Penn State Transfer Credits via ACE and NCCRS - Course Equivalency Guide. Cheaper than community colleges.

Penn State Transfer Credits via UPI Study (NCCRS) — Course Equivalency Table

This page is a Penn State (The Pennsylvania State University) transfer credit equivalency reference showing how UPI Study NCCRS-recommended online courses map to Penn State course equivalents (CMPSC, IST, MATH, STAT, ECON, ENGL, MGMT, BA, FIN, MKTG, BIOL, CHEM, PHYS, PSYCH, SOC, CRIM, ENSC, HPA, and more). If you’re planning a Penn State online or in-person degree and searching for transferable online college credits, use the table below to confirm your Penn State course match before enrolling.

Search intent this page targets (Penn State only): Penn State transfer credits, Penn State equivalency table, Penn State course equivalency, UPI Study to Penn State transfer, NCCRS credits Penn State, Penn State online degree transfer credits, plus course-code queries like IST 110, IST 256, CMPSC 121, CMPSC 221, CMPSC 442, MATH GQ1, STAT GQ, ECON 102, ECON 104, ENGL 202C, MGMT 301, MGMT 405, BA 100, MKTG 301, BIOL 110, CHEM 110, PHYS GN2.

How to use this Penn State equivalency table

  1. Search your Penn State course code (example: IST 110 or CMPSC 121).
  2. Find the matching UPI Study NCCRS course in the table.
  3. Plan your degree path—final application (major vs elective vs gen-ed) depends on your Penn State program rules and advisor guidance.

Most popular Penn State matches (examples)

  • ENGL 202C (Technical Writing) — UPI Study: English 120 (Advanced Technical Writing)
  • ECON 102 (Microeconomics) — UPI Study: Economics 251 (Microeconomics)
  • ECON 104 (Macroeconomics) — UPI Study: Economics 252 (Macroeconomics)
  • CHEM 110 (Chemistry Chem Princ I) — UPI Study: Chemistry 111 (Chemistry I)
  • PSYCH 100 (Intro Psychology) — UPI Study: Psychology 110 (Introduction to Psychology)
  • SOC 1 (Intro Sociology) — UPI Study: Sociology 110 (Introduction to Sociology)
  • CS 250 (Discrete Math for CS) — UPI Study: Maths 230 (Discrete Mathematics)
  • BIOL 110 (Concepts & Biodiversity) — UPI Study: Biology 100 (Intro to Biology 1)

FAQ (Penn State credits via UPI Study)

Will Penn State accept these credits? This page lists the provided course-to-course matches for Penn State equivalents. Final applicability (major requirement vs elective vs gen-ed) depends on your Penn State degree plan and advisor guidance.

Why do some Penn State equivalents look like “XFR”? Penn State may display transfer work as Transfer Credit Course (XFR) categories (e.g., XFR100 / XFR200 / XFRGQ / XFRGN2). These are still credit-bearing transfer designations subject to PSU placement rules.

