Upper level vs. Lower level credit

[perrik]

Okay, kind of a basic question in which I remain somewhat unclear about… What is the real difference/significance of upper level vs. lower level credit from an overall credit accumulation perspective? The reason I ask is that when I apply to have my various IT and professional certifications reviewed for transfer credit, depending on the institution, I am sometimes told that certain certs qualify for lower level credit but not upper. Not sure how the distinction really matters all that much, as a credit is a credit is a credit in pursuit of the grand total of 120 credits in the typical undergrad program. Any enlightenment in this regard would be greatly appreciated. Thank you…

Depends on the school and your individual program... at Excelsior's School of Liberal Arts, anyone pursuing a BA or BS must take at least 30 credits as upper level. University of Georgia's arts & sciences students must complete at least 39 credits at the upper level. Arizona State requires at least 45 UL credits. So a credit is not necessarily a credit! You can have all the UL credits you want over the minimum, but you have to meet that minimum.