Transfer Manual: Transcripts, Grades, GPA

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Credit will only be transferred when posted as course work on an official transcript of the institution from which it was earned.

For the purpose of calculating the transfer grade point average (GPA) course work is transferred with straight letter grades. Pluses and minuses are ignored (e.g. A, B, C, D, not A-, B+, C-, etc.). Grades represented by another system (e.g. numerical) are converted to the letter grade scale.

A grade of "D" or better can transfer as major credit, Core Curriculum credit or elective credit. At the discretion of the college Dean, major courses passed with a "D" may have to be repeated. CPS students must complete most courses in their major at USF. They may substitute up to six units of transfer credit with the approval of the appropriate faculty program director.

Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit courses are acceptable. A grade of No Credit is not counted as part of the transfer GPA.

Grades of "F" earned 10 years or more prior to the semester of application to USF will be "forgiven" and will not be used in the calculation of the transfer GPA. For example a student applying for Fall 2000 will have grades of "F" forgiven earned up to and including Fall 1990.

A student may not receive duplicate credit for the same course work, training, or AP/IB/CLEP test (see CLEP section for exceptions). Credit will be granted for only one of the courses, CLEP tests, etc. In the case of PE activity, applied Art and Music, and Work Experience credits there are limits to the number of units that may be repeated with the same course number (see below).

All transferable credit is used to calculate the transfer GPA even if that work is subject to the 70-unit two year school (lower division, two-year source) cap, is for repeated course work, or is not counted by the granting institution due to "academic renewal."

Exclusions & Restrictions

Remedial and vocational skills courses are not normally transferable unless the granting institution designates the course work as baccalaureate level (four year schools, ACE, National PONSI) or CSU transferable (California community colleges - except for remedial math and English). For out-of-state community colleges, private two-year schools, and international institutions remedial and vocational skills courses are not normally transferable, please refer to the policies in the General Transfer Guidelines section of this manual.

No matter their source, level, or designation no credit will transfer for remedial math or English (e.g. no English below English 1A or its equivalent, no math below College Algebra).

No credit will transfer that was the result of: internal placement; proficiency or challenge exams; credit by assessment; or any other source which is not documented as specific, degree applicable course work in the institution's catalog. No portfolio unit credit will transfer.

Physical Education activity credit may be transferred to a maximum of nine semester units. PE activity units have a nine-unit maximum, PE theory classes are treated as normal course work with no specific maximum. The nine-unit limit on activity units applies to PE majors as well as non-majors.

Applied Art/Music courses will transfer to a maximum of nine units if the courses were not a part of the student's major and they have the same course number or content. (For example someone with 16 units in Marching Band would be restricted to nine units. Someone with six units in voice, six in piano, three in painting, and six in ceramics would get all the units). Activity courses do not fulfill Core Curriculum requirements.

Work Experience credit officially posted on an institution's transcript will transfer to a maximum of nine units. Such credit also includes work designated as Internship, Practicum, Police Academy, or Peace Officer Training, etc. If the units are from a California community college the credit must be CSU transferable.

Continuing Education Units (CEU) are for professional development; they are non-credit and are not transferable to USF.

Credits earned through certificate programs are not transferable unless they are specifically identified as baccalaureate degree applicable at the institution at which they were earned (e.g. St. Mary's paralegal program - not transferable).

Credit earned in college to fulfill High School graduation requirements will not transfer to USF.

University of California Extension courses numbered 200-299 are graduate level and are not applicable to a Bachelor's degree. Courses numbered 300-499 are professional courses and are not transferable to USF. Some 400 level business courses from UC Berkeley Extension have been recommended for credit by ACE and are transferable pursuant to the policies in that section of this manual.

Credits earned in specialized or professional schools are not generally transferable unless the institution has full regional accreditation (or candidacy), the credit is officially applicable to a baccalaureate degree in that institution and pursuant to the policies in this manual.

Summary - Categories of Credits with a Nine Unit Cap

A student can transfer in up to a total of nine units in each of the following three categories. The subject matters that make up those categories are listed below each heading.

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