Transfer Credits

Matriculated SPD students interested in transferring external credits to Stony Brook University must adhere to the following criteria:

1. All students seeking transfer credit may submit courses from regionally accredited universities for evaluation. These courses must meet the mandates for academic credit based upon the home institution’s standards for awarding academic credit. SPD will accept three-credit courses through specially formatted programs, provided these courses meet the N.Y.S. Education Department mandated forty-five contact (Carnegie Unit) hour requirement.

Transfer credits must carry the grade of B or better (B- grades are not acceptable). Pass or Satisfactory grades are not transferable unless these grades can be substantiated in writing by the former institution as B or better quality.

2. Credits earned through correspondence or travel, or video courses, or credits earned through examination may not be transferred.

3. No credits will be reviewed for transfer from another institution until a student is officially matriculated in an SPD program.

4. A student may request to transfer a maximum of six (6) graduate credits toward an SPD degree or post-master’s certificate; or three (3) graduate credits toward an 18 or 21-credit advanced graduate certificate. The credits must be from institutions authorized by recognized accrediting agencies to grant graduate degrees, and must be applicable to graduate degree or certificate programs offered by those institutions, as well as those offered by Stony Brook University.

5. Transfer credits cannot be older than five years at the time of a student’s admission or readmission to matriculated status in SPD.

6. Credits used to fulfill a requirement for either a baccalaureate or another graduate diploma, certificate, or degree may not be transferred toward an SPD program.

7. Transferred courses cannot be used to satisfy Liberal Studies Core requirements in the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MA/LS) degree or the Core Curriculum requirement in the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree. SPD’s transfer credit advisor will determine how transferred credits may be applied toward other SPD requirements.

8. If a transferred course has been determined to have a Stony Brook equivalent, the equivalent course may not be taken for credit toward an SPD degree or advanced graduate certificate.

9. After matriculation in an SPD program, prior approval must be obtained from the transfer credit advisor to take courses at another institution for credit toward an SPD degree or certificate.

10. Student must submit a complete Transfer Credit Request form, along with the following additional information: complete syllabus, list of required texts and outside readings, complete schedule of class meetings (including dates, times, and locations) and the basis for student evaluation.

Students must also arrange to have an official transcript, which reflects the completed course(s) and posted grade(s), sent to the SPD office. (The transcript may be submitted to SPD by the student if the transcript is in a sealed envelope from the external institution.)

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