Can You Transfer Credit into A Graduate Program?

You probably heard the term “transfer credit” when it comes to an undergraduate degree, but did you know it’s possible to transfer credit into a graduate degree, too?

How much credit you can transfer into a graduate program varies by institution. If you are speaking to a representative of a college or university you are considering, this is a good question to ask.

At Thomas Edison State University, students can transfer up to 12 credits into many of our graduate degree programs. This enables students to apply the knowledge they have already acquired on a master’s level and reduces the number of credits needed to complete a graduate degree, which can save time and tuition.  

Depending on how many credits you’re able to transfer into your master’s program, this could equal up to four courses, which by some estimates, could help you complete the degree one year sooner than if you had to re-take the courses.

There are two main ways to transfer credit into a graduate degree at Thomas Edison State University:

• Professional training, credentials and courses that have been evaluated and recommended for graduate credit by the American Council on Education (ACE)
• Previously earned graduate credits from other regionally accredited institutions

American Council on Education (ACE) Credit Recommendation

If you’ve completed any professional or military training programs, apprenticeships or hold any licenses or certifications reviewed by the ACE College Credit Recommendation Service, your past efforts may be able to earn you college credit toward a master’s degree, if deemed and accepted as equivalent to a graduate level course in your program of study.

Since graduate level courses focus on independent study, original research, critical analysis and the scholarly and professional application of the specialized knowledge within a discipline, your qualifications must meet those standards. So if you think your training and credentials meet those standards, check out ACE’s list of programs, licenses and certifications because it is always being updated.

To find a course equivalent, view the training programs listed under ACE’s complete list of credit-evaluated organizations. Then, create an account in the ACE transcript service portal to have the appropriate documentation sent with your graduate application so you can earn the graduate credit you deserve.

Previously Earned Credit

Did you begin a graduate degree years ago but didn’t finish? If you earned graduate-level credits at another regionally accredited college or university, you may be able to transfer and apply those credits to your degree if they fit into your new graduate program. You can use these credits to fulfill your core or elective requirements. You must, however, have received a grade of “B” or better to receive credit. If you received a grade of “P” for Pass or “CR” for Credit, the sending institution must equate it to a “B” or better.

Courses taken for transfer credit after admittance to the program require prior approval of the dean of the school in which you are enrolled. Transfer graduate credits that were earned seven or more years prior to your enrollment date may not be applied to your degree without permission of the appropriate school dean.

To get credit for these graduate-level courses, be sure to have all the institutions you attended send official transcripts. 

Once you’ve been admitted to a graduate program at Thomas Edison State University and your graduate transfer credit is approved and applied to your degree program, you will be one step closer to graduation.