Transfer of Credit

In today’s society, which places a premium on postsecondary education, expanded educational access, and the ideals associated with continuous education and life-long learning, the need for greater portability of educational credits has reached a critical point.   ACCSC has made a concerted effort towards facilitating continuing education and training opportunities for graduates from ACCSC-accredited institutions.  As part of these efforts, ACCSC has drafted and distributed proposals regarding the importance of establishing fair and equitable transfer of credit policies, and has met with key members of Congress, as well as representatives from organizations across higher education to discuss increasing the options that are made available to students and graduates from ACCSC-accredited institutions who are interested in continuing their education.

In conducting research, the Commission found that while there is ample variety to transfer of credit policies, these also exists a systemic theme regarding the importance of having a well defined policy and process for evaluating credits for comparability and alignment as well as delimiters regarding the acceptance of transfer credit. The Commission’s adopted transfer of credit language follows:

• At its discretion, an institution may accept transfer credit for a course completed in other postsecondary institutions when comparable in scope and content to the institution’s own coursework.
• In evaluating credit earned by students for transfer, an institution must adhere to the following principles and practices:
  • An institution has established appropriate criteria (such as age, comparability, applicability, and source of credit; academic preparedness of the student at the time of credit transfer; grade earned for the credit to be transferred; etc.) and apply a systematic, consistent process for determining whether to accept credit earned at other institutions for transfer.
  • An institution publishes its transfer-of-credit policy in its catalog and clearly communicates the criteria and process for evaluating and accepting credit earned at other institutions for transfer.
  • The acceptance of credit for transfer is primarily based on the competencies achieved by the student in previously completed coursework and whether the competencies reasonably align with the coursework and the program into which the credit is to be transferred.
  • Accreditation of the institution or program from which the student is seeking to transfer credits is a consideration for credit transfer decisions; however, the source of accreditation of the institution or program from which the student is seeking to transfer credits is not the sole basis for accepting or denying credit for transfer.
• The institution must document in the student record from what institution and on what basis transfer credit was accepted.
• At a minimum, 25% of the credits required for non-degree and undergraduate degree programs must be completed at the institution awarding the degree.
• The majority of the credits required for a graduate degree program must be completed at the institution awarding the degree.

Other Resources:

Click here for a copy of ACCSC’s Policy Agenda on Transfer of Credit.

Click here for information on the Higher Education Transfer Alliance (HETA).

Click here to download a copy of the publication, A Statement to the Community:  Transfer and the Public Interest published by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Click here to download a copy of the publication Don't Take No for an Answer When Trying to Transfer Your Credits or Degree published by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).

Click here to download a copy of the publication Helping Students Transfer Credits and Degrees published by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).