Transfer Credit Policy

Sources of Transfer Credit

• Institutions accredited by a regional affiliate of the Commission on Higher Education
  • Middle States Association of College and Schools
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges
  • North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
  • Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges

• Institutions that have entered into transfer credit articulation agreements with Pace University. 

• Other institutions, with the approval of the appropriate Chairpersons and Dean
  • Pace University will accept transfer credit from non-regionally accredited institutions upon review of course descriptions and/or syllabi. These institutions must be approved by the U.S. Department of Education and hold either professional or national accreditation, as verified by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The Council for Higher Education Accreditation provides a searchable database of colleges and universities and their accreditations.

• Pace University will accept transfer credit from post-secondary level international institutions that are formally recognized by their country’s ministry of education or its equivalent
  • Academic records (transcripts) issued in a language other than English are required to be translated and attested by the institution of origin or an approved evaluation/translation agency accepted by Pace University. Transfer applicants should also submit syllabi of course work from each post-secondary institution attended to receive transfer credit.
  • Pace University will accept translations and evaluations from World Education Services (WES), Inc., University Language Services, Inc., or a translator/interpreter associated with the American Translator Association (ATA). It is important to ensure that translations and evaluations reflect US equivalency credits and grades to expedite the review of your previous academic records.
  • International Examinations: Official grade reports should be submitted if French Baccalaureate (higher level only), International Baccalaureate (higher level only), or General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE) examinations have been completed. Credit is awarded based on the subject and the score received.

• Results of acceptable performance on standardized proficiency examinations
  • Advanced Placement: Incoming undergraduate students may receive credit through the Advanced Placement program. These tests are administered as early as the sophomore year in high school. Incoming freshman and transfer students who took an AP course in high school must submit their official score reports through College Board to be eligible for transfer credit. A list of acceptable scores is available on the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences’ webpage under Core Curriculum/Policies.
  • College Level Examination Program: The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) may be taken by students prior to enrollment or concurrently while at Pace University. CLEP exams are offered in a variety of subjects and represent knowledge gained through coursework as well as through life or work experience. Current students must consult their academic advisor before taking any CLEP exam to ensure the exam will fulfill requirements of their major program. The CLEP score reports should be sent with the application for admission or immediately following completion of the exam. A score of at least 50 is needed to receive credit. More information on CLEP equivalencies and policies at Pace can be found here.
  • Where a standardized proficiency examination is not available, a Pace University departmental Challenge Proficiency Examination may be administered. The non-refundable cost of each examination is equal to one credit of tuition for each course challenged.

• Pace University offers assessment of prior learning, including credit by examination, experiential learning assessment, acceptance of American Council on Education recommended credit, and acceptance of National College Credit Recommendation Service recommended credit

Residency and Grade Requirements

• Grade Requirements: Transfer credit may be received only for courses taken at accredited institutions in which a grade of C or better was earned (C– grades are not transferable). Credit will also be granted for courses in which a grade of P has been earned as long as the other institution’s grading scale clearly indicates the P grade as being equivalent to at least a grade of C (2.0).  Please note, the grades received at other institutions will not be used in the calculation of the Pace University cumulative grade point average.

• Bachelor’s Degree: Depending on your program, a maximum of 96 credits may be transferred to a baccalaureate 128 credit degree program from accredited four-year institutions. A maximum of 90 credits may be transferred to a baccalaureate 120 credit degree program from accredited four-year institutions.

• Transfer from Two-Year Colleges: A maximum of 68 credits may be transferred from accredited two-year institutions toward a bachelor’s degree program.

• Residency Requirement (credits earned at Pace): The number of transferable credits is limited by the degree program to which the credits will be applied. All students are required to complete a minimum of 25% of the total number of credits required for their degree “in residency” at Pace. Therefore if your program requires a total of 120 credits, the residency requirement is 30 credits. For programs that require a total of 128 credits or more, the residency requirement is 32 credits. Students are also required to complete 50% of their major and 50% of their minor requirements at Pace University. A major program is defined as those courses directly related to the student’s primary course of study (e.g., accounting, marketing, history, mathematics, computer science, etc.). For students in the Lubin School of Business, the business core requirement in the major field is considered part of the undergraduate major program. In addition, 50% of all business credits required for the BBA degree is to be completed at the University.

