UMUC

School of Undergraduate Studies

Undergraduate Academic FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions About Undergraduate Academic Issues

  1. In general, how many credits earned from other institutions will transfer to UMUC?
  2. How do I review my potential transfer credits?
  3. Can I transfer credit from college-level courses taken outside the United States?
  4. In general, what are the requirements for a first bachelor's degree at UMUC?
  5. What are the general requirements of a second bachelor's degree?
  6. How can I get credit for college-level learning for my prior life and work experience?
  7. Can I get credit for learning currently taking place on the job?

1. In general, how many credits earned from other institutions will transfer to UMUC?
UMUC will accept a maximum of 90 semester hours (s.h.) of transfer credit. Credit can come from

  • Regionally accredited four-year colleges or universities
  • Regionally accredited community colleges (maximum 60 s.h.)
  • Educational experiences in the military
  • Professional training courses (if evaluated by the American Council on Education)
  • Approved examinations, such as CLEP, DANTES, of Excelsior

Credit earned at most colleges or universities transfers if the course grade was C or better. However, credit earned at Maryland public colleges or universities transfers when the average grade-point average of the block of credit transferred is C or better. Credit from any source transfers only if the courses apply to your curriculum and don't duplicate other courses that you've taken.

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2. How do I review my potential transfer credits?
Use the Degree Planning Worksheets to do a self-assessment. Then you will work with an enrollment specialist to select your first semester of coursework.

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3. Can I transfer credit from college-level courses taken outside the United States?

If you are planning on seeking a degree through UMUC and want to have university-level education gained outside the United States considered for transfer credit, you must request an evaluation from the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. See the International Students pages for more information.

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4. In general, what are the requirements for a first bachelor's degree at UMUC?
You will need to complete a total of 120 semester hours (s.h.), 30 s.h. of which must be taken at UMUC. Within that 120 s.h., the following are required:

  • 41 s.h. of general education requirements
  • 30–38 s.h. for the academic major
  • 15–19 s.h. for the academic minor
  • 15–49 s.h. of electives

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5. What are the general requirements of a second bachelor's degree?

At UMUC, students who have already received a bachelor’s degree from UMUC or from another regionally accredited institution can broaden their education by earning a second bachelor’s degree with a different discipline as a major.

A student must have received the first bachelor’s degree to be eligible to begin a second. For a second bachelor’s degree, the student needs to complete at least 30 semester hours through UMUC after completing the first degree. The combined credit in both degrees must add up to at least 150 semester hours.

Students must complete all requirements for the major, as well as an upper-level writing course, a computing course, an international perspective course, and a civic responsibility course. If any of these requirements were satisfied in the previous degree, the remainder
necessary to complete the minimum 30 semester hours of new courses should be satisfied with courses related to the major. For purposes of determining what major requirements apply to a given student, the applicable date is the date the student started coursework at UMUC after being admitted into the second undergraduate degree program. As with other degrees, continuous enrollment is required. A minimum grade-point average of 2.0 in all courses taken through UMUC is required for graduation.

All students need to be aware of what is entailed in a second bachelor’s degree. Before beginning work or considering nontraditional options toward a second degree, each student should consult a resource team advisor. Advisors will be glad to explain the requirements for a second bachelor’s degree and clarify its limitations.

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6. How can I get credit for college-level learning for my prior life and work experience?
The Prior Learning program offers two ways of obtaining credit for college-level knowledge acquired through work or life experiences:

  1. The course-challenge examination permits you to take a comprehensive exam on the topic for which you have acquired knowledge. A test is prepared individually upon request.  

  2. EXCEL Through Experiential Learning offers a course to help you earn college credit for college-level learning acquired through work or life experiences. During the semester-long course, you must prepare a written portfolio on the topics for which you have acquired knowledge. The portfolio is then evaluated by faculty specialists for possible credit.

Up to 30 semester hours (s.h.) of credit may be earned through a combination of course-challenge examinations and EXCEL (15 s.h. for a second bachelor's degree).

Although it is possible to earn up to 30 s.h. through EXCEL, the average award is between 15 and 18 s.h.. Experiential-learning credits are awarded for both upper- and lower-level courses. These credits are considered UMUC credit and may be used in your major, as long as they relate to your educational and career goals. However, only 15 s.h. of credit awarded may be applied to your major; any additional credits awarded are applied where appropriate in your program of study. You should be aware that you are required to complete a minimum of 15 s.h. of graded coursework to satisfy the resident credit requirement. EXCL 301 cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. In addition, there is some coursework for which credit cannot be earned through the EXCEL program.

Attendance at an orientation is one of the requirements for admission into EXCEL. Orientations are offered at several locations in Maryland or over the telephone in a conference format.

You may call 301-985-7755 or 800-888-UMUC, ext 7755, for more information and to sign up for an orientation.

For more detailed information, see Prior Learning.

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7. Can I get credit for learning currently taking place on the job?
Cooperative Education (Co-op) at UMUC offers an ideal opportunity for you to gain experience in your chosen career field while earning upper-level college credit toward your bachelor's degree. Two options are available.

  1. Job development
    If you are looking for a new position or are considering a career change, the Co-op office can assist you. Using contacts with employers in the public and private sectors throughout the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, the Co-op office develops positions that provide experience in your career field and offer solid learning opportunities. A Co-op position can open the door to a new career and often leads to permanent employment. Attendance at a job development seminar is required. The seminar covers a number of topics to enhance job search skills. Although job placement cannot be guaranteed, Co-op staff will work closely with you to help locate new positions.  

  2. Current position
    If your current position offers an opportunity for new learning, you may be able to earn Co-op credit. If you begin a new job, receive a promotion, or are assigned new responsibilities or projects and the work relates to your major, Co-op credit may be earned. This can be an excellent means for managing new work activities and applying other knowledge gained in classes to the workplace.

Cooperative Education at a Distance

If you live outside the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, Co-op is still available. If you are taking UMUC courses at a distance and are interested in earning credit for new learning available through your current position, you can make Co-op arrangements via telephone, fax, or e-mail.

How To Earn Co-op Credit

After attending an information session (offered in College Park, Maryland, or by telephone) and receiving clearance, you are required to submit a learning proposal describing the new learning you will receive. Guidelines for the learning proposal are in the Co-op application packet. The learning proposal is evaluated for credit approval. Once you are accepted into the Co-op program, an appointment is scheduled to complete enrollment and registration. You may enroll in Co-op at any time of the year.

Either 3 or 6 semester hours (s.h.) of credit may be earned during each 15-week Co-op session. A maximum of 15 s.h. may be applied toward a first bachelor's degree and 9 s.h. toward a second bachelor's degree. All UMUC undergraduate majors allow you to earn credit through Cooperative Education. Positions may be paid or unpaid, part time or full time. You must work a minimum of 20 hours per week for 15 weeks.

Requirements for Cooperative Education

To apply, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Have completed at least 9 s.h. of credit in the major in which you plan to gain Co-op experience
  • Have completed at least 6 s.h. of credit as a UMUC student, of which 3 s.h. must be in your major
  • Have earned a grade-point average of 2.5 or better at UMUC
  • Have completed a minimum of 30 s.h.
  • Have all transcripts showing prior credit on file at UMUC
  • Have a curriculum evaluation (tentative or official) performed by a counselor and dated within the last three months

For more information, see Co-op or call the Co-op office at 800-888-UMUC, ext 7780, or 301-985-7780.

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