Transfer Credit
Students who have taken composition classes at other universities or who would like to take an external course for writing credit in the future may apply to have their external classes accepted toward their writing requirements at Boston University by submitting the following materials to the Writing Program office:
- A transfer credit form from the student’s college at Boston University. Downloadable forms are available in PDF format for CAS, CFA , COM, ENG, SAR, and SMG students. Students in other schools should contact their undergraduate advising offices for forms and further instruction. If the course is from an international university, the student should complete the International Programs office version of the form instead of one from the student’s college.
- A catalog description of the course for which the student wishes to receive credit.
- A syllabus of the course for which the student wishes to receive credit. This may be a sample syllabus of the same course level provided by the department offering the external class.
Students who are required to take the Writing Placement Test (students who were required to submit English-language proficiency test scores to Boston University for admission) must also take the Writing Placement Test before their applications can be evaluated. The test score will be considered as part of the application.
Students who enter Boston University as freshmen are allowed to take an external class for either WR 100 or WR 150 transfer credit but not both. One of the upper level writing courses must be taken at Boston University. Students who are only required to take WR 100 may use external credit to fulfill their WR 100 requirement. Transfer students may qualify for both WR 100 and WR 150 transfer credit for courses taken at their previous school.
More information about transfer credit at Boston University is available on the BU Admissions website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get credit for a test score?
AP English Language and Composition test scores of 4 or 5 are eligible for WR 099 credit for all students except for those in CGS. The Writing Program does not accept any other test scores for WR credit.
Can I get credit for a writing course I took at a college or university while I was in high school?
Because WR 100 and WR 150 are considered vital to the first-year experience of BU students, the Writing Program does not allow courses taken during high school to satisfy the writing requirement. Courses taken while the student was in high school or taken as part of a high school program associated with a university may be submitted for consideration for WR 099 transfer credit.
What is WR 099 credit?
WR 099 is used as general writing credit. If your course is approved for WR 099 credit, you receive 4 credits for the course but are not exempted WR 100 or WR 150 if you are required to take those courses.
When should I submit my writing transfer credit application?
Boston University must accept your transfer courses before the Writing Program can assign the classes WR credit. Please speak with your college’s advising office to determine the process you need to follow to have your credits transferred into the university.
Once Boston University accepts your credit, you can submit your transfer credit application to the Writing Program. If you are currently registered for a WR course or plan to register for one for the upcoming semester, you should submit your application before the start of the semester if possible or as soon as possible at the beginning of the semester.
If approval of your external class is needed to meet a prerequisite for a WR class, you have not met the prerequisite until your transfer credits have been evaluated and approved by the Writing Program.
I want to take a writing class at another school during the summer. Are there any restrictions?
Many BU colleges (including CAS and CFA) have a policy that students may not satisfy writing requirements through the transfer of credit earned in summer offerings of other institutions located within the Greater Boston area, unless (a) the credit involved is for a required course, not offered through Boston University’s Summer Term, or (b) prior approval has been obtained from both the responsible department chair and the dean of the requesting student. If you are not certain of your college’s policy, please contact your college’s advising office.
Students who enter Boston University as freshmen are allowed to take an external class for either WR 100 or WR 150 transfer credit but not both. One of the upper level writing courses must be taken at Boston University.
If the class is offered by a school that is not in the United States, you will need to have it approved by the Study Abroad Office in addition to having it approved by your advisor and by the Writing Program.
I want to take a course at another school in an upcoming semester. How do I determine which of their courses could receive WR credit?
You are welcome to submit several potential courses for consideration for the same credit. For example, you could submit two external classes for WR 100 credit consideration if you need to take a course that will be given WR 100 transfer credit. Please note on your application that you will only be taking one of the courses and are determining which could receive the WR credit you want. The Writing Program will determine which course or courses can be approved for the WR credit you desire, and then you can decide which of those approved courses you will take.
Can I submit a class that is not a composition course?
You may submit any course for evaluation, but please be aware that in most cases WR credit is only granted to composition courses or courses that fulfill the other school’s writing requirement. In other words, WR credit is usually given to courses whose main focus is improving writing skills as opposed to courses whose main focus is the study of a particular subject like literature or history.
In most cases, you should submit a class that is not a composition course to the department that offers classes in that subject area at Boston University. For example, literature courses should usually be submitted to the English Department to be evaluated for EN transfer credit.
How long will the evaluation process take?
Transfer credit applications submitted to the Writing Program are typically evaluated within three to five business days, but the process may take longer if you submit your application at the beginning of a semester (a time when we receive many applications at once). If you wish to check on the status of your application, please email writing@bu.edu or call 617-358-1500.
How do you determine what credit a course receives?
In general, the evaluator will compare the number of papers, the length of the papers, the goals of the course, and other factors like the amount of reading and research required to Boston University’s writing courses to determine which WR course, if any, is most similar to the course that you took or plan to take. For WR 150 credit, the course must contain a substantial research component.
If you were required to take the Writing Placement Test, your test score will also be considered as part of the application.
Because WR 100 and WR 150 are considered vital to the first-year experience of BU students, the Writing Program does not allow courses taken during high school to satisfy the writing requirement. Courses taken while the student was in high school or taken as part of a high school program associated with a university may be submitted for consideration for WR 099 transfer credit only.
How will I find out what credit I received for my course?
The program does not notify students because of the large number of applications received, but students are welcome to email writing@bu.edu or call 617-358-1500 to get an update on the status of their applications.
My course was approved. What do I need to do now?
Unless you request otherwise when you submit your application, the Writing Program will send your approved transfer credit form to your BU college for processing. Forms are sent to either your college’s records office or your college’s undergraduate advising or student services office depending on the college.
It may take a few weeks for the credit to appear on your record. If it has been several weeks and the credit has not appeared yet, please contact your college’s advising office or records office to check the status. If the office needs another copy of the approval form, you can request one by emailing writing@bu.edu.
Can I appeal a transfer credit decision or talk to someone about it?
You may contact Christopher Walsh, the Associate Director of the Writing Program, at cwalsh@bu.edu to schedule a meeting with him to discuss the results.