REG - 10.01.7 Transfer of Undergraduate Credit Regulation

1.  Purpose

North Carolina Central University recognizes the importance of providing students with information to facilitate transfer of credit, as well as maintaining academic quality and integrity with respect to awarding credit for course work completed at another institution. In accordance with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) Comprehensive Standards related to transfer credit, the University assumes responsibility for the academic quality of all course work and credit listed on the academic transcript.

2.  Scope

The Office of Transfer Services (OTS) seeks to educate, engage, and establish excellence by providing transfer students the resources they need to become productive members of the NCCU community. OTS serve as advocates and representatives for transfer students to provide successful transition into university academic community with ease and certainty.

3.  Regulation

3.1 The process for determining transferability of academic credit begins with submission of an official transcript to the NCCU Office of Undergraduate Admissions from the institution(s) where the credit was originally earned. The option to accept or award credit for academic work completed at another institution rests with the institution to which a student transfers.

3.1.1 North Carolina Central University accepts credit from the regionally accredited institutions listed below:

3.1.1.2 EH – New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CICH)

3.1.1.3 M – Middle States, Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

3.1.1.4 NH –The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

3.1.1.5 NW -- Northwest Commission on College and Universities (NWCCU)

3.1.1.6 SC – Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

3.1.1.7 WC – Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges University Commission (WSCUC)

3.1.1.8 WJ – Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)

3.2 Transfer of credit from institutions that do not hold appropriate regional accreditation or recognition involve more in-depth review of the course description by academic department heads or appropriate faculty to determine if course content and objectives are comparable to the course expectations at NCCU. If needed, other appropriate documentation, which may include the syllabus, textbook(s), exams and assignments, prerequisites, faculty credentials of the course instructor, and other related learning requirements, are reviewed.  Academic credit granted for transferable course work may or may not be applied toward degree completion, since this is determined by the student’s academic department and college.  In addition to equivalent credit, elective credit will be awarded if a course could be applied to General Education or any major at NCCU. Credit can be evaluated in three different ways: equivalent, elective or no credit at all.
3.3 NCCU accepts all credit under the guidelines of the North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. If a student from a North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) college believes the terms of the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) have not been honored by a University of North Carolina (UNC) institution to which the student has been admitted, the student may invoke the CAA Transfer Credit Appeal Procedure.

4.  College Credits

4.1 Transfer courses must be of equivalent content, academic level, rigor and scope to the curricular offerings at North Carolina Central University.

4.1.1 Credit hour(s) assignment to transfer courses will be semester credit hours.  If the originating institution has a credit hour assignment that is not based on the semester system, the appropriate number of credit hours will be determined by the Division of Enrollment Management.

4.1.2 If credit hours assigned to a transfer course are greater than the NCCU equivalent course, the credit hours assigned to the NCCU equivalent course will be applied.  Additional credit hours will be transferred in as elective credit.

4.1.3 Students must have earned a grade of “C” or higher in academic courses in order for the courses to be transferred to NCCU.

4.1.4 For transfer course credits that are discipline-specific, the OTS utilizes the Transfer Equivalency System (TES) to manage the process of identifying course descriptions for transfer course work and requesting a review of the course work by academic department heads or faculty in the appropriate disciplines.

4.1.5 A maximum of 90 total undergraduate transfer credits will be accepted.  No more than 64 semester hours can transfer from two-year institutions. No credit is awarded for coursework completed in non-degree programs such as diploma or certificate programs; however, a student can challenge courses through standardized tests, such as the College Level Equivalency (CLEP) Exam or departmental exams.

4.1.6 Credit hours are transferable to North Carolina Central University, not grades.  Therefore, grades for academic courses transferred will not be included in the overall GPA of a student.

4.1.7 Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees from out-of-state institutions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if the degree fulfills NCCU’s General Education requirements.

4.1.8 NCCU does not accept remedial or developmental course work.

4.1.9 Courses graded on a pass/fail basis do not transfer.

4.1.10 All transcripts from international institutions must first be evaluated by World Educational Services (WES) prior to being considered for transfer by OTS.

5. Credit for Military Schools and Experience      

5.1 North Carolina Central University uses the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations and university transferability guidelines to assess credit for U.S. military service and training for undergraduate students. No transfer credit is awarded for vocational certificate category ACE recommendations.

5.2 Students seeking credit must provide official documentation to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as follows:

5.2.1 Copy of the Joint Services Transcript (JST), and

5.2.2 Copy of the service member’s military transcript, obtainable on the web from the respective branch of service, such as the “AARTS” (Army/ACE Registry Transcript System), the “SMART” (Sailor/Marine/ACE Registry Transcript) and the “CCAF” (Community College of the Air Force).

5.3 Military Credit.

5.3.1 Veterans, active duty service members, and members of the National Guard and Reserve Components may receive a total of four credits for two courses (basic health and fitness) and three credit hours for speech upon completion of certain military courses approved by the student’s appropriate academic dean.  In addition, up to 12 semester hours for military science electives may be awarded based on the number of years on active duty.

5.3.2 Military Experience (ME) as documented on the Joint Services Transcript (JST) transcript, as well as course work on the JST transcript, will be awarded credit based on ACE recommendations and university transferability guidelines.

5.3.3 NCCU will accept up to 30 semester hours of ACE-recommended military credit as transfer work toward a baccalaureate degree.  Credit will be awarded as general elective credit or department elective credit. Credit for military service experiences also may be acquired through standardized examinations (see Credit for Advance Standing Policy). Documented experience that falls outside of the ACE recommendations and/or transfer credit policies of the University will only be considered on a case-by-case basis through a Transfer Credit Appeal.

6. Credit for Advanced Standing (Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate, CLEP, Cambridge, DSST)

Credit for advanced standing will be awarded according to the following regulations:

6.1 The appropriate semester hours of credit will be awarded for all community college or university work in which the student has earned a grade of “C” or better, provided that the institution from which the credit is being transferred is accredited by its regional accrediting agency and/or its State Department of Education.

6.1.1 Credit for formal advanced placement programs (AP/IB) and credit by formal examination programs are awarded in accordance with the appropriate national norms established for such programs. These norms and standards are available in the Undergraduate Admissions Office and the University Testing Center. Cambridge Courses are accepted and weighed on the same scale as AP/IB.  A student can challenge courses, through standardized tests, such as the College Level Equivalency (CLEP) Exam, The DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) or departmental exams. 

6.1.2 After matriculating at NCCU, a student may not pursue courses of any type at another institution without obtaining, in advance of registration for such courses, written permission from the academic advisor or dean of the school or college in which the student is registered at NCCU. Work taken without prior approval may not be accepted by NCCU.

7. Transfer Credit Appeal

7.1 Students who desire to appeal how courses have transferred or were not evaluated for transfer may file a Transfer Credit Appeal, which includes:

7.1.1 Completing the Transfer Evaluation Inquiry Form; and

7.1.2 Submitting the Transfer Evaluation Inquiry form and supporting documentation to the Office of Transfer Services.

7.2 The OTS will review and forward the Transfer Evaluation Inquiry Form to the appropriate academic department, who has the responsibility for making a transfer equivalency decision.

7.3 If there is still a question about the course’s transferability after the department makes a decision the student may request a review by the dean of the college or school in which the discipline of the course is housed.