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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 Approval Form website for CoE guidelines. 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 can I transfer in my credits?

After you finish the class with a C or better, you will need to have the institution you took the course at to send an official transcript sent to CoE in order to receive credit. Official transcripts should be sent to:

U-M Michigan Engineering
Recruitment and Admissions
153 Chrysler Center
2121 Bonisteel Boulevard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2092

If the institution can send their official transcripts electronically, then can request to have them sent to:
engincredit@umich.edu

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

There are two databases that you can utilize to find transfer credit equivalencies; one for universities in the United States and another for international universities.

This Course Equivalency Database lists courses that would transfer to the College of Engineering from domestic locations. If you are looking for a Humanities (HU) course specifically, use the LSA Course Guide to search for the UM credit, and look for the “HU” in the Requirements column. For example, if you type in German 386 in the “Course” box and press search, you’ll see a result with six columns. The last column will say “Requirements.” This is where the “HU” needs to be listed.

The College of Engineering maintains a Course Equivalency Database that lists courses that are found internationally. This database has a pre-set search that will help you look for Intellectual Breadth courses abroad. Look for the “Fulfill a designation (HU, LAC…)” button.

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. This request should be submitted long enough in advance for the class to be evaluated. Please allow 2-4 weeks for processing time.

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.

  • Students must take a minimum of 50 credits at UM 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 300 & 400) will be taken at UM Ann Arbor.

A petition for an exception can be submitted to the ME Undergraduate Program Committee via the ME Academic Services Office. Please contact the ASO via an email to me-aso@umich.edu for a petition.

When submitting the petition, include:

  • 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 your educational plans and how the class fits into these plans. (e.g. Why do you need to take the class, and what Technical Electives do you plan to take?)
  • This petition must be submitted in a timely fashion 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.