Transfer of Credit

Students are expected to complete all coursework at UTSA. UTSA awards credit for college-level transfer coursework, earned with a grade of “B” or higher, from accredited colleges and universities. Admitted students may submit a petition for credits to the related Graduate Program Committee and academic College to receive credit earned from foreign institutions and non-accredited colleges or universities. Based on course level, rigor, quality, comparability, and degree program relevance, credits may be awarded on an individual basis at the discretion of the Graduate Program Committee, academic College, and the Graduate School.

UTSA reserves the right to refuse recognition of credit from a college or university if it is determined the course does not meet the department’s standards of level, rigor, quality, comparability, and degree program relevance. Applicability of such coursework toward the UTSA degree plan is at the discretion of the major academic department. Work counted toward a degree at another institution cannot be transferred.

Conditions for transfer of credit:

  1. Students must complete the form “Transfer of Graduate Credit towards Doctoral Degree.”
  2. The courses must have been completed with a “B” (3.0) or better. Degrees awarded from a Professional School with selected grading systems such as pass/fail must have been completed with a grade of “Pass” or better.
  3. Coursework cannot be used in another degree program.
  4. An official transcript from the institution where the coursework was completed must be submitted.
  5. All coursework must have been completed no more than six years before the degree was awarded.
  6. Coursework is subject to approval of the appropriate Graduate Program Committee and academic College in which the program is administered.
  7. Courses must be defined as graduate-level work at the institution where the credit was earned.
  8. International transcripts must be evaluated by a UTSA approved foreign credential evaluation service agency.

Students should not take courses they plan to transfer from another institution the semester they plan to graduate due to the time limitation on receiving the grades and certifying the student for graduation.

Applicants with a master’s degree in the field of the doctoral program of interest or related field may apply a maximum of 30 semester credit hours of previously earned graduate credit toward a post-baccalaureate doctoral degree program, pending approval from the Graduate Program Committee, academic College, and Dean of the Graduate School, provided the credit has not been used toward another doctoral degree.

Limited Acceptability

UTSA Undergraduate Courses

Credit earned in undergraduate-level courses may not be applied to a doctoral degree program. Such courses may be taken to meet background or support requirements, if necessary.

Not Accepted

Correspondence and Extension Courses

Courses completed by correspondence or extension may not be applied to a doctoral degree program.

Courses Counted for Another Degree

No courses counted toward a master’s degree may be counted towards a doctoral degree requiring a master’s degree for admission.

No course counted toward another doctoral degree may be counted toward a doctoral degree at UTSA, either directly or by substitution.