UPI Study Course (NCCRS) UPI Credits Penn State Equivalent Penn State Credits Transfer Status
Accounting 210: Managerial Accounting 3 XFR000 ACCTG - Accounting Transfer Credit Course 3 Transfers
Business 310: Entrepreneurship 3 XFR100 BA - Business Administration Transfer Credit Course 3 Transfers
Chemistry 111: Chemistry I 3 110 CHEM - Chemistry Chem Princ I 3-4 Transfers
Computer Science 200: Fundamentals of Information Technology 3 XFR200 CMPSC - Computer Science Transfer Credit Course 3 Transfers
Computer Science 230: Programming in Python 3 XFR100 CMPSC - Computer Science Transfer Credit Course 3 Transfers
Computer Science 281: Database Fundamentals 3 XFR200 CMPSC - Computer Science Transfer Credit Course 3 Transfers
Economics 251: Microeconomics 3 102 ECON - Economics Microec Anly 3 Transfers
Economics 252: Macroeconomics 3 104 ECON - Economics Macroec Anly 3 Transfers
English 120: Advanced Technical Writing 3 202C ENGL - English Technical Writing 3 Transfers
Finance 201: Principles of Finance 3 XFR100 FIN - Finance Transfer Credit Course 3 Transfers
Physics 200: Physics I 3 XFRGN2 PHYS - Physics Transfer Credit GN2 3 Transfers
Psychology 110: Introduction to Psychology 3 100 PSYCH - Psychology Intro Psychology 3 Transfers
Sociology 110: Introduction to Sociology 3 1 SOC - Sociology Intro Sociology 3 Transfers
Statistics 101: Principles of Statistics 3 XFRGQ STAT - Statistics Transfer Credit GQ 3 Transfers
Maths 165: Calculus 1 4 XFRGQ1 MATH - Mathematics Transfer Credit GQ1 4-5 Transfers
Maths 265: Calculus 2 4 XFRGQ1 MATH - Mathematics Transfer Credit GQ1 4-5 Transfers
Maths 230: Discrete Mathematics 4 CS 250: Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science 4 Transfers
Math 100: Business Math 3 CSCI 250 (Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science) 3 Transfers
Math 250: Quantitative Analysis 3 STAT 200 – Elementary Statistics 3 Transfers
Biology 100: Intro to Biology 1 3 BIOL 110 (Biology: Concepts & Biodiversity) or BIOL 110H (Honors) 3-4 Transfers
Biology 200: Intro to Biology 2 3 BIOL 230W – Biology of Human Health 3-4 Transfers
Business 100: Business Essentials 3 BA 100 – Introduction to Business 3 Transfers
Business 101: Principles of Management 3 MGMT 301 – Basic Management Concepts 3 Transfers
Business 205: Foundations of Leadership 3 MGMT 405 – Leadership in Organizations 3 Transfers
Business 206: Leadership and Organizational Behavior 3 MGMT 311 – Organizational Behavior 3 Transfers
Business 210: Business Communication 3 CAS 100A – Effective Speech / ENGL 202C – Technical Writing 3 Transfers
Business 211: Business Ethics 3 BA 342 – Socially Responsible Management 3 Transfers
Business 213: Leading Organizational Change 3 MGMT 430 – Managing Organizational Change 3 Transfers
Business 230: Project Management 3 MGMT 409 – Project Management 3 Transfers
Business 250: Business Law 3 BA 310 – Commercial Law 3 Transfers
Business 300: International Business 3 IB 303 – International Business Operations 3 Transfers
Business 306: Human Resources Management 3 MGMT 341 – Human Resource Management 3 Transfers
Business 309: Globalization and International Management 3 IB 301 – Globalization, Ethics & International Business 3 Transfers
Computer Science 140: Current Trends in Computer Science and IT 3 IST 110 – Information, People & Technology 3 Transfers
Computer Science 150: Computer Concepts and Applications 3 IST 140 – Introduction to Application Development 3 Transfers
Computer Science 180: Introduction to HTML and CSS 3 IST 256 – Programming for the Web 3 Transfers
Computer Science 190: Introduction to Javascript 3 IST 256 – Programming for the Web 3 Transfers
Computer Science 195: Ethics in Technology 3 IST 432 – Legal & Ethical Environment of IT 3 Transfers
Computer Science 196: Introduction to Networking 3 IST 220 – Networking & Telecommunications 3 Transfers
Computer Science 201: Introduction to Linux 3 IST 230 – Operating Systems Concepts 3 Transfers
Computer Science 210: Introduction to Java 3 CMPSC 221 – Object-Oriented Programming with Java 3 Transfers
Computer Science 235: Introduction to Computing 3 CMPSC 121 – Intro to Programming Techniques 3 Transfers
Computer Science 240: Programming in C 3 CMPSC 311 – Systems Programming 3 Transfers
Computer Science 242: Programming in C++ 3 CMPSC 122 – Intermediate Programming 3 Transfers
Computer Science 251: Data Structure and Algorithms 3 CMPSC 465 – Data Structures and Algorithms 3 Transfers
Computer Science 252: Network and Systems Security 3 IST 451 – Network Security 3 Transfers
Computer Science 270: Cybersecurity 3 IST 454 – Cybersecurity Analytics 3 Transfers
Computer Science 301: Software Engineering 3 CMPSC 431W – Software Engineering 3 Transfers
Computer Science 354: Introduction to Operating Systems 3 CMPSC 473 – Operating Systems Design 3 Transfers
Computer Science 373: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence 3 CMPSC 442 – Artificial Intelligence 3 Transfers
Computer Science 381: Database Programming 3 IST 210 – Database Management Systems 3 Transfers
Computer Science 390: System Analysis and Design 3 IST 311 – Systems Analysis & Design 3 Transfers
Criminology 150: Introduction to Criminology 3 CRIM 100 – Introduction to Criminology 3 Transfers
Environmental Science 1 ENSC 100 – Introduction to Environmental Science 1 Transfers
Finance 204: Financial Management 3 FIN 301 – Corporation Finance 3 Transfers
Health 120: Medical Terminology 3 HPA 100 – Introduction to Health Services 3 Transfers
Health 301: Healthcare Finance and Budgeting 3 HPA 301 – Health Services Finance 3 Transfers
Health 302: Healthcare Organization and Management 3 HPA 202 – Organization of Health Services 3 Transfers
Health 303: Human Resource Management in Healthcare 3 HPA 249 – Health Workforce Management 3 Transfers
Marketing 102: Principles of Marketing 3 MKTG 301 – Introduction to Marketing 3 Transfers
Marketing 300: Marketing Research 3 MKTG 342 – Marketing Research 3 Transfers
Philosophy 200: Principles of Philosophy 3 PHIL 001 – Basic Problems of Philosophy 3 Transfers
Psychology 111: Research Methods in Psychology 3 PSYCH 301W: Basic Research Methods in Psychology 3 Transfers
Psychology 112: Psychology of Diversity 3 Psychology of Gender (PSYCH 479) 3 Transfers
Psychology 120: Educational Psychology 3 PSYCH 212 – Educational Psychology 3 Transfers
Psychology 180: Abnormal Psychology 3 PSYCH 270: Introduction to Abnormal Psychology 3 Transfers
Psychology 300: Psychology of Personality 3 PSYCH 238: Introduction to Personality Psychology 3 Transfers
Psychology 310: Advanced Social Psychology 3 PSYCH 420: Advanced Social Psychology 3 Transfers
Social Science 110: Ethics in the Social Sciences 3 PHIL 119: Ethical Leadership 3 Transfers
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UPI Study × Penn State

