Skip Navigation
Search

TRANSFER CREDIT POLICIES

 

More information on Stony Brook University Transfer Credit Policies can be found on the Stony Brook Bulletin

TRANSFER CREDIT LIMITS

1. All academic courses successfully completed with a grade of C or higher at a fully accredited college or university are transferable.

*Students who have received an AA or AS from a SUNY or CUNY school are guaranteed to earn 60 credits. The University will accept a "D" grade to meet that 60 credit guarantee. However, courses with a "D" will not receive a direct equivalency or fulfill a general education requirement.

2. After earning 57 credits, students must complete 36 credit hours at Stony Brook to complete their residency requirement. The University with, therefore, accept a maximum of 84 transfer credits.

3. Almost all credits earned at community and technical colleges are considered to be lower-division credit.

4. Students cannot get credit twice for equivalent courses. The Academic and Transfer Advising Services' Office advises students who must repeat a course for major requirements to consult their major department before registering for the course. If credit was already received for the course, you will not receive additional credit toward graduation by repeating the course.

SUMMER OR WINTER ELSEWHERE

To ensure that courses will be fully acceptable for transfer credit, students planning to take summer or winter courses elsewhere should discuss their plans in advance with both the appropriate departmental academic advisor and the Academic and Transfer Advising Services Office. If students plan to transfer courses that are not on our viewable chart, they should secure prior approval for courses toward major requirements from the major department, and for courses toward general education requirements and elective credit from the Academic and Transfer Advising Services Office. After the University receives an official transcript indicating that the student has completed the courses with grades of C or higher, appropriate transfer credit will be noted on the student’s academic record.

Students will be limited to a maximum of 4 credits collectively from all approved institutions during the Winter Session.  For Summer Sessions, students will be allowed to complete 18 credits collectively from all approved institutions but no more than 9 credits in a single Summer Session.

ACCREDITATIONS ACCEPTED BY SBU

Credits for all courses passed with a letter grade of C or higher at regionally accredited institutions or recognized by the Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction of the State of New York and recorded on official transcripts will be evaluated and may be accepted for applicability to specific Stony Brook University degree requirements.

*These regional accrediting bodies include:

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE)

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

WASC Senior College and University Commission (WASC)

Credits for courses from institutions with other than regional accreditation are evaluated for transfer purposes on a case-by-case basis.

*Please contact us at transfer_office@stonybrook.eduif you're unsure if a particular school is regionally accredited.

INTERNATIONAL CREDITS

College-level courses  passed with a letter grade of C or higher  completed outside the United States and recorded on official transcripts will be evaluated for transfer credit, provided that the institution where the courses were taken is accredited by the Ministry of Education in that country. International transfer students who have completed college level courses outside the United States may be requested to submit proof of accreditation by the Ministry of Education or provide a WES (World Education Service) evaluation.

International Transfer Credit Policy for Summer & Winter for Currently Enrolled Stony Brook Students

To obtain Stony Brook credit for summer or winter courses offered by an institution outside of the United States, currently enrolled Stony Brook students are required to participate in an approved partner university program offered through International Academic Programs (IAP) in the Office of Global Affairs.  All other international credits obtained in the summer or winter will not be eligible as transfer credit applied to your Stony Brook degree program. This also includes international credits taken from U.S. institutions outside of IAP or SUNY.

MILITARY CREDITS

Stony Brook accepts the recommended American Council on Education (ACE) credits for military courses on the Joint Service Transcript (JST). Credit is not given for military experience. The Academic and Transfer Advising Services Office (ATAS) reviews the JST for credit and general education requirements (SBCs) only. Students can request consideration for major or concentration credits from the academic departments. Official JST transcripts should be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. After a student is admitted and decides to enroll, ATAS will evaluate credits based on the ACE recommendations on the JST. The maximum number of credits accepted is 84 from all previous institutions, including military credit.

WRT 102 CREDITS

Students may transfer credits to satisfy the D.E.C. category A or SBC learning objective WRT only with approved courses completed prior to matriculation at Stony Brook.  Course work taken at institutions other than Stony Brook after matriculation will not transfer as WRT 102.