Sharing of course credit refers to the practice of allowing one or more course(s) to satisfy the requirements of more than one credential offered by Northeastern University. Credentials covered by this policy include any certificate or degree offered by the university. The following policy refers to the sharing of credit among programs offered by Northeastern. Sharing of credit between programs at Northeastern and another institution is specified through an articulation agreement and is not governed by this policy.

General Credit Sharing Policies

Course credits may be shared between two credentials only if approved by the college or colleges offering both credentials.

To be shared with a credential, credits must be earned no more than seven years before starting the credential.

Specific Credit Sharing Policies

  • Shared credits may not be used to fulfill the requirements of more than two degrees.
  • A limit of one course (up to 4 semester hours) may be used to fulfill the requirements of two graduate certificates.
  • Appropriate graduate credits taken as part of a graduate certificate program may be counted toward a graduate degree or a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study.
  • Students cannot apply the same set of courses toward both a graduate certificate and a concentration in the same field of study.
  • Credits earned to fulfill the requirements of a master’s program may not be used to fulfill more than 50% of the credits of another master’s program or a CAGS.
  • Students may credit-share specified courses taken while in undergraduate status for both the bachelor's and PhD degrees. A student who departs from the program before receiving PhD candidacy may opt to use those courses toward a master's degree earned. However, such credit sharing cannot be used for more than two credentials.
  • Courses taken while a student is in undergraduate status and participating in a professional doctorate program at Northeastern may be used to fulfill the requirements for both the undergraduate and professional doctorate degree, up to a limit of 40% of the credits required for the professional doctorate.
  • Appropriate credits taken as part of a master’s degree may be counted toward a professional doctorate.
  • Not more than four graduate courses or 16 semester hours, whichever is greater, taken while a student is in undergraduate status and participating in an accelerated master’s (PlusOne) program at Northeastern, may be used to fulfill the requirements for both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Exceptions to this credit sharing limit (due to significantly higher credit requirements for the graduate degree or other special provisions) must be approved through governance processes.
  • Undergraduate students who wish to pursue a double major, second Northeastern bachelor’s degree, or a minor should follow the credit sharing policies described in the undergraduate section of this catalog.