Courses at Other Institutions Petition

Students may petition to take a course at another institution during interim periods between semesters (e.g. during summer and winter session). A student must be in good academic standing (see below for eligibility) and must follow the instructions below.

Courses at Other Institutions

The course description and/or syllabus must be reviewed and approved by the Undergraduate Academic Advising Center. Courses taken at other institutions may affect student eligibility for graduation honors.

Petition Form

Requests to take courses elsewhere must be submitted through Workday. The petition can be found under the Academics Hub tab in Workday. Choose “Create Request” then choose “Courses at Other Institutions.”

Eligibility

Students may petition to take a course at another institution only during interim periods between semesters i.e. during summer and winter session. Courses at other institutions are not approved during the traditional academic year (Fall or Spring semesters).

In order to be considered eligible, a student must:

  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
  • New students in their first semester at Suffolk University without a GPA may not be approved for outside courses
  • Not have any "Incomplete" grades
  • Not currently hold a "Leave of Absence" status
  • Have transferred fewer than 66 outside credits into Suffolk
  • Not have accrued more than 84 total credit hours toward graduation

Please note: Meeting the given criteria does not guarantee that a petition for an outside course will be approved.

Policies for Courses at Other Institutions

Petition must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester in which you intend to take a course elsewhere.

  • Summer Session: Students may not take more than 16 credits over the whole summer term and no more than 8 credits during overlapping modules
  • Winter Session: Students may not take more than 2 credits during a winter session
  • Courses taken outside must be academically equivalent in order to be approved
  • Courses taken outside must follow the prerequisite pathways established in Suffolk University's curriculum
    • For example, you will not be approved to take WRI 102 outside if you have not already completed WRI 101

How To Transfer Your Credits from Other Institutions

If the course you are requesting at another Institution is approved, please note that to receive these credits on your Suffolk University Transcript:

  • You must earn a "C" grade or better in the outside course for transfer of credits. The credits for a grade of "C-" or less will not be transferrable
  • You assume full responsibility for the prompt delivery of the transcript from the outside institution to Suffolk University*
    • An official transcript from the outside institution must be emailed to Timothy Brown, Assistant Director, Academic Advising

* Both the National Student Clearinghouse and Parchment transcript services allow you to send your transcript directly to an individual. If you’re unsure how to use either platform, please reach out to the institution from which you are transferring credit for assistance. If the transcript is not sent properly, it may cause delays in your eligibility for coursework at Suffolk University, as well as possibly altering your degree conferral date.

Impact on Future Semesters at Suffolk University

If the outside course is a prerequisite for a class you plan to take in the upcoming term, make sure the Undergraduate Academic Advising Center receives proof that you have enrolled in the requested course and successfully completed the prerequisite course prior to the start of the upcoming term or you may be dropped from the upper-level course.

When reviewing the Outside Course Petition, Suffolk University:

  • Reviews only the academic content of the requested courses and the student’s eligibility to transfer outside credits back to Suffolk University
  • Does not, under any circumstances, guarantee the quality or suitability of the course or the other institution’s ability to meet any specific student needs
  • Does not assume any risk associated with taking a course at another institution, even if the petition is approved

Please review the Course Repeat Policy if the course at the outside institution is being used to repeat a course completed at Suffolk.

If your Petition is Denied

If you petition is denied, you will be notified through Workday. Open the item, click “Process” and you will see a detailed message as to why your particular request was denied and if there is any recourse, e.g. providing more information, petitioning for a different acceptable course, etc.