Credit by Transfer

There is no automatic transfer of graduate credit. However, a student’s advisor or committee may recommend specific courses for transfer credit as a part of the student’s master’s degree plan. Programs will use the following scale in determining the maximum possible number of semester credit hours that may be transferred:

  • Up to 6 semester credit hours in a program of 30-38 semester credit hours.
  • Up to 9 semester credit hours in a program of 39-44 semester credit hours.
  • Up to 12 semester credit hours in a program of 45 or more semester credit hours.

Only graduate courses in which the grade of B or better has been earned from a regionally accredited school may be considered for transfer credit. Transferred work is not accepted until the student has demonstrated the ability to do satisfactory work at Texas Woman’s University. No credit toward a graduate degree may be obtained by correspondence, nor may credit toward a graduate degree be obtained by extension work from another institution. TWU does not accept life or work experience for graduate credit. All transfer credits must have been earned in residence at a university of recognized excellence and approved at TWU by the appropriate dean or chair and by the Dean of the Graduate School. The rule governing the time limit for master’s degree credit applies to transfer credit (credit cannot be more than six years old at the time of graduation). Students should work with their advisor to complete the Graduate Degree Program Transfer Course Equivalent - Online Degree Audits ONLY form, acquire the required approvals, and submit the form to Student Records.

Any credit hours not equivalent to semester credit hours (such as quarter credit hours), will be converted to semester credit hours.

Transfer of Semester Credit Hours from a Completed TWU Master's Degree to a New TWU Master's Degree

There is no automatic transfer of graduate credit from a previous master’s degree earned at Texas Woman’s University to a new master’s degree in progress at Texas Woman’s University. The completion of a number of semester credit hours is not in itself sufficient; the nature and quality of work are the major considerations. The graduate student’s Advisory Committee for the new degree has the prerogative, with approval of the department, to recommend the acceptance of any transferable credits from a previous master’s degree. Any semester credit hours selected for transfer are still governed by the time limit for master’s work; that is, at the time when the new master’s degree is completed, the transferred semester credit hours must not be more than six years old. Request forms for transfer credit should be sent directly to the Registrar's Office to be entered into the student's degree plan.

Programs will use the following guidelines in determining the maximum possible number of semester credit hours from a previous master’s degree earned at TWU that may be applied to a new master’s degree at TWU:

  • Up to 12 semester credit hours in a new program of 30-44 semester credit hours.
  • Up to 18 semester credit hours in a new program of 45-59 semester credit hours.
  • Up to 24 semester credit hours in a new program of 60 or more semester credit hours.

Only graduate courses in which a grade of B or better has been earned may be considered for such transfer credit.

Credit for Prior Learning Assessment

Credit for Prior Learning Assessment (CPLA) is the process for awarding course credit for specific knowledge and skills the student has acquired outside a degree program, prior to beginning the student's program of study at Texas Woman’s University. CPLA must always be tied to official student learning outcomes of a specific course at TWU and that course requirement is then waived for the student.

Students will need to submit documentation of the prior learning to the ACA of the program by submitting the Credit for Prior Learning form. The prior learning work for which a student is seeking credit must be deemed graduate level by the faculty who are content experts and who typically are instructors of the course, as well as the ACA of the program the credit will be applied towards. The work must meet or exceed graduate "B" level work. Credit earned for prior learning will count against the maximum transfer credits allowed to apply to the master's degree requirements. Students must also pass a comprehensive exam, turn in a portfolio, or complete another form of assessment over the material covered in the course for which they plan to receive credit. Specific assessment requirements, as well as other specific program guidelines related to credit for prior learning, are described in the program’s catalog entry.

CPLA can be used to satisfy course or program prerequisites or required coursework. Graduate credit for prior learning cannot be given for graduate courses completed over four (4) years ago for graduate certificates and six (6) years ago for master's degrees per Graduate School policy on transfer credit.

There are a limited number of credits that can be waived through CPLA, which depend on the number of credits in the degree program. Approved CPLA may be applied to a graduate degree program as follows:

  • Up to 6 hours for degree programs, depending on specific program requirements.

(Note that the total approved CPLA and approved course transfer credit together must not exceed the amounts of credits outlined in the Graduate School policy on transfer credit.)