Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Cybersecurity (BACS) - Transfer Credit Process

Credits Required from Outside SANS.edu 

To earn a bachelor’s degree from SANS.edu, you need to bring 70 transferrable college credits from any other accredited institution(s) into the program. Of these, 31 credits must fulfill Maryland's general education requirements (detailed below), and 39 can be any other accredited courses.

General Education Requirements (31 credits)

• Arts & Humanities, e.g., Art, Music, Theatre, Literature, Philosophy, History (3 credits)
• English Composition. e.g., Literature, Writing, Language Arts (3 credits)
• Social & Behavioral Sciences, e.g., Economics, Government, Psychology, Sociology (3 credits)
• Math, e.g., Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Statistics (3 credits)
• Biological & Physical Sciences, e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Astronomy (3 credits)
• Choose any combination of General Education courses from the categories above to meet the additional 16-credit requirement (16 credits)

Other Transfer Credits (39 credits)

In addition to the 31 required general education credits outlined above, students need to bring 39 more credits from any accredited courses into the SANS.edu bachelor’s degree program. These can include general or non-general education classes, such as computer science or physical education.

Full Admits with Missing Credits

Receiving full admission means you can begin your studies with us, but it doesn't confirm that all 70 prerequisite credits are fulfilled. You'll be required to complete any outstanding credits prior to graduation.

You have several options for completing these credits:

• Defer your start date and complete credits before beginning your program
• Earn credits alongside your SANS.edu courses or during breaks between courses
• Finish remaining credits just before your graduation date

To create a personalized plan that aligns with your goals and ensure the courses you choose meet our program requirements, please consult with your student advisor and resources on this webpage.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I already have a bachelor’s degree, do I need an evaluation of prerequisite credits?

If you have already earned a bachelor's degree, you likely have all the necessary credits to begin our program.

However, we require official transcripts from your previous institution(s) to verify your degree and credits. Please submit these transcripts to our admissions office as soon as possible.

Can I appeal my SANS.edu transcript evaluation?

Yes, if you feel there is an issue with your evaluation you may submit an appeal for each individual course you would like reconsidered. Please click here to complete your appeal form.

Where does SANS accept credits from?

We can only accept transcripts from accredited colleges and universities. If you have taken courses at a non-accredited institution, you need to first have those credits accepted by another accredited school before they can be considered for our program.

Once you have transferred any unaccredited courses to an accredited institution and we receive the corresponding transcript, we will evaluate the credits for potential transfer to our program.

If my school considers one of my courses to be a general education class, will SANS as well?

If your former institution has designated a course within a particular general education category, we will most likely accept that classification. However, if the course does not appear as a specific general education category on your official evaluation, please complete an appeal form.

Can you provide me with an evaluation before I submit my official transcripts?

While SANS.edu cannot offer an unofficial complete evaluation of your transcript, our admissions team is available to discuss your educational background at any time. To assist you in determining your eligibility for the program, we've created a table (below) you can use to outline your existing credits and identify any additional credits you may need to earn.

What if my credits were completed in a program that uses a quarter, rather than semester, system?

Credits transferred to SANS.edu from a quarter system are converted into semester credits and will be reflected in your transcript evaluation. For instance, 5 credits in a quarter system would equate to approximately 3.33 semester credits.

How does SANS count credit hours from other programs?

A credit hour is a unit of measurement for the amount of effort an average student is expected to invest to meet specific learning outcomes within a designated period. In general, unless stated differently on the transcript being evaluated, credit hours are considered to be approximately 1 credit for each 45 instructional hours.

If my transcripts are international or completed at a college outside the U.S., do they need to be evaluated?

Yes, all coursework taken at a college outside the United States needs to be evaluated for U.S. equivalency before SANS.edu can evaluate it. All the information on this process is on our International Student site.

Self-Assessment of Your General Education Credits

While we'll conduct a formal evaluation of your official transcripts, this document can help you determine if you have enough general education credits and other transfer credits to begin our program.  

This is a self-assessment for your reference only, and you are not required to complete or submit it. After we receive your official transcripts, our admissions team will conduct a formal evaluation which will be included with your admissions decision.