This page explains how continuing Lehigh students can request credit for a computer science course taken at another institution. Advance approval is required before you take the course, and approval is valid only for the term specified in your request. Each request is evaluated individually.
Eligibility at a Glance
- Continuing students may transfer up to 2 required CSE courses and 2 elective CSE courses, including AP or exam credit. University and college rules also apply.
- Courses must be taken for a letter grade; credit is not granted for grades of C- or lower.
- Completed courses are eligible only if taken within the last 4 years.
- If you are repeating a CSE course elsewhere, transfer credit is available only if you withdrew from the Lehigh course or earned below a C-.
Which Institutions Qualify
Transfers for required CSE courses are normally accepted only from ABET-accredited programs or CSE-approved study abroad courses. Exceptions may be approved for universities whose computer science programs demonstrate equivalent rigor, as determined by the department.
Course Requirements
- All 4-credit courses must run for at least 7 weeks.
- A course replacing a required CSE course is eligible only if at least 60% of the grade comes from proctored or in-person assessments under controlled conditions. Controlled conditions exclude Internet, phone, messaging, and AI access, but may permit limited, instructor-approved aids such as a calculator, formula sheet, or one page of notes.
- Alternatively, with department pre-approval, you may validate the credit by taking a CSE-authorized in-person exam within 10 days of the start of the following semester.
How to Request an Evaluation
Email your request to Beth Yen at bsy296@lehigh.edu. Your request must include:
- A complete syllabus for the course, including the course description, learning outcomes, topics covered, grade components, and exam protocol
- Instructor or program contact information
- The institution, course number and title, and the semester and year you plan to take (or took) the course
Incomplete requests cannot be reviewed, so please confirm your syllabus contains all the items above before submitting. Submit well before you register at the other institution; reviews typically take a few weeks.
What Happens Next
- The undergraduate coordinator verifies that your request is complete and eligible.
- The faculty course owner reviews the course content and makes a recommendation; your academic advisor may comment.
- The Associate Chair issues the official recommendation to the Registrar.
A course may be approved as a direct equivalent of a specific CSE course, approved for elective or general credit (for example, CSE X99), or denied. Appeals may be made to the department chair, whose decision is final.
Questions
Contact Beth Yen at bsy296@lehigh.edu.