Academic Policies

Completion of the UA General Education Requirements
with Transfer Courses

04/29/09 Page updated to reflect policy revisions approved by the University-wide Gen Ed Committee (UWGEC)
05/11/09 Updated page to reflect correct scope of policy, which applies to transfer credits from all other accredited institutions.

Transfer credits from other accredited institutions earned before a student’s initial enrollment at the University will be applied to the student’s UA General Education requirements as decided by the college declared by the student at the time of initial admission. Transfer credits earned by UA students will be applied to the General Education requirements by the college of the student’s primary major at the time the courses are taken. Those decisions will be honored by a student’s subsequent colleges, if any. With a change of major, the student is responsible for completing any additional or higher level General Education requirements as specified by the new major.

Guiding Principles for Transfer Course Work

1. The Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) is an appropriate path for Arizona community college students in most majors to complete the University of Arizona’s General Education Requirements, with the additional need to establish the second language proficiency requirement. Students with a certified AGEC will have satisfied the lower-division General Education requirements in accordance with statewide transfer policies.
2. The University of Arizona Tier One and Two curriculum is the recommended path for students beginning at the University of Arizona.
3. The University of Arizona will apply up to the maximum number of transfer course credits while maintaining the underlying principle of its General Education curriculum; that is, that each student will experience a coherent, consistent foundational body of knowledge.
4. Arizona public community college courses that satisfy the defined AGEC subject areas will apply to the University’s Foundations, Tier One and/or Tier Two study areas as stated below.
5. Transfer credit should be applied for all students according to the same guidelines regardless of where the work is earned. [Note: AP/CLEP/IB credit will be treated identically with transfer credit.]
6. Demonstration of proficiency in a second language is a graduation requirement.
7. The University of Arizona will apply transfer courses that are deemed equivalent to UA courses that satisfy Foundations, Tier One and Tier Two Requirements.

Related Topics:

• Acceptability of Transfer Credit
• Application of Arizona Community College Transfer Courses to General Education Requirements (for students without a certified AGEC)
• Application of Four-Year and Out-of-State Two-Year College Transfer Courses to General Education Requirements
• Credit from Community Colleges
• Arizona Community College Transfer Guides
• UA Transfer Center