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The How-to Guide

The information below provides instructions and tips related to many topics you have questions about and are expected to know at the conclusion of the first year. Please review the information and reach out to the advising office at ansci@vt.edu if you have any questions.

Any currently enrolled Virginia Tech student planning to transfer courses from a Virginia Community College should follow the steps below. You can also view the Steps to Transfer Credit infographic for a visual step-by-step process.

Step 1: Review the VCCS Guide to determine course equivalents

Step 2: Use the VCCS Course Search to see which VCCS sites teach the course equivalents

Step 3: Complete the Authorization of Transfer Credit form

Step 4: Submit the Authorization of Transfer Credit form to the School of Animal Sciences

NOTE: This must be done BEFORE taking the course(s) you would like to transfer. The School of Animal Sciences processes the request and submits it to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). CALS approves or denies the request and contacts the student.

Step 5: Sign-up and complete the course(s) -- a grade of a "C" or better is required in any course to receive transfer credit

Step 6: Upon completion of the course(s), have the Registrar at the community college send your official transcript to the Office of the University Registrar at Virginia Tech. Official transcripts can be sent electronically through Parchment or to the following address:


Office of the University Registrar
Student Services Building, Suite 250, Virginia Tech
800 Washington St, S.W.
Blacksburg, VA 24060-0134

You can view accepted credit on Hokie Spa →  Grades → Transfer and Other Additional Credit


If the transfer credit does not show up within a month after requesting the official transcript, please contact transfercredit@vt.edu

 

Any currently enrolled Virginia Tech student planning to transfer courses from a non-Virginia Community College (this includes 4-year institutions) within the United States should follow the steps below. You can also view the Steps to Transfer Credit infographic for a visual step-by-step process.

Step 1: Review the Transfer Equivalency Database (TED) to determine if the course has been previously evaluated and accepted for equivalency. If you need help using the TED, download the How to Use the Transfer Equivalency Database instructions.

Courses may or may not be in the TED. If you do not find an equivalent in the TED, make sure to upload the appropriate syllabus/syllabi for the course(s) you are interested in taking in Step 3.

Step 2: Complete the Authorization of Transfer Credit form

Step 3: Submit the Authorization of Transfer Credit form to the School of Animal Science. You MUST upload the syllabus/syllabi if the course(s) you plan to take are not in the Transfer Equivalency Database.

NOTE: This must be done BEFORE taking the course(s) you would like to transfer. The School of Animal Sciences processes the request and submits it to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). CALS approves or denies the request and contacts the student. If approved, proceed to Step 4. If not approved, you will need to search for a different institution offering your desired course.

Step 4: Sign-up and complete the course(s) -- a grade of a "C" or better is required in any course to receive transfer credit.

Step 5:  Upon completion of the course(s), have the Registrar at the transferring institution send your official transcript to the Office of the University Registrar at Virginia Tech.  Official transcripts can be sent electronically through Parchment or to the following address:

Office of the University Registrar
Student Services Building, Suite 250, Virginia Tech
800 Washington St, S.W.
Blacksburg, VA 24060-0134

You can view accepted credit on Hokie Spa →  Grades → Transfer and Other Additional Credit


If the transfer credit does not show up within a month after requesting the official transcript, please contact transfercredit@vt.edu

 

Any currently enrolled Virginia Tech student planning to transfer courses from an institution outside of the United States should follow the steps below.

Step 1: Register for a My Study Abroad account.

NOTE: Without registration the Registrar will not accept your transcript from abroad. You may also jeopardize the release of your financial aid.

Step 2: Review the Transfer Equivalency Database to determine if the course has been previously evaluated and accepted for equivalency. If you need help using the TED, download the How to Use the Transfer Equivalency Database instructions.

Step 3: Complete the Authorization to Take Courses Abroad form (instructions and transfer credit policies are on the form). For SAS students (APSC and DASC), work with Dr. Wood (piglady@vt.edu) to complete the form.

