Transfer Credit

Common Course Numbering System

San Jacinto College is a member of the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS). Institutions of higher education in Texas teach similar courses and these courses have common numbers. This common course number facilitates transferring these courses among the participating institutions.

The Texas Common Course Numbering System Manual identifies general academic courses that transfer. It does not include college preparatory and technical courses. The common number system makes it easier for students to plan future studies.

For example, ENGL 1301 Composition I at San Jacinto College, has the common course number ENGL 1301 Composition I. Some institutions adopt the common course number as their number. Other institutions may not change their course numbers to common course numbers, but may display common course numbers alongside their existing course numbers. Three possible ways of presenting ENGL 1301 Composition I are:

Once students understand this system, they can easily match the courses they have taken at San Jacinto College to the corresponding courses at other member institutions. However, since not all courses are common courses, students should obtain a list of courses recognized by the school to which they plan to transfer. Many courses not recognized as common at a member institution may still have equivalents at that institution that will transfer and fulfill degree requirements.

Students can get more information about the Texas Common Course Numbering System at San Jacinto College from the Admissions Office on any campus.

Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM)

Lower-division courses included in the Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) and specified in the definition of lower-division course credit shall be freely transferable to and accepted as comparable degree credit by any public institution of higher education where the equivalent course is available for fulfilling baccalaureate degree requirements. However, each Texas institution of higher education may have limitations that invalidate courses after a specific length of time. Specifically excluded are courses designated as vocational, ESL/ESOL, technical, and college preparatory courses listed as basic skills.

Transfer of Credit to San Jacinto College

San Jacinto College follows these policies for students who wish to transfer credit for courses taken at other colleges and universities:

1. College-level course work: All grades received on college-level course work will be transferred into the College if taken at a regionally accredited institution or institution that has been approved by committee. Courses completed with grades of A, B, C, and D, or P will be eligible for use toward graduation if consistent with program requirements. Transfer grades will not be included in the San Jacinto College GPA calculation.
2. College preparatory course work: Grades of A, B, and C in college preparatory course work will be used at San Jacinto College for placement in college preparatory courses and skill levels decisions only. No college preparatory course will be eligible for use toward graduation. No college preparatory transfer grades will be included in the San Jacinto College GPA calculation.
3. Financial aid: All grades on all prior courses attempted, both college-level and college preparatory, will be included in the total hours attempted calculations for financial aid purposes.
4. The institution from which the student is attempting to transfer credit should be accredited through one of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Recognized Accreditors. A committee of College personnel may review the institution to determine if the College will accept course work from that institution. If the Committee approves the institution, the College will evaluate course work the student completed at the prior institution to determine if a course is equivalent to a course offered at San Jacinto College. Students who have completed course work at an institution from which credit will not transfer may be eligible to receive credit by examination.

An approved firm or organization that specializes in evaluating international education credentials must evaluate course work completed at colleges and universities outside the United States before San Jacinto College will consider that course work for transfer credit or for admission to special programs. The firm or organization must be on the San Jacinto College approved list. Documents must be either originals or certified copies and may have to be translated into English. The Admissions Office and the international student counselor offer help in locating translation and evaluation organizations recognized by San Jacinto College. For a complete list of approved companies, students may refer to the Approved Evaluation Services. Students may click #2, Gather Transcripts and Evaluations, and then click Accepted Evaluation Companies.

Transfer of Credit from San Jacinto College

The receiving institution decides whether to accept San Jacinto College academic ACGM courses in transfer and to apply those courses to individual degree plans. Students planning to transfer San Jacinto College course work to another college or university should always consult the college or university catalog and proper officials of that institution to determine the best courses to take for transfer. Some universities or programs do not accept grades of D in transfer.

Transfer Disputes Resolution

THECB, under the requirements of Section 61.078 of the Education Code, has established procedures to resolve disputes between public institutions of higher education involving the transfer of credit from lower-division courses (courses offered in the first two years of college study).

Resolution of Transfer Disputes for Lower-Division Courses

1. Each public college and university must accept in transfer into a baccalaureate degree the number of lower-division credit hours in a major that are allowed for their non-transfer students in that major; however,
2. No institution must accept for transfer more credit hours in a major than the number set out in the applicable Coordinating Board approved Transfer Curriculum for that major.
3. For any major that has no Coordinating Board approved transfer curriculum, no institution must accept in transfer more lower-division course credit in the major applicable to a baccalaureate degree than the institution allows its non-transfer students in that major.
4. A university may deny the transfer of credit in courses with a grade of D as applicable to the student’s field of study courses, core curriculum courses, or major if it denies credit in those same courses with a grade of D to its own students.

No university must accept in transfer or toward a degree more than 66 credit hours of academic credits earned by a student in a community college. Universities, however, may choose to accept additional credit hours.

Universities are not required to accept technical Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) courses in transfers. However, these universities that offer Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degrees may accept technical courses. The College advises students to contact the receiving institution.

Public institutions of higher education shall follow these procedures to resolve credit transfer disputes involving lower-division courses:

1. If an institution of higher education does not accept course credit earned by a student at another institution of higher education, the receiving institution shall give written notice to the student and to the sending institution that transfer of the course credit is denied. A receiving institution shall also provide written notice of the reasons for denying credit for a particular course or set of courses at the request of the sending institution.
2. A student who receives notice, as specified above, may dispute the denial of credit by contacting a designated official at either the sending or receiving institution.
3. The two institutions and the student shall attempt to resolve the transfer of the course credit in accordance with Board rules and guidelines.
4. If the transfer dispute is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student or the sending institution within 45 days after the date the student received written notice of denial, the institution that denies the course credit for transfer shall notify the Commissioner of its denial and the reasons for the denial.

The Commissioner of Higher Education or the Commissioner’s designee shall make the final determination about a dispute regarding the transfer of course credit and give written notice of the determination to the involved student and institutions.

The Board shall collect data on the types of transfer disputes that are reported and the disposition of each case that is considered by the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designee.

If a receiving institution has cause to believe that a course being presented by a student for transfer from another school is not of an acceptable level of quality, it should first contact the sending institution and attempt to resolve the problem.

In the event that the two institutions are unable to come to a satisfactory resolution, the receiving institution may notify the Commissioner of Higher Education, who may investigate the course. If its quality is found to be unacceptable, the Board may discontinue funding for the course.