Transfer Credits
If you wish to take a sociology course at a university other than Cornell, you may be able to transfer those course credits to Cornell and count them toward your degree. The College of Arts and Science maintains strict regulations on what is permissible, stating:
“Arts and Sciences transfers credit earned at other accredited collegiate institutions upon the recommendation for the relevant Cornell department. Some departments insist that courses acceptable for transfer credit be offered by strong four-year colleges or universities; others consider credits from junior colleges. While the college will transfer credits only if the grade you earned is a C or better, some departments insist on a higher grade for some courses; the college complies with that stipulation. If possible, obtain written approval from the relevant department before taking a course elsewhere.”
The same webpage lists the procedures to follow to attempt to transfer credit, which requires approval of both the department in question and the College.
Students interested in transferring credit for a sociology course taken elsewhere should bear in mind the following:
- The Department of Sociology does not approve transfer credits from all four-year colleges that offer sociology courses.
- A list of approximately 65 four-year research universities whose course credits are routinely approved for transfer is available from Sue Meyer, the undergraduate program coordinator.
- Requests for transfers of credit from four-year colleges not on the list of routinely approved research universities will be considered for approval by the Director of Undergraduate Study. Any such requests should be accompanied by substantial detail on the course, its assignments, and its instructor.
- Except in very rare circumstances, the Department of Sociology does not approve transfer credits from (a) junior colleges or community colleges or (b) from courses at any institution taken on-line or by correspondence, or (c) courses taken in social work programs.