Transfer of Credit Information

In order to recognize graduate credits earned in other accredited institutions of higher education, and in other schools and colleges of the University of Michigan, the graduate school has formulated a policy that provides for the transfer of graduate credit to its master’s degree program. Credit may be transferred in accordance with this policy only if it is to be used to meet master’s degree requirements.

Course credits must be transferred in total or not at all. The transferred credit appears on the Rackham academic record but the associated grades received for this credit do not appear and are not computed in the student’s cumulative GPA. Credit from all quarter-system schools will be transferred according to the standard ratio of two semester hours for three quarter hours or two-thirds of a semester hour for each quarter hour.

The graduate school differentiates between two types of course credit that may be transferred.

• Graduate credits completed in residence at another accredited institution (that is, not at the University of Michigan); or
• Non-Rackham graduate credits completed on-campus in another University of Michigan School or College, e.g., School of Public Health.

Outside Institution Transfer of Credit Policy

The policy governing transfer of graduate credit completed in residence at another accredited institution is as follows:

Up to six (6) semester hours required for a master’s degree program may be transferred from any combination of the above institutions to a student’s Rackham record. The transferred credit appears on the Rackham academic record but the associated grades received for this credit do not appear and are not computed in the student’s cumulative GPA. Such credit may be transferred only for approved graduate-level courses and if all of the conditions below are met.

University of Michigan System Transfer of Credit Policy

The policy governing transfer of graduate credit completed on-campus in another University of Michigan school or college, is as follows:

Up to one-half (1/2) the minimum number of credit hours required for a master’s degree program may be transferred to a student’s Rackham record from both category one and two sources combined. Such credit may be transferred only for approved graduate-level courses and if all of the conditions below are met.

Conditions That Must Be Met to Transfer Credit

1. Student must be in a current master’s degree program.
2. Attainment of a grade point average of 3.0 or better in eight or more credit hours of graduate-level, letter-graded, residence work in the Rackham Graduate School.
3. Student must have submitted official final undergraduate transcripts/credentials and have the undergraduate degree posted to their Rackham record.
4. Submission of the complete transfer of credit request along with a current official final transcript from the institution you wish to transfer the credit from, to OARD. Note: if transferring from the University of Michigan, an unofficial transcript is acceptable.

Courses Cannot Be Transferred for Credit If

1. Already applied in whole or in part, in any way, toward any undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or a certificate.
2. Credit(s) will be applied in whole or in part, in any way, towards any current or future non-Rackham degree or certificate.
3. Taken more than five years before enrollment in the present Rackham master’s program.
4. A grade below “B” was earned.
5. Graduate level work was not done.
6. Extension or continuing education courses.

Courses Taken as an Undergraduate Student

Courses taken while enrolled as an undergraduate may be reviewed for transfer to the student’s graduate record if:

1. The courses have been approved for graduate credit by the graduate school of the institution
2. The Registrar or Senior Auditor of the granting institution certifies that the courses were not used in whole or in part, in any way, to meet requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Courses taken while enrolled as an undergraduate are not acceptable for graduate transfer if:

1. The courses were taken at an exclusively undergraduate institution
2. The courses were taken for undergraduate credit.

Procedure to Follow in Requesting Transfer of Credit

1. If a course is elected elsewhere with the intention of transferring the credit to a Rackham degree, the advisor must be consulted first to be sure the credits will be acceptable for the degree and that the course meets the above criteria.
2. The student must complete the Transfer of Credit Request Application Form.
3. The student must send a recent official copy of their transcript (i.e., one bearing the official seal of the school and the Registrar’s signature) showing the course(s) to be transferred to Rackham to the address below. Rackham does not require an official final transcript if the course(s) are to be transferred from U-M Ann Arbor. Note that the program may require an additional official transcript.

   U-M Rackham – OARD
   Attn: Transfer of Credit (please include UM-ID# here)
   915 East Washington Street
   Ann Arbor Michigan 48109-1070

4. Email is sent to the Graduate Chair(s) or designee asking him or her to review the request and submit recommendation.
5. The OARD evaluator verifies that all Rackham requirements are met. Final approval is contingent upon review and acceptance by Rackham Graduate School.
6. If approved, the OARD evaluator generates the Notification of Approved Transfer of Credit email which is sent to the Registrar’s Office for data entry (cc.: to student and grad coordinator). If not approved, the OARD evaluator sends email to student (cc.: to grad coordinator) giving the reason it was not approved. A final copy, along with the original transcript, is imaged in OARD.