One thing I deal with from time to time are students who want to do internships in DC or even take classes there and get some credit for that time and effort. In order to provide a better (and consistent answer), I asked Kathleen Campbell at the Registrar's Office, and got the following thorough and excellent summary of what's out there and what this all involves. Students, file this away--
Transfer credit from other U.S. Colleges
Some PG students would like the opportunity to take classes at another college in the U.S. to take advantage of classes they cannot find at UPS, or which provide a unique opportunity for field study because of the location (e.g., Washington, D.C.).
UPS students are able to transfer credits to the UPS degree provided they are taking classes from an accredited college or university and the classes are from liberal arts and sciences disciplines. The class does not have to equivalent to a class at UPS, but should be something in the discipline of politics and government (or another discipline that we have at UPS).
One of the most common destinations for PG majors is to study at American University’s Washington Semester program. Credits are generally transferable from this program.
To make arrangements, a student should research the program and what classes are offered. Once they have a college and/or program identified, they should complete the Transfer Evaluation Request form (available at the Registrar’s Office in Jones 13). The Transfer Evaluator (Kathleen Campbell) will make a determination whether and how the specific classes requested will transfer to the UPS degree. In cases where major or minor credit is desired, the Evaluator will work with the department chair to make the transfer determination. Students may also be able to earn elective, core, or upper-division units from other colleges.
If the student is taking a semester (or longer) away from UPS, the student should also apply for a leave of absence in the Office of Academic Advising. With an approved leave of absence, a student will be eligible for a registration appointment for the semester they plan to return to UPS (at the same time as they would have received if on campus). With the leave of absence, a student does not need to reapply for admission to UPS. Keep in mind that the last 8 units of the UPS degree must be completed in residence.
If you are transferring credits from another college, you will also need to investigate the admission criteria and submit application forms and materials required by the other institution.
Transfer of Internships from other U.S. Colleges:
Transfer of internships from other colleges must meet the same criteria required of internships completed through UPS. For example, only 1 unit of credit is awarded per internship, and up to 2 units in the degree. For the PG major, internships do not meet major requirements, but can be valuable experiences for long-range vocational or career goals and can transfer as elective credit in the UPS degree.
Transfer of credit for an internship is possible first by completing the Transfer Evaluation Request form and submitting the form to the Transfer Evaluator (Kathleen Campbell) in the Registrar’s Office. The form will indicate the college which offers the internship course and experience.
Internships must be offered by another accredited college or university to receive transfer credit, and must include a weekly seminar or weekly meeting with a supervising faculty member.
This is because internships include both a work experience and an academic component in which a student integrates prior or current academic theories, research or historical background to the world of work.
The Transfer Evaluator will give a general indication if the internship is transferable, based on information available with the Transfer Evaluation Request form. (If you find an internship that is pertinent to the PG major, but is not taught by another college, it may be possible to register for an internship at UPS and work with a PG faculty member on campus to develop, supervise, and evaluate the academic component of the internship. Alana Jardis in Career & Employment Services will explain the procedures and policies for a UPS-sponsored internship.)
To finalize the transfer determination, the student must also submit a Transfer Credit Internship Agreement form and the completed academic assignments to the Transfer Evaluator. The form will indicate the student’s work location, duties, hours worked, the name of the work supervisor and contact information, and the student’s objectives in doing an internship. The student will also explain how the internship pertains to prior coursework at UPS. Thus, final determination of transfer credit is made after the internship is completed and these documents are reviewed. The criteria for transfer of internship credit is the same as criteria used at UPS and found in the UPS academic handbook, pp. 31-32.
