What is the transfer policy?

Only graduate-level courses are acceptable for transfer credit. A graduate-level course is any course for which a student received graduate credit at their previous institution(s). This may include graduate-level courses taken as an undergraduate.

Acceptable Grades

A grade of “B” or better is required in a graduate-level course to be acceptable for transfer credit.

Accreditation

Previous graduate work must have been completed at a regionally accredited institution. International coursework must be in English in order to be evaluated for transfer.

Time Limit for Requesting Transfer Credit

Requests for transfer of units must be completed by the posted deadline.

Maximum Units

A maximum of five units may be transferred into the MS program. If a student receives a waiver of courses beyond the transferable units, they must take elective units to meet the total unit requirement for graduation from PAU.

Units Awarded

Any course can only transfer in the number of transfer units equal to the comparable course at Palo Alto University, despite the number of units previously assigned to the course. The number of units of a course the student wishes to transfer must be equal to or greater than the units of the corresponding Palo Alto University course. Palo Alto University operates on quarter academic terms. Semester credits will be converted to quarter units for evaluation using a 1.5 quarter unit per 1.0 semester unit conversion.

Course Obsolescence

Theory (T courses) may be considered for transfer if they have been completed within ten years prior to the time of matriculation at PAU. For all other courses, courses must have been completed within five years prior to the time of matriculation at PAU.

Syllabi

Students must provide a syllabus/syllabi for the course(s) they would like to transfer. Course descriptions are not acceptable.

Appeals and Exceptions

Credit transfer decisions may be appealed in writing to the Curriculum Committee.

Transferable Courses

  • PSYS500    History & Systems

  • PSYS501    Child & Adolescent Development

  • PSYS502    Cognitive Bases of Behavior

  • PSYS504    Affective Bases of Behavior

  • PSYS505    Biological Psychology

  • PSYS507    Adult Development & Aging

  • PSYS509    Psychopharmacology

  • PSYS511    Social & Personality Psychology

  • STAT510     Research Methods & Statistics II

  • STAT511     Research Methods & Statistics III

Students may not receive transfer credit for any additional courses, including electives.