advancedstanding.htm

Note: Transfer of Credit means applying courses taken at another institution towards your MS program here. Advanced Standing means applying part of a previous MS degree towards your current MS program. They both involve transferring courses taken elsewhere into your MS program here, but they aren't applied for in the same way. This document explains how to get credit for courses taken as part of another MS program.

ADVANCED STANDING

If you are coming into our MS program and already have a master’s degree, you may be able to transfer in more than six credits. Here’s the University’s policy on this:

Applicants for admission to a master's degree program who have already completed one master's degree program may apply for admission with advanced standing. The award of advanced standing to a successful applicant for a second master's degree program is governed by the following conditions:

• Up to 30 percent of the credits required for a second master's degree may be allowed for advanced standing by the application of appropriate courses from the first completed master's degree program (in a 30-hour program, that translates into 9 credit hours). All remaining course requirements must be completed satisfactorily in resident graduate study at the University at Albany.

• Courses applied to a second master's degree program from a completed first master's degree program must be approved by the faculty responsible for the second program. (In our department, this approval will depend on how well the proposed courses fit into the course distribution requirements of the program you have been admitted to).

• Courses accepted for advanced standing may not be used normally to satisfy a second master's degree program's requirements of such key courses as research seminars, theses, field courses, clinical courses, student teaching internships, and practicums. (In our department, this means required practicum courses, but see the department policy on waiving core courses under specified conditions).

• Courses allowed for advanced standing status must be graduate courses completed with a B, or better, or S grade at accredited institutions authorized to grant graduate degrees. (In our department, the policy of only accepting courses that are the functional equivalent of courses we offer, also applies here).

• All courses, both those qualifying for advanced standing status and resident study, must be completed within the six-year statue of limitations applicable to the second master's degree.

• A graduate student may not apply both conventional transfer credit and advanced standing credit to the second master's degree program: the former or the latter, but not both, can be applied to a single program. Exceptions to criteria governing advanced standing may be approved by the Graduate Academic Council. (If you believe you qualify for an exception, you have to make a formal written request to the Department. The Department will forward its recommendation to the GAC).

To submit a request for Advanced Standing, you need to make an appointment with your advisor. In consultation with your advisor, you work out which courses are transferrable and into which program areas, and then your advisor submits an advanced standing memorandum to the Department Chair, who forwards it to the Graduate Office. When approved, you'll see these courses listed on your transcript. DO NOT use the transfer credit application form for Advanced Standing--it will not be accepted for this purpose.

If you are applying for Advanced Standing at the time of admission, your request will be forwarded to your advisor as soon as he/she is assigned to you. Make sure that you bring this to your advisor's attention, if he/she doesn't contact you about it.

Last Updated: September 22, 2005