ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: GRADING AND CREDIT

Course Credit for

Entering Freshmen

Students

Each institution of higher education, including each college district, that offers freshmen-level courses shall adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to entering freshmen students who have successfully completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program, who have achieved required scores on one or more examinations in the Advanced Placement (AP) Program or the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP),

or who have successfully completed one or more courses offered through concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of higher education.

In the policy, the institution shall:

1. Establish the institution's conditions for granting course credit, including the minimum required scores on CLEP examinations, AP examinations, and examinations for courses constituting the IB Diploma Program; and

2. Based on the correlations between subject matter and content of courses offered by each institution of higher education and the subject matter and content of courses and examinations in the IB Diploma Program, the AP Program, and the CLEP as identified by the Coordinating Board, in consultation with the Texas Education Agency, under Education Code 51.968(f), identify the specific course credit or other academic requirements of the institution, including the number of semester credit hours or other course credit, that the institution will grant to a student who successfully completes the diploma program, who successfully completes a course through concurrent enrollment, or who achieves required scores on CLEP examinations or AP examinations. In establishing the minimum required score on an AP examination for granting course credit for a particular lower-division course, an institution of higher education may not require a score of more than three unless the institution's chief academic officer determines, based on evidence, that a higher score on the examination is necessary to indicate a student is sufficiently prepared to be successful in a related, more advanced course for which the lower-division

course is a prerequisite.

In establishing the minimum required score on a CLEP examination for granting course credit for a particular lower-division course, an institution of higher education may not require a score higher than the minimum score recommended by the American Council on Education for granting course credit for that examination unless the institution's chief academic officer determines, based on evidence, that a higher score on the examination is necessary to indicate that a student is sufficiently prepared to be successful in a related, more advanced course for which the lower-division course is a prerequisite.

Education Code 51.968(c)-(c-2), (f)

Each institution of higher education shall report its policy to the Coordinating Board and shall include a copy of the policy with the institution’s undergraduate student application materials, including application materials available on the institution’s internet website.

On request of an applicant for admission as an entering freshman, the institution of higher education, based on information provided by the applicant, shall determine and notify the applicant regarding:

1. The amount and type of any course credit that would be granted to the applicant under the policy; and

2. Any other academic requirement that the applicant would satisfy under the policy.

Except as otherwise provided above, an institution of higher education shall grant at least 24 semester credit hours (SCH) or equivalent course credit in appropriate subject areas to an entering freshman student for successful completion of the IB Diploma Program. The institution may grant fewer than 24 SCH if the student received a score of less than four on an examination administered as part of the diploma program. The institution may grant fewer credit hours only with respect to courses that are substantially related to the subject of that examination.

Education Code 51.968(b)-(e)

Course Credit for

Military Training

An institution of higher education, including a college district, shall consider, in determining whether to award course credit toward a degree or certificate offered by the institution for the student’s completion of certain military training:

1. Any official military record presented to the institution by the student that describes the substance of the training completed by the student and verifies the student’s successful completion of that training; and

2. Whether the substance of that training satisfies the purpose of the course for which the student seeks credit as described in

the institution’s course catalog.

This section applies to a student who is admitted to the institution, including a student who has been readmitted to the institution under Education Code 51.9242. [See FBA(LEGAL)]

Education Code 51.3041

Course Credit for

Military Service

An institution of higher education, including a college district, shall award to an undergraduate student who is admitted to the institution, including a student who is readmitted under Education Code 51.9242, course credit for all physical education courses required by the institution for an undergraduate degree and for additional semester credit hours, not to exceed 12, that may be applied to satisfy any elective course requirements for the student's degree program for courses outside the student's major or minor if the student graduated from a public or private high school accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization or from a high school operated by the U.S. Department of Defense and is an honorably discharged former member of the Armed Forces of the United States who completed at least two years of service in the Armed Forces or was discharged because of a disability.

This section does not prohibit an institution of higher education from awarding additional course credit for a student's military service as the institution considers appropriate.

An institution of higher education may adopt rules requiring reason able proof from a student of the fact and duration of the student's military service and of the student's military discharge status.

