Ph.D. Degree: Transferring Credits

Students may petition to have up to 9 graduate course units credited toward their PhD degree. Only graduate-level engineering, science and math courses are qualified to transfer and count toward your degree.  Also, they must not have been taken as part of an undergraduate degree. Non-transferable courses, even those taken at the graduate level, include research, independent study, or seminar credits.

To receive credit toward your degree, the courses you petition to transfer will be evaluated to be sure that they have relevance to your doctoral program at Penn, and that you have received a passing grade of B or better in the course.

How to petition for transfer credit:

First, consult your advisor to see if specific courses qualify, then you must petition the graduate group chair after you have begun full-time study at Penn. Along with your petition form, attach the transfer institution’s catalog course descriptions, a transcript copy of the courses, and your advisor’s approval to your request.