Transfer Credit

Transfer credit may only be accepted and applied to the student’s UAMS record when each of the conditions in this section is met. If clarification or additional information is required in order to evaluate transfer credit, UAMS may request additional documentation related to the transcript, including but not limited to academic catalogs, syllabi, or course offerings from the originating transfer institution. Knowledge Credit is not considered to be transfer credit as defined by this policy.

1. Acceptance of the transfer credit is consistent with applicable state and federal statute and/or programmatic and institutional accreditation requirements.
2. The credit was earned at an institutionally accredited college or university or similarly accredited international institution.
3. The nature, content, and level of credit is comparable to that offered by UAMS, where applicable.
4. The course credit was completed and credit earned no more than seven years prior, or within the timeframe allowed by the college or academic program. To accept courses that were completed more than seven years prior, exceptions approval is required from the college or academic program.
5. The credit earned is appropriate and applicable to the academic programs offered by UAMS, fulfills a general education requirement for the program, and/or is appropriate in light of the student’s educational goals.
6. A minimum letter grade of “C” or above has been earned. Colleges and/or programs may establish more stringent qualifications to evaluate and approve transfer credit in accordance with their individual policies, as outlined in the individual college/program sections of the UAMS college catalogs.
7. The credit does not exceed the maximum number of transfer credit hours allowed for transfer by the specific academic program or college, as well as applicable state and federal statute and/or programmatic and institutional accreditation standards.
8. The credit is not applied to fulfill multiple requirements within the same degree plan.
9. The credit was not completed in an online laboratory, if prohibited by a specific academic program or college.

When course credit has not met all requirements in preceding section, the college curriculum committee may still approve the acceptance of transfer credit on a case-by-case basis where state and federal statute and/or programmatic and institutional accreditation are not impacted. In addition to the completed Transfer Credit Approval Form (see “Transfer Credit Evaluation Process” below), transfer credit exceptions must be accompanied by an official statement of justification for the exception by the college or academic department that includes confirmation that the acceptance does not violate programmatic or institutional accreditation requirements.

Students who have attended other public colleges in Arkansas are guaranteed the transfer of applicable undergraduate credits and equitable treatment in the application of credits for admissions and degree requirements. Students may complete specified General Education courses anywhere in the Arkansas public system within the timeframes outline in the UAMS Catalog. UAMS abides by the state initiative of the Arkansas Course Transfer System. The transfer credit equivalency guide for Arkansas schools is available on the ADHE website by selecting “Arkansas Course Transfer System for Students.”

Act 98 of 1989 requires each institution of higher learning in Arkansas to identify a minimum core of general education courses that shall be fully transferable between state-supported institutions. Under guidelines from the State Board of Higher Education, the SMC consists of 35 hours distributed among the following education areas: English, U.S. history, American government, mathematics, science, fine arts and humanities, and social sciences. Students transferring credit with grades of “C” or better from the approved SMC of another state-supported institution in Arkansas may expect to have all these hours applied toward their degree at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

State Minimum General Education Core Curriculum (Through Summer 2027 Admission)

The following table is based on Appendix C, Section 1, of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education’s Criteria and Procedures for Establishing Programs. Although the Arkansas Course Transfer System now determines the specific courses in the categories outlined below, the basic structure of the “35-hour minimum core” has been deemed useful and remains part of the policy and guidelines promulgated by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

• English/Communication (6-9 semester credit hours)
  English Composition                 6 credit hours
  Speech Communication            0-3 credit hours
• Mathematics (3 semester credit hours)
  A comprehensive mathematics course such as College Algebra, Statistics, Quantitative Literacy/Mathematical Reasoning or any higher-level mathematics course. Institutions may require students majoring in mathematics, engineering, science, and business to take a higher-level mathematics course as part of the state minimum core.
• Science (8 semester credit hours)
  Science courses must include laboratories. Institutions may require students majoring in mathematics, engineering, science, education, and health professions to take higher-level or specific science courses.
• Fine Arts/Humanities (6-9 semester credit hours)
  Must be broad survey courses. Institutions may require students majoring in engineering to take either 6 hours of humanities and social sciences at the junior/senior level or substitute an additional 6 hours of higher-level mathematics and/or additional science courses.
• Social Sciences (9-12 semester credit hours)
  U.S. History or Government    3 hours
  Other Social Sciences              6-9 hours
  Institutions may require students majoring in engineering to take either 6 hours or humanities and social sciences at the junior/senior level or substitute an additional 6 hours of higher-level mathematics and/or additional science courses.

It is strongly recommended that prospective students contact their program of interest to determine the transferability of prerequisite and core curriculum courses prior to enrollment.

State Minimum General Education Core Curriculum (Effective Beginning Fall 2027 Admission)

The following table is based on the Arkansas Department of Higher Education’s “Shaping the General Education Core in Arkansas” as approved in April 2026, and requires a minimum of 35 semester credit hours. The Arkansas Course Transfer System determines the specific courses in the categories outlined below.

