Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework

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Policy Number:
UW-1216
Responsible Office:
Graduate School

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

The Graduate School allows programs to transfer credits for previous coursework under the conditions detailed below. Any prior coursework accepted under these parameters must have been rigorous and meet the expectations of graduate work for the degree.

 

Definitions:
Credit Hour

A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

(1)One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or

(2)At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

Alternatively, a credit hour is defined as the learning that takes place in at least 45 hours of learning activities, which include time in lectures or class meetings, in-person or online, laboratories, examinations, presentations, tutorials, preparation, reading, studying, hands-on experiences, and other learning activities; or a demonstration by the student of learning equivalent to that established as the expected product of such a period of study.

In all cases, learning in for-credit courses is guided by a qualified instructor and includes regular and substantive student-instructor interaction.

Scope:

Graduate Students.

Policy:
  • A student’s program may decide to accept transfer credits toward fulfillment of minimum degree, minimum graduate coursework, graduate/professional certificate, and doctoral minor credit requirements.
    • Grades from transfer credits will not count towards the graduate career GPA.
    • Transfer credits must be earned from institutions recognized by a U.S. Department of Education institutional accrediting agency or hold an equivalent international accreditation. 
    • The Graduate School’s minimum graduate residence credit requirement can be satisfied only with courses taken as a graduate student at UW–Madison.
    • Students should be aware that some programs may require more rigorous credit requirements than the Graduate School’s minimum requirements.
    • Students should contact their graduate program coordinator for further information.
  • Although transfer credits can be used toward graduate/professional certificates, at least half (50%) of the certificate credits must be earned while enrolled at UW–Madison as a degree- seeking graduate/professional student.
  • The credits used toward a master’s degree may also be applied to a related doctoral degree. However, if the credit maximums for a particular category were already reached for the master’s degree, then no more transfer credits are permissible under that category for the doctoral degree. Credits earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree or credits earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree are not allowed to satisfy requirements.
  • Further transfer credit policy depends on whether the credits were earned:
    • at other graduate institutions,
    • during an undergraduate career at UW–Madison,
    • during an undergraduate career outside UW–Madison, or
    • during a University Special student career at UW–Madison.
  • In the following, we describe the conditions that apply to transferring credits for each of the above cases:
    • Transfer Credits from other graduate institutions. A student’s program may decide to transfer graduate credits completed at another institution (earned post-baccalaureate). There are no limits on the number of credits that can be transferred except that the program’s minimum graduate residence credit requirement can be satisfied only with courses taken as a graduate student at UW–Madison. Further, the graduate-level credits taken as a Big Ten Academic Alliance Traveling Scholar may count as credits taken in residence at UW-Madison. The credits from this work will appear on a UW–Madison transcript as transfer credits into the graduate career.
    • Transfer Credits from an undergraduate career at UW–Madison. A student’s program may decide to transfer up to seven credits numbered 300 or above from the undergraduate career completed at UW–Madison. Exceptions to this limit must be approved by the Graduate School. However, these credits would not be allowed to count toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum unless taken at the 700 level or above. The credits will be noted on the transcript in the graduate career as transfer credits, but the courses will remain in the undergraduate career.
    • Transfer Credits from an undergraduate career outside UW–Madison. Transfer of credits from an undergraduate career outside of UW–Madison is not allowed unless the corresponding undergraduate program at UW-Madison has specialized accreditation. On a program-by-program basis, accredited UW–Madison programs may request permission to allow up to seven credits of undergraduate coursework from other institutions to count toward a graduate degree based on specialized accreditation. In this case, the other institution must meet the following two conditions:
      • Students have received their undergraduate degree in the same discipline as they are pursuing graduate work, and
      • The undergraduate degree has been granted from a program which is accredited by the same specialized accrediting body as the UW–Madison program.
      • Should a program decide to request this permission, it must provide the Graduate School with information requested on the undergraduate credit exception form to be eligible for consideration. Please note submission of a permission request does not provide assurance of its approval. If a program believes a student situation meets these criteria, it must request this permission by completing the steps as outlined in the outside institution undergraduate credit permission form. A request may be made at any time, but please note that the earliest date for implementation is the term AFTER Graduate School approval. The credits from this work will appear on a UW–Madison transcript as transfer credits into the graduate career.
    • Transfer Credits from University Special Student Career at UW–Madison. A student’s program may decide to transfer up to fifteen University Special student credits numbered 300 or above. However, these credits would not be allowed to count toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum unless taken at the 700 level or above or is taken to meet the requirements of a Capstone Certificate. The credits will be noted on the transcript in the graduate career as transfer credits, but the courses will remain in the University Special student career.         

 

Table 1. 
  Transfer Credit from Other Graduate Institutions(s) Transfer Credit from Undergraduate Career at UW-Madison (up to 7 credits total) Transfer Credit from Undergraduate Career at UW-Madison (up to 7 credits total) Transfer Credit from University Special Student Career at UW-Madison (up to 15 credits total)  
Minimum Graduate Residence Credit Requirement No No No No
Minimum Graduate Degree Credit Requirement Allowed Allowed Allowed up to 7 credits numbered 300 or above

Allowed up to 7 credits if approved by the Graduate School

 Allowed up to 15 credits numbered 300 or above
Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Credit Requirement Allowed Allowed up to 7 credits numbered 700 or above Allowed up to 7 credits if approved by the program Allowed up to 15 credits numbered 700 or above or taken to meet the requirements of a Capstone Certificate.

 



Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Dean of the Graduate School
Policy Manager:
Director, Academic Services, Graduate School
Contact:
Degree Coordinator -- Elena Hsu, elena.hsu@wisc.edu, (608) 262-2433
Revised Dates:

09-12-2022, 05-18-2023

Retrieved:
10-02-2023 13:26:22