Requirements related to transfer of course credit are as follows:
- All transfer work must have an earned grade of B or better (B- is not equivalent to B).
- The Graduate School must have an official transcript of the transfer credit showing satisfactory completion of the course.
- Correspondence or extension courses are not eligible for transfer credit, nor are courses taken on a Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.
See University Graduate Handbook for specific details.
See sections below for requirements specific to Master’s and Doctoral programs.
Master’s Students
Upon approval of the Graduate School, master’s students may transfer up to 20 percent of the total hours required for the master’s degree from another accredited institution or this institution before admission to the Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the School’s requirements for a master’s degree. Master’s students may request transfer credit upon submission of a written request (see Course Evaluation Tracking form) from the student and her or his academic advisor and a copy of the course syllabus to the School of Nursing registrar in the Office of Admissions and Student Services. In the master’s program, coursework for which transfer is requested must have been taken within a 5-year time limit. The registrar will initiate the review process by completing the transfer credit recommendation form and submitting it to the appropriate program director.
Doctoral Students
Because the Graduate School had no course credit requirement for doctoral students, doctoral students may transfer in or demonstrate equivalent knowledge for an unlimited number of credits. However, students are required to take a minimum of 3 substantive area courses, 3 secondary area courses, and 2 electives. This requirement can be fulfilled by transferring in credits if the courses were not taken as part of the completion of a different degree but cannot be met by demonstration of equivalent knowledge. On the other hand, students jointly enrolled in the Nursing PhD program and another degree program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill may double count some courses as permitted by the two programs. Courses taken more than 5 years prior to the student’s entry into the PhD program cannot be transferred or used to demonstrate equivalent knowledge unless the student demonstrates the currency of the knowledge and retention of the content. By Graduate School policy, courses taken at an institution that gives the master’s degree as its most advanced degree may not be transferred but can be used for the demonstration of equivalent knowledge. The over-riding consideration in all decisions about transferring credits or demonstration of equivalent knowledge is that doctoral students are provided with sufficient opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills needed to successfully complete the comprehensive examination and the dissertation.
Transfer of Course Credit for Doctoral Students
Doctoral students may request transfer of relevant courses from a PhD granting institution. There is no limit on the number of transfer credits for doctoral students. Students may not transfer credits from a previous degree in nursing or from a previous degree outside nursing because transferring in such credit constitutes “double dipping,” that is using a course to fulfill the requirements for two different degrees, and would limit the amount of new knowledge that they gain during their PhD program. These courses may be used to demonstrate equivalent knowledge (see below).
To transfer credits, students must:
- Submit the coursework for approval by their advisory committee or dissertation committee prior to the written comprehensive examination.
- After advisor approval, students and the advisor must complete the Course Evaluation Tracking form and turn it in to the doctoral program director.
- Give the School of Nursing registrar an official transcript of the transfer credit showing satisfactory completion of the course.
- The program director will confirm course equivalency and obtain approval of course transfer from DEC.
- Transferred coursework is covered in the comprehensive examinations. In this way, whether taken at the University or elsewhere, coursework is held in the same regard and the examining committee is able to base its appraisal of the student’s knowledge of subject matter and on the student’s own performance.
Demonstration of Equivalent Knowledge or Experience for Doctoral Students
Students may use knowledge from previously completed degrees or from life experiences to demonstrate that they have knowledge and skills equivalent to the knowledge that would be gained by taking existing courses required for the PhD in Nursing. When a student demonstrates equivalent knowledge the requirement for specific courses are met but the student does not get course credit. Thus, demonstration of equivalent knowledge cannot be used to fulfill the requirement of a minimum of 3 substantive area courses, 3 secondary area courses, and 2 electives. However, because there is no required number of credits in research methods, theory, or health policy, students demonstrating equivalent knowledge or experience to required courses in these areas, do not have to take additional courses in these areas.
To demonstrate equivalent knowledge, students must:
- Submit the documentation for approval by their advisory committee or dissertation committee prior to the written comprehensive examination. If coursework is being used as part of this documentation, the School of Nursing registrar must be given an official transcript of the coursework showing satisfactory completion of the course.
- After committee approval, students and the advisor must complete the Course Evaluation Tracking form and turn it in to the doctoral program director.
- The program director will confirm knowledge equivalency (this will likely involve input from faculty teaching the course) and obtain approval of substitution of equivalent knowledge from DEC.
- Coursework waived due to equivalent knowledge is covered in the comprehensive examinations. In this way, the examining committee is able to base its appraisal of the student’s knowledge of subject matter on the student’s own performance.