• English Composition (6 semester credit hours)
• Speech Communication (0-3 semester credit hours)
• Mathematics (3 semester credit hours) A comprehensive mathematics course such as College Algebra, Statistics, Quantitative Literacy/Mathematical Reasoning or any higher-level mathematics course. Institutions may require students majoring in mathematics, engineering, science, and business to take a higher-level mathematics course as part of the state minimum core.
• Science (8 semester credit hours) Science courses must include laboratories. Institutions may require students majoring in mathematics, engineering, science, education, and health professions to take higher-level or specific science courses.
• Fine Arts/Humanities (6-9 semester credit hours) Must be broad survey courses. Institutions may require students majoring in engineering to take either 6 hours of humanities and social sciences at the junior/senior level or substitute an additional 6 hours of higher-level mathematics and/or additional science courses.
• U.S. History (3 semester credit hours)
• American Government (3 semester credit hours)
• Social Sciences (3-6 semester credit hours) Institutions may require students majoring in engineering to take either 6 hours of humanities and social sciences at the junior/senior level or substitute an additional 6 hours of higher-level mathematics and/or additional science courses.

It is strongly recommended that prospective students contact their program of interest to determine the transferability of prerequisite and core curriculum courses prior to enrollment.

Transfer credit policy under Arkansas Act 182 from 2009 requires a four-year public institution of higher education in Arkansas to accept all credits earned from students earning an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Arts in Teaching degree from a state-supported public institution in Arkansas. Major stipulations of Act 182 are outlined below:

• The transfer degree contains the curriculum that is approved by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
• The four-year public institution of higher education is to admit a transfer student to junior status in a baccalaureate degree program at the four-year institution of higher education.
• The four-year institution of higher education receiving the transfer student shall not require additional lower division coursework if the additional course is considered a general education lower division course.
• The receiving four-year public institution of higher education may only require the additional lower division course if the additional lower division course is:
  • A prerequisite for courses in the transfer student’s baccalaureate degree program;
  • A discipline-specific course that is required by the transfer student’s baccalaureate degree program and the student has not completed a course at the two-year public institution of higher education that is comparable to the discipline-specific course at the four-year public institution of higher education in the Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS);
  • A requirement of an independent licensing or accrediting body.
• Act 182 does not remove the requirement that a transfer student must meet total baccalaureate degree program credit hour and course requirements in order to be eligible for a baccalaureate degree.
• The receiving four-year public institution of higher education shall determine whether to accept a grade of “D” for academic course credit for a student transferring from a two-year public institution of higher education.

Transfer credit evaluations for new and prospective students who have not yet enrolled in coursework at UAMS are completed by the admissions officer(s) for the academic college to which the student has applied. If transcripts are required for admission to an academic program, the applicant must submit official transcripts from all institutions previously attended directly to the Office of Admissions. See individual college admission requirements and the UAMS Catalog for details about where to send transcripts and related documents. Transfer credit may be tentatively evaluated based upon unofficial transcripts, but official transcripts are required before transfer credit will be posted to the student record and applied to the student’s UAMS degree plan. Concerns regarding transfer credit evaluation decisions should be directed to the admissions director for the student’s college. The college or academic program makes the final decision regarding evaluation of credit.

Enrolled and continuing students must request transfer credit evaluation through the Office of the University Registrar (OUR). To request evaluation of transfer credit, the student must submit both the official transcript and the UAMS Transfer Credit Approval Form. Students are strongly encouraged to submit a Transfer Credit Approval Form prior to enrolling in a course at another institution intended for transfer to the UAMS degree program. Completion of this form verifies the transferability of the coursework and documents that the academic department will apply the course to the student degree plan as long as the completed course meets the requirements outlined in the “Transfer Credit Requirements” section above. The Transfer Credit Approval Form is the official documentation of approval of transfer credit; verbal and/or email agreements do not constitute a guarantee of approval or articulation. Courses are reviewed by program academic standards and/or admissions committees for credit decisions. These committees may require a student to repeat specific course(s) if prior completion was unsatisfactory. Concerns regarding transfer credit evaluation decisions should be directed to the admissions director for the student’s college. The college or academic program makes the final decision regarding evaluation of credit. Students should be prepared to submit course descriptions and syllabi of transfer work if there is any question concerning acceptance of credit toward a degree program. The university reserves the right to revise credit for advanced standing after the student has been in residence. Please refer to the appropriate college or program section of the UAMS Academic Catalog for additional information concerning acceptance into specific degree programs.

General information about transfer credit for each college may be found in the UAMS Academic Catalog. Additional, college-specific information related to acceptance of transfer credit is available through the links below.

College of Health Professions

• College of Health Professions Transfer Guides
• Applicant Transfer Credit Information

College of Medicine

• College of Medicine Transfer Policy 1.1.2

College of Nursing

• BSN Transfer Information
• MNSc Transfer Information
• DNP Transfer Information
• College of Nursing Articulation Agreements

College of Pharmacy

• See page “Scholastic Standing Rules and Processes” section of the College of Pharmacy Student Handbook

College of Public Health

• See “Transfer Credits” section of the College of Public Health Student Handbook

Graduate School

• See UAMS Academic Catalog