Transferring Math Courses from Another College or University

Mathematics courses from other colleges and universities may or may not be equivalent to UCSC courses. UCSC has standing agreements about course equivalencies with most California community colleges; these are called articulation agreements. You can see these articulation agreements here, or at http://www.assist.org. The Mathematics Department must verify any transfer course information before you can use the course to satisfy prerequisites. Send or bring transcripts to the mathematics undergraduate advisor; the information you send to UCSC Admissions is not forwarded to the Mathematics Department.

If you are not sure whether your previous college courses meet pre-established course equivalence agreements (articulation agreements) with UCSC, follow the instructions in “Substituting Non-Standard Transfer Courses”.

Substituting Non-Standard Transfer Courses

If you do not find your school in the articulation agreements, or if the course you want to transfer is not articulated, please complete a Substitution Petition. Download the petition form or get it from the Mathematics Department Office in 194 Baskin Engineering. Complete the petition according to these instructions:

1. Fill in the petition form, including:

• institution name where course taken, date taken, course name and number
• text title, author, and edition
• which items you have attached for assessment (such as syllabus, exams,  and homework)

2. Attach either a detailed syllabus or a course description with exams and homework. Also attach a transcript or grade report (unofficial or copy is OK). The course must be equivalent in course credits with a UCSC course and you must earn a grade of C or higher.

3. Bring this packet to the mathematics undergraduate advisor during open office hours. Review takes one to two weeks, so make sure you leave enough time to make enrollment decisions.

4. If Mathematics approves the petition, take it to your major department to have the credit posted for prerequisite purposes. The mathematics undergraduate office can also post your credit, but your department will need a copy.

More is better when it comes to submitting materials for equivalency review. The minimum for review is the completed Substitution Petition, a copy of the catalog course description, and a syllabus. The Substitution Petition requests the textbook title, author, and edition; this is essential. The catalog description should not be typed or printed by hand, but must be copied from the catalog or printed from the web. For calculus course review, include the course descriptions of prerequisites and of other calculus courses or series of courses if that school has more than one series. It is especially helpful if the catalog states what majors require which series of courses (i.e. "for engineering and physics majors" or "for biology and life science majors"). The syllabus should delineate week-by-week topics in the course. If it does not include this information, try to copy the Table of Contents in the textbook and circle the chapter and section numbers that were covered. You may also want to provide us a copy of a final exam (please do not use the original) or some homework if the course description is only a line or two long. The more information you provide, the greater the chance that a faculty reviewer will determine that the courses are equivalent. Your transcript or grade report must include your name, ID#, and name of institution. We do not accept handwritten grade reports.

If you are not on campus yet, you may fax to the number below, or mail the documentation to us: UCSC Mathematics Undergraduate Advisor, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA 95064. In a few cases, the undergraduate advisor will suggest you present the material yourself to the Vice Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum so that you may answer any questions about the coursework or defend why you think it is equivalent.

Our fax number is (831) 459-3260. On the cover sheet, include your name, ID number, phone number, and email address, and address the fax to the Undergraduate Advisor. We will call you when it has been reviewed. Be sure that the original copies are clear as faxing does tend to distort.

UCSC Students Taking Math Classes at Other Institutions

1. Allow at least two weeks for any course substitution review.
2. Verify that the other institution is offering the course when you want to take it. Also check when their courses start. Many semester schools start their summer sessions when UCSC students are still in finals.
3. If the course you want to take is not articulated to a UCSC course, complete a Course Substitution Petition. Submit the petition and the supporting materials to the Mathematics undergraduate advisor at least two weeks before your enrollment deadline. All substitution pre-approvals are contingent on students completing the course with a "C" or better grade and having this credit transferred to UCSC Admissions.
4. Make sure your grade report will be available in time for you to enroll in any UCSC courses that depend on the course at the other institution.
5. After you complete the course, bring a copy of your grade report to the mathematics undergraduate office or your major department office. If you plan to fax or mail the verification, please first call: (831) 459-4691. (Remember, the Mathematics department only enters prerequisite information into your UCSC record. You must request that the other institution send official transcripts to UCSC Admissions to have the units of credit transferred.)
6. If you are repeating a course you took at UCSC for a grade but obtained a grade of "D" or "F", many restrictions apply. Consult with your college academic preceptor and your major advisor.

top of page