Education Code 51.3042

Transfer of Credit

In its course catalogs and on its website, each institution of higher education, including each college district, shall publish guidelines addressing the practices of the institution regarding the transfer of course credit. In the guidelines, the institution must identify a course by using the common course numbering system approved by the Coordinating Board. Education Code 61.830 Administrative Code Title 19, Chapter 4, Subchapter B, applies specifically to academic courses and degree programs and does not apply to technical courses or technical degree programs. 19 TAC 4.24(d), .25(c)

Transfer of Lower- Division Course Credit

All successfully completed lower-division academic courses that are identified by the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) and published in the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) shall be fully transferable among public institutions and shall be substituted for the equivalent course at the receiving institution. Except in the case of courses belonging to a Coordinating Board-approved field of study curriculum (FOSC), applicability of transferred courses to requirements for specific degree programs is determined by the receiving institution. All institutions of higher education must accept transfer of credit for successfully completed courses identified in 19 Administrative Code 4.25(a) and (b) [see EFAA] as applicable to an associate or baccalaureate degree in the same manner as credit awarded to non-transfer students in that degree program. 19 TAC 4.24(a), .25(c)

Each institution of higher education shall identify in its undergraduate catalog each lower-division course that is substantially equivalent to an academic course listed in the current edition of the ACGM. 19 TAC 4.25(a)

Each institution must accept the same number of lower-division semester credit hours from transfer students as required for non-transfer students in the same baccalaureate program; however:

1. An institution is not required to accept in transfer more semester credit hours in the major area of a degree program

than the number set out in any applicable Coordinating Board-approved field of study curriculum for that program.

2. In any degree program for which there is no Coordinating Board-approved field of study curriculum, an institution is not

required to accept in transfer more lower-division course credit in the major applicable to a baccalaureate degree than the institution allows its non-transfer students in that major.

3. An institution of higher education is not required to transfer credit in courses in which the student earned a "D" in the student's field of study curriculum courses, core curriculum courses, or major.

An institution of higher education is not required to accept in transfer, or apply toward a degree program, more than sixty-six (66) semester credit hours of lower-division academic credit. Institutions of higher education, however, may choose to accept additional semester credit hours.

19 TAC 4.25(d)-(f)

Noncompliance

If it is determined by the Coordinating Board that an institution inappropriately or unnecessarily required a student to retake a course that is substantially equivalent to a course already taken at another institution, in violation of the provisions of 19 Administrative Code 4.25, formula funding for credit hours in the repeated course will be deducted from the institution's appropriation. 19 TAC 4.26

Notice of Limits

Two-year public colleges shall notify students who intend to transfer to baccalaureate degree programs of possible limitations on lower-division coursework that may be applied toward a baccalaureate degree program at a general academic teaching institution. Notification to students must occur no later than the semester or term during which students are expected to accumulate the 39th semester credit hour of academic coursework.

The notification shall include 19 Administrative Code 4.25(f) and may include additional transfer information that will help students make informed decisions about coursework.

Colleges may notify students either through the mail or through electronic means targeted directly at affected students such as electronic mail, pop-up notices on an electronic registration or advising page, or information included in the students' grade reports. Listing the information on lower-division transfer limits in the institution's catalog, while strongly recommended, is not sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this section.

19 TAC 9.77

Transfer of Core

Curriculum

Completed Core Curriculum

If a student successfully completes the core curriculum at a Texas public institution of higher education, that block of courses must be substituted in transfer to any other Texas public institution of higher education for the receiving institution’s core curriculum. A student shall receive academic credit for each of the courses transferred and may not be required to take additional core curriculum courses at the receiving institution. Education Code 61.822(c); 19 TAC 4.28(c)

Core Curriculum Not Completed

Except as specified in 19 Administrative Code 4.28(f), a student who transfers from one institution of higher education to another without completing the core curriculum of the sending institution must receive academic credit from the receiving institution for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed in the core curriculum of the sending institution. Following receipt of credit for these courses, the student may be required to satisfy the remaining course requirements in the core curriculum of the receiving institution. Education Code 61.822(d); 19 TAC 4.28(e)

Foundation Component Areas

Each student must meet the number of SCH in each foundational component area; however, an institution receiving a student in transfer is not required to apply to the fulfillment of a foundational component area requirement SCH beyond the number of SCH specified in a foundational component area. 19 TAC 4.28(f)

Transfers from Out-of-State

For students who transfer to a public institution from a college or university that is not a Texas public institution of higher education, courses the student completed prior to admission should be evaluated to determine whether they apply to one of the institution’s core curriculum component areas. Only those courses the institution has accepted for transfer that can demonstrate fulfillment of the foundational component area content descriptions, core objectives, and SCH required for the appropriate foundational component area or areas should be applied to the institution’s core curriculum. 19 TAC 4.28(j)

Transfer of Field of Study Curriculum

If a student transfers from one institution of higher education to another without completing the field of study curriculum, the receiving institution must grant academic credit in the field of study curriculum for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed in the field of study curriculum of the sending institution. After granting the student credit for these courses, the institution may require the student to complete additional requirements in the receiving institution’s program, as long as those requirements do not duplicate course content the student previously completed through the field of study curriculum. Education Code 61.823(c); 19 TAC 4.32(f)

Transfer Dispute Resolution

Each institution of higher education shall apply the procedures below in the resolution of credit transfer disputes involving lower-division courses.

