Transfer credits are courses completed at other accredited institutions, McMaster faculties and McMaster University Continuing Education (MCE). Learners enrolled in a MCE academic program may apply for transfer credits. Approved transfer credits can mean you do not have to repeat similar courses, and you may graduate sooner.
General conditions and submission requirements
These are the general conditions and submission requirements to apply for transfer credits. The number of transfer credit courses (academic credit units) permitted in a program may vary. Please consult the Program-Specific Requirements below.
Contact Us for more information about transfer credits related to your program.
General conditions (unless stated otherwise):
- Learners must be registered in a MCE academic program for a transfer of credit application to be assessed
- Only academic credit courses are considered for transfer credit. Professional development activities and work experience are not eligible
- Courses must have an 80% overlap in content/curricula and a similar number of classroom or contact hours
- Courses must have been taken within the last five years
- Courses must have been taken from an accredited academic institution and listed on an official transcript with a grade
- A final grade of “C-“or better is required unless otherwise specified by the program
- Transfers of credit from external post-secondary institutions and McMaster faculties may be applied to one academic program (I.e., Certificate, Diploma or Certificate of Professional Learning)
- A non-refundable transfer credit assessment fee of $99 per course will be applied
Submission requirements (unless stated otherwise):
To apply for your transfer credit assessment, please submit the following documents:
- Name and course code of the course(s) that you wish to be assessed for transfer of credit and the name and course code of the McMaster University Continuing Education course(s) for which you would like credit. An official transcript demonstrating your completion of the course(s) and your final grade(s)
- Applicants who have completed courses and/or degree programs at a post-secondary institution (PSI) outside of Canada must provide an ICAP Course-by-Course credential evaluation by the World Education Services Canada (WES)
- A complete course outline(s) containing course description, course objectives, classroom/contact hours, assessment criteria, textbook, and content covered
- Submit your requests electronically to the program-specific email address or by hard copy
- You will be notified of the transfer credit assessment fee and payment process. Requests will not be reviewed until payment is received
Transfer credit applications are accepted electronically via the program email account. Please refer to the program-specific requirements for details.
For those submitting hard copy documents, please mail them to:
McMaster Continuing Education
McMaster University
OJN, 3rd Floor, Room 338
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
L8S 4K1
Attention: Program Associate, (insert program name)
Please note: It may take 4-6 weeks to assess your transfer credit request with potential delays during peak registration times.
Program-specific requirements
The specific program requirements for transfer credits are listed below. Contact Us for more information about transfer credits related to your program.
Note: The General Conditions listed above apply to all academic programs unless otherwise stated.
Diploma in Accounting
- Up to four external courses (12 units) in finance or accounting are permitted
- Exception to the General Conditions requirements – A final grade of “B- “or better is required
Certificate in Advanced Accounting
- Up to one external course (3 units) in finance or accounting is permitted
- Exception to the General Conditions requirements – A final grade of “B- “or better is required
Transfer credit requests can be submitted electronically to accounting@mcmaster.ca
Certificate in Business Administration
- Up to one external course (3 units) is permitted
- Learners may apply the five core courses to a second credential in either the Diploma in Business Administration (Generalist) or Diploma in Business Administration with a Concentration.
Diploma in Business Administration
- Up to two external courses (6 units) are permitted for a Diploma in Business Administration program
- Students who have completed the Diploma in Business Administration (General) or with a concentration may complete a second credential within the Business Administration program only once. Courses may not be used beyond the second credential
- Students pursuing a second credential must take at least three unique courses in the new concentration area
Essentials Courses to Diploma in Business Administration
- Up to 9 units of eligible 1-or 2-day Essentials courses are permitted to be applied to the Diploma in Business Administration
Transfer credit requests can be submitted electronically to businessadministration@mcmaster.ca
Diploma in Human Resources Management
- Up to 3 external courses (9 units) are permitted
For the following Human Resources Management programs:
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Foundations in Management of Human Resources
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Foundations in Talent Planning and Acquisition
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Foundations in Workplace Health and Safety
The requirements are:
- Up to one external course (3 units) is permitted per program
- Learners may apply up to 3 courses (9 units) from a completed human resources Certificate of Professional Learning program to the Diploma in Human Resources Management or the Diploma in Business Administration with a Concentration in Human Resources Management
Transfer credit requests can be submitted electronically to ccehrm@mcmaster.ca
Certificate in Management Principles and Practices
- Up to external one course (3 units) is permitted except for previously completed course(s) from the Essentials program
- Transfer credits are NOT permitted for the Essentials courses
Transfer credit requests can be submitted electronically to mcemgt@mcmaster.ca
Certificate in Payroll Compliance Practitioner Certificate
Option A:
- Up to three courses (9 units) are permitted for learners who completed Payroll Compliance Legislation and/or Payroll Fundamentals 1 and/or Payroll Fundamentals 2 online directly/solely through the National Payroll Institute
- NOTE: PCL, PF1 and/or PF2 completed through a post-secondary institution do not qualify for this option and are not eligible for transfer credit
Option B:
- Up to one external course (3 units) is permitted for a business communication or financial accounting course completed at an accredited academic institution
- Exception to the General Conditions requirements: Courses must be completed from an accredited academic institution with a grade of 65% or better
Canadian Payroll Management Certificate
Option A:
- Up to two courses (6 units) are permitted for learners who completed Introduction to Payroll Management and/or Applied Payroll Management online directly/solely through the National Payroll Institute
- NOTE: Intro Payroll Management and/or Applied Payroll Management completed through a post-secondary institution do not qualify for this option and are not eligible for transfer credit
Option B:
