You are allowed to transfer up to 36 qualified credit hours in fulfillment of your PhD requirements, subject to approval of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS).

However, such transfer credits are included within the 72 credit hours of tuition waiver. Thus, students who transfer credits may run the risk of not having enough “tuition-waiveable” credit hours to take electives. It is therefore more advisable to seek a departmental waiver of the relevant course requirements (when you have already taken equivalent courses outside UB), rather than officially transfer such credit into your PhD dossier. The Director of Graduate Studies may grant such waivers.

If you wish to transfer in credits from an outside university, you must file a petition during your first year of matriculation to UB. The final, official, original transcript (copy is acceptable for international students) must accompany the request. If the original transcript has already been submitted (department uploaded to SLATE), a legible photocopy is sufficient. Transfer credits may comprise no more than 20% of the total credits required for a master's program and no more than 50% for a doctoral program. Transfer courses are subject to approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Form: Petition for Approval of Non-UB Transfer Credits Download pdf