Penn State is one of the most respected public research universities in the United States — and one of the most transfer-friendly. Penn State officially accepts ACE & NCCRS-recommended credits, the exact standards UPI Study courses are evaluated under. Choose from nearly 70 Penn State-aligned courses covering Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Sciences, and more. Complete them at your pace and build toward Penn State enrollment.

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Step 3

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Step 1

Pick & Enroll

Start one or more courses covering lower or upper division requirements.

Step 2

Earn College Credit

Watch short video lessons, take quizzes and the final exam — all from home.

Step 3

Transfer your Credit

Send earned credits to your school and graduate sooner, at a fraction of the cost.

Does Penn State Accept UPI Study Courses?

Yes — Penn State officially accepts ACE and NCCRS-recommended credits through its Prior Learning Assessment program. Every UPI Study course carrying an ACE or NCCRS recommendation is eligible for Penn State credit evaluation. The equivalency table below shows UPI courses and their Penn State course matches, sourced via Penn State's Transfer Credit System and UPI Study's independent research.

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Penn State · Course Equivalency Guide

Find your courses

Select courses to calculate your transferable credits and estimated savings vs Penn State tuition.

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Penn State Course Equivalency & Transfer Guide

Tip: search course codes like IST 110, CMPSC 121, ENGL 202C, or keywords like "Python" or "Calculus".

UPI Study course UPI CR Penn State equivalent PSU CR

*Savings estimate uses Penn State's published per-credit rate. Credit ranges (e.g. 3–4) use the lower end for conservative totals.

Verified on Penn State TES

Check UPI credits yourself on Penn State's Transfer Credit System

Penn State's Transfer Credit System lets you look up exactly how ACE and NCCRS-recommended courses transfer. See UPI Study course equivalencies directly from Penn State's registrar database.

1Go to Penn State's Transfer Credit System (search "Penn State TES")
2Select institution: American Council on Education or National College Credit Recommendation Service
3In courses, search UPI Study to see all approved course equivalencies
View Penn State Transfer Portal (Lion Path) →
UPI Study courses shown in Penn State Transfer Credit System

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Penn State official policy showing ACE and NCCRS credit acceptance
Official Penn State Policy

Penn State officially accepts ACE & NCCRS credits

Penn State's Prior Learning Assessment policy explicitly recognizes credits earned through ACE and NCCRS recommendations — the same standards UPI Study courses are evaluated under. Every UPI Study course with an ACE or NCCRS recommendation is eligible for credit evaluation at Penn State.

"Penn State accepts credit recommendations from the American Council on Education (ACE) and the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) for prior learning credit."— Penn State Prior Learning Assessment, priorlearning.psu.edu
FAQ

Common Questions Answered.

Everything you need to know about UPI Study credits, pricing, and how they transfer to Penn State.

