Transfer Credit

We accept transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions and institutions that are candidates for regional accreditation.

See how your credits transfer to tu

This page outlines important Towson University policies, including the transferability of credits and the evaluation of credit for students completing their first degree.

Please visit Non-Traditional Credits and Experiences if you have credits from a non-accredited institution or any credit for prior experience (including exams and military experience).

Transfer Credit Policies

Transfer Credit Maximums

  • 2-year schools: maximum of 64 credits
  • 4-year schools: maximum of 90 credits
  • more than one school: maximum of 90 credits, including a limit of 64 credits from any 2-year schools

Grade Requirements 

  • The minimum grade required for transfer credit is a D (1.0).
  • Some TU degree requirements require a C (2.0) or higher, including Core 2 English Composition, Core 9 Advanced Writing Seminar, and any major or minor requirements.
  • Courses with a grade lower than a C will transfer even if they may need to be repeated at TU.

Course Level

  • Courses will transfer as the same level that they were taken, whether it was a lower-level numbered 100-299 or upper-level course numbered 300-499. 
  • Community college courses will always transfer as lower-level. These can be recognized as equivalent to upper-level TU courses if the content is the same, but they will not apply to the graduation requirement of 32 upper-level units.

Non-transferable Coursework

Courses that are not parallel or discipline-compatible with TU courses will not transfer. This includes the following types of coursework:

  • developmental or remedial courses
  • institutional credit or courses not counted toward graduation
  • technical or occupational courses
  • select business courses
  • separate 1-credit lab courses which are not taught as a separate lab at TU and were not taken with a companion lecture course
  • select credit earned through examination

Credit Evaluation

The TSC completes preliminary credit evaluations for every admitted student and a final, official credit evaluation for enrolled students prior to their first term. We require official transcripts from every institution attended. We will evaluate all coursework completed prior to your first term (fall or spring) at TU, including winter or summer courses.

Evaluation Timeline

There are three key points in our credit evaluation process: your admission, your enrollment and submission of your final transcript.

1

Admission

You will be given a preliminary estimate of total transfer credits based on your transcripts within 10 business days of admission.

2

Enrollment

Once you submit your enrollment deposit, we will evaluate and post your transfer credits to your online student center. This will be done prior to your new student orientation date.

3

Final Transcript

You must submit your final official transcript before attending new student orientation and registering for classes.

Evaluation Policies

The objective of the transfer credit evaluation is to determine how your transfer courses fit into your TU degree requirements. The evaluation is divided into two main sections:

  1. courses applied to the Core Curriculum 
  2. free electives/potential major courses

Transfer students are required to complete the Core Curriculum, which is TU’s general education program.

If you have completed more than the maximum of transferable credits, we will prioritize transferring the courses you need to satisfy Core Curriculum and major requirements. The following policies are part of the credit evaluation process:

Core Curriculum Transfer Policies

  • The Towson Seminar (Core 1) will be waived for all transfer students.
  • General education courses taken at your previous institution(s) will be applied to the Core Curriculum based on the general education category.
  • The Advanced Writing Seminar (Core 9) is an institutional requirement and typically not satisfied in transfer. The requirement cannot be satisfied through lower-level credit.
  • If you complete a general education program at a Maryland public institution, your general education will transfer without the need for a course-by-course match. You will still have to complete the Advanced Writing Seminar (Core 9) and any additional units to meet the minimum of 40 units. No more than 18 additional units will be required.

Free Electives/Potential Major Courses

  • If a course is directly equivalent to a course required by your major, it will transfer as that course without need for review.
  • Courses that have not been previously reviewed for a course equivalency will transfer as elective credit. These may require departmental review before they can be applied to the major.
  • Any courses that are transferable but not applicable to your major will be considered free electives toward the 120 units required for a degree.

The university’s complete transfer policy and regulations specific to Maryland transfer credit are available in our Undergraduate Catalog.

Course Equivalencies

Many transfer courses are already equivalent to courses at TU. If a course equivalency has already been approved for a course, it will transfer directly as that TU course when we evaluate your credits.

Some courses are transferable but have not been reviewed yet for a TU course equivalency. In these instances, our evaluators will transfer courses as elective credit in the appropriate discipline. 

Course Equivalency Resources

The Transfer Evaluation System (TES) is our database for approved course equivalencies.

Transfer Evaluation System (TES)

Find information on how to have a course reviewed for a new equivalency.

Individual Course Petitions

Current Students

If you have already transferred to TU but still have questions about your transfer credits, please contact the Transfer Student Center for assistance. 

If you are a current student who wants to take a new course at another institution, please visit the Transferring New Course Work page for information.

Still have questions?

Visit Frequently Asked Questions or contact the TSC today. We are available by phone, e-mail, or in person.

Contact

Transfer Student Center

Location
Enrollment Services, Room 331
Hours
Monday - Thursday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Phone
410-704-3229
Fax
410-704-3030