Policies

One biology credit is awarded for a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement examination; a score of 6 or 7 on the International Baccalaureate; or A on the Higher Level of Biology, Advanced Level Examination, German Arbitur, Austrian Matura or French Baccalaureate exam.

Students with a score of 5 on the Chemistry AP exam (taken their junior year in high school or later) or a score of 6 or 7 on the Higher Chemistry IB exam are eligible to take the Honors Placement exam.

To receive a waiver, students must have a score of 5 on both the Microeconomics and Macroeconomics AP exams (or a 6 or 7 on the Economics Higher Level Exam of the International Baccalaureate, or an A on the British A Levels).

Score of 4 or 5 on AP Calculus AB

Score of 4 or 5 on AP Calculus AB/BC

Score of 4 or 5 on AP Statistics

Score of 6 or 7 on the Higher Level IB Exam

Score of 4 or 5 on AP English Literature

Students who receive a 5 on the AP test for English Literature and Composition or a Higher IB 6 or 7 will be eligible for one Swarthmore credit, awarded after completion of one English course (ENGL 009 or higher course number).

The department will grant 1 credit for incoming students who achieved a score of 4 or 5 on Advanced Placement Chinese, French, German, Japanese or Russian examinations once they have successfully completed a one-credit course in that language at the College.

The department will grant 1 credit for incoming students who have achieved a score of 6 or 7 in a foreign language on the International Baccalaureate once they have successfully completed a one-credit course in that language at the College.

By College policy, students seeking pre-matriculation credit on their transcript for PHYS 003 must provide an AP score of 5 on the Physics C-Mechanics test, or an IB physics score of 6 or 7, as well as a suitable placement test score.

This credit is awarded for AP scores of 4 or 5 and IB scores of 6 or 7.

Credit for examination credentials is available only for examinations taken before matriculation at Swarthmore. In some cases, students may qualify for advanced standing and may become juniors in their second year. To qualify for advanced standing, a student must do satisfactory work in the first semester, obtain 14 credits by the end of the first year, intend to complete the degree requirements in 3 years, and signify this intention when she or he applies for a major during the spring of the first year.

In all cases, transfer of credit is subject to successful completion of the course, i.e., receipt of a US equivalent grade of straight “C” or higher. Students are eligible to earn up to a maximum of five credits per semester (six credits when required by the host institution to enroll in what is equivalent to six credits at Swarthmore), not to exceed a maximum of ten credits per academic year.

If students have studied elsewhere in the time between their two senior semesters, no more than 2.0 Swarthmore credits for work done elsewhere (regardless of how many courses were taken during the intervening time) may be applied to the Swarthmore degree without being out of compliance with the senior year rule. There are two circumstances where a senior can use credit for work done elsewhere to complete the Swarthmore degree without re-enrolling at Swarthmore: (a) after the eighth semester if the major department confirms that the major is done or approves that the major can be completed remotely, or (b) after earning at least 30.0 credits toward the degree if the major department confirms that the major is done or approves that the major can be completed remotely.

Students who wish to receive Swarthmore College credit for work at another school must obtain preliminary approval and after-the-fact validation by the Swarthmore department or program concerned. In all cases, transfer of credit is subject to successful completion of the course, i.e., receipt of a straight US equivalent grade of “C” or higher. Credit for AP and similar work is discussed in section 3.5 . To receive Swarthmore credit for Study Abroad/Domestic Study Away during the academic year, students must participate in programs approved by Global Engagement (GEO) and comply with its payment plan (study abroad is discussed in section 7.15 ). For the 2020-2021 academic year, students who have been approved for a leave of absence from Swarthmore for either or both of Fall or Spring are allowed to submit no more than the equivalent of 2.0 Swarthmore credits for course work completed elsewhere, taken either in-person or remotely, during the academic year. Students who wish to receive natural sciences and engineering practicum (NSEP) credit for courses taken elsewhere must obtain preliminary approval for the course from the department involved as well as final validation as with other credit. Generally, courses taken elsewhere that are not comparable with a Swarthmore NSEP will not receive NSEP credit; however, in exceptional cases, if NSEP criteria are satisfied elsewhere, the department chair may recommend NSEP credit award to the Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering for its final decision. For instructions on how to apply for transfer credit, please see this Transfer Credit page.

Moreover, the department is quite liberal in approving transfer credits for courses offered by economics departments elsewhere.

For pre-approval of credit, consult the department’s transfer credit advisor and the Global Engagement office.

Study abroad in a program approved by the section is strongly recommended; transferred credits normally may be counted toward the major.

Study abroad in a program approved by the section is strongly recommended; transferred credits normally may be counted toward the minor.

Normally a maximum of 2.5 transfer credits that are preapproved by the Engineering Department will be accepted as partial fulfillment of the 12 engineering credits required for the major. Students who wish to receive credit for courses taken at other institutions, including those taken abroad, as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the major should consult their academic advisers and the chair of the Engineering Department as early as possible to ensure that all requirements are met.

