The majority of credit hours for all graduate and post-baccalaureate professional degrees must be earned at the University of Memphis. Policies and processes regulating transfer credit hours and stipulating residency requirements ensure that the majority of credit hours are earned at the UofM.
Credit towards a graduate degree does not transfer automatically. Graduate work completed at another institution in a program accredited at the graduate level may be accepted in a graduate degree program at the university if the courses: (a) have not been used to earn a previous degree; (b) relate to the content of the graduate program and/or are comparable to those offered at the university; and (c) do not exceed time limitations set for master's and doctoral programs. [1] Transfer credit hours are awarded only with the approval, via signature on the appropriate transfer credit evaluation form, of the major advisor or the program graduate coordinator. [2]
With regard to residency requirements, the final 30 hours of a doctoral program must be earned at the University of Memphis. [3] Residency requirements are not stipulated for master’s students; however, no more than 12 semester hours of course work may be approved for transfer credit toward a master’s or EdS (Education Specialist) degree. [1] Individual academic programs may set more stringent limitations.
To ensure compliance, the residency and transfer credit policies are monitored by the academic departments, the college director of graduate study, and the Graduate School. Transfer credits are posted to a student's transcript only with the appropriate signatures on the transfer credit evaluation form. [2] Prior to graduation each student completes an admission to candidacy form. [4] At this time, the academic dean’s office reviews each student’s academic record for completion and compliance with all major and college or school requirements and appropriate course substitutions for transfer credit applicable to a major. The academic department, the academic dean’s office, and the Graduate School graduation analyst must certify that all requirements are met before the student is cleared to graduate.
The UofM offers one graduate degree program through joint, cooperative, or consortial arrangements. The Department of Biomedical Engineering at the UofM and the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, participate in the Joint Program in Biomedical Engineering. The Joint Program offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering. [5]
The Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law requires a minimum of 90 hours of law school credit for graduation. It ensures that the majority of credits toward the Juris Doctor degree are earned through this institution by its academic regulations relating to retention, academic exclusion of transfer students, and transfer of credits from other institutions. Transfer credit is limited to 30 semester hours, must be approved by the dean of the law school prior to completion of the work, and is not accepted from law schools not approved by the American Bar Association. [6]
The only law school-related joint, cooperative, or consortial arrangement is the Juris Doctor/Master of Business Association degree with the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business and Economics. For the joint JD/MBA program the law school accepts 9 hours of business school credit towards the JD degree and the business school accepts 9 law school credits toward the MBA degree. [7] This system is substantially similar to many offered at law schools and business schools throughout the country.
3.4.1
