What is Transferable?

To successfully transfer into U-M, you will have to demonstrate that your course of study is balanced on a foundation of general education courses that fulfill basic requirements and provide grounding in prerequisites or required courses that enable you to focus on a particular major.

In order for your course work to be considered transferable to the University of Michigan, it must meet the following criteria:

• You’ve completed course work at an accredited college or university.
• That course work integrates into academic programs available at U-M.
• You’ve earned a grade of C or better while completing it.

WHAT WILL TRANSFERABLE COURSES EARN?

When transferring courses, you will usually receive the number of semester hours of credit (i.e., quarter hours converted to semester hours) earned on the campus(es) in which you took them. This is true, regardless of the number of credit hours similar courses may be worth at Michigan. (Individual academic units may have limits on the number of transferable credits. Please check with the school or college in which you are interested.)

HOW DO COURSES TRANSFER?

Equivalent Credit

Courses you’ve completed at other colleges and universities that closely match courses taught at U-M will usually transfer as “equivalent credit.” These courses will appear on your University of Michigan transcript with a U-M course number assigned.

Departmental Credit

Courses you’ve taken at other colleges and universities that do not match courses in the same departments on our campus may transfer as “departmental credit.” (Please note that departmental credit, while transferable and usually applicable as elective credit, may only be used toward meeting distribution or concentration requirements with the permission of an academic or concentration advisor.)

Interdepartmental Credit

Courses that cover a broad range of topics within a general area of study are considered “interdepartmental credit.” These are courses that, because of the scope of their subject material, cannot be assigned to any individual academic department. Like departmental credit, interdepartmental credit is usually applicable as elective credit. (It also must be approved by an academic or major advisor if it is to be used toward distribution* or major requirements.)

Distribution Area Examples

• Humanities: literature, philosophy, fine arts
• Social Science: history, political science, psychology, sociology
• Natural Science: biology, chemistry, physics
• Mathematical and Symbolic Analysis: computer science, mathematics, statistics, linguistics
• Creative Expression: film, music, theater and drama