Online degrees offered by established universities have the mark of that institution’s academic prestige and this resonates with employers and in promotion assessments. Certain online programs —like masters degrees offered by the University of Miami’s UOnline program—will give you access to a world-class faculty and a global network of esteemed alumni: both invaluable sources of expertise.
This means that, just like traditional masters degrees, online postgraduate programs can boost your employability and elevate you up the career ladder. If you’ve decided an online degree is right for you, that’s great news. It’s now time to ask the right questions to check if the fruits of your labor from your previous education can be carried over onto your online degree. Here's our hack for transferring credits online.
Is your old school regionally accredited?
While, on the whole, online programs will allow you to transfer over your academic credit, many are selective about where this credit comes from. As a rule of thumb, most will readily transfer credit from a regionally accredited institution. This accreditation is the stamp of approval given to a school by a nongovernmental body after it has assessed its faculty, services and curriculum. Often for-profit establishments or trade schools offering health care aid or IT training, for example, won’t be regionally accredited and credit earned there can’t be transferred onto your online degree.
All students choosing an online degree program should ask the enrollment advisor about the program’s criteria for credit recognition. You should also check if they can carry out a full credit transfer review for you to establish exactly how much credit you can pass over to your new degree.
Is your credit of the right quality?
Not only might your previous institution need to meet certain criteria for your credit to count, the value placed on different kinds of credit will also vary from program to program. Most universities will accept credit earned on classes where students have earned a C grade or above. While a D grade is generally regarded as a pass mark, it often won’t transfer onto an online program. Another thing to be aware of is that credits earned via the quarter system rather than the semester system may not be worth as much in the eyes of your online degree program. This is because the quarter system demands fewer hours spent in the classroom.
Are there other factors to consider?
On top of this, some online programs will require students to earn a certain amount of credit at their institution and will, therefore, cap the amount of credit they allow to be transferred over from the education you gained elsewhere. You should also be clear on what documentation you’ll need to prove credit earned and what grades you received for individual classes. In an ideal world, the newly graduated you will have carefully organized all your education documents ready for times like this, but of course, nobody’s perfect.You may find you need to ask your previous school for copies.
Use our handy checklist
- What is the online degree program’s criteria for accepting credit?
- Will the program carries out a credit transfer review for me?
- Is my undergraduate school regionally accredited? If not, will my credits be recognized?
- What are the grade requirements for my credit to be transferred onto my online program and how does this affect me?
- What is the online degree program’s stance on quarter-system vs semester-system credit and how does this affect me?
- Is there a cap on the amount of credit that can be transferred onto my online program and how does this affect me?
- What documentation does the program require to transfer credit?
- Do I have all these documents and, if not, can I get ahold of them from my previous school?
The University of Miami UOnline flexible master’s degrees are designed with the working professional in mind, yet still provide the quality of learning you’d expect from a top-ranked university. To find out about the guidelines for transferring your academic credit onto a University of Miami UOnline degree, call one of our advisors toll-free on 888.995.2272 or visit our site for more information.
