SACS Accreditation

3.4.4 Acceptance of Academic Credit

Comprehensive Standard: The institution has a defined and published policy for evaluating, awarding, and accepting credit for transfer, experiential learning, advanced placement, and professional certificates that is consistent with its mission and ensures that course work and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to the institution’s own degree programs.  The institution assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any course work or credit recorded on the institution’s transcript.

X    Compliance
       Partial Compliance
       Non-Compliance

The Director of Admissions for the Office of Undergraduate Studies has official approval authority for transfer credit.  Students applying to the university as transfer students are required to submit certified copies of transcripts from their high schools and all other higher educational institutions they have attended. When an applicant is accepted for undergraduate transfer admission, courses completed with grades of C or better (D grades discussed below), which parallel the curriculum of Georgia State (exclusive of developmental, vocational, occupational courses, etc.) will be accepted for transfer credit. Such credit must have been earned at institutions of higher education with full accreditation by a regional association of colleges and schools, and where appropriate, the Commission on Colleges. The Office of Admissions ensures that the course is taught at least at a freshman level by reviewing the student's transcript and the transcript key which explains the numbering/course/grading policies as well as a review of the sending institution's catalog if necessary. 

All international credentials are reviewed by Silny & Associates or another approved international credential evaluator. A detailed analysis is completed by the evaluator that explains the school's grading/course/numbering system, equivalency to college level work in an American university, and equivalency to a US bachelor's degree. This assists Undergraduate Admissions in determining what coursework to award as accredited collegiate level courses. In addition, international students are often asked for additional information about their courses, such as descriptions, books used, and syllabi, to determine equivalencies to Georgia State coursework.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions then submits all credit to the Student Advisement Office [1] for consideration of applying the credit towards the student's selected academic program. University acceptance of outside credit is also subject to compliance with state mandates and statutes.  For undergraduate transfer credit, the process is as follows:

Undergraduate Admissions reviews transcripts and the transferring school's accreditation and awards a student collegiate, accredited level work as appropriate based on our transfer credit policies as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog and on our website. [2] [3]  An experienced staff member in the Student Advisement Center then reviews all work awarded credit by Admissions to determine equivalencies to Georgia State coursework. This is done through review of the university's articulation tables [4] as established by review of previous credits from that school, review of Georgia State's undergraduate catalog descriptions, review of the transferring university's catalog, course descriptions, and syllabi, and transferring credit standards established by the academic departments. Equivalencies are made, then the new student's academic advisement office is notified of the student's acceptance and credit awarded. An Academic Adviser then reviews the courses and equivalencies and makes changes as necessary depending on the student's college/degree/major, additional syllabi and information received from the student, and how the student's transfer credits can be best utilized in the student's current program. Credit review and awarding may be on an ongoing basis as students continuing petitioning for credit, supplying more information from the transferring school if necessary to request transfer credit.

Experiential learning is not awarded as course credit.

Courses and transfer credit policies are routinely reviewed by academic departments in the process of determining course equivalencies. As Georgia State courses change or as new credits are received from students, equivalencies and policies are reviewed and updated to the central student database system - Banner - as necessary.

 The determination of how transfer credit may be used to satisfy the specific course requirements for a degree is made by the academic department that administers the degree program requirements. The departments also have the privilege of testing the student's proficiency in transferred course work.
 
Other general guidelines that apply to transfer credit:

• A maximum of 12 semester hours of D grades may be applied toward degree requirements. The 12 semester hours include both resident credit (earned at Georgia State) and transfer credit. Transfer credit will not be given for English composition courses with grades of D. Additional restrictions in acceptable D grades may be included in certain degree programs.  No credit will be awarded for a grade earned at a foreign institution that is equivalent to a grade of D in the United States.
• A maximum of 60 semester hours from a two-year college or 81 academic semester hours from a four-year college may be applied in the program for which the applicant enrolls. Typically, courses completed at a two-year college will be granted lower-division credit.
• The total number of hours that may be earned toward a degree by extension or correspondence courses may not exceed 27 semester hours.
• Because the university has a minimum residence requirement, the amount of transfer credit applicable to a degree program may be further limited.  (Academic Residency Requirement below [5])
• Georgia State University does not grant credit for College-Level General Educational Developmental Tests, USAFI courses, or courses completed at any United States armed forces service school, with the exception of the military academies. 

Transfer of graduate credit is determined by policies and procedures internal to the college and department to which the student has applied.  E.g., [6]

All transfer credit is given in accordance with the Board of Regents' Transfer Credit Policy. [7]

1. Student Advisement Center
2. Transfer Credit Information website
3. Tranfer Credit Policies
4. Transfer Equivalency Charts
5. Academic Residency Requirement
6. College of Arts and Sciences, Request for Transfer of Graduate Course Credit
7. Board of Regents (state mandates regarding transfer credit: Transfer Credit Policy)