How do I take a course from another university and transfer it to Penn State?
Before taking a course from another university, it is best to use the Penn State transfer credit tool prior to enrolling in a transfer course to make sure it is a direct equivalent to the Penn State course you need. It is recommended that you print a copy of the evaluation for your records. Once you have completed the course, request that the other college send your transcript directly to the Penn State Admissions Office. After the transcript is sent, it usually takes about 6-8 weeks for the credit to be added to your Penn State transcript. If the course was listed as a direct equivalent in the transfer credit tool, it will be listed on your Penn State transcript as the equivalent Penn State course and will count the same way the Penn State course would on your degree audit. Students must earn at least a C in transfer courses for Penn State credit to be given for them.
https://admissions.psu.edu/info/future/transfer/credit/
What do I do if I want to take a class that isn’t listed in the transferring credits tool?
Because the pre-approval process takes at least six weeks, it is recommended that you plan well in advance. It is important to know how the course will transfer to Penn State before taking the course so that you do not take a class that will be unusable for your degree.
For the pre-approval process, you will need to submit a syllabus to the Admissions Office for each course that you are interested in. The link below gives detailed instructions for current Penn State students wanting preapproval for a transfer course. When you open the link, scroll down to the section highlighted in blue and titled “Current Penn State students planning to take transfer courses at another domestic institution.” (It is the second section under “Instructions for evaluating a transfer course at Penn State.”)
https://admissions.psu.edu/info/future/transfer/transfer-credit-equivalencies/
Once a course is evaluated, check with your adviser if you are not sure whether it will be usable for your degree.