Permission to Take Courses Elsewhere

Requests must be submitted at least two weeks before the start date for the class. A syllabus of the course you are requesting may be required.

This is a multi-step process which could take at least two weeks to complete.  Please plan accordingly if you intend to request a course elsewhere.   

Please Note:

• Undergraduate Day students may seek permission to take courses for degree credit at other colleges and universities. No more than six such courses may be credited toward the degree.
• GEP or Major course requirements must be taken at SJU unless the course is not being offered that term and the course is necessary for a student to maintain normal academic progress or the proper sequence of courses in their major field of study.
• Based on the SJU Residency Requirement, if the course elsewhere you are requesting is one of the last ten courses required for your SJU Degree, the Associate Dean of your College will also need to approve this request.
• Do not register for the course until the appropriate approvals have been obtained.
• Transfer grades do not affect the calculation of your GPA. A grade of “C” or better is required in order for the credit to be granted. A C- grade is not adequate.

Submitting your Request:

1. Consult the Transfer Equivalency Database to determine if the course has been reviewed and if the course has a known equivalency at SJU.  
   • If a course is not on the list and has no known equivalency, you are required to submit a syllabus with your request.
   • If a previous review determined that the course does not transfer to SJU, do not submit a request for that course. It will be denied. 
2. Submit your request using this online Permission to Take a Course Elsewhere form.
3. Upload the course syllabus through the online form (this is required only when the course does not have a known equivalency on the Transfer Equivalency Database).
4. Approval may take two weeks to complete. You will be notified of the decision via email.

If your course elsewhere request is approved:

If this request is approved, you also must meet with your Faculty Advisor to confirm if/how this course will apply toward your degree. Course elsewhere approval does not guarantee that it will meet degree requirements. Department Chair approval also is required if you intend to use the course to fulfill a major or minor requirement.

After you successfully complete the course with a C or better grade, please request an official transcript to be sent to the Saint Joseph's University Registrar's Office.