Transfer Credit


The transfer credit option allows master’s students to use graduate coursework completed at a different institution to fulfill course requirements for their KU degree. Transferred course(s) appear on the KU transcript in the original semester they were taken in at the other institution and with the grade obtained from that institution; however, the course title will appear as the KU course equivalent. 

Up to 9 hours of credit can be transferred from another institution to KU. Both the department and COGA must approve the transfer request. 

Some restrictions apply:

  • The transfer of credit is only approved for master’s degrees. KU policy doesn’t allow transfer credit towards a PhD.
  • Only courses taken for graduate credit while enrolling as a graduate student are eligible. 
  • The grade must be a B or higher (3.0 on a 4.0 scale or higher).
  • The courses in question cannot have counted toward any previously completed undergraduate or graduate degrees. 

If you believe a course from a previous institution may be eligible, you should contact your department to begin the process.  The department, usually the Director of Graduate Studies, will review the coursework to determine whether the course is equivalent to a specific course at KU and meets the transfer requirements. You will need to provide the department with documentation about the course, including an official transcript reflecting the courses from the other institution to be transferred in, as well as descriptions and/or syllabi for the courses in question.  If approved by the department, they will submit the transfer request on your behalf.

The count toward degree process is distinct from transfer credit.  While transfer credit applies to coursework taken outside of KU, the count toward degree process allows you to count toward a graduate degree graduate coursework taken as a graduate non-degree seeking student at KU.  No more than 9 credit hours may be counted in this way, assuming the degree-granting department endorses the request and the courses in question meet the University's criteria for graduate credit.  You must contact the department to complete a Count Toward Degree form, which must then be submitted to COGA for review and approval. If the form is approved, COGA and the department will include the counted courses when verifying that degree requirements have been met.  

Being a student, you should be advised that coursework taken as a non-degree seeking student already counts into the calculation of your graduate GPA, but the count towards degree form is still required for the coursework to count toward completion of degree requirements. However, the change is not otherwise reflected in your transcript.  

With the exception of coursework completed via a pre-approved Co-enrollment arrangement, graduate coursework completed as an undergraduate degree-seeking or undergraduate non-degree seeking student may not be counted toward a graduate degree at KU. 

Graduate courses taken at KU may count toward both a graduate degree and graduate certificate(s) as long as you are admitted and enrolled in the intended program prior to completion of the last required course. If the courses were taken as a non-degree seeking student, a Count Toward Degree form must be submitted prior to approval for graduation or approval of the certificate. 

Kansas Board of Regents policy defines 30 hours as the minimum for master's degrees at KU.  Departments may petition for a reduced hour degree master's degree for individual students.  A reduction in hours is distinct from a transfer of credit and is reserved for those students especially well-prepared to complete a graduate-level degree and able to maintain a superior grade point average.  If approved, you could be allowed to complete your degree by enrolling in up to 6 fewer hours of graduate credit than is typically required for that degree.  No coursework is transferred and no modifications to the transcript are made. 

To find out more about reduced hour degrees, please contact your department directly.  Departments can submit reduced credit hour degree petitions on behalf of their students through the Miscellaneous Functions Progress to Degree (PTD) form.  The department must support the petition and COGA must approve it before the reduced degree requirements will be granted. 

For Master's programs that require more than 30 graduate hours, a reduced credit hour degree petition need only be approved by COGA if the reduction brings the student's total graduate hours below 30. 

Like with transfer credit, for doctoral degrees departments may take prior graduate work into consideration in setting up your programs of study and may reduce or substitute requirements accordingly.  Such decisions are left to the discretion of the department; approval from the College or COGA is not required. 

The transfer credit option allows master’s students to use graduate coursework completed at a different institution to fulfill course requirements for their KU degree. Transferred course(s) appear on the KU transcript in the original semester they were taken in at the other institution and with the grade obtained from that institution; however, the course title will appear as the KU course equivalent. 

Up to 9 hours of credit can be transferred from another institution to KU. Both the department and COGA must approve the transfer request. 

Some restrictions apply:

  • The transfer of credit is only approved for master’s degrees. KU policy doesn’t allow transfer credit towards a PhD.
  • Only courses taken for graduate credit while enrolling as a graduate student are eligible. 
  • The grade must be a B or higher (3.0 on a 4.0 scale or higher).
  • The courses in question cannot have counted toward any previously completed undergraduate or graduate degrees. 

If you believe a course from a previous institution may be eligible, you should contact your department to begin the process.  The department, usually the Director of Graduate Studies, will review the coursework to determine whether the course is equivalent to a specific course at KU and meets the transfer requirements. You will need to provide the department with documentation about the course, including an official transcript reflecting the courses from the other institution to be transferred in, as well as descriptions and/or syllabi for the courses in question.  If approved by the department, they will submit the transfer request on your behalf.

The count toward degree process is distinct from transfer credit.  While transfer credit applies to coursework taken outside of KU, the count toward degree process allows you to count toward a graduate degree graduate coursework taken as a graduate non-degree seeking student at KU.  No more than 9 credit hours may be counted in this way, assuming the degree-granting department endorses the request and the courses in question meet the University's criteria for graduate credit.  You must contact the department to complete a Count Toward Degree form, which must then be submitted to COGA for review and approval. If the form is approved, COGA and the department will include the counted courses when verifying that degree requirements have been met.  

Being a student, you should be advised that coursework taken as a non-degree seeking student already counts into the calculation of your graduate GPA, but the count towards degree form is still required for the coursework to count toward completion of degree requirements. However, the change is not otherwise reflected in your transcript.  

With the exception of coursework completed via a pre-approved Co-enrollment arrangement, graduate coursework completed as an undergraduate degree-seeking or undergraduate non-degree seeking student may not be counted toward a graduate degree at KU. 

Graduate courses taken at KU may count toward both a graduate degree and graduate certificate(s) as long as you are admitted and enrolled in the intended program prior to completion of the last required course. If the courses were taken as a non-degree seeking student, a Count Toward Degree form must be submitted prior to approval for graduation or approval of the certificate. 

Kansas Board of Regents policy defines 30 hours as the minimum for master's degrees at KU.  Departments may petition for a reduced hour degree master's degree for individual students.  A reduction in hours is distinct from a transfer of credit and is reserved for those students especially well-prepared to complete a graduate-level degree and able to maintain a superior grade point average.  If approved, you could be allowed to complete your degree by enrolling in up to 6 fewer hours of graduate credit than is typically required for that degree.  No coursework is transferred and no modifications to the transcript are made. 

To find out more about reduced hour degrees, please contact your department directly.  Departments can submit reduced credit hour degree petitions on behalf of their students through the Miscellaneous Functions Progress to Degree (PTD) form.  The department must support the petition and COGA must approve it before the reduced degree requirements will be granted. 

For Master's programs that require more than 30 graduate hours, a reduced credit hour degree petition need only be approved by COGA if the reduction brings the student's total graduate hours below 30. 

Like with transfer credit, for doctoral degrees departments may take prior graduate work into consideration in setting up your programs of study and may reduce or substitute requirements accordingly.  Such decisions are left to the discretion of the department; approval from the College or COGA is not required. 


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