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Transfer Dispute Resolution Guidelines

The following guidelines and definitions are established to clarify and enhance paragraph (6) of Chapter 5, Subchapter A, Section 5.4 of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rule pertaining to Transfer Curricula and Resolution of Transfer Disputes for Lower-Division Courses.

The definitions listed below were established by the Coordinating Board and will serve as criteria to resolve legal questions as specified in Section 1.23, Subchapter C, Chapter 61 of the Education Code, Section 61-078. The publications Transfer of Credit Policies and Curricula of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Community College General Academic Course Guide Manual: A Manual of Approved General Academic Transfer Courses for State Appropriations to Texas Public Community Colleges are the references for this issue: The following criteria for lower-division and upper-division course credit were adopted by the Task Force to Update the Academic Course Guide Manual.
 

  1.     Criteria for Lower-Division Course Credit/Lower-Division (Baccalaureate/Associate Degree) Courses/Courses offered in the first two years of college study are those which:
    •  Are identified by a majority of public 4-year undergraduate institutions in the state as courses intended to comprise the first two years of collegiate study, AND
    • Stress development of disciplinary knowledge and skill at an introductory level; OR
    •  Include basic principles and verbal, mathematical, and scientific concepts associated with an academic discipline.
  2.     Criteria for Upper Division Course Credit/Upper-Division (Baccalaureate) Courses/Courses offered only in the third or fourth years of a baccalaureate program are those which:
    • Are identified by a majority of public 4-year undergraduate institutions in the state as courses intended to comprise the third and fourth years of postsecondary study, AND
    • Involve theoretical or analytical specialization beyond the introductory level, OR
    • Require knowledge and skills provided by previous courses for successful performance by students.
  3.  Free Transferability/Lower-division courses included in the Academic Course Guide Manual and specified in the definition of "Lower-Division Course Credit" shall be freely transferable to and accepted as comparable degree credit by any Texas public institution of higher education where the equivalent course is available for fulfilling baccalaureate degree requirements. It is understood that each Texas institution of higher education may have limitations that invalidate courses after a specific length of time. For Texas community colleges, these freely transferable courses are identified in the latest revised education of Coordinating Board publications Community College General Academic Course Guide Manual - A Manual of Approved General Academic Transfer Courses for State Appropriations to Texas Public Community Colleges, (revised 1996). Specifically excluded are courses designated as vocational, ESEL, technical, developmental or remedial, and courses listed as "basic skills." For senior four-year institutions, lower-division courses that have the same course content and CIP codes as approved by the Coordinating Board shall bear equivalent credit. Specifically excluded are course designated as ESL/ESOL, technical and developmental/remedial courses.Within the spirit of the law it is realized that differences in interpretation of "same course content" may generate disputes.
  4. Disputes/Transfer disputes may arise when a lower-division course is not accepted for credit by a Texas institution of higher education. To qualify as a dispute the course(s) in question must be offered by the institution denying the credit (receiving institution), or in the case of upper-level institutions, must be published as a lower-division course accepted for fulfilling lower-level requirements. For community colleges, the course(s) must be listed in the Community College General Academic Course Guide Manual, and be offered at the receiving institution. Additionally, the sending institution must challenge the receiving institution's denial of credit.

    Disputes/Transfer disputes may arise when a lower-division course is not accepted for credit by a Texas institution of higher education. To qualify as a dispute the course(s) in question must be offered by the institution denying the credit (receiving institution), or in the case of upper-level institutions, must be published as a lower-division course accepted for fulfilling lower-level requirements. For community colleges, the course(s) must be listed in the Community College General Academic Course Guide Manual, and be offered at the receiving institution. Additionally, the sending institution must challenge the receiving institution's denial of credit.