Graduate Students

Transfer of Graduate-Level Academic Credit

Graduate students may transfer up to six credit hours of graduate work from another regionally accredited institution. This approval will be dependent upon when the course was taken and the applicability toward the student’s program.

Transfer credit completed prior to enrollment at SUNY Cortland, or after matriculation at SUNY Cortland, must be approved by the student’s graduate coordinator or advisor and Associate Dean. Once enrolled in a SUNY Cortland program, students interested in taking courses elsewhere and transferring those to their SUNY Cortland degree are advised to seek permission prior to enrolling in such coursework.

Only courses with a grade of B (i.e., 3.0) or better will be transferable. Transfer credit may be applied to the fulfillment of degree requirements, but is not computed in the grade point average.

Process for Requesting the Transfer of Graduate Credit to be Posted on a Degree Audit

Courses may be taken before matriculation at SUNY Cortland, or they may be taken concurrently.  

The outlined process below is designed only for the transfer of graduate credit (500 & 600 level courses). Graduate students seeking to take undergraduate courses at another college as prerequisites or for certification should discuss with their academic advisor/graduate coordinator for approval.  In these cases, students should send an official transcript of the course(s) to their academic department for verification of completion.  

Note: The Permission/Request to Transfer Graduate Credit Form* is now available for Graduate Coordinators in the Microsoft TEAMS shared folder, in the Grad Coordinator Resources folder. 

Graduate Coursework taken before beginning program at SUNY Cortland

1. Student obtains and completes the Permission/Request to Transfer Graduate Credit Form* with their Graduate Coordinator.  The student must provide course description(s) or syllabi to their Graduate Coordinator.    
2. The Graduate Coordinator/advisor sends the form to the Associate Dean for final approval.
3. If approved, the Graduate  Coordinator/ advisor then sends the form to Advisement and Transition.
4. Advisement and Transition will wait for the arrival of official transcript(s).  Advisement and Transition will notify them of approval.  When the transcript arrives, credit(s) will be posted. 
5. When the transcript arrives in Advisement, it will be matched up with the approved Permission/ Request to Transfer Graduate Credit Form, and credit(s) will be posted.
6. Advisement and Transition will notify the student when credits have been posted and refer them to Degree Works.  A copy of the approval form will be sent to the department.

Graduate Coursework taken after beginning program at SUNY Cortland 

1. If the class is taken after the student has begun the program at SUNY Cortland, he/she is encouraged to seek approval before registering for coursework elsewhere.
2. The student must complete the Permission/ Request to Transfer Graduate Credit Form* with their Graduate Coordinator.  Students should provide the Graduate Coordinator with a course description or syllabus.
3. If approved, the Graduate Coordinator forwards the form to the Associate Dean for final approval.
4. If approved, the Associate Dean forwards the form to Advisement and Transition.
5. Advisement and Transition will keep the form on file awaiting official transcript(s).  Advisement and Transition will email students notifying them of approval.  When the transcript arrives, credit(s) will be posted.
6. When coursework taken elsewhere is completed, the student is responsible for sending an official transcript to Advisement and Transition. 
7. When a transcript of coursework taken elsewhere arrives in Advisement, it will be matched up with the approved form, and credit(s) will be posted.
8. Advisement and Transition will notify the student that credit was posted and refer them to view Degree Works.  A copy of the approved form will be sent to the department.

Completion of Undergraduate Coursework by Graduate Students

Undergraduate coursework may be required as an overall program requirement, a certification requirement, or as a prerequisite to a graduate course.  Undergraduate coursework is typically not posted to the degree audit for a graduate student.  Students and advisors may choose to internally document and track approved undergraduate coursework from other colleges.