FAQ’s:

 

May I take prerequisite courses (Math, Physics, etc.) from a community college and transfer the courses back to U-M?

LSA students may take a course at a community college and transfer the credit back to U-M if they have completed less than 60 credits at U-M. If they have completed 60 credits or more, they must take a course at a four-year institution.

I took a course at another school and already transferred the credits back to U-M.  However, on my transcript it says "Departmental" credit rather than indicating a specific course title.  For example, I took an Introductory Biology course I think is equivalent to BIO 171, but on my transcript it reads "BIO 101X Departmental."  Why?

Transferring a course to U-M is a two-step process (see “How to Transfer a Course” above):

  • One step is transferring the credits to the University by submitting the official transcript to U-M Admissions.  If the course is college-level and from an accredited school, it will likely receive credit at this level (this is “departmental,” generic credit usually at the 101X- or 201X-level).  This indicates to advisors that you have officially taken and passed a college-level course that covers a Biology-related topic.
  • The other step is determining whether or not the course is a direct course equivalent to a course offered at U-M Ann Arbor.  Once (or before) you have submitted your transcript to Admissions, you should request a credit evaluation from Biology.  You can do so via the Program in Biology Transfer Credit Evaluation site.

How can I tell if a course at another school is a direct course equivalent at U-M?

Be aware that the Program in Biology reviews classes on a term-by-term basis!  A class that was accepted last fall may not be accepted the next if the course material or other details have changed!  Most courses must be reviewed again for each new term.  

Plan ahead: If you are considering taking a class from another institution (going abroad or taking a summer course elsewhere) and it is not listed on the Biology transfer list, go through the approval process (see above) before you take the course!

I heard the course I have taken (or am taking) has already been approved for the term/instructor/institution.  Do I need to complete all of the steps?  Do I still need to request evaluation from the Program in Biology Transfer Credit Evaluation site?

Yes!  The review will move quickly if the specific offering has already been approved, but we will still need the information from the evaluation request form to verify.

May I take a concentration course at another school?

The Program in Biology strongly encourages you to take all concentration courses on the Ann Arbor campus—this will put you in the best position to succeed in the concentration.  However, you may take a concentration course elsewhere.  Please be aware of the residence rules for your particular college.  LSA rules are here.

The introductory course(s) at the offering institution look different than the U-M courses.  Will they still transfer?

The Program in Biology Evaluation Committee will determine whether or not the introductory course or sequence is equivalent to Biology 171, 172, or 173 (or a combination thereof), or to a course for non-majors. To receive credit for having satisfied the introductory biology requirement, the student needs to have completed course(s) that covered cell and molecular biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, plant and animal biology, and had labs. Two-semester introductory sequences at four-year institutions will almost always meet these criteria. So will some two-semester sequences at community colleges, but the syllabi for transfers from community colleges will be carefully reviewed to verify that the student is adequately prepared to move into upper level biology courses.

The course I took was reviewed and is NOT considered equivalent.  Will the BIOLOGY 101X course that appears on my transcript count for anything toward my degree?

Yes, the course(s) will count toward general electives.

I’m a Biology concentrator and I took a Physics course from another school.  Should I bring the syllabus to the Biology office?

No.  You will need to have any course that is NOT a BIOLOGY-, EEB-, or MCDB-related course evaluated by the home department at U-M.

How long will the review process take?

Under normal conditions, we can review an external course in 5-7 days. 

The review request form will allow you to indicate if you are an orientation student—in these cases we will expedite the process and contact you ASAP.  (Note: the process for submitting official transcripts from other institutions, review at the U-M admissions level, and changing the course on your U-M transcript happens outside of the Program in Biology, so we cannot guarantee a time frame for these processes.  We will be happy to follow up on your behalf, however!  Contact us with questions:  bioadvising@umich.edu, or 734-764-1440.)