Substitution of Degree Requirements

Information for Students

• Course substitution is only allowed for professional/technical and bachelor’s programs.
• The college does not substitute, change, or waive requirements for transfer degree programs (DTA or MRP).
  • Doing this invalidates articulation agreements with other colleges and universities, and may affect your acceptance to another school.
• The college does not change or waive degree requirements based on a student’s disability. You must work with the DRC (Disability Resource Center) to discuss options and possible accommodations that allows you to meet degree/certificate requirements.
• Substituted coursework for professional technical degree or certificate requirements must contain a majority of the curriculum and outcomes of the required course.
• The college does not generally accept lower level coursework as a substitute for higher-level coursework. We make exceptions on a case-by-case basis with documentation.
• You can also get credit for work or life experience. To see if this is an option for you, go to Academic Credit for Prior Learning.

How to Get a Course Substitution

Coursework completed at another college or university

1. Ask the school you attended to send us an official copy of your transcript
2. Submit the online Transfer Credit Review Request form. Indicate on the form which degree or certificate you expect to complete
3. Complete these steps at the time you begin your program. Do not wait until you apply for graduation to complete this process. The earlier you know what can count for your program, the better you can plan for taking the classes you need to graduate
4. Check your BC email often. After you complete the steps above, we review your transcript for general education transfer coursework, and then we work with your Program Chair to determine if other courses on your transcript meet degree or certificate requirements. We notify you of the results in about three weeks using your BC email address

Coursework completed at Bellevue College

1. Take a copy of your unofficial transcript to the Program Chair of the degree or certificate program you plan to complete
2. The Program Chair reviews your transcript and determines if alternate course work meets the degree or certificate requirements needed to graduate
3. The Program Chair communicates with the Evaluations Office using an online form to indicate which courses may substitute for required courses
4. Check your BC email often. We notify you of the results in about three weeks using your BC email address

Information for Faculty

Please refer to Policy #3120 for full guidelines and requirements.