Transferring Credits

You may be able to transfer credits you have earned from other sources to apply toward your Penn State College of Engineering degree requirements. 

For more information, please choose the category that represents your situation:

• Advanced Placement (AP) Credits
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Credits
• Advanced Level (A-Level) Credits

Transferring Credits from Other Universities

Courses taken at other institutions that are needed to qualify for an engineering major or computer science must transfer to Penn State directly as MATH 140, MATH 141, MATH 250/251 (or MATH 230 for CMPSC), PHYS 211, PHYS 212, and/or CHEM 110 (or CMPSC 122 for CMPSC). General credits for Calculus I, Calculus II, Differential Equations, Calculus III, Physics-Mechanics, Physics-Electricity and Magnetism, General Chemistry, and/or Intermediate Programming for CMPSC cannot be used to qualify for admission to a major. If such a course transfers as General credits and the student feels that a new evaluation is justified, he/she may ask the University Park department offering the course for another evaluation.

For more information about transferring credits to Penn State from other universities, visit Getting Academic Credit. 

Requesting Course Evaluations

If a course in chemistry, computer science, engineering design, English composition, math, physics, or public speaking transfers as General credits and the student feels that a new evaluation is justified, he/she may ask the University Park department offering the course for another evaluation.

To submit a request for such a course, ENGR students at all campuses must contact the department at University Park that offers the course and submit a syllabus for review (details below).

• Chemistry Courses: Contact the Department of Chemistry (219 Whitmore Laboratory) at 814-865-9391.
• Computer Science Courses: Email the following information to Dr. John Hannan: (1) the name of the school, the course title, number, and credits that transfer to Penn State as GEN credits; and (2) a course syllabus that includes number of semester credits, math co- or pre-requisite(s), textbook(s) used and indications of chapters/sections/topics covered, and labs covered.
• Engineering Design Courses: Email the following information to Dr. Sven Bilen: (1) the course title, number, and credits that transfer to Penn State as GEN credits; (2) a course syllabus that includes number of semester credits, textbook(s) used and indications of chapters/sections/topics covered, and labs covered; and (3) documentation of all design projects including the project(s) description and deliverables.
• English Composition Courses: Complete this form. 
• Math Courses: Complete this form. For questions, contact the Department of Mathematics (104 McAllister Building) at 814-865-7528 or undergrad@math.psu.edu
• Physics Courses: Contact the Department of Physics (104 Davey Lab) at 814-865-3884
• Public Speaking Courses: Contact the Department of Communications Arts and Sciences (234 Sparks Building) at 814-865-3461 or cas@psu.edu.

If the evaluator indicates that there is some justification for substituting the General credits for an entrance-to-major course, the student should submit a College petition requesting the substitution. The comments of the evaluator must be attached to the petition as part of the justification for the request.

If transfer credits are to be used to meet graduation requirements, the transcript from the other institution must reach Penn State Admissions in time for the credits to be entered by the deadline for graduation. Graduation will be delayed by a semester if the transfer of credits is not complete prior to the deadline for certification for graduation. Students are held responsible for ensuring that transfer credits reach Penn State in time if they are to be used to meet graduation requirements. Only official transcripts from other institutions are acceptable for verification of courses taken and grades earned.

College Petitions

Students wishing a waiver, an exception, or a substitution for a General Education, entry-to-major, or major requirement must submit a College Petition describing their request and justification. College of Engineering undergraduate students in pre-major status and in General Engineering (all options) must initiate and submit their petitions through the College's e-Petition System. In preparing the petition, the request and justification must be completed by the student in a clear and concise manner, without any ambiguity about the nature of the request.

Once a decision about approval or non-approval has been made, the student will be notified via email and the petition will be attached to the student's advising file. Students should note that the simple act of making a request does not imply automatic approval. In addition, all College petitions must be submitted before the beginning of a student's graduating semester.

Students are reminded that they are ultimately responsible for meeting all degree requirements for the major they seek. Changes in major and transfers from other institutions cannot be used as sole justifications for petitions. Academic justifications are required. Graduation also cannot be used as a justification.

The College of Engineering e-Petition System should also be used to request adjustments to degree audits for pre-approved variations -- for example, the 9-6-3 distribution for GA/GH/GS courses (only after all have been completed), the use of a language course (at the 12-credit level or above) to substitute for a GA, GH, or GS, etc.