Transfer and External Sources of Credit

Transfer students should refer to the policies and procedures outlined in the Undergraduate Admissions section of the catalog when seeking admission to the University. UMKC accepts credit in transfer from formerly regionally accredited institutions* of recognized standing, both public and private. It also awards credit through examination programs as described in the Credit by Examination section of the catalog.

The Office of the Registrar applies established guidelines and precedents in determining transfer course equivalencies and applicability, as listed below. A student's academic unit is responsible for all final decisions on the applicability of transfer coursework, and must review and approve any exceptions that may be made for an individual student.

Transfer credit is evaluated and posted according to the following general guidelines:

  • All undergraduate college coursework attempted at accredited institutions will be recorded on the UMKC transcript of students seeking an undergraduate degree, regardless of whether or not it is applicable to a UMKC degree. Credit accepted from another institution may or may not be applicable to specific degree programs. The University reserves the right to make the decision regarding applicability.
  • Courses that are remedial, preparatory or non-college-level will not be added to the total hours or used to satisfy degree requirements. The Registrar's Office will refer to the transcript key or catalog of the sending institution in making a determination as to the level or purpose of the course in question.
  • Transferred courses will be considered upper-division (junior-senior level) and count toward the total number of upper-division hours required if they are earned at a four-year institution and designated by that institution's course numbering system as upper division courses.
  • A transferred course will retain the original number of credit hours for which it was taken at the previous institution, even if the equivalent UMKC course is worth a different number of hours.
  • Courses transferred from institutions which award quarter hours will be converted into semester hours at the rate of 1 quarter hour = 2/3 semester hour.
  • In general, courses with a grade of D or higher will receive full credit in transfer. For some degree programs, a course with a grade of D may not be used to satisfy specific requirements. A transfer student would be required to repeat a specified course on the same basis as a "native" UMKC student who earned a D in the equivalent course.
  • Coursework of any age will be accepted in transfer to satisfy general education requirements and electives. If transfer credit is more than 15 years old, or of a specific technical or scientific nature, students may be required to repeat courses that are part of a major or field concentration. Individual UMKC academic units may impose more restrictive coursework age requirements.
  • Non-University of Missouri System grades and grade points do not transfer, although the grades earned in transfer courses are printed on the transcript. An admission grade-point average that considers all attempted coursework is computed at the time of application, and an overall GPA will be computed at any time a student applies for admission to a more selective program within the University. The UMKC transcript reflects the total number of accepted hours earned from all sources, but only calculates the UMKC/UM grade-point average. Students transferring into UMKC with a certified core should see the appropriate School or College section of this catalog for requirements beyond the core to complete a specific baccalaureate degree.

*The University of Missouri - Kansas City accepts transfer work from institutions that were formerly accredited by a Regional Accrediting agency per the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), specifically:

  • Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)