Resources for Transfer Students
If you are a transfer student to William & Mary and are interested in pursuing an education program, we would like to provide information that may make your transfer easier once admitted to the School of Education.
Suggested Courses to take before coming to William & Mary
Foreign language proficiency requirement – if possible, try to get this requirement completed before coming to William & Mary. It is a College Curriculum (COLL Curriculum) requirement for all students.
For Elementary Education, required endorsement courses:
- English - (6 credits)
- Mathematics - (6 credits)
- Science - (6 credits) Courses should be in the laboratory science areas of Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The required six semester hours must come from two different science disciplines.
- History and Social Sciences - (6 credits) Courses should be in the areas of History, Geography, Civics or Government, or Economics.
If you are looking for suggestions of what to take, see suggested W&M Equivalent courses.
Education Courses at the VCCS:
- EDU 200 Intro to Teaching as a Profession (transfers in as EDUC 200 for Elementary Education)
- EDU 207 Human Grown and Development (transfers in as EDUC 301 for Secondary or Elementary Education)
- EDU 250 Introduction to Developmental Disabilities (transfers in as EDUC/ELEM 312 for Elementary or Secondary Education)
College Curriculum (COLL) for Transfer Students
The parts of the COLL curriculum that you will be required to take at William & Mary differ depending on what type of transfer student you are. See more details on transfer students' COLL curriculum.
If you take EDUC 200, 301, 310 after coming to William & Mary, they can count toward your COLL Curriculum Requirements:
- EDUC 301 = COLL 200 / CSI Domain
- EDUC 310 = COLL 200 / ALV or CSI Domains
- EDUC 200 = COLL 200 / CSI Domain
Applying to the School of Education/Declaring your Major
Once admitted to William & Mary, you can apply to the School of Education when you have completed a total of 39 credits toward your degree. These credits include transfer credits.
We offer two undergraduate programs:
- B.A.Ed. in Elementary Education - with optional concentrations in special education or ESL
- Secondary Education – a secondary curriculum in addition to your major in the content area you want to teach: English, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies.
You will declare your major with the department of your content area and also apply to the School of Education for the Second Major program in secondary education.
Education Programs of Study:
Programs of study for the B.A.Ed. in Elementary Education and Secondary Education programs are available in the W&M Catalog.
When to Apply to the School of Education
It is best to start in a fall semester, if possible, but you can apply to either fall or spring semesters.
If you come in with 39+ hours, should go ahead and apply over the summer before enrolling in fall. Deadlines are August 15 for a fall semester and January 15 for a spring semester.
Transfer Students that Completed an Education Program
Audrey Dolak: I transferred to William & Mary, particularly the School of Education (SOE), when I was a sophomore. While I found myself working with children from a young age and always enjoyed it, I originally began my college career at Virginia Tech studying Animal Sciences. Although, the passion I had for education and working with kids from a young age crept back in when I began working at a preschool and child development center over a break from college. After this, I knew that I couldn’t ignore the passion I had for this vocation and wanted to pursue a degree in Education. My college at the time did not offer a comparable Education degree, so I began to look at programs elsewhere. I knew William & Mary had a renowned School of Education and was drawn by the field experiences offered throughout the degree, the tight-knit community each program’s cohort offered, as well as the personable nature of the professors. Flash forward three years, I graduated in Spring of 2024 with Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education and loved the SOE and its community so much, I decided to stick around for another year and earn my Masters of Arts in Special Education! If I were to give a tip for other students transferring into William & Mary’s SOE, I would say take advantage of the community it offers! Each program accepts a cohort of students each semester that all attend the same classes together. These people are not only helpful resources while navigating the program, but also have the potential to become wonderful friends!- Email ajdolak@wm.edu with questions on the transfer student experience!
W&M Undergraduate Admission Transfer Information
If you have not yet applied to William & Mary, you can find information on transfer admission on the Undergraduate Admission website.
If you have already applied, read through information for enrolling transfer students.
If you have questions regarding transferring to William & Mary, you can email the UG admission office: transfer@wm.edu.
School of Education Transfer Contacts
If you are planning to transfer to William & Mary, or have already been admitted and want to pursue an education program, we are here to help you:
- Madison Barrett, Assistant Director of Student Success mpbarrett@wm.edu
- Dot Osborne, Senior Assistant Dean, Academic Programs & Student Services dsosbo@wm.edu