Step 4: Submit the Authorization to Take Courses Abroad form through your study abroad account.

NOTE: The Global Education Office does not accept forms through email.

Step 5: You may have to submit additional documentation if the course(s) was/were not found on the Transfer Equivalency Database.

For more information, look under "Transfer Credit" on the Global Education’s Office website.

 

  1. Courses will be transferred as equivalent Virginia Tech courses as determined by the appropriate Virginia Tech department. If there is no equivalent Virginia Tech course, transfer credit may be awarded as a Free Elective (e.g. VT 1XXX).
  2. Courses in which a grade of a C or higher is earned are considered for transfer (Pass/Fail courses will not transfer). Only the credits will transfer, grades do not.
  3. Courses taken as Credit-by-Exam or as Advanced Standing at another institution do not transfer.
  4. Home study or correspondence courses do not transfer.
  5. A course passed at Virginia Tech takes priority over an equivalent transfer course, regardless of when the transfer course is taken or the grade earned. Courses that duplicate previously studied material will not transfer.
  6. Students may transfer up to one-half of the credits required for their degree program from any combination of 2-year schools.
  7. There is no limit to the number of credits transferred from a 4-year school, however a minimum of one-fourth of the credit for the respective degree must be earned at Virginia Tech.
  8. Of the last 45 semester hours before graduation, a maximum of 18 semester hours may be transfer hours.
  9. Courses taken elsewhere during periods of academic suspension will not transfer to Virginia Tech.

Specific transfer questions should be directed to the SAS Transfer Specialist:

Your assigned advisor may be found on Hokie Spa or Navigate.

If using Hokie Spa, you can see your advisor listed under View your General Student Information.

If using Navigate, scroll down to "Your Success Team" on the right-hand side.

  • Incoming students are assigned to an advisor in the Undergraduate Education Office. At the start of their second year, they are assigned to a faculty advisor based on request (students rank their top three). We cannot guarantee students will be placed with someone on their list but we try our best.
  • Transfer Students are assigned to an advisor in the Undergraduate Education Office, but are not reassigned at the beginning of their second year at Virginia Tech.
  • Incoming freshman and transfer students are ALL allowed to request to change their faculty advisor after the first semester, but can only do so once per semester. All students must get permission from the new advisor and copy that permission into the request form.
    School of Animal Sciences Advisor Change Request Form

 

As a SAS student, you are required to meet with your advisor during course request each semester. You are also encouraged to meet with your advisor anytime you have academic concerns and need career advice.

The Hokie GPS (Graduation Plan for Success) is an academic planning system for Virginia Tech undergraduate students. Hokie GPS receives degree information from DARS and allows you to put together a semester-by-semester plan based on your degree and catalog year. It can help you to identify flexibility in your schedule, so that you can “create room” for double majors, minors, research, co-ops, study abroad, co-curricular activities, and more.

Please see the resources below for information on how to create and use a Hokie GPS:

Why is this helpful?

Running a DARS report outlines every requirement you need to complete in order to obtain your degree. The Hokie GPS runs this simultaneously, while allowing you to plan out your future classes. Please keep the following things in mind:

  • Your Hokie GPS will notify you of existing pre-requisites when you put in your classes each semester, but it does not recognize the different summer sessions. Example: If you take CHEM 1035 and 1036 over the summer, when you insert CHEM 1036 in the summer semester of your choice, it will appear as though you don’t have the required pre-requisite (CHEM 1035). Once you have completed the course, that information will update automatically.
  • Hokie GPS will also not tell you if a class is not offered in the semester you placed it in. Use the Timetable of Classes, the Historical Timetable of Classes, and the Facts About Courses Spreadsheet when creating your academic plan to make sure you have classes in the right sequence and in the right semester they are taught. NOTE: The Facts About Courses Spreadsheet may be different depending on the year you entered Virginia Tech (see below).  