Does Penn State officially accept UPI Study credits?
Yes — Penn State and UPI Study have an active transfer credit pathway. Penn State evaluates UPI Study credits through their ACE & NCCRS recommendations, the same standards used for CLEP and military training evaluations. You can view the official agreement here and use the equivalency table on this page to match your specific courses before enrolling.
Can I earn college credit without enrolling in a full degree program?
Yes. UPI Study allows you to take individual courses and earn ACE and NCCRS-recommended college credit completely independently — no university enrollment, no application, no admission process required. Complete the courses, get your official transcript, then submit it to Penn State for credit evaluation.
How do I check which UPI Study courses transfer to Penn State?
Use the equivalency table on this page. Search by course name, subject area, or Penn State course code to find exact matches. Courses showing a specific Penn State course code transfer directly. Courses listed as "Open Electives" count toward your elective credit requirements. When in doubt, book a call with our team — we'll walk you through your specific degree plan.
What's the difference between ACE and NCCRS credit recommendations?
ACE (American Council on Education) evaluates non-traditional learning and recommends credit to colleges and universities. NCCRS (National College Credit Recommendation Service), operated by the New York State Education Department, does the same. Both are nationally recognized standards — the same evaluation system used by CLEP, DSST, and military training programs. UPI Study courses carry recommendations from both bodies.
How long does it take to complete a UPI Study course?
Most students complete individual courses in 2–6 weeks studying a few hours per week. Because there are no deadlines, you can move faster through subjects you already know, or slow down during busy periods — without any penalty.
How does UPI Study compare to taking courses at a community college?
Community college typically costs $300–$600 per credit hour, requires fixed class schedules, and involves semester deadlines. UPI Study offers ACE & NCCRS-recommended credits from $42/month (US) or $250/course (international) with no deadlines, no fixed class times, and no campus required.
Can military students or first responders use UPI Study?
Yes — military students and first responders (police, fire, EMS) are some of our most active members. UPI Study credits use the same ACE and NCCRS standards as military training evaluations and can be stacked with existing military training credits on a single Excelsior OneTranscript. US citizens and military personnel have access to subscription plans starting from $89/month with no additional fees for course materials.
Is UPI Study a good option for adult learners returning to school?
It's one of the best options available. UPI Study is fully self-paced with no deadlines — adult learners with jobs and families can study whenever they have time, pause when they don't, and pick back up without penalty. Most adult learners complete 6–12 courses in their first year around their existing lives.
What happens if I need to pause or cancel my subscription?
You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time with no penalty and no questions asked. Credits you've already earned remain valid permanently. If you pause and return later, you pick up exactly where you left off.
How many credits can I earn through UPI Study?
Up to 90 ACE and NCCRS-recommended credits — the equivalent of two full years of traditional college. Combined with other ACE/NCCRS sources like CLEP exams, DSST, or military training, many students build 70–90+ total credits before enrolling in university.

Still have questions? Our team answers within hours — not days.

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About the University

About Penn State

Located in University Park, Pennsylvania, Penn State (The Pennsylvania State University) is a flagship public research university and one of the most respected higher education institutions in the United States. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), Penn State serves over 90,000 students across its University Park campus, 19 Commonwealth Campuses, and its online World Campus. Founded in 1855, Penn State offers more than 275 undergraduate programs and is consistently ranked among the top public universities in the US for research output, alumni network, and career outcomes. The university is particularly renowned for programs in engineering, business, information sciences, agriculture, and the liberal arts.

Transfer Credit Information

Penn State evaluates transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions and accepts ACE and NCCRS-recommended credit through its Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program. Students can verify course equivalencies using Penn State's Transfer Credit System (TES) by selecting American Council on Education or National College Credit Recommendation Service as the sending institution and searching for UPI Study. For Penn State's full transfer credit policies and PLA guidelines, visit: Penn State Prior Learning Assessment — ACE & NCCRS Credits

Contact the School

📞 (814) 865-4700
📍 Admissions Services, 201 Shields Building
University Park, PA 16802
🌐 https://www.psu.edu
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Disclaimer

Transfer chart disclaimer: The course equivalencies shown on this page were sourced via two methods: (1) courses verified directly through Penn State's Transfer Credit System (TES) using ACE and NCCRS institution lookups, and (2) courses researched independently by the UPI Study team based on Penn State's published curriculum and departmental course descriptions. Equivalencies sourced independently have not been confirmed through the official TES and are provided as planning estimates only. Final transferability, course matching, and whether credit applies to major, general education, or elective requirements are determined solely by Penn State's registrar, department, and degree audit at the time of enrollment.

Trademark & affiliation notice: The Pennsylvania State University, Penn State, and all related names, seals, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used on this page for identification and informational reference only. UPI Study is not sponsored by, endorsed by, affiliated with, or officially connected to The Pennsylvania State University. This page is intended solely to provide an independent course-equivalency and transfer-planning reference for students exploring possible pathways.

Logo-use disclaimer: All third-party university names and logos shown on this page are the property of their respective owners and are used only to identify the institutions students may wish to research for transfer consideration. No university has reviewed, approved, or endorsed this page unless expressly stated by that institution in writing.

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