A “transfer course” is a graduate course taken outside Boise State University.

A frequent question is, “Can I transfer in courses from other graduate work?”

The answer is a qualified “Yes,” but there are a number of important points to remember (see below). Please keep in mind that the EdD / EdS Program Coordinator(s) can only make recommendations for transfer credits; the Dean of the Graduate College is the final arbiter of whether the credits can be applied to the program of study.

The information here only applies to the Ed.S. and Ed.D. programs. If you are a MET or MS student seeking more information about transfer courses, please contact a program counselor.

Graduate courses taken at Boise State University can be applied to either the Ed.S. or Ed.D. (pending approval by the program coordinator). For more information about such courses, see the BSU Course Carry-over policy.

Transfer Course Policy

• Any course that a student wishes to use as a transfer credit must be consistent with the program of study planned by the student and her/his advisor and supervisory committee. For example, graduate work in history will not be recommended for transfer, but it is possible for graduate work in history education to be used as an elective, depending on course content.
• Doctoral students can ask to transfer up up to 1/2 of the total program credit. Ed.S. students can request up to 9 hours of transfer credit.
• No undergraduate course (even upper level) will be recommended as transfer credits for either the Ed.S. or Ed.D. programs.
• Any course requested for transfer must have a grade of B or better.
• Any course requested for transfer cannot be for a graduate course that is a culminating activity or for experiential learning (ex., portfolio or thesis). Furthermore, no transfer of Comp Exam, Seminar, or Internship hours will be accepted.
• Credits earned for post-graduate work, but which are not graduate courses (ex., professional development workshops) cannot be used for transfer credit.
• Any course transferred must have been taken at an accredited institution.
• All courses that students wish to be considered for transfer must be accompanied by an official course syllabus. If the applicable syllabi are entirely unavailable, then evidence of substantive course work can be considered. This will be evaluated as part of the review of credit hours.
• For EdD students, graduate credits earned either as part of a master’s degree, or taken as part of a graduate degree that was not completed, are eligible for transfer. Courses ineligible would be those restricted by other elements of the transfer course policy.
• A course eligible for transfer should have been completed within 5 years of a student’s proposed graduation date from the doctoral program. Adjustments can be made depending on the course and a student’s subsequent experience, but this is the purview of the Graduate College, as advised by the student’s academic committee.

Previously completed credit hours can be applied to

• Select “Core” courses
• Research courses
• Cognate courses
• Electives

Courses that are desired for transfer for the cognate will require the student to provide an explanation how the course(s) create an area of specialization.