Transfer Credits

Pace University offers a number of options to help students reduce the cost and time required to complete an associate or bachelor’s degree while on their way to advanced career opportunities. Students may transfer prior college credit and may be eligible to earn credit for relevant life and work experience.

Transfer Credit Evaluation Process

Candidates seeking their bachelor’s degree should have a minimum of 56 completed college credits eligible for transfer. Those candidates with fewer than 56 eligible college credits should apply for the AA in General Arts and Sciences degree. Before submitting an application to a Pace online degree completion program, you may use our Transfer Credit Equivalencies tool to determine which credits from previous institutions may be accepted. Additional courses not found in this database may be transferable once an evaluation of the course descriptions and/or syllabi is completed upon a student’s application and admission to an online degree completion program. After submitting a completed application, the Pace Online Admissions Committee will collaborate with the chairperson of each academic department to review transcripts and evaluate which courses meet the transfer credit policy. This evaluation process typically takes two to three weeks. Admitted students will receive a Preliminary Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE) sheet with detailed information regarding eligible transfer credits. If a committee review is necessary, it will require course descriptions and/or syllabi from a student. International students: Please note that course descriptions will be required for all courses completed outside of the United States. View a sample TCE sheet to get an idea what admitted students receive. You can also watch this helpful screencast to learn more about how Pace Online Admission evaluates transfer credits for acceptance into online degree completion programs.

Transfer Credit Policy

Courses completed with a grade of 2.0 (C) or higher from a regionally accredited institution are eligible for transfer credit. A maximum of 68 credits may be transferred from two-year institutions and a maximum of 90 credits may be transferred from a four-year institution. Not all transfer credits may count toward your intended degree. To see which credits from previous institutions may be accepted for transfer credit, you can use our Transfer Credit Equivalencies tool. Additional courses not found in this database may be transferable once an evaluation of the course descriptions and/or syllabi is completed upon a student’s application and admission to a Pace online degree completion program.

Sources of Transfer Credit:

• Institutions accredited by a regional affiliate of the Commission of Higher Education (e.g. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools)
• Acceptable performance on standardized proficiency examinations
• CLEP exams

Please speak with an admission advisor at (866) 815-5166 or at degreecompletion@pace.edu with questions or concerns related to eligible transfer credits.

Prior Learning Assessment Credit

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit is awarded for college-level learning that has been attained outside of a credit-bearing institution and can be supported with documentation. Benefits of PLA credit include:

• An opportunity to acquire college credits based on learning from work/life experience
• Reducing the amount of the time required to earn a degree
• Reducing the overall cost of education

All students who have been accepted to a Pace University degree completion program are eligible to apply for PLA. Examples of eligible work experience include conducting training programs, creating company manuals, extensive volunteer work, and active involvement in political campaigns and/or public performances.

Steps to Become PLA Eligible:

• Interested students must first meet with their advisor to determine eligibility for PLA.
• If the student and advisor determine that PLA is a viable option, the student is referred to Dr. Gregg Ramsay for a phone interview.
• Dr. Ramsay will then send his recommendation to the advisor. If a student is recommended for PLA, the advisor will work with the student to get registered for INT196B Prior Learning Assessment Seminar, a two-credit course designed to help guide students through the process of writing and submitting a portfolio.
• Within the PLA class, the student may be required to prepare a portfolio and/or take proficiency exams. The portfolio will be submitted for approval by the department chair.
  • The portfolio will contain a resume, autobiography and narratives that prove learned materials can be applied to specific Pace coursework.
  • Additional licensure, certification, training and corporate development, or military records may be applicable.
• While approved PLA credit can reduce the overall cost of a student’s education, there is a cost associated with applying for PLA credit. The cost of submission is covered for those who are enrolled in INT 196B; however, students who bypass this course and choose only proficiency exams will be charged the equivalent of one-credit for each proficiency exam.
  • Please note that the cost of proficiency exams is included in the cost of the INT196B Prior Learning Assessment Seminar class.

For more information regarding PLA credit, contact Dr. Gregg Ramsay at gramsay@pace.edu or by phone at (914) 923-2847. The total applied prior credits (transfer credit and PLA) cannot exceed the maximum allowed for a particular degree. The number of transferrable credits is limited by the degree program to which the credits will be applied. All students are required to complete 50% or their major credits to comply with the residency requirement.