External Credit: AP, IB Credit and Credit from Other Institutions For classes of 2025 and beyond, AP credit does not satisfy any department major or minor requirements. The Department of History does not grant credit from another college or university in the United States except for courses taken at Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and the University of Pennsylvania . We will only grant an exception for domestic off-campus study experiences validated by our Global Engagement Office or Registrar’s Offices and at our discretion. Such credit does not satisfy the Department’s concentration requirement. The Department of History grants credit for history courses that are pre-approved by the Department and are part of the Study Abroad Program outside the United States. Credit is contingent on successfully completing an introductory course at Swarthmore. All credit external to Swarthmore to be evaluated by the Department of History is granted on a one-to-one basis. That is, a student must take and complete a history course at Swarthmore-earning a C or better-for each external credit the student wishes to receive. Any combination of external credits designated HIST will not exceed three.

Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad in a section-approved program; a maximum of 3 transfer credits may be counted towards the major.

Japanese majors are strongly encouraged to study abroad in a program approved by the section; transfer credits normally may be counted toward the major.

Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad in a section-approved program; two credits of pre-approved study abroad transfer credit may be counted toward the minor.

The section strongly encourages study abroad in a section-approved program; transferred credits normally may be counted toward the minor.

Off-Campus Study and Transfer Credit Students who plan to study away from Swarthmore should consult with the department far enough in advance of such study to effect proper planning of a major or minor. Honors majors in particular should discuss the impact of study abroad on their honors program with the chair and departmental honors advisor. In determining which courses of study will meet department criteria for requirements or credit toward a major or minor, the department will rely both on its experience in evaluating the work of students returning from these programs and on careful examination of course descriptions, syllabi, and schedules. In general, to earn one Swarthmore College credit, we expect a course elsewhere to provide 30 contact hours and to require roughly 20 pages of writing, as well as a reading list roughly comparable to a Swarthmore English course’s reading list. Course credits for literature in English should be approved before you leave, but no course credits are finally awarded until you present your completed work upon your return to Swarthmore. Beginning with the Fall 2019 semester, you will need to take one English course at Swarthmore to gain credit for an English course taken during study abroad. Students planning study abroad from Swarthmore should contact the Off-Campus Study Office for additional information and resources, including important information about the credit pre-estimation and approval processes. Students seeking credit for domestic (USA) off-campus study will need to work with the registrar, the English course credit consultant, and possibly the deans. To find out who the current course credit consultant is for English Literature, contact the department chair or administrative assistant.

Swarthmore does not transfer credit; instead, credit is awarded for work done elsewhere, often referred to as transfer credit. Students may receive transfer credit for Spanish courses taken at comparable universities during the summer or semester abroad, at the department’s discretion. Before departure, consult the department’s transfer credit advisor for pre-approval of your proposed Spanish courses.

A maximum of 1 transfer credit that is preapproved by the Engineering Department will be accepted as partial fulfillment of the minor requirements. Transfer credits will not count for any of the three courses used to fulfill the core course requirement of the minor.

See the “ Study Abroad ” section for rules on transfer of credit.

Pre-estimated credits do not guarantee any particular transfer of credit. The actual transfer of credit depends on the assessment of work done abroad by the department.

Similar to the study abroad process, courses will be evaluated on an individual basis to determine comparable credit and material. Please refer to the Transfer Credit webpage from the Registrar for more information.

Study Abroad and Transfer Credit Up to 1 course taken as study abroad or as a transfer student may be eligible towards the completion of the minor in Tri-College Asian American Studies. A transfer credit course will usually count towards the Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies requirement or the Transnational/Global Connections with Asia requirement.

Transfer Credit Students who wish to study Arabic abroad, or domestically at another institution, should consult the Global Engagement Office (GEO) as well as the Arabic Faculty to review their options. For semester abroad credit transfer, GEO will assist students with this process. For summer course(s) credit transfer, visit the Swarthmore Registrar to pursue summer credit transfer. The Arabic faculty will assist in estimating credit for study of Arabic language and related topics abroad after students have contacted GEO, or the Registrar, respectively. Transfer credit will be evaluated after students return to campus.

Transfer Credit It is sometimes possible to receive Swarthmore credit for chemistry courses taken at other colleges and universities, provided that they were taken after the student matriculated at Swarthmore. If you wish to take a chemistry course on another campus and to receive Swarthmore credit for doing so, it is essential that you follow the proper procedure and that you plan in advance. It is also important to realize that not all courses will be eligible for full credit. See the department website for details.