Hokie Tip: For a more extensive explanation on how to create a Hokie GPS, please refer to the School of Animal Sciences Student Central Canvas site under the “How Can I Get a Jumpstart on My Academic Plan Before Meeting With My Advisor” tab. The homepage is split into pages based on your degree type and when you started at Virginia Tech.

 

→ PDF instructions for major changes

Upon completion of 78 credit hours (typically during the second semester of a student’s junior year), the School of Animal Sciences Undergraduate Education Office offers Graduation Analysis as a recommend service for students to evaluate academic plans and establish objectives for on-time graduation. If there are any concerns regarding your academic progress towards degree completion, or you just want to make sure you are on track to graduate, you are STRONGLY ENCOURANGED to request a graduation analysis. Please complete the School of Animals Sciences Application for Graduation Analysis form to apply.

You must have a viable Hokie GPS that has been updated in the same term as the Graduation Analysis. A Hokie GPS that has not been updated within the current term will NOT be accepted. You should also Apply for your Degree BEFORE your graduation analysis meeting. (See the drop down below).

Once you have applied for Graduation Analysis, your course plan will be evaluated, and you will be contacted to schedule your appointment. You should normally hear back to schedule an appointment within a week of submitting your request.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please email ansci@vt.edu.

  • Applying for your degree tells the Registrar when you intend to graduate, and begins the process of auditing your transcript to make sure you are meeting graduation requirements. 

  • We recommend you apply for your degree at the beginning of your junior year. You can update this any time your circumstances change.

Applying for a Degree

A dual degree means that a student completes an additional 30 credits over the minimum required for the first degree. The student will receive a separate diploma for each degree. A double major means that a student has completed the requirements for two degrees, but did not complete an additional 30 credits. The student will receive a diploma for the primary major and a certificate for the second major.

Dropping a course and withdrawing from a course are different.

Dropping a course:

  • You may drop a course with no evidence of enrollment on your transcript until the deadline to drop courses (this is five weeks into the fall or spring semester, but much sooner for summer terms). The specific date for each term is on the Academic Calendar.
  • Instructions for How to Drop a Course   

Withdrawing from a course:

  • You may withdraw from a course up until the last day of class.
  • Withdrawing will count as an attempt at the class, and the grade will be recorded as a “W”.
  • A “W” does not count towards your GPA, but does appear on your transcript and count towards your attempted credit hours.
  • Withdrawing from a class can be done a maximum of 3 times during a student’s academic career.
  • The form is available on the CALS student forms page.

Some things to consider before withdrawing from a course:

  1. Investigate options to be successful and decide if withdrawing from the course is your best option.
  2. Research which courses require the course you are requesting the W grade policy from as a pre-requisite.
  3. Determine how the course withdrawal will impact your academic plan.
  4.  Consult with your academic advisor for any questions related to the course withdrawal.

Virginia Tech Students are expected to make consistent progress toward the completion of their degree. However, the University understands that there are circumstances where a student may find it necessary to withdraw/resign from the University during a given semester.

Withdrawing means dropping ALL courses for the semester on or before the first day of classes. Resigning means dropping ALL courses for the semester after the first day of classes. You cannot drop the last of your hours in a given term via Hokie Spa. You must fill out the Student Withdrawal and Resignation form. It is strongly recommended to consider any potential impacts of withdrawing/resigning for the semester prior to submitting this form.

Submitting this form will not count towards any applicable 'W' (undergraduate) or 'WG' (graduate) grade limits. Please consult your academic advisor before filling out this form.

Students with 3 or more final exams scheduled within 24 hours or 2 exams with conflicting times may fill out a Request to Change Final Examination Time form.

Students should discuss their exam conflicts with their instructor(s) prior to completing the Change Final Examination Time form. The academic Dean’s Office nor the instructor will allow an exam change due to travel, business, or family plans. Please do not ask.

Students will receive confirmation that the submission has been received, and another confirmation when the process has been completed. If further information is needed, the student will be contacted.