to the student shall be applied to this total tuition cost.

Double Master’s Policy Link to section

Policy for Using Overlapping Courses for Two Master’s Degrees in Arts, Sciences & Engineering Link to section

AS&E allows up to 10 credits to be used to satisfy the degree requirements for two distinct master’s degree programs. Students may petition for additional overlapped credits in their degree programs, but such petitions require the approval of both departments offering the degree programs as well as the AS&E dean of graduate education and postdoctoral affairs.

Any course used to satisfy the degree requirements for two master’s programs may not, under any circumstances, be used to satisfy the degree requirements for an additional master’s program or for a PhD program at the University of Rochester, as University regulations limit the application of course credits to, at most, two graduate programs.