Transfer Credit

How Credits Transfer to TU

This page provides information on our credit evaluation process and how to use our databases to understand how your courses transfer to Towson University. 

See our transfer credit policies for more information about how your credits earned from other institutions, exams, military experience and non-traditional institutions transfer to TU. 

Credit Evaluation 

We conduct initial credit evaluations for all admitted students and a final, official credit evaluation for enrolled students before their first term. To evaluate your credits, we require official transcripts from all the institutions you have attended. We will assess all coursework completed before your first term at TU, including winter or summer courses. 

The transfer credit evaluation determines how the courses you have transferred fit into the degree requirements at TU.  

 The evaluation is divided into two main sections:  

1. Courses that apply to the Core Curriculum  
2. Free electives/potential major courses

As a transfer student, you are required to complete TU’s general education program, known as the Core Curriculum. If you have completed more credits than can be transferred, we will prioritize transferring the courses necessary to fulfill your TU Core Curriculum and major requirements. 

Evaluation Timeline 

1

Admission

You will be given a preliminary estimate of total transfer credits based on your transcripts within 10 business days of admission. 

2

Enrollment

Once you submit your enrollment deposit, we will evaluate your transfer credits and post them to your online student center before your new student orientation date. 

3

Final Transcript

You must submit your final official transcript before attending new student orientation and registering for classes. 

Individual Course Petitions 

If an equivalency cannot be determined, it will be transferred as elective credit. To request a review of an elective course, the appropriate academic department must review the course content. 

For enrolled students use our Transfer Course Equivalency Request (PDF) form to initiate a departmental review of your transfer course(s). To request course equivalency, send a full syllabus with your form to articulation AT_TOWSON. The articulation team will collaborate with the relevant academic department to review your request. For transfer-related questions, email transfer AT_TOWSON. 

Petition for New Transfer Credit 

Once you begin your first term at TU, any new transfer credit is subject to approval from the Academic Standards Committee (ASC). You must meet the ASC criteria for new coursework and submit a Transfer Petition Form prior to enrolling in the course. 

Transfer Course Databases 

All course equivalences evaluated by TU for transfer are searchable in the Transfer Evaluation System (TES) and ARTSYS.  

Courses that cannot be found in these databases have not been evaluated for transfer but may still be transferrable to Towson for credit. 

Transfer Evaluation System (TES) 

TES is an interactive tool which enables you to compare course descriptions and view classes that have been assessed by our academic departments.  

If you are unable to locate a course, it simply means that we have not evaluated it yet. Please visit our Individual Course Petitions page to learn more about the equivalency review process. 

How to use TES: 

1. Visit the TES website (opens in new window). 
2. Select your school from the alphabetical list or use the search field to locate your school. 
3. Click on the school name to see a list of courses. 
4. Find your course name in the left column. The right column will tell you the TU equivalent. 
5. Select “View” next to the course for additional notes about the transfer course. 

ARTSYS Course Articulation Database 

ARTSYS is an online Articulation System designed to help students transfer from Maryland community colleges to the University System of Maryland and other participating institutions. Students can review how courses taken at Maryland community colleges will transfer to TU. 

How to use ARTSYS: 

1. Select Course Equivalencies. 
2. Select the desired “Transfer From Institution” community college and “Transfer To Institution” Maryland four-year institution. 
3. Enter the course number from the community college catalog to find the four-year institution articulation. 

Email transfer AT_TOWSON for any pre-transfer advising inquiries.