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University Registrar

University Registrar
  2. transfer-credit
  3. Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policies

Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policies

Policies related to transfer credit are listed below and in the undergraduate catalog. In any instance where there is a difference between the catalog and what is listed below, the catalog policy will prevail.

All Undergraduate Students

  • A minimum grade of C- is required.  
  • Courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis will not be accepted for transfer credit.
  • Credit is not awarded for independent/directed study, physical education, or dance performance courses.
  • Economics Department Policy: Students seeking transfer credit for ECON 1500 should have the Calculus pre-requisite already fulfilled in order to receive credit. 
  • Math Department Policy: Students may not use transfer credit to circumvent pre-requisites of courses offered by the Department of Mathematics.

Continuing Students Studying Elsewhere

  • It is the student's responsibility to determine in advance of taking a class elsewhere if and how the class might count toward degree requirements.
  • Students planning to study elsewhere should be mindful of any school-based policies related to the transfer of credit as additional school-level approvals may be required. These policies are outlined in the undergraduate catalog. For additional information, please contact your school's Office of Academic Services.
  • Semester work elsewhere is subject to additional review by the student's school, including approval for a leave of absence. Please contact your school's Office of Academic Services for information on how to begin the approval process.
  • Students enrolled full-time (i.e., registered for at least 12 credit hours) at Vanderbilt during a regular (fall or spring) semester are assumed to be engaged in full-time study at Vanderbilt. Students are not permitted to take additional coursework elsewhere for transfer credit during the semester. This includes online coursework and courses offered at nearby institutions. Important note: For students studying elsewhere during a summer or winter term, this rule applies to any overlap in term dates with Vanderbilt's regular semesters. Please consult the academic calendar of each institution to ensure compliance with this policy. It is highly recommended that students also take the precaution of checking with their school's Office of Academic Services to ensure compliance.
  • Students in the School of Engineering are not permitted to transfer credits earned elsewhere while on a leave of absence without specific approval from the Dean's Office.

Entering Students

  • The College of Arts and Science and Peabody College generally do not allow transfer credit for work completed at other colleges and universities in the summer immediately preceding an entering first-year student's first semester at Vanderbilt. Students seeking such credit must obtain approval in advance from the appropriate associate dean.