Transfer Credits: Lots of Issues and Some Answers!

  1. Courses transferring from high school
  2. Courses transferring from another post-secondary institution
  3. Study Abroad transfer credits
  4. Summer and winter transfer credits

High School Transfer Credits

All advanced standing credits for economics work in high school should be submitted to the Admissions Office at the time you are offered admission, if not earlier.  This will place appropriate course credit onto your official UW record and allow university staff and faculty to admit you to the proper level of coursework. For questions on this, contact Admissions please.

AP Coursework

If you took AP courses in Microeconomics or Macroeconomics in an accredited high school AP curriculum and earned a test score of at least a 4 on either exam, you may apply to receive credit for the appropriate UW-Madison economics course, either Econ 101 (Principles of Microeconomics) or 102 (Principles of Macroeconomics) or both if you have adequate test scores in each. You will receive four credits for each course you completed successfully via the AP program, and you should proceed straight into your calculus requirement or the intermediate theory courses if you intend to major in economics here.

IB Coursework

If you graduated from a high school that offered a course in Economics as part of an International Baccalaureate curriculum, obtaining the IB diploma along with gaining a score of at least 4 on the economics examination is sufficient to earn you 8 credits of introductory economics, divided between Econ 101 (Principles of Microeconomics) and Econ 102 (Principles of Macroeconomics). If you also have high school IB credit for calculus, you may proceed directly into the intermediate theory courses in micro- and macro-economics, Econ 301 and 302.

College Courses Taken While in High School

Any economics coursework you completed from an accredited post secondary institution while still a high school student should be submitted to the Admissions Office, with an official transcript from the institution granting you credit at the time of your admission to the UW-Madison. If taken at a UW System school, you may use the Transfer Information System to see how it will transfer to your UW-Madison transcript.

Other High School Economics Coursework

If you have taken another high school course in economics that you feel may be sufficient to exempt you from coursework at the university, you may inquire of Admissions about taking a CLEP test, to ascertain the level of your knowledge in economics. It will not suffice to exempt you from our micro or macro principles coursework (101 or 102) but may give you up to 3 credits of general elective work in econ.

Transferring Econ Credits from Another Post Secondary Institution

Your first stop in asking questions about how credits will transfer from one post-secondary institution to the UW-Madison should always be the Office of Transfer Admissions. Here’s a link to their home page: http://www.admissions.wisc.edu/transfer.php. Your advising will initially come from the Transfer Transition Program and/or the advisors of your College or CCAS (Cross College Advising Service), and for economics students, your best advising will come from the advisors working especially with transfer students.

No One Enters the UW-Madison as an Econ Major

Even if you have already declared yourself an economics major elsewhere, when you enter the UW-Madison, you will not automatically be accepted into the economics program as a major. Like all other undergraduates here, you will need to complete and receive grades in a minimum of two economics courses here on this campus. Your economics coursework from your prior institution, if applied properly to your UW-Madison transcript at the time of your admission, will suffice to meet certain enrollment prerequisites, but as Transfer or “T” credits from another institution, we can’t really evaluate the level of work you are capable of doing in our department until you have “real” grades in a known curriculum. Chances are high that a transfer student can take at least two economics courses in the first semester on our campus, so you ought to be able to declare our major at the end of your first term if you get a 2.0 or higher in your economics coursework here.

Once you have grades at a GPA of 2.0 or higher from two economics courses taken here on our campus, we look forward to having you come by our Undergraduate Office at 7238 Social Science Building to fill out the declaration form in person

What You Should Know Before You Can Declare

If you have trouble enrolling in economics coursework because the online enrollment program is not able to recognize variations in the prerequisites you have taken, you may contact our Undergraduate Coordinator at econadvise@ssc.wisc.edu or 608.262.6925 for assistance. Sometimes we can derive more meaning from your prior work than the computer can, and we really do want you to get into the courses you want and need in our department.

Your first term advisors will be great, and they’ll get in touch with us if you have questions they can’t answer. You can ask your own questions of us via the email above (econadvise@ssc.wisc.edu) until you have an assigned advisor here. And we have TONS of information online, starting at www.econ.wisc.edu/undergrad. We hope you’ll check it out.

Study Abroad Transfer Credits

Courses in economics taken abroad on UW-Madison Study Abroad Programs will transfer as specific course numbers following the guidelines outlined below (see also general rules).

  1. Exact UW-Madison equivalent 
    If the class has an exact UW- Madison equivalent, it will be transferred under that number. 
    *If you want credit abroad for any of the following courses pre-approval is strongly recommended:
    • Principles courses 101, 102 or 111;
    • Intermediate theory courses 301, 302, 311 or 312;
    • Economic statistics courses 310 (or substitute) or 410

  2. Econ 109: Study Abroad in Introductory Economics 
    Introductory level class with no exact UW-Madison equivalent. The class is unlikely to have any prerequisites. Econ 109 does not require pre-approval but does not fulfill any of the requirements of the Economics Major.

  3. Econ 309: Study Abroad in Intermediate Economics
    Intermediate level class with no exact UW-Madison equivalent. The class has Introductory Microeconomics and/or Macroeconomics as prerequisites.

  4. Econ 409: Study Abroad in Advanced Economics

Summer and Winter Term Transfer Credits

Summer Term Transfers Credits

Recognizing that many students leave Madison for the summer months and may find academic study their best option for summer activity, enrollment at other institutions is a little more lenient in the summer than during the spring or fall terms. You do not need to apply for concurrent enrollment, for instance. You should, always, verify how proposed coursework will transfer before officially enrolling and paying for coursework at another institution.

If you are attending summer school at another UW System college or a technical college in one of the major metropolitan areas (Milwaukee, Chicago, the Twin Cities) from which so many of our students come, you may very well find your proposed coursework equivalency already established and available for your retrieval online via the Summer Course Equivalency System. This system is activated with new courses equivalences in the spring of every year and is a great way to evaluate the coursework you are thinking of taking over the summer. If your school is not among those feeding into this SCES, then you should check out the TIS to find out how courses will transfer back here.

Please be aware that you do have a Residency Requirement here at UW-Madison that does not just pertain to courses taken in the state. It means courses taken on our campus. You can see this requirement on your DARS.

Unique Stipulations for Economics Majors Transferring Credits

In the Department of Economics, we have another requirement you should keep in mind as you consider taking courses elsewhere at any time during your undergraduate career. We require a minimum of two Advanced Electives in Economics, more with Option B majors. Regardless of your option, two Advanced Electives in Economics must be completed here on our campus. This is aside from the general residency requirement of your degree plan, but just as important.

"Winter term" Transfer Credits

The UW-Madison does not officially have a “Winter Term.” Students who enroll in coursework at another accredited university or college over our Winter Break must take every cautionary step to ensure the credits will transfer to their UW-Madison transcript. This process will best be begun by contacting the staff in Enrollment Management. Depending where you propose to study, you may or may not be able to use the online Transfer Information System. Depending on the length of the proposed course, you may need to request, from your Dean, a Concurrent Enrollment Request (if the course will not be concluded before our own term starts). Even courses taken at other UW System colleges or the UW Extension (including online learning options) may require concurrent enrollment permission. You should have a good reason for taking the course elsewhere, something bearing on academic excellence rather than simple convenience.

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