Transfer Credit Transferring economics credits: Students must receive pre-approval from the department for any economics course taken for Swarthmore credit outside of the Tri-Co system, and, once the course has been completed, students must formally request approval of credit unless the course was designated for auto-credit at the pre-approval stage. To submit requests, students should follow the instructions offered by the Off Campus Study Office and the Registrar’s Office . Core requirements of the economics major - ECON 001, 011, 021, 031 - can only be fulfilled by taking off-campus courses if those courses deliver a full 1.0 Swarthmore credit. The department does not top off credits earned off campus. Subject to the chair’s approval, students may be able to transfer credit for introductory economics taken at other colleges or universities even if the credit is a one-semester introductory course in only microeconomics or macroeconomics; in such cases, the student will be advised to audit the other part of the introductory material at Swarthmore before taking higher-level economics courses. Problems transferring credit typically arise in connection with off-campus courses that are labeled as economics though they are in fact courses in law, history, or political science; the department does not accept such courses for economics credit. It is usually sufficient for partial credit transfer that the course be taught by a qualified economist and be largely analytical in content, as are nearly all courses in economics departments in American colleges and universities. Transferring credits for business courses: The College does not have a department or school of business, but it sometimes grants credit for business courses taken elsewhere. Such courses require pre-approval and final transfer credit approval following the instructions offered by the Global Engagement Office and the Registrar’s Office . One course in financial accounting may be transferred for credit towards the economics major if the student has not taken Financial Accounting in the Tri-Co system. All other business courses are designated as business electives. Business-elective credits may be counted towards the 32 credits required for graduation, but they do not count towards an economics major. A student can receive no more than two business-elective credits in total. Students can receive business-elective credit, but not economics credit, for courses in finance taken outside of the Tri-Co system. No credit is given for night school classes at Wharton. No credit will be granted for courses with content that substantially reproduces the content of courses the student has already taken.

Transfer Credit Transfer credit is accepted once a student has completed EDUC 014. To request transfer credit, the student must present a syllabus and all course work for the department to review. Some additional work may be required. Pathways to Teaching Swarthmore students come to an interest in teaching at many points during their own educational careers - some before they enter college, others during their four undergraduate years, and some as they investigate possible careers after Swarthmore. Students are encouraged to explore the many opportunities available to them in the field of education.

Transfer Credit Students in any major may apply to receive film and media studies credit for courses in critical media studies or production taken abroad or on other campuses. We do not accept online courses for transfer credit. Please consult with your advisor as you plan your study abroad for recommended programs. Two approved credits may be applied to the FMST major or minor.

Transfer Credit To receive academic credit for women’s studies or gender and sexuality studies courses taken at other colleges and universities in the U.S., students must have the courses preapproved by the GSST Coordinator. If the institution that offers the course has a Women’s or Gender and Sexuality Studies Program, or a similar program, the course in question must be part of that program in order to be approved as a gender and sexuality studies course at Swarthmore.

Transfer Credit Courses taken elsewhere may count for the major. However, the number of upper-level transfer credits for the major is limited. Normally, at least 3 of the 5 upper-level courses used to fulfill the major must be taken at Swarthmore, including at least one of the core courses MATH 063 and MATH 067. Exceptions should be proposed and approved during the Sophomore Plan process, not after the fact. Also, the usual College rules for transfer credit apply: students must see the professor in charge of transfer credits twice: in advance to obtain authorization, and afterwards to get final approval and a determination of credit. In particular, for MATH 063, students are responsible for the syllabus we use. If a course taken elsewhere turns out not to cover our entire syllabus, the student will not get full credit (even though the transfer course was authorized beforehand) and the student will not complete the major until they have demonstrated knowledge of the missing topics. Similarly, for honors preparations, students are responsible for the syllabi we use; we will not offer special honors exams based on work done at other institutions.

Transfer Credit Transfer credit is offered on the same basis as study abroad credit. Students taking classes elsewhere should consult the chair in advance on the amount of credit likely to be available. As with study abroad, students may be required to retain written assignments and present copies to the chair for assessment.

Transfer Credit Considered on a case-by-case basis. Only two credits for work done elsewhere are permissible towards any major housed in the Sociology and Anthropology dept. Only two courses for work done elsewhere will be approved for credit in the SOAN department for any one student. The Sociology and Anthropology department does not consider online courses for credit. Courses must be taught by a Sociologist or Anthropologist and the subject matter must be at least 80% relevant to Sociology and/or Anthropology.

Transfer Credits from Other Institutions and Study Abroad A maximum of two transfer credits will count toward the major, either from study abroad or other U.S. institutions. Students (majors and non-majors) requesting transfer credit in art history must take at least one art history course at Swarthmore either before or after the course for which they are requesting transfer credit. Students transferring into Swarthmore from another institution should consult with the art history chair regarding their specific situation.

Transfer Credits From Other Institutions and Study Abroad A maximum of two transfer credits will count toward the major, either from study abroad or other U.S. institutions. Majors or minors in architectural studies in the history track requesting transfer credit toward degree requirements must take at least one course at Swarthmore that counts under Pool A above either before or after the course for which they are requesting transfer credit. Students transferring into Swarthmore from another institution should consult with the art history chair regarding their specific situation.