• Standardized Examinations: Up to 30 credits will be accepted for credit earned by completion of standardized examinations (e.g., AP, CLEP, and IB). Credits earned from these examinations are considered lower-division and are counted in the limits listed above.

• Prior Learning Assessment:  Up to 36 credits may be applied from prior learning assessment portfolios to the following degrees: Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Bachelor of Science in Professional Computer Studies, and Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Studies. Students may also apply up to 15 portfolio credits to the other bachelor degrees with permission of the advisors of the school in which the degree is offered.

Transfer Credit Conversion

• Pace University’s academic calendar is based on the semester system. College credit is accumulated based on semester hours. If the previous institution attended was not on a semester system, a credit conversion will be required and completed as follows:
  • Quarter Hour System – A conversion of hours must be completed to reflect the proper number of credits for each course. To convert credit hours to the semester system from the quarter system, multiply by 0.667. The table below reflects the number of semester credits granted for quarter-hour credits.

• Pace University does not offer “half” credit courses. If courses from the previous institution attended did not have whole semester hours, the credit hours of those courses will be rounded down (e.g.: 2.5 credits are rounded down to 2). The contact hours of a half-credit course do not meet the contact hour requirement for a one-credit course at the University. Whenever possible, courses containing half credits will be grouped together to grant the most credit possible to the student.

Evaluation of Academic Records

• Review of Coursework: Incoming students will be sent an official preliminary transfer credit evaluation after submitting their deposit or upon request. Transfer credit evaluations are based upon academic department approval of courses. The University has a historical record of courses taken at other institutions that have been certified by each of the academic departments as equivalent to Pace University courses. The list of equivalencies can be accessed on the Transfer Credit Equivalencies webpage at https://appsrv.pace.edu/TCEweb/. When Pace receives a course that is not part of our database, it is sent to a Faculty Evaluator for review.  Personnel in the Office of Undergraduate Admission and the Office of the Registrar may grant transfer credit for select introductory courses as previously determined by academic departments.
• Course Equivalency: Courses transferred must be applicable and comparable to corresponding courses in which the student is, or will be, enrolled at Pace University.  In cases where there is no direct equivalency, the student may receive liberal arts elective, major elective, or general elective credit toward the degree requirement for those courses taken at another institution.

• No Credit Granted: It is important to note that Pace University awards transfer credits for those courses that are liberal arts in nature, or are applicable to a non-liberal arts program offered at the University (i.e. business, education, social work, etc.). Pace does not award credit for those courses that are highly specialized or technical such as secretarial courses, automotive repair, or construction technology. The University does not award transfer credit for courses that are designed to give students the necessary background for college-level work. Remedial courses such as basic writing skills, pre-algebra, and English as a Second Language (ESL) are not transferable.

• Duplicate Course Work: Courses that are repeated at Pace University after transfer credit is applied will result in the removal of the transfer credit from the academic record at Pace University. In cases where the same Pace University equivalency has been determined for two courses at different institutions, only one of the courses will be applied to the degree program. Transfer credit will not be given for the second course.

• Time Limits on Transfer Credit: Normally there is no time limit on the transfer of courses. However, in some subject areas and for some programs, courses taken over ten (10) years previously will not automatically be awarded transfer credit. The appropriateness of the subject matter will be taken into account.

• Appeals: Appeals will be reviewed by Faculty and Staff where appropriate.

Transfer Students with 17 Credits or Less

• Full-time students that transfer to Pace University with 17 credits or less are required to enroll in a University 101 class in their first semester unless they have received credit for a first-year seminar course at a prior institution

Questions regarding transfer credits can be directed to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

All exceptions to this policy must be approved in writing by the Office of the Provost. Exceptions will be maintained in the permanent student academic record.

Updated: October 20, 2021