Evaluation of Transfer Credit (Procedure 3.0200)

Purpose

To establish guidelines for evaluating College Transfer Credit, Career Certificate and Adult High School Transfer Credit.

Procedure

1. General Provisions for the Evaluation of College Transfer Credit
   1. Degree seeking students must request official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities be sent directly to the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s Office. 
      1. Official transcripts must be generated no longer than 12 months before the date they are submitted. 
   2. Students who have earned less than 6 semester hours of transferable college credit must also submit an official high school transcript showing an earned high school diploma.
   3. All official transcripts are required prior to students beginning classes. Students whose transcripts have not been received by the end of the first semester of the student's initial enrollment will not be allowed to continue at Seminole State College. In addition, a restriction will be placed on the student's records and will not be removed until transcripts are received.
   4. Credits earned at an out-of-country institution must evaluated by the Seminole State College Office of Global Engagement or member of the National Association of Credential Services (NACES).  A course-by-course evaluation that is translated into English must be submitted with official copies of the report to the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s Office.
   5. Institutional credit earned at other institutions will be evaluated according to Procedure 3.220 Acceleration for Program Completion The student is responsible for providing documentation of how such learning was evaluated and the basis on which the credit was awarded. 
   6. The evaluation of transfer credit shall be the responsibility of the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s Office, with input from the academic department, as per the following guidelines:
      1. Credits earned at one of the six regionally accredited associations will be accepted to fulfill Seminole State degree requirements contingent on the grade assigned and provided the work is earned in an area and on a level appropriate to the student’s degree program. 
      2. Students who transfer from a non-regionally accredited institution must follow guidelines as established in College Policy 3.021 and Procedure 3.0210.
      3. Credit will be evaluated based on, but not limited to: 
         1. Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS),
         2. comparison of course level, content and objectives, 
         3. degree requirements from the institution where the credit was earned, 
         4. appropriate academic departmental review.
      4. Academic Deans are required to review course descriptions for coursework determined non-equivalent by the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s office and apply uniformly any decisions to award or not award credit course equivalency and/or substitution.
      5. Recommendations set forth by the American Council on Education (ACE), the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), and NAFSA: Association of International Educators and position statements from the Southern Association of College and School (SACS-COC).
      6. Credits earned at an institution on a Quarter system will be evaluated and transferred in with quarter credits equal to .67 of semester credits.  For example:
         
         12 quarter credits = 8 semester credits
         9 quarter credits = 6 semester credits
         6 quarter credits = 4.0 semester credits
         4 quarter credits =2.67 semester credits
         
         In order to meet the mandatory credits of General Education for the Bachelor’s and Associate of Arts (A.A) degree or the required General Education for the Associate of Science (A.S.) degree student must make up a deficit credit within the same discipline. In the event a student has a deficit of .33 credits in a particular discipline, the student will be required to take another course in that discipline.
         
         
   7. The Enrollment Services/Registrar’s Office will notify students with regards to their evaluation during their first semester of enrollment. The students may appeal the evaluation prior to graduation from the College.
   8. The final determination for transfer of credit equivalency decisions rest with the Vice President, Academic Affairs.
2. General Provisions for the Evaluation of Career Certificate (formerly PSAV) Credit
   1. Seminole State College will grant credit for Career Certificate credit in accordance with Florida State Statute and Florida State Board of Education Administrative Rules.
   2. Seminole State College may grant Career Certificate Credit for prior experiential learning per the following guidelines:
      1. Credit for prior experiential learning shall be awarded only for documented learning that demonstrates achievement of all outcomes for specific courses in an approved degree program.
      2. Credit shall be awarded only to matriculated students.
      3. Credit earned by experiential learning shall be identified as such credit on the student's transcript and, upon request from another institution, document how such learning was evaluated and the basis on which such credit was awarded.
      4. Credit for prior experiential learning shall not duplicate credit already awarded or remaining courses planned for the student's academic program.
      5. Departments and programs must clearly describe, and establish the validity of, the evaluation process and criteria for awarding credit for prior experiential learning. This process must be described in the college catalog and must be annually reviewed by the college.
3. General Provisions for the Evaluation of Credit for the Adult High School
   1. Students must request an official transcript from the previous high school and send it directly to the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s Office.
      1. The official transcript must be received no later than the end of the first term of the student's initial enrollment.
   2. The evaluation of credit shall be the responsibility of the Enrollment Services/Registrar’s Office as per the following:
      1. For High Schools located in the state of Florida, credit will be granted based upon the recommendation of the Florida Department of Education's Course Code Directory for Secondary Coursework.
      2. For High Schools located outside the state of Florida, credit will be granted based upon but not limited to: comparison of course content and objectives, appropriate instructional departmental review, and Florida Department of Education's Course Code Directory for Secondary Coursework.
      3. A grade of "D" or better was earned.
   3. The evaluation of credit will be posted to the student's record during the student's first term of enrollment.
   4. The final Determination for transfer of credit equivalency decisions rests with the Vice President, Academic Affairs