The Institute Graduate Curriculum Committee, with the approval of the Academic Faculty Senate, is responsible for establishing academic policy for the graduate programs; however, final authority rests with the Senate. This committee reserves the right to change requirements for degrees as may be appropriate. Students enrolled at the time such changes appear in the Catalog have the privilege of following either the requirements stated in the Catalog effective the semester in which they enrolled or the requirements in the Catalog that records the change.

This catalog records the institute-wide policies and regulations that govern the graduate programs. Schools may make additional rules concerning their programs and the pursuit of their degrees, but such rules may not contradict Institute policies and regulations.

Transfer Credit

A student may not apply for transfer credit until after matriculation at Georgia Tech. The courses to be transferred would typically be those appearing on the approved program of study form for the master's degree. A doctoral student normally does not request transfer credit. The rules relative to and the process for obtaining transfer of credit for graduate-level courses are as follows:

1. Students in a master's degree program requiring fewer than 33 semester credit hours may receive up to six hours of transfer credit for graduate-level courses taken at an institution accredited by a Canadian or U.S. regional accrediting board, or at a foreign school or university that has a signed partner agreement with Georgia Tech, and not used for credit toward another degree. This ensures completion of at least one-third of the courses for a degree in residence at Georgia Tech (applies to programs that are face-to-face and online format). A student in a master's degree program requiring 33 semester credit hours or more may receive up to nine hours of transfer credit for graduate-level courses taken at an institution accredited by a Canadian or U.S. regional accrediting board, or at a foreign school or university that has a signed partner agreement with Georgia Tech, and not used for credit toward another degree. This ensures completion of at least one-third of the courses for a degree in residence at Georgia Tech (applies to programs that are face-to-face and online format).The student must supply a current transcript for this evaluation.
2. To obtain transfer of credit, the student must complete the following procedure:
   1. The student will confer with the graduate advisor to ascertain whether the courses to be transferred are a logical part of the student's graduate program;
   2. If the courses are appropriate, the student will deliver to the school that teaches such courses a copy of the current transcript, necessary descriptive materials including catalog descriptions, and textbooks used for evaluation. The faculty of the appropriate school will determine the equivalent Georgia Tech course and the number of credit hours accepted. The faculty member who prepares the transfer credit form (i.e., the Non-Resident Credit Report) should have the school chair cosign it. The school should then send the form directly to the registrar with a copy of the student's Approved Program of Study attached;
   3. If the student wishes to transfer more than the number of hours permitted in item one listed above, a petition must be submitted to the Institute Graduate Curriculum Committee that includes statements of possible justification for the granting of such a petition, transfer credit forms, and the recommendation of the student's school chair.
3. A joint enrollment student may receive graduate credit for up to one-third of the hours required for the degree for graduate courses taken at Emory University or Georgia State University provided that the following is true:
   1. Georgia Tech does not offer such courses;
   2. The student's advisor and school chair approve the courses in advance and in writing;
   3. The student passes the courses with a C or better. Advance approval is satisfied when the courses appear on the student's proposed Program of Study.
4. A student may not receive transfer credit from universities outside the United States and Canada unless the courses were taken at a foreign institution or university that is accredited by a Canadian or U.S. regional accrediting board or has a signed partner agreement with Georgia Tech. In any other case, an international student can obtain credit for courses previously taken but not applied toward another degree by filling out an Examination for Advanced Standing Authorization Request Form, paying the appropriate fee at the Bursar's Office, and passing the examination for advanced standing. The school or college that normally teaches the equivalent course will administer any necessary examinations.

Double Counting Credit between Master’s Degrees

Students who are pursuing two Master’s degrees at Georgia Tech may double count a maximum of 6 hours of credit for both degrees. This ensures that each degree involves a minimum of 24 hours of coursework completed at Tech that is not double counted.

The six-hour limit may be exceeded when specifically allowed as a component of an approved degree program.

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