As the only upper-division university in the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), the primary mission of Athens State University (ASU) is to serve ACCS transfer students and students transferring from other accredited institutions. Since all degree-seeking students entering ASU submit credit from other institutions for acceptance, ASU has several policies defining the requirements for the acceptance of transfer credit and for non-traditional credit to be awarded for work experience, technical training, or education programs offered by non-collegiate organizations.
University policies for the transfer of credit are consistent with Alabama State Board of Education Policy 801.01, which defines general principles for the transfer of credit for the institutions in the ACCS. ASU Policies relating to the transfer of credit include: Athens State University requires that students submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended. A student seeking enrollment at ASU without sufficient time to arrange for official transcripts prior to registration may be admitted conditionally for that term. The student admitted under this provision must see that all official transcripts are received by the Office of Admissions and Records by the end of the student’s first term of enrollment. If all official transcripts are not received by the end of the student’s first term of enrollment, the student will not be allowed to register and a hold will be put on further registration until all official transcripts are received by the ASU Admissions Office.
As defined in the guidelines for State Board Policy 221.01, transfer credit will only be accepted from institutions that are “duly accredited” by the six regional accrediting bodies recognized by the U. S. Department of Education (DOE). According to these guidelines, ASU may accept credits and degrees from institutions recognized by other accrediting bodies which are also recognized by the DOE, but must determine the acceptance of such credits and degrees on a case by case basis. In all cases, the University reserves the right to determine the application of specific credit toward the fulfillment of a student’s degree requirements and reserves the right to determine the transferability of credits from other postsecondary institutions for inclusion in the student’s ASU records.
ASU Transfer Advising Center (TAC) counselors have vested authority, in coordination with the Office of Admissions and Records, to determine which courses taken at another institution are acceptable in satisfying the general education requirements for a particular ASU degree program. General education courses taken at other institutions in the state of Alabama are evaluated by the TAC counselors according to the specific guidelines and criteria adopted by the legislatively-mandated Alabama General Studies and Articulation Committee (AGSC). The AGSC, in cooperation with various academic committees, has approved specific courses in the four areas of the general studies curriculum that must be transferable between all Alabama colleges and universities.
For general education coursework taken at an accredited institution outside Alabama, TAC counselors, in consultation with ASU faculty with the appropriate expertise as needed, use the AGSC guidelines and approved courses to determine which coursework will satisfy requirements in the four general education areas.
For all transfer academic credit specific to a particular degree program or content area, the use of that credit toward satisfying specific ASU degree requirements is determined by full-time faculty who are academically qualified in the subject matter and content area for the course. After the course equivalency is determined by the appropriate faculty, it is approved by the appropriate College Dean or designee, and then forwarded to the Office of Admissions and Records for posting to the ASU transcript. Once the equivalency is established, the course is accepted as a substitution to the Athens State University course for future students. However, substitutions may not apply in the case of requirements for certifications that are given from agencies outside the University (i.e., teacher certification by the State of Alabama). The decision to accept a course as equivalent to a required course is sent to the Admissions Office for future reference and transcription of credit.
Credit for non-traditional coursework, experiential learning, and technical training is evaluated through the Office of Non-Traditional Credit under the direction of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and in accordance with ASU Non-Traditional Academic Credit Policies and Procedures. The publications of the American Council on Education (ACE) are the primary guides used for evaluation of academic credit for coursework taken on a noncredit basis, which may include military education, professional education, or other professional training. In addition, the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services, the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs, and other guidebooks and manuals as provided by appropriate agencies may be used in determining credit for non-traditional coursework.
In every case, the decision to accept academic credit awarded for non-traditional coursework toward specific courses in a degree program is made by an academic program advisor in coordination with the non-traditional academic credit evaluator.
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