Transfer Credit

In order to ensure that courses taken abroad or away from Sewanee will be accepted as transfer credit, students should complete the application for transfer credit pre-approval found here:  Application for Off-Campus Degree Credit.  After obtaining the necessary signatures, students submit the form to the Office of the University Registrar.  Our office evaluates each course individually, and completes the determination of which courses will be accepted for transfer credit. 

Transfer credit may be used to satisfy requirements for majors, minors, and certificates of curricular study only with the consent of the respective department or program chair as indicated on the pre-approval form.  Departments and Programs may choose to limit the number of transfer courses that apply to each major, minor, or certificate of curricular study.

Students may satisfy up to two general education requirements through coursework taken as part of a Sewanee-taught or Sewanee-approved study abroad/study-away program.  Continuing students may not use any other transfer courses to satisfy general education requirements.

Course Pre-Approval – Students are strongly encouraged to complete and file this form with the Office of the University Registrar prior to beginning off-campus courses. Unless off-campus courses are pre-approved, acceptance of credits in transfer is not guaranteed. Students are encouraged to seek pre-approval not only for the courses they hope to take but also for several alternatives.

Maximum hours in a Single Subject – Of the 32 full courses (128 semester hours) presented for a bachelor’s degree, no more than 13 full courses (52 semester hours) may be presented in any single subject. Students and advisors should plan carefully to ensure that off-campus courses in addition to those taken at Sewanee will not exceed that limit.

Transcript – Students must request each transfer institution send a final transcript of their academic work directly to the Office of the University Registrar, 735 University Avenue, Sewanee, Tennessee 37383. Electronic transcripts should be sent to [e-mail]. 

Evaluation of Transfer Credit – After receipt of the final transcript, The Office of the University Registrar will evaluate the transcript and award credit in accord with college and university policies. Transfer work will be reviewed on a course-by-course basis to determine comparability to courses offered in the College of Arts and Sciences and applicability toward the liberal arts curriculum at the University of the South. The student may be asked to provide additional course materials to assist in determining the disposition of transfer credit. Therefore, students are encouraged to keep course syllabi, tests, papers, etc. until the Office of the University Registrar has completed its evaluation.

Minimum Grade for Transfer – Academic work with a final grade of C or above is generally accepted for credit hours only. No credit will be awarded for a grade of C minus or lower. Courses with grades of P will be considered for transfer only if the Office of the University Registrar can verify that the grade of P is equivalent to a grade of C or higher.

Unit of Credit – Transfer credit will be awarded in semester hours only, which will be transferred at face value. Three semester hours earned elsewhere will be transferred as three-not four-semester hours. Quarter hours are converted to semester hour equivalents. Three quarter hours are equivalent to two semester hours. Credit earned outside of the United States is subject to conversion to US Semester hours.  For example, 2 ECTS credits convert to 1 US semester hour.

Maximum Transfer Credit – As each degree-seeking student must earn at least sixty-four semester hours of credit at the University of the South, the total amount of transfer credit that may be applied to a degree in the College of Arts and Sciences is sixty-four semester hours.

Use of Transfer Grades in Sewanee Calculations – Transfer grades will appear on the Sewanee transcript, but will not be used in calculating the grade point average, class rank, academic honors, or eligibility for membership in the Order of the Gown.

Non-Credit and Experiential Learning – The University of the South does not award transfer credit for courses taken on a non-credit basis or for life experience.

Credit Earned Prior to High School Graduation – Students earning college credit prior to high school graduation should send the official transcript directly from the college granting the credit to the Office of the University Registrar. Please note that this transcript must come to the Registrar's office in order for the credit to be awarded, not to Admissions.

Students wishing to transfer college credits earned during the summer prior to enrollment at the University of the South must have those courses approved for transfer in advance by the Office of the University Registrar.

More information on transfer credit can be found in the catalog:  Transfer Credit Policy.