Transferring graduate credit from UofPeople

[Quackerz]

Is there anything that would prevent people from transferring graduate credit from UofPeople to complete master's degrees? It's clearly a much cheaper price to complete a course there than almost all other schools. (I understand that this would depend on the institution you're transferring credits to for this to work.)

[Jonathan Whatley]

Many regionally accredited schools will only accept transfer credit from regionally accredited schools. UoPeople is nationally accredited with candidacy for regional accreditation, but is not regionally accredited. Big RA schools that might potentially accept transfer credit from an NA school include Excelsior, Liberty, and WGU.

At the graduate level, schools are generally more specific about course content matching to award transfer credit. Graduate programs essentially never include any free elective or general educational elective space where miscellaneous transfer credit could helpfully go.

At the graduate level, very many schools limit transfer credit to some small number like 6 or 9 semester hours of a 30 or more semester hour master's degree. WGU has such a limit; Excelsior and Liberty are friendlier. Close to zero schools will accept more than half of a master's degree in transfer credit. There is a thread on DegreeForum and a similar thread on the sister board both started by sanantone which compile the names of some schools that might potentially accept 15 or more. Again, almost none will accept more than half of a master's degree.

[Duneranger]

Is there anything that would prevent people from transferring graduate credit from UofPeople to complete master's degrees? It's clearly a much cheaper price to complete a course there than almost all other schools. (I understand that this would depend on the institution you're transferring credits to for this to work.)

Even if they did, grad schools usually only accept 1-3 classes to transfer, given that grad programs require much fewer credits...

[bjcheung77]

In addition to what was mentioned, you really need to provide us more info on what you are looking at and what you bring to the table. Most readers may not know what you're trying to do with the brief details you have in your post. You should review your previous Financial Aid thread here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid410537

[nykorn]

Probably due to the so-called "abolishment" of regional versus national accreditation, right now in most US state laws, DEAC (the accreditation that University of the People has) which used to be national accreditation, now counts the same as regional accreditation in terms of state licensing - as in you can get a state public school teacher license with DEAC accreditation, which was formerly reserved only for "regionally accredited" degrees. If you go on the state licensing website it claims only regionally accredited degrees are applicable, but if you click on the explanation of what they deem "regionally accredited" actually means, DEAC is on that list.

So you are going to get a lot of schools that will not look into the details and will automatically claim University of the People is not eligible because it is "nationally accredited" or some even claim "unaccredited". Most school staff do NOT actually know anything about the laws and that includes University of the People staff too. If you show them that you can get a state public school teacher license (or whatever else) with DEAC accreditation, the university you want to join is probably more likely to accept it the UoPeople credits for a transfer.

A lot of people have managed to transfer their UoPeople credits, you can search on Reddit or in their student Discord group.

[nykorn]

I had courses at UoPeople I wanted to transfer to a Master's at WGU. If you look at their info, WGU says they hardly ever accept credit transfers for Master's courses and that you must obtain a grade of B or higher to count as having passed a Master's course. UoPeople requires a C or higher for Master's courses. So your actual letter grade might stop you even in cases where the courses should otherwise transfer.

[ss20ts]

Probably due to the so-called "abolishment" of regional versus national accreditation, right now in most US state laws, DEAC (the accreditation that University of the People has) which used to be national accreditation, now counts the same as regional accreditation in terms of state licensing - as in you can get a state public school teacher license with DEAC accreditation, which was formerly reserved only for "regionally accredited" degrees. If you go on the state licensing website it claims only regionally accredited degrees are applicable, but if you click on the explanation of what they deem "regionally accredited" actually means, DEAC is on that list.

So you are going to get a lot of schools that will not look into the details and will automatically claim University of the People is not eligible because it is "nationally accredited" or some even claim "unaccredited". Most school staff do NOT actually know anything about the laws and that includes University of the People staff too. If you show them that you can get a state public school teacher license (or whatever else) with DEAC accreditation, the university you want to join is probably more likely to accept it the UoPeople credits for a transfer.

A lot of people have managed to transfer their UoPeople credits, you can search on Reddit or in their student Discord group.

As someone who has attended grad school, I can say admissions in grad school is much different than undergrad and transcripts are REALLY scrutinized. Most grad programs don't even accept transfer credit. Those who do are VERY selective about the transfer credits that they accept. I went through this and both of my grad schools were RA. I had to provide the course syllabus and a writing sample from one of my classes for grad transfer credit. There's typically a time limit on transfer credit in grad programs as well. I haven't seen any college accept grad transfer credit past 5 years.

[Vle045]

I was able to easily transfer a course in to my current program.  The criteria was that it had to be another RA school and the course description/syllabus had to show that it covered at least 75% of the same material.  I didn’t have to provide any writing sample.  It’s really going to come down to the school where you want to transfer to.  I know another person here was able to transfer credits from both UoPeople and ACE (the college, not the “other” ACE).  At the moment I can’t remember what school she was attending.  I will see if I can find it.

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Found it (it’s in my private messages, so I can’t link it).
She transferred several UoPeople courses to Walden.

[Quackerz]

I was able to easily transfer a course in to my current program.  The criteria was that it had to be another RA school and the course description/syllabus had to show that it covered at least 75% of the same material.  I didn’t have to provide any writing sample.  It’s really going to come down to the school where you want to transfer to.  I know another person here was able to transfer credits from both UoPeople and ACE (the college, not the “other” ACE).  At the moment I can’t remember what school she was attending.  I will see if I can find it.

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Found it (it’s in my private messages, so I can’t link it).
She transferred several UoPeople courses to Walden.

That's awesome!