Credit Options and Transfer Guides
Undergraduate students
Undergraduate students may transfer credit from a regionally accredited, degree-granting institution. At least sixty academic hours of your bachelor's degree requirements must be earned at a regionally accredited degree-granting institution like Central Michigan University. You will first need to apply for admission to CMU. CMU requires one transcript from each institution you have attended. You can download and print the transcript request form to request copies of your transcripts to be sent to CMU.
You can apply for relevant transfer credit from other regionally accredited universities to your CMU degree. The grade for acceptable transfer credit is C- or better. For the Competency courses (i.e., ENG 101, 201 and Math, etc.) a grade for acceptable transfer credit is 'C' or better.
Undergraduate transfer credit evaluation
To get a preliminary idea of how the courses you have taken might transfer to CMU, review:
You may have already satisfied the requirements for an associate degree
The credits you earned at CMU may be able to transfer back ("reverse transfer") to your community college to fulfill your remaining Associate degree requirements. Why is completing an Associate's degree important to you?
- An associate's degree demonstrates a level of proficiency and persistence recognized by employers
- An associate's degree provides additional employment credentials
- An associate's degree often reflects the halfway point of a student obtaining their baccalaureate degree and provides a sense of accomplishment and inspiration for the students to continue their studies
Contact your transferring community college to ask them about your remaining degree requirements, and see if any of your CMU credits can apply to them.
Your CMU program requirements may already be satisfied
The Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) assists transfer students to meet four-year school's lower-level general education requirements at the community college. The MTA requires a minimum of 30 semester hours and includes:
- One course in English Composition
- A second course in English Composition or one course in Communications
- Two courses in Social Sciences (from two different academic disciplines)
- Two courses in Natural Sciences including one with laboratory experience (from two different academic disciplines)
- Two courses in Humanities or Fine Arts (from two different academic disciplines; studio and performance classes are not eligible)
- One course in College Algebra, Statistics or Quantitative Reasoning
Each course used to complete MTA requirements must be completed with a grade of 2.0 or higher. If you transfer from a community college in Michigan with a transcript documented as having satisfied the MTA, you will also have satisfied the University Program portion of CMU’s General Education requirements.
Michigan Community College contact information may be found at: www.mcca.org
Your academic advisor will be able to answer any additional questions you might have about using transfer credit.
Graduate students
Graduate students may transfer up to 50%* of graduate-level course work via a combination of transfer credit and prior learning credit to be used on a master's degree program**. This transfer credit evaluation should be completed as early in your program as possible to avoid unnecessary course work.
You can apply for relevant transfer credit from other regionally accredited universities to your CMU degree. The grade for acceptable credits is B or better. You must have earned the transfer credit within seven years of graduation from your CMU master's degree program and be a student in good standing at the institution where the course was taken.
Graduate transfer credit evaluation requirements
- Official transcript
- Copies of course descriptions
- Copies of course syllabi OR course outlines
- Complete the Transfer Credit Request Form
- Please forward the above document together via mail or fax to your graduate advisor at (989) 774-1998 for evaluation.
*The amount of transfer credit is dependent upon the degree or program.
**Students at international locations, please contact your program coordinator regarding transfer credit conversion.
Prior learning credit
Adult students bring a level of experience and knowledge to academic programs that most younger students don’t have. The knowledge has been acquired through work, training, or life experiences. We recognize the value of that learning and award academic credit for it through our Prior Learning program. To learn more, view the prior learning overview.
Your academic advisor will be able to answer any questions you might have about using prior learning credit
