Transferring Credit from Another Institution

In general, the ME department has a limited role in the process of transferring credit toward a Mechanical Engineering degree. The College of Engineering handles the approval and processing of transfer credit and therefore has many resources available to answer student questions about transferring credit. Interested students can visit the College of Engineering's Transfer Credit website for CoE guidelines. In addition to this site, there is a useful website with frequently asked questions. This section lists questions and issues common with ME students but if you need additional help interpreting the equivalency guides, you may contact engincredit@umich.edu.

How do I know if a course taken at another institution will transfer?

Both the Colleges of Engineering and LS&A maintain databases that list course equivalencies for all national and international universities. The LS&A Course Equivalency Database lists courses that would transfer as LS&A courses and would thus count as either humanities, social sciences, or general electives. The College of Engineering Course Equivalency Database lists courses that are technical in nature, including math, science, and engineering courses.

What do I do if a course I want to take is not listed on one of the databases?

If you have checked the appropriate Course Equivalency databases, and the course you wish to enroll in is not listed, current undergraduate students should use the Transfer Credit Approval Form (TCAF) to have a course pre-evaluated. You can review the TCAF overview and process here.

This request should be submitted long enough in advance for the class to be evaluated

Credit Requirements

The College of Engineering does not place a limit on the number of credits that can be transferred in to fulfill a student's degree requirements. However, there are certain rules and requirements that must be kept in mind when transferring credit.

• A maximum of 12 credits may be transferred from online coursework
• The student must take a minimum of 50 credits at UofM - Ann Arbor
• Of these 50 credits, at least 30 credits must be technical courses at the 300 level or above

Upper Level ME Courses

Transfer of upper-level technical credit from another institution will not normally be granted. It is expected that these classes (ME 3XX & 4XX) will be taken at UM Ann Arbor.

A petition for an exception can be submitted to the ME Undergraduate Program Committee, with the following information:

• A detailed syllabus of the class in question. A description in a College Bulletin is not adequate. Enough information must be provided for the committee to understand exactly what material is being covered in the class. 
• A statement of the educational plans of the student and how, the class fits into these plans. (i.e. why do you need to take the class, and what technical electives do you plan to take?)
• A current transcript detailing the classes that have been taken at UM and elsewhere.

This petitions should be submitted in a timely fashion and before the class is taken.

Non-Engineering, Advanced Math, and 200 level ME Courses

If non-engineering classes have been approved at the college level, then they will automatically count for credit toward the ME degree. Advanced Math and 200 level ME courses can also be transferred from other institutions.