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Process for Graduate Transfer Credit for Prior Coursework

How to Add Graduate Transfer Credit

Under the Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy, graduate programs are allowed to transfer credits for prior coursework that can be used towards meeting degree requirements. 

Transfer credit can be added to a student's record through the prior coursework section in the My Grad Portal. Any transfer credit that is added for a program before a warrant is started will populate in the warrant when it is filled out. The reverse is also true - after courses are added to a warrant, they will show up in the Prior Coursework section on the student's page in My Grad Portal (though you cannot select a program that differs from the warrant when adding courses to a warrant). 

Programs can utilize this process to use prior coursework to meet degree requirements for zero credit. 

The following steps outline where to go in My Grad Portal to add graduate transfer credit as prior coursework for an graduate student. 

1. Navigate to My Grad Portal and click on the Enrollment Data tile to access a student's record.
   
   
   
2. Search for the student via the Filters (e.g., Campus ID, EmplID, or program and term). Once you have found the student, click on the their name to populate their record.
   
   
   
3. Once you have navigated to a specific student's page, you can add transfer credit in the Prior Coursework section (Option 1).
4. Alternatively, you can start a Warrant and add transfer credit as part of the Prior Coursework step in the warrant process (Option 2).
5. When you are ready to enter the graduate transfer credit as prior coursework, you will be able to Add Course or Add Degree.  The following sections provide instructions on how to use each button.

Using "Add Course" to enter Graduate Transfer Credit

The Add Course function allows you to add any Prior Coursework (UW-Madison Undergraduate Course, UW-Madison Special Student Course, Graduate Coursework from Another Institution, or Undergraduate Coursework from Another Institution) and apply it to any of the student's existing programs. The following steps outline how to add individual transfer courses.

1. Click on the Add Course button in the upper right corner.

   

   
   
2. Start by selecting the student's program and then the course type. For Non-UW Courses, select the course type, "Graduate Course From Other Institution". Note that the options to select a UW-Madison Undergraduate Course, or UW-Madison Special Student Course will only appear if the student was enrolled at UW-Madison as an undergraduate or special student respectively.
   
   
3. Click the Institution field to search and select the institution where the prior coursework was completed.
   
   
4. Once the institution field is completed, you will be returned to the Add Prior Coursework screen. Fill out the relevant fields and click save. It is important to enter a course number and the most closely related subject for each course entered. Select the term the course was earned. Note that the credits field should be entered as a whole number (e.g., no decimal points). Programs that choose to utilize the Zero Credit option to meet degree requirements, but not contribute to degree credit totals, simply need to enter "0" in the Credits field.
   
   
5. Review the transfer credit entry for accuracy. To edit the entry, click on the pencil icon in the Actions column. Make note of the second to last column (Exported to SIS), this indicates a successful transfer of data into SIS. This means that the course will now show up on the student's transcript and GSTS Advisement Report.
   
   
6. For coursework taken at UW-Madison as an undergraduate or special student, select the appropriate course type (UW-Madison Special Student or UW-Madison Undergraduate Course). The institution automatically populates once the course type field is selected. Click the UW Course field to view the UW-Madison courses that the student has taken. 
   
   
   
   
7. Select the course that will be transferred to the student's graduate record. The term, UW-Madison Course, UW-Madison Course ID, and Credits fields will auto populate. The database will also determine if the course should count towards the 50% Graduate Coursework Requirement. 
   
   
   
   
8.  If you are selecting a UW-Madison Special Student course that is numbered below 700, an additional question will appear asking if the course was taken as part of a Capstone certificate. Once complete, click save. 
   
9. Review the transfer credit entry for accuracy. To edit the entry, click on the pencil icon in the Actions column. Make note of the second to last column (Exported to SIS), this indicates a successful transfer of data into SIS. This means that the course will now show up on the student's transcript and GSTS Advisement Report. 

Using "Add Degree" to enter Graduate Transfer Credit

The Add Degree function allows you to add a bulk number of credits from an Accredited Undergraduate Degree, an Accredited External Masters Degree, or a UW Madison Capstone Certificate to one of a student's programs. You will enter the number of credits to be transferred from the degree through this process. The following steps outline how to add graduate transfer credit from a degree. 

