Transfer Credit Policies
Transfer Credit Policy and Procedures
The UTRGV Office of Undergraduate Admissions, in consultation with academic departments, is responsible for awarding transfer credit. An evaluation of transfer credit is completed for undergraduate degree-seeking applicants at the time of admission. Students may view their evaluations by accessing their academic record on My.UTRGV.edu. The processes used to evaluate transfer credit are based on the guidelines and practices recommended by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). UTRGV accepts transfer credit from institutions with an institutional accreditation according to the U.S. Department of Education. In some circumstances, course credit earned at institutions undergoing accreditation or from foreign institutions may be accepted. Credits for life experience are not normally awarded. An exception to this rule may include those cases where the credit has been validated either by another regionally accredited institution of higher education, or by a test administered by an academic department and approved by the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Students Success, and P-16 Integration. Experiential learning and vocational-technical courses are not accepted for transfer credit. UTRGV assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any coursework or credit recorded on the institution’s transcript.
The grading policies of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will be applied to all coursework transferring from other institutions. Some special circumstances regarding the transfer or non-transfer of credit to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are listed as follows:
1. Bible Coursework: Exegetical or doctrinal courses in religion are not transferable. Courses in Bible of a historical or literary nature (but non-doctrinal) are transferable up to a maximum of 12 credit hours of lower-division credit.
2. Incomplete Grades: Incomplete grades are kept as incomplete until a letter grade has been posted by the transferring institution.
3. Life Experience: Normally, no credit will be awarded for life experience. The exception to this rule may include those cases where the credit has been validated either by another regionally accredited institution of higher education or by a test administered by an academic department and approved by the Office of the Provost.
4. Remedial Courses: Courses such as remedial or developmental reading and math, speed reading, remedial science, and orientation are not transferable for credit.
5. Terminal Courses: Terminal courses offered at many junior colleges are not offered for the purpose of transfer to senior colleges and usually are clearly labeled in the college catalog as being non-transferable. Examples of terminal courses are auto mechanics, machine shop, electricity, data processing, and welding.
6. Vocational/Technical Courses: Coursework typically described as vocational or technical are not designed for transfer into university curricula even when courses have been taken at a community college as part of a certificate program or an Associate of Applied Science degree. In Texas, such courses are organized in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM). UTRGV generally does not accept WECM or similar courses for transfer. Exceptions are only considered when content is substantially like subjects/courses offered at UTRGV as demonstrated by a review of the course description and learning outcomes. Exceptions are approved as part of standard curriculum approval processes at UTRGV. When the curriculum review/approval process determines that individual WECM courses are substantially like subjects/courses offered through UTRGV, the credit for each course transfers as a generic lower-division course in the appropriate department.
7. Second Undergraduate Degrees: Refer to the Multiple Degrees section of the Undergraduate Catalog.
Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS)
UTRGV participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) which aids students in the transfer of general academic courses between colleges and universities throughout Texas. Common courses are freshman and sophomore academic credit courses identified as common by TCCNS member institutions. The TCCNS system ensures that if the student takes courses designated as common, they are accepted as transfer with credit. A list of courses UTRGV has identified as common and their TCCNS equivalents are listed in the undergraduate catalog.
Non-TCCNS Courses
Transfer coursework not part of the TCCNS inventory is evaluated on a course-by-course basis by an admissions staff member to determine if equivalent. Admissions staff read the course descriptions in order to analyze content, quality, and comparability to UTRGV courses. If a course is found to be equivalent to a UTRGV course and it does not exist in the SIS as an equivalent, it will be created. The course must be the same level and number of credit hours with the exception of developmental courses. A lower-level course cannot be given an upper-level equivalent and an upper-level course cannot be given a lower level equivalent. If the equivalent of a required upper-division UTRGV course is completed at an accredited institution as a lower-division course, the course need not be repeated, but another upper-division course, approved by the student’s advisor, must be completed at UTRGV in substitution. Admissions staff follow the procedures outlined in the College transcript evaluation procedures section of the Undergraduate Admissions Policy and Procedures manual. If the admissions staff member cannot determine if the course is equivalent to a UTRGV course, they may consult with the appropriate department official. A written request is sent to the department for review. The department will review and respond with a decision in writing. If the course is not equivalent to a UTRGV course, it may be assigned a general credit based on the subject. A general credit may in some situations be used to meet a degree requirement. UTRGV is on a semester-hour system therefore quarter hours must be converted to semester credit hours when creating a course from an institution that uses the quarter-hour system. Credit is not given for duplicated courses.
International Student Evaluations
Credits completed at institutions outside the U.S. are individually evaluated at student expense through SPANTRAN, Foreign Credentials Service of America (FCSA), World Education Services (WES), or International Education Evaluation (IEE). Students with foreign university credit must submit information directly to SPANTRAN, FCSA, WES, or IEE and request a copy of the evaluation to be sent to UTRGV. The student must also send directly to UTRGV a copy of their original foreign transcript, certified English translation for all course descriptions, and course syllabi if these documents are not included in their foreign credential evaluation file sent to UTRGV by SPANTRAN, FCSA, WES, IEE. UTRGV accepts transfer credit from foreign institutions based on this evaluation.
Awarding Credit for Military Service
In accordance with Texas Education Code, Section 51.3042, eligible former armed forces members admitted as undergraduates or readmitted as undergraduates (after having withdrawn to perform military service) are given course credit for all required physical education courses and for additional semester credit hours, not to exceed 12, satisfying any elective course requirements for courses outside the student’s degree program.
Eligible veterans must graduate from an accredited public or private high school or a US Department of Defense operated high school, and honorably discharged from the US armed forces after completion of at least two years of service or discharged because of disability.
To award the credit, students must complete a Military Service Credit Request form and must provide proof of eligibility (i.e., DD214 or disability discharge documentation).
Credit By Exam
UTRGV offers college credit by examination to qualified students through a variety of approved examinations. Students may apply to their degree plan up to 30 hours of undergraduate credit by examination through the following programs:
• Advanced Placement (AP) Tests
• International Baccalaureate (IB) exams
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
A list of available course credit may be found in the UTRGV Undergraduate Admissions website. The Testing agency sends test scores directly to the university. Credit posts to the student’s permanent record after census day of the student's first term of enrollment. Credit by exam is accepted as credit only (CR) and does not affect the student’s cumulative grade point average.
Disputes for Lower Division Courses
The following policy was developed for students transferring to UTRGV from other Texas public institutions and may be found in the undergraduate catalog:
1. The transfer of curricula shall be as prescribed by the THECB TAC, Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter B, Rule 4.27. The following procedures shall be followed by public institutions of higher education in the resolution of transfer disputes involving lower-division courses:
a) If an institution of higher education does not accept a course credit earned by a student at another Texas public institution of higher education, that institution shall give written notice to the student and the other institution that the transfer of the course credit is denied.
b) The two institutions and the student shall attempt to resolve the transfer of the course credit in accordance with Coordinating Board rules and/or guidelines.
c) If the transfer dispute is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student or the institution at which the credit was earned within 45 days after the date the student received written notice of the denial, the institution that denies the transfer of the course credit shall notify the Commissioner of Higher Education of its denial and the reason for the denial.
2. The Commissioner or the Commissioner’s designee shall make the final determination about a dispute concerning the transfer of course credit and give written notice of the determination to the involved student and institutions.
3. All Texas public institutions of higher education shall furnish data to the Coordinating Board on reported transfer disputes as the Board may require in accordance with its statutory responsibilities under Section 61.826 of the Texas Education Code.