Graduate School Bulletin

Spring 2024

Transfer of Credit

A maximum of 12 credits may be transferred from another institution to a master’s program and a maximum of 6 credits from another institution may be transferred to a certificate program to Stony Brook with the approval of the program and the Graduate School provided that they have not been used toward the satisfaction of any degree or certificate requirements here or at another institution. A candidate for the doctoral degree may only transfer those graduate credits that are relevant to the learning outcomes of the Stony Brook graduate program. Review and approval of course content will be carried out by the appropriate program committee.

Transfer from Non-Matriculated Status

Students transferring from non-matriculated status at Stony Brook, are limited to a maximum of 12 graduate credits for master’s degrees and 9 credits for certificates. Students must be formally matriculated into a degree program before the petition to transfer is submitted. All graduate courses completed in non-matriculated status will be counted as part of the total graduate grade point average (GPA).

Transfer from Other Institutions

A candidate for the master’s degree may petition to transfer a maximum of 12 graduate credits from another institution toward their master’s degree requirements. A candidate for an advanced graduate certificate may petition to transfer a maximum of 6 graduate credits from another institution toward their advanced graduate certificate. These credits must be from an institution authorized to grant graduate degrees by recognized accredited commissions and meet the following guidelines:

• Credits must not have been used to fulfill the requirements for either a baccalaureate or another advanced degree or certificate.

• Credits must not be more than five years old at the time the student is admitted to graduate study at Stony Brook. Acceptance of courses older than five years are contingent upon support of the program director and approval by the Graduate School or School of Professional Development. 

• Credits must clearly be graduate level in order to be considered for transfer.

• Credits must carry the grades of A or B. “Pass” or “Satisfactory” grades are not transferable unless these grades can be substantiated by the former institution as B (3.0) or better.

• Grades earned in transferred courses are not counted as part of the overall GPA at Stony Brook.

• Work from one master’s degree is not transferable to a second one.

Transfer from Non-US institutions

Courses taken at institutions outside the United States: College-level courses completed outside the United States and recorded on official transcripts will be evaluated for transfer credit, provided that the institution where the courses were taken is accredited by the Ministry of Education in that country. International transfer students who have completed college level courses outside the United States may be requested to submit proof of accreditation by the Ministry of Education or provide a WES evaluation.

Transfer Between Primary and Secondary Programs

A maximum of 12 graduate credits from Stony Brook, which were earned in a primary program prior to a student being accepted into a secondary program, can be applied to the secondary program. Credits applied to the degree requirements of a primary program cannot be applied toward the degree requirements of a secondary program.

A maximum of 9 graduate credits from Stony Brook, which were earned in a primary program prior to the student being accepted into a certificate program, can be applied to the certificate program. Credits applied to the degree requirements of a primary program (not a certificate) can be applied toward the certificate requirements.