1. Navigate to the Prior Coursework section and click the Add Degree button.
   
   
   
2. Select the student's program and course type. The course type will allow you to indicate the type of degree earned.
   
   
3. Click the institution field to search and select the institution where the degree was earned.
   
   
4. Enter the total credits to be transferred from the degree and whether or not the credits should count towards the 50% graduate coursework requirement.  If some of the credits should count for the 50% graduate coursework requirement, and some should not, you will need to do two separate entries. There is also a space for details which are optional to add. Once complete, click save. Note that the total credits should be entered as a whole number (e.g., no decimal points).
   
   
5. Review the transfer credit entry for accuracy. To edit the entry, click on the pencil icon in the Actions column. Make note of the second to last column (Exported to SIS), this indicates a successful transfer of data into SIS. This means that the course will now show up on the student's transcript and GSTS Advisement Report.
   
   

How to Delete a Course or Degree 

The following steps outline how to delete a course or degree for graduate transfer credit in My Grad Portal. Deleting an entry from the Prior Coursework section removes the graduate transfer credit in the student's transcript and their GSTS Advisement Report. 

1. Navigate to the Prior Coursework section. 
   
2. Verify the entry to be deleted. Locate the Actions column and click the trash icon.
   
3. Click Delete to finalize removal of the entry.
    
   

Additional Resources

Video Tutorial 

View the Graduate School's Transfer Credit Demonstration presentation by clicking this Kaltura link.

Where to Locate Graduate Transfer Credit once Entered

Table 1, Graduate Transfer Credit Course Definitions, explains how each transfer credit course fulfills minimum degree requirements. Graduate transfer credit will appear on the unofficial transcript, official transcript, and GSTS Advisement Report. 

It is recommended to keep Table 1 in an area easy to locate. This will help you differentiate between the types of graduate transfer credit attached to a student's record. Course equivalences will not be completed. This means that graduate transfer credit will not be mapped to an equivalent UW Madison course in SIS. The graduate transfer credit appears as a generic course. The table below lists the course numbers you may see on a student's record and the minimum requirements each course fulfills.

While graduate transfer credit appears on GSTS Advisement Reports, individual exceptions must be completed manually. Exceptions to use graduate transfer credit to fulfill internal program curriculum requirements need to be designated through the Exceptions Tool. 

Table 1 Graduate Transfer Credit Course Definitions

Course	Definition	Fulfills Minimum Graduate Degree Credit Requirement?	Fulfills Minimum Residence Credit Requirement?	Fulfills Minimum Graduate Coursework Credit Requirement?	Fulfills Minimum GPA Requirement?
GEN ELCT X01*	Graduate Course from Other Institution	Yes	No	Yes	No
GEN ELCT X02	Graduate Course Other Institution	Yes	No	No	No
GEN ELCT X03**	UW Madison Undergraduate Course	Yes	No	Yes	No
GEN ELCT X04	UW Madison Undergraduate Course	Yes	No	No	No
GEN ELCT X05***	UW Madison Special Student Course	Yes	No	Yes	No
GEN ELCT X06	UW Madison Special Student Course	Yes	No	No	No
GEN ELCT X07*	Undergraduate Course from Other Institution	Yes	No	Yes	No
GEN ELCT X08	Undergraduate Course from Other Institution	Yes	No	No	No
GEN ELCT X09****	UW Madison Professional Degree Course	Yes	No	Yes	No
GEN ELCT X10	UW Madison Professional Degree Course	Yes	No	No	No
* Course is equivalent to a UW Madison course with the G50% attribute and/or numbered 700 or above. ** Course is numbered 700 or above. *** Course is numbered 700 or above and/or is taken as part of a Capstone certificate program. ****Course has the G50% attribute and/or is numbered 700 or above.

See Also:

• GSTS - Exceptions: Using Graduate Transfer Credit for Prior Coursework