- Up to one external course (3 units) is permitted for an introductory management accounting, business finance and accounting, compensation or organizational behaviour course
- Exceptions to the General Conditions Requirements: Payroll Compliance Legislation, Payroll Fundamentals 1, Payroll Fundamentals 2, Intro to Payroll Management and/or Advanced Payroll Management must have been completed directly through the National Payroll Institute. Equivalent courses completed outside of the Institute will not be considered
- Exception the General Conditions requirements: Business courses must be completed from an accredited academic institution with a grade of 65% or better
Retirement Community Management
- Students may apply their completed Certificate of Professional Learning in Retirement Community Management towards the Business Administration program as a concentration in Retirement Community Management
Transfer credit requests can be submitted electronically to mcercm@mcmaster.ca
Transfer credit between McMaster Continuing Education Programs:
- Students may apply three courses (9 units) of their completed Certificate of Professional Learning in Risk Management to the Diploma in Business Administration with a Concentration in Risk Management
Certificate of Professional Learning in Workplace Intercultural Competency and Communication
- Up to one external course (3 units) is permitted
- Learners may apply completed courses to Human Resources Management Diploma program, or the Business Administration Diploma with a concentration in Human Resources Management, or the Intercultural Competency Certificate of Professional Learning
Transfer credit requests can be submitted electronically to mceicc@mcmaster.ca
Diploma in Business of Golf and Resort Management
- Up to 3 external courses (9 units) are permitted
Transfer credit requests can be submitted electronically to golfmgmt@mcmaster.ca
No external transfer credits are accepted for the following programs:
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Canadian Housing
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Intercultural Competency
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Retirement Community Management
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Risk Management
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Management Principles and Practices
- Certificate of Completion in Project Management
- Certificate of Completion in Privacy Management
- Certificate of Completion in Business Analysis
- Up to three external courses (9 units) are permitted
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to hinform@mcmaster.ca
Diploma in Health Information Fundamentals
- Up to four external courses (12 units) is permitted
Transfer or credit requests can be submitted electronically to mcehif@mcmaster.ca
Certificate in Health and Social Services
- Up to two external courses (6 units) are permitted
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to hthsserv@mcmaster.ca
Diploma in Professional Addiction Studies
- Up to four external courses (12 units) are permitted
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to studyaddiction@mcmaster.ca
Diploma in Health and Wellness Coaching
- Up to 3 external courses (9 units) are permitted
- Learners may use three courses (Nutrition Fundamentals, Nutrition, Fitness and Healthy Living, and Workplace Health and Wellness) from the Certificate in Professional Learning in Nutrition, Health and Wellness to the Diploma in Health and Wellness Coaching
Transfer or credit requests can be submitted electronically to mcehwc@mcmaster.ca
No external transfer credits are accepted for the following programs:
- Certificate in Applied Clinical Research
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Health and Social Services
- Certificate in Professional Addiction Studies
- Certificate of Professional Learning in The Science of Cannabis
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Nutrition, Health and Wellness
Certificate in Marketing
- Up to one external course (3 units) is permitted
- Learners may apply the five core marketing courses to a second credential in either the Diploma in Marketing or Diploma in Marketing with a Concentration in Digital Marketing
Diploma in Marketing
- Up to two external courses (6 units) are permitted
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to marketing@mcmaster.ca
Certificate in Digital Marketing
- Up to one external course (3 units) is permitted
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to ccedm@mcmaster.ca
Creative, Critical & Design Thinking
- Learners who wish to pursue the Diploma in Business Administration with a concentration in Creative, Critical, and Design Thinking may transfer their three completed courses to the diploma
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to ccdt@mcmaster.ca
Diploma in Full-Stack Development
- Up to three external courses (9 units) are permitted, with no more than one course (3 units) in each content area (UX/UI Design, Front-End Development, Back-End Development)
For the following Full-Stack Development programs:
- Certificate of Professional Learning in User Experience and User Interface (UX/UI) Design
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Front End Development
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Back End Development
The requirements are:
- Up to one external course (3 units) is permitted per program
Transfer or credit requests can be submitted electronically to fsdev@mcmaster.ca
OCAD U – Art & Design Programs
Find transfer credit information on the OCAD U Continuing Education website.
No external transfer credits are accepted for the following programs:
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Creative, Critical & Design Thinking
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Intercultural Competency
- Up to two external courses (6 units) are permitted
- Learners may apply the completed Data Analytics Certificate of Professional Learning courses to the Data Analytics certificate
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to bigdata@mcmaster.ca
- Up to two external courses (6 units) are permitted
- Learners may transfer one course (3 units) from the Data Analytics stream to the Certificate in Data Science
- Learners may apply the completed Certificate of Professional Learning in Data Science courses to the Certificate in Data Science
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to bigdata@mcmaster.ca
Certificate in Big Data Programming & Architecture
- Up to two external courses (6 units) are permitted
- Learners may transfer one course (3 units) from the Data Science stream to the Certificate in Big Data Programming & Architecture
- Learners may apply the completed Certificate of Professional Learning in Big Data Programming & Architecture to the Certificate in Big Data Programming & Architecture
Transfer of credit requests can be submitted electronically to bigdata@mcmaster.ca
Diploma in Full-Stack Development
- Up to three external courses (9 units) are permitted, with no more than one course (3 units) in each content area (UX/UI Design, Front-End Development, Back-End Development)
Transfer or credit requests can be submitted electronically to fsdev@mcmaster.ca.
No external transfer credits are accepted for the following programs:
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Data Analytics
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Data Science
- Certificate of Professional Learning in Big Data Programming & Architecture