Graduate Transfer Credit

Graduate transfer credit may be granted if specific requirements are met. A maximum of two courses (up to 6 units) of graduate credit from another AACSB-accredited master’s program may be transferred for either required or elective courses, provided the following conditions are satisfied:

  • The course was open to graduate students only.
  • The course was completed with a grade equivalent to a B or better.
  • The course was completed within the last five years.
  • The course was part of an incomplete master’s degree program and taken no more than six years prior to application to the SCU master’s program.
  • The course is considered by the Graduate Business Programs Office to be functionally equivalent to a course or combination of courses offered by Santa Clara’s master’s program.

Students must provide a course description, official transcript, and syllabi for the course taken. Bootcamps, undergraduate-level courses, and online courses (e.g., Coursera, Straighterline, Udacity, edX, or similar platforms) are not accepted

Graduate transfer credit is granted on a course-by-course basis and is reviewed by the Faculty Director for approval. No credit will be given for coursework done elsewhere while in a SCU master’s program without prior approval. This restriction does not apply to students participating in the Jesuit Transfer Agreement (applicable only to MBA programs)

Course Waivers vs. Transfer Credit

This policy only applies to transfer credit from another institution. For any combination/dual-degree transfer credit or 4+1 waiver policies, please refer to Chapter 6.

Students may receive a maximum of 6 units for MS programs and 12 units for MBA programs through a combination of transfer credit and/or course waivers. All transfer credit and course waivers are subject to review and approval by the academic program to ensure graduate-level equivalency and alignment with degree requirements.

Eligibility is limited to coursework or learning experiences completed within the past five years, based on relevance and length of the current program content and learning outcomes. To be considered, all coursework must have been completed prior to matriculation into Santa Clara University. Courses completed after a student has matriculated are not eligible for transfer credit and/or course waivers.

It is important to distinguish between transfer credit and a course waiver:

  • Transfer Credit: Applies approved graduate-level transfer units from previous academic work toward degree requirements, reducing the total number of units required for graduation.
  • Course Waiver: Satisfies the subject requirement for a specific course, meaning you do not need to take that class. However, it does not reduce the total number of units required for graduation; you must complete the required total units by taking other elective courses.

Students should submit their requests and supporting documentation to the Graduate Business Programs Office via the appropriate email addresses:

Jesuit MBA Transfer Agreement

MBA Students who leave the Santa Clara area to pursue other work or personal opportunities may participate in the Jesuit MBA Transfer Agreement. Under this agreement, students who have completed 50 percent or more units of their MBA program at SCU may attend another AACSB-accredited MBA Program at one of the participating Jesuit schools and transfer units back to SCU to complete their degrees.

To begin this process, students must schedule an appointment with the MBA Programs staff to review their academic history and discuss the requirements of the participating school. Provided that the student is in good academic standing and has completed 50 percent or more of the degree requirements at SCU, Santa Clara University will award the degree upon completion of all requirements.

If a student has less than 50 percent of the units required to award an MBA degree at SCU, they may apply to a participating Jesuit school and transfer the units already earned at SCU to that institution. Under this agreement, the student transferring out of Santa Clara University is required to meet all application and admission criteria of the receiving school. Upon admission to the receiving school, students will be informed of which units will be transferred from SCU to the institution. The receiving school will award the degree.

Note: This agreement does not apply to Online MBA.  For more information visit the Jesuit MBA website.

Graduate Business Programs Residency Requirement Policy

Purpose

The residency requirement ensures that students complete a substantial portion of their graduate education through coursework offered by the Leavey School of Business. Residency promotes engagement with the University’s faculty, curriculum, learning community, and educational mission while preserving the academic integrity and value of graduate degrees awarded by Santa Clara University.

Policy

To be eligible for a graduate degree from the Leavey School of Business, students must complete at least fifty percent (50%) of the required units for their degree in residence at Santa Clara University.

Defining Residency

Residency refers strictly to graduate coursework completed through Santa Clara University and applied toward the student’s approved program of study, regardless of instructional modality (e.g., in-person, online, hybrid, or executive format). It is entirely unrelated to housing or orientation requirements.

Transfer Credits & Compliance

Approved transfer credits or coursework completed outside the University may apply toward overall degree requirements, but they do not count toward or reduce the 50% residency requirement. Furthermore, all residency coursework must comply with University policies governing graduate credit, academic standing, and degree completion.

Exceptions

Exceptions to the residency requirement are granted only under extraordinary circumstances and require approval by the Assistant Dean of Graduate Business Programs, in consultation with the appropriate academic authority.

Program-Specific Residency Requirements

Each graduate degree program publishes its residency requirement within its curriculum requirements. Examples include:

  • A 70-unit graduate program requires a minimum of 35 quarter units completed in residence.
  • A 62-unit graduate program requires a minimum of 31 quarter units completed in residence.
  • A 48-unit graduate program requires a minimum of 24 quarter units completed in residence.
  • A 42-unit graduate program requires a minimum of 21 quarter units completed in residence.
  • A 38-unit graduate program requires a minimum of 19 quarter units completed in residence.
  • A 36-unit graduate program requires a minimum of 18 quarter units completed in residence.

In addition to the minimum residency requirement, individual programs may designate specific courses or academic experiences that must be completed through Santa Clara University as part of the approved program of study. These may include practicum or capstone courses, thesis work, internships, competitions, immersion trips, workshops, career-related requirements, experiential learning components, or other signature academic experiences. These requirements are distinct from and do not alter the institutional residency requirement.