Awarding Transfer Credit
Title:
Policy on Awarding Transfer Credit
Effective Date:
May 15, 2023
Responsible Office:
Registrar
Last Updated:
First Version
I. Scope
This policy applies to all degree-seeking students (graduate and undergraduate) at William & Mary, including the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.II. Purpose & Policy Statement
The University Registrar’s Office supports the education of the students at William & Mary, protects the integrity of the William & Mary degree, and upholds and assures consistent application of the academic rules and regulations. This policy establishes the general principles the Office of the University Registrar follows when awarding transfer credit.III. Definitions
Accredited Institution means a college or university accredited by a recognized institutional accrediting organization that has met the accreditation standards of either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE).IV. Policy
William & Mary awards transfer credit in keeping with the following general principles:
- Transfer credit is posted to the student record upon matriculation in a degree program.
- Official transcripts or official test score reports must be received before academic credit is awarded.
- The course generally must have been taken at an accredited institution. Consult the University Registrar’s Office regarding exceptions.
- Transfer credits from institutions on the quarter system or other systems will be translated into semester credits.
- “Equivalent” course credit is granted when the course is similar to a course presently offered for academic credit at the university.
- “Elective” course credit is granted when the course is not similar to an existing William & Mary course but is recommended for credit by an existing academic program or department at the university.
- Transfer grades do not affect degree requirements, grade point average, or class rank.
- Course credit will be determined based on W&M’s Credit Hour Policy. For lecture-style courses, this requires at least 750 minutes (12.5 hours) of direct instruction, plus approximately 25 hours of additional study and instructional work and exams per credit. When courses are taught in short sessions, or under other circumstances, departmental or program review may be required to determine transferability.