If an institution of higher education does not accept and apply a course included in the field of study curriculum for the program in which a student is enrolled or a course in the core curriculum earned by a student at another institution of higher education, the receiving institution shall give written notice to the student and to the sending institution that it intends to deny the transfer of the course credit and shall include in that notice the reasons for the proposed denial. The receiving institution must attach the procedures for resolution of transfer disputes for lower-division courses as outlined in these provisions to the notice. The notice and procedure must include clear instructions for appealing the decision to the commissioner and the name and contact information for the designated official at the receiving institution who is authorized to resolve the credit transfer dispute.

A student who receives notice as specified above may dispute the denial of credit by contacting a designated official at either the sending or the receiving institution.

The two institutions and the student shall attempt to resolve the transfer of the course credit in accordance with these provisions. An institution that proposes to deny the credit shall resolve the dispute not later than the 45th day after the date that the student enrolls in that institution. If the student or the sending institution is not satisfied with the resolution of the credit transfer dispute, the student or the sending institution may notify the commissioner in writing of the denial of the course credit and the reasons for the denial. Not later than the 20th business day after the date the commissioner receives the notice of dispute concerning the application of credit for the core curriculum or field of study curriculum, the commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall make the final determination about a credit transfer dispute and give written notice of the determination to the student and each institution. If the commissioner or the commissioner's designee determines that an institution may not deny the transfer of credit for the core curriculum or field of study curriculum, the receiving institution shall accept and apply the credit toward the core curriculum or field of study as determined by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee.

A decision under 19 Administrative Code 4.27 is not a contested case. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee’s decision is final and may not be appealed.

The Coordinating Board shall collect data on the types of transfer disputes that are reported and the disposition of each case that is considered by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee. Each transfer credit dispute resolved by the commissioner shall be posted on the Coordinating Board's website, including the final determination.

Each institution of higher education shall publish in its course catalogs the procedures specified in this section.

Education Code 61.826; 19 TAC 4.27

Transfer Agreements

The governing board of each general academic teaching institution and each public junior college within a 100-mile radius of that institution shall adopt a policy to enhance the transfer of students based on the recommendations of the permanent advisory committee established under Education Code 51.3521. [See GI] Education Code 51.352(f)

Denial of Transfer Credit

Each institution of higher education shall maintain on the admissions page of the institution’s internet website a list of:

1. The five majors or degree or certificate programs offered by the institution with the highest number of courses for which

academic credit is denied or not applied toward the major or program; and

2. For each of the five majors or degree or certificate programs, the five courses for which academic credit is most frequently

denied because the credit is not applicable toward the major or program.

The Coordinating Board shall annually provide to each institution of higher education a list of the five courses for which academic credit is most frequently denied because the credit is not applicable toward the major or program.

Education Code 51.4035

Note: For provisions addressing admissions, see FB. For provisions addressing support for transfer students, see FFC.

Nondiscrimination

Nothing in 19 Administrative Code Chapter 4, Subchapter B, restricts the authority of an institution of higher education to adopt its own grading policies so long as it treats transfer students and native students in the same manner.

Institutional policies regarding acceptance of credit for correspondence courses, credit-by-examination, and other credit-earning instruments must be consistent with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ (SACSCOC) guidelines and must treat transfer students and native students in the same manner.

19 TAC 4.24(b)-(c)

Withdrawal for

Military Service

If a student withdraws from an institution of higher education, including a college district, because the student is called to active military service, the institution, at the student’s option, shall:

1. Grant a student, who is eligible under the institution’s guidelines, an incomplete grade in all courses by designating “with-

drawn-military” on the student’s transcript; or

2. As determined by the instructor, assign an appropriate final grade or credit to a student who has satisfactorily completed a

substantial amount of coursework and demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material.

Education Code 54.006(f)

ROTC Courses

Counted for

Enrollment Status

To the extent it will not adversely affect the accreditation status of an institution of higher education with the appropriate accrediting agency, the governing board of the institution, including a college district, shall count courses in which a student enrolls for the purposes of a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, including courses for which the student does not receive course credit toward the student’s degree, in determining whether the student is enrolled as a full-time student. Education Code 51.9112(c)