Transfer Credit Policy

NESA accepts a maximum of 75% of the credits required for your degree or certificate through transfer. At least 25% of the credits required for completion must be earned through coursework offered by and completed at NESA.

Within the 75% limit, no more than 25% of the required clinical training may be accepted in transfer, subject to the regulations of the state agencies that license acupuncturists. Most supervised patient care, where clinical competence is confirmed, will be completed at NESA. An applicant transferring near the maximum amount of credit should review the transfer plan with the Dean before enrolling.

Transfer credits must have been earned at a post-secondary institution accredited or pre-accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education. Every decision is based on an official transcript sent to MCPHS directly by the issuing institution. Coursework completed outside the United States must first be validated by a recognized educational credentials evaluation service, as described on the International Applicants page.

Transfer credit decisions are included in written evaluations in a transfer applicant’s completed file. This governs remaining program requirements and completion timelines.

Applicants should petition for a transfer credit evaluation before enrollment. A completed request will include:

• application
• official transcripts from every institution attended
• course-by-course credentials evaluations for international coursework

Applicants should also be prepared to submit the official syllabus for each course evaluated. Applicants will receive a written evaluation listing each course reviewed, the NESA requirement it satisfies, the credits awarded, and justification for courses not accepted. If an applicant believes a decision was made without complete information, they may request reconsideration from the Dean of NESA.

Previous coursework transfers when it is equivalent to the NESA course/s it would replace in content, academic rigor, instructional level, and credit or contact hour requirements. In addition to official transcripts, the course catalog, official syllabus, course description, learning outcomes, and methods of assessment may be reviewed as part of the transfer credit process. Final decisions are made by the Dean of NESA or a designee in consultation with the faculty member who teaches the course.

Courses completed more than five years before admission are accepted only after it is validated and documented that a transfer applicant has retained the knowledge and competencies of those courses. Acupuncture-specific coursework must have been completed within the last three years.

If a course does not meet required hours or an area of content, the Dean may accept, with or without additional documentation, a supplemental assignment, a challenge examination, or a practical assessment. These processes are documented in academic files and retained by the University.

The following courses/credits do not transfer:

• Courses used to satisfy admission prerequisites or co-requisites which never count toward program completion credits.
• Continuing education and other non-credit coursework.
• Experiential learning, work experience, and clinical hours earned outside a graduate degree program.
• Coursework graded below C, or 2.0, and coursework that cannot be documented by an official transcript.