Transfer of Credits
A maximum of six (6) credit hours of appropriate coursework, taken at the graduate level at a regionally accredited institution prior to program admittance, may be transferred and applied toward a Master’s degree or certificate requirements. Students in the Expressive Therapies 48-credit Master's program are allowed to transfer up to 12 approved graduate credits from affiliated training institutions only. The student’s academic advisor and school dean or designee must approve this coursework. Transfer credit requests from non-accredited colleges and universities are not acceptable for graduate degree programs. Students should contact each individual school for transfer credit policy.
An official transcript from all colleges, universities, or military institutions must be submitted with the Request for Transfer of Credit Form. This form is available by mail, from the Office of the University Registrar, or from the school/program office. The Request for Transfer of Credit Form and all required documentation are due before the conclusion of the first semester. Students utilizing Veteran Administration benefits must submit a copy of their military transcript prior to the conclusion of their second semester. All other transfer credit must be approved and processed prior to the final semester leading to graduation. Transcripts for courses taken at Lesley University are not required for review since these courses are part of the student’s Lesley University transcript.
Transfer of credit reduces the number of courses that the student must take for completion of a program. Applicants should request to transfer credits into a program at the time of acceptance into the degree, certificate, or licensure program, or at the first meeting with the student’s academic advisor. After admission, students may not take courses at other institutions for transfer credit without prior written approval from the appropriate school dean or designee.
Students who petition for transfer credit approval should not assume credits are accepted as transfer credit until they are posted on their academic record. While courses approved for transfer appear on the final Lesley University transcript, grades of transferred courses are not used to calculate the grade point average. The school retains the right to determine whether transfer credits may be accepted.
Transfer of Credits: Master’s and Certificate Programs
To be accepted for transfer into a Master’s or certificate program, a course must have been completed with a letter grade of “B” or better. The course must be in an area of study judged by the school/program to be essentially parallel to a required course or suitable in content for elective credit. The course must be a graduate-level course, must not have been used as credits to meet degree requirements in another program of study at Lesley University or at another institution, and must not be more than seven (7) years old at the time of graduation from Lesley University. Courses completed more than seven (7) years from the anticipated date of graduation will not be accepted. Master’s and C.A.G.S. level courses with a pass grade may be approved if accompanied by a statement from the affiliated university handbook or from the registrar of the university indicating that the pass grade is equivalent to a “B” or better. Students should contact each program for the transfer credit policy.
Transfer of Credits: Ph.D. Program
Courses Taken Before Matriculation into the Ph.D. Program
Students are permitted to transfer a maximum of 12 credits of post-master's work toward the Ph.D. degree. The courses must be:
- approved through advisement
- taken post-master's level
- completed at regionally accredited institutions
- completed no longer than five years prior to the date of admission to the doctoral program
- completed with a grade of "B" or better
Students who have received a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.) and who have taken required doctoral courses in Lesley's on-campus program (Nature of Inquiry, Interdisciplinary Seminars I & II, Quantitative Research Methods, and Qualitative Research Methods I), may transfer them in to the program as part of the 12 transfer credits.
Courses Taken After Matriculation into the Ph.D. Program
With prior approval of the senior advisor and the Advanced Graduate Council, Ph.D. students may include in their study plan traditional coursework at other universities (no limit on the number of credits that students can transfer into their program of study at Lesley University). Students register for these courses at the designated accredited institution and transfer the courses to Lesley University. All such credits must be approved by the senior advisor and the program director and must be transferred before the end of Phase II of the doctoral study.
Transfer of International Credits: Graduate Degree Programs
Accepted degree candidates may petition to transfer up to six (6) semester credits.
The Request for Transfer of Credit Form and all required documentation is due prior to or during the first semester of study. Transfer credits must be approved and processed prior to the final semester leading to graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss whether the courses are appropriate for their graduate degree program with their academic advisor at their first meeting.
Students must submit official documentation from the native country and translations in English to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Documentation must include official transcripts with grades, course titles, course dates, and letters confirming accreditation. In some cases, the program director or the senior assistant director of international admissions may require additional information such as syllabi, course descriptions, and program brochures.
Students are strongly encouraged to speak with the international admissions representative to determine what specific documentation must be submitted. The international admissions representative will evaluate the credentials to establish that they are in accordance with university policy. However, if the Office of Graduate Admissions cannot conduct the evaluation, it becomes the responsibility of the student to submit a written evaluation of their academic records (transcripts or mark sheets). Once the senior assistant director of international admissions confirms the initial requirements, the senior assistant director will send the documents to the appropriate program director.
The program director will then review the documentation and determine if the course is acceptable as elective credit or appropriate for a course waiver. Approved transfer of international credits requests are forwarded to the Office of the University Registrar for processing. Students may view their approved transferred credits on LOIS.