Transfer All PhD Credit Hours to US or Other Country

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of transferring completed PhD credit hours from a university in Saudi Arabia (KFUPM) to a university in the US or another country, in order to avoid a full-time residency requirement while completing a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering. Participants explore the implications of residency requirements and credit transfer policies in different educational systems.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the possibility of transferring credit hours and completing a dissertation at a different university while maintaining part-time work commitments.
  • Another participant asserts that transferring graduate-level credits in the US is generally not permitted.
  • It is noted by a participant that many US universities have their own residency requirements for PhD students.
  • A participant expresses concern that a professor may not be willing to host a student who is only working on their own project, suggesting that collaboration is typically expected.
  • Another participant reinforces the idea that transferring is usually only feasible if a professor moves to a different university along with their students.
  • It is mentioned that the UK has a different system for PhDs, implying potential differences in residency and transfer policies.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that transferring credits at the graduate level in the US is not a straightforward option and that residency requirements are common. However, there is no consensus on the specifics of how these policies may differ in other countries, such as the UK.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of detailed information on specific universities' policies regarding credit transfer and residency requirements, as well as the potential variability in regulations across different countries.

alnazera
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Hello,

I am very happy with my first post in your forum and I hope I can get replies from many people.

I have a question if you can advise. I have completed all academic requirements toward getting the PhD (10 courses (30 hours) and comprehensive exam), My degree I want to get is a PhD Computer Science and Engineering. I wrote the proposal for the PhD degree. I am still working during the day and persuading my PhD degree as part time.

Now, the university in Saudi Arabia KFUPM (www.kfupm.edu.sa) is asking me to be full time resident in the university for one year as part of the PhD requirements which is too difficult to get from my company.

I was thinking of some options and I have question for you if you don't mind. One option out of the box I thought is to transfer my credit hours I have completed in KFUPM plus the comprehensive exam I have passed to a university in US (or other country) accredited as normal study not distance or online learning study and then doing only the dissertation there without being resident for one year, but may be resident for 1, 2 or 3 months which I can get from my vacations this year and next year. This option has a positive side other than avoiding the one year resident in KFUPM, which is getting the PhD degree from a second university other than KFUPM which I have got from my BS and MS. In the same time, I can still working on the same project proposal but with different team members .

This is a thought I want to ask you if it is a real option and there is university in US (or other country) that accepts that, with your recommendation.

Many thanks in advance for your advise.
 
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This is not an option in the US. One cannot simply transfer credits at the graduate level.
 
Also, many US schools have residence requirements for Ph.D. students as well.
 
This seems awfully restrictive. I don't know if a professor will like the idea of hosting you as a student and have you only work on your own project?. I've heard of PhD students moving to other universities, but it is only before passing qualifying exams and others.
 
Pyrrhus said:
This seems awfully restrictive.

It is. The only situation in the US which a university will let you transfer is if a professor moves between universities in which case, they may be able to take their students with them.

UK has a very different system for Ph.D.'s.
 

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