Transfer Credit

Note: To receive transfer credit, JMU students must have an official transcript sent to: Office of the Registrar, Warren Hall, 170 Bluestone Drive, MSC 3528, Harrisonburg, VA 22807.

Question: How do I transfer credit from other institutions?

A student wishing to earn credits at another institution, either in the summer or during a regular session, must obtain permission in advance from the registrar's office. Course descriptions are required for courses taken outside the Virginia Community College system. The registrar's office will make the determination concerning the course and its application toward a JMU degree following consultation with the head of a department or director of the school, if necessary. Permission to transfer credit into the general education program will be based on an evaluation of the extent to which the course meets the objectives of the General Education Program. To complete final hours away from JMU, students must have the approval of the dean of their major.

Question: How do I take classes at a Virginia Community College and transfer them to JMU?

Check the JMU VCCS equivalency guide before signing up for the course. If you are currently attending JMU you must still complete a "Permission to Take Courses for Transfer Credit" (download Adobe Acrobat Reader here to view this file) form in the Office of the Registrar (Warren Hall 504 or Warren 3rd Floor). General Education course equivalents require approval by that office. There are some exceptions to course equivalencies listed if used for General Education by current JMU students.

Question: Can I transfer the college credit I earned in high school?

Courses taken in this manner are referred to as Dual Enrollment courses. Upon approval, dual enrollment credit will be awarded for academic courses completed at regionally accredited institutions of higher education. You must receive a grade of "C" or better in order to be awarded credit.

Question: Do the grades I earned at other institutions count toward my JMU GPA?

No, the letter grades earned for dual enrollment or other transfer course work will not appear on the JMU transcript nor will they be included in the JMU cumulative grade point average. The grades will, however, be included in the grade point average used to determine graduation honors, provided you first qualify based upon your JMU academic work (see the undergraduate catalog section on Graduation with Honors for details).

Question: Has JMU received my transfer credit?

If an official transcript has been sent to the Office of the Registrar, students may check their unofficial transcript on My Madison to see if the transfer credit has been awarded.

General Information

• Transfer courses are evaluated by looking at course content regardless of mode of instruction.
• Credit will be awarded for those courses in which the student has earned a grade of "C" or better if they are equivalent to courses offered at JMU.
• After the student has been approved for admission, the Office of the Registrar will evaluate the transcript(s) of each transfer student to show the credits accepted by the University. The director or head of the department or school in which the student is majoring will determine the department/school credits required for graduation.
• A listing of suggested General Education courses is available from the General Education office.
• With the exception of some General Studies degrees, general education requirements will be waived for those students who have completed either the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science or the Associate in Arts and Sciences degree. They will also be granted junior-level status. Please consult the JMU Virginia Community College Transfer Guide for details.