Approved Transfer Courses

Students may request to apply a transfer course towards the U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity) or International Perspectives Requirement. To request approval to apply a transfer course towards the International Perspectives requirement, the student, offering department, academic advisor, and college student office must complete the form to use a non-equivalent course transferred to Iowa State University. To request review of a transfer course to be considered for the U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity) requirement, use the following instructions:

  • Non-Equivalent Transfer Course taken in Fall 2023 or later
    • Must be reviewed by the U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity) Course Requirements Committee
    • Go to the USD Committee website, click on the “US Diversity Course Requirement Proposal Submission Portal” and follow the directions
      • You will be added to a Canvas site, complete and submit a form, and submit the course syllabus
      • The entire process is detailed on the Canvas site (scroll down for the transfer process)
      • NOTE:  Transfer courses can be submitted at any time, but will be reviewed between August 15 and May 15
  • Non-Equivalent Transfer Course taken prior to Fall 2023
    • If student is on the 2022 catalog or earlier:
      • Run degree audit; if course was previously approved it will fall correctly on the audit
      • If it does not fall on the audit, submit a DAAF.  Mark US Diversity review, and include the syllabus/course description, term and course name on the submission.
    • If student is on the 2023 catalog and took the course PRIOR to Fall 2023:
      • Submit a DAAF.  Mark US Diversity review, and include the syllabus/course description, term and course name on the submission.
      • If it is too early for a student to have a degree audit generated, please email the student’s name, ID, course information (including transfer institution), and course syllabus to the Kelsey Gillen at kmgillen@iastate.edu.  This can start the course review process in a more timely manner, and when a DAAF is available the advisor will still submit the request for official documentation.

Following appropriate approvals, the Office of the Registrar will add the course to the U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity) /International Perspectives Approved Transfer Course List.

To request to apply a combination of transfer courses and/or life experiences to either the U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity) or International Perspectives requirement, use the “U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity)/International Perspectives Course Substitution or Waiver Request” form. (See the Registrar Forms page.)

Approved courses: