Texas A&M University-Victoria (A&M-Victoria) evaluates transfer credit according to the policies outlined below. Questions about transferability may be directed to the Office of the Registrar and Student Records. For questions about how courses may apply to a degree plan, students should consult the appropriate academic college.
Evaluation of Transfer Work
Transfer credit is evaluated after admission and upon receipt of all official transcripts. Evaluation follows the policies in effect at the time of enrollment. Students are responsible for ensuring submission of all transcripts.
General Regulations
Undergraduate coursework completed at other institutions is evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Core Curriculum Transfer - Coursework from a Texas public institution that satisfies that institution’s core curriculum will be accepted as satisfying A&M-Victoria’s core curriculum, in accordance with Texas Administrative Code Rule §4.28. Credits must fall within the approved transfer curriculum for the student’s declared major.
- Institutional Recognition - Credit must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Academic credit from institutions with CHEA-recognized regional or national accreditation is generally accepted. Coursework from institutions with only programmatic accreditation is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Course Equivalency - Courses must be equivalent to those offered at A&M-Victoria. Equivalency is determined by the faculty subject-matter expert.
- Program Relevance - Courses must fulfill degree requirements as major or elective credit. Applicability is determined by the academic college.
Undergraduate Transfer Credit Regulations
- Courses transfer to Texas A&M University-Victoria (A&M-Victoria) at the same academic level as awarded by the originating institution. Grades are not lowered in transfer. Quarter hours are converted to semester credit hours.
- If a course has been repeated, only the most recent grade and credit hours are considered for transfer.
- Completion of the Texas Core Curriculum at a Texas public institution satisfies A&M-Victoria’s core curriculum requirements.
- Students who have not completed the core curriculum are subject to the following: Courses that do not align with the Texas Common Course Numbering System or A&M-Victoria’s course offerings may transfer as elective credit. With appropriate academic approval, such courses may apply to specific degree requirements. Refer to the “Core Curriculum” section for details.
- No more than 12 semester credit hours in religion may be applied toward a degree.
- To earn a bachelor’s degree from A&M-Victoria, at least 30 of the last 36 upper-division semester credit hours must be completed in residence at A&M-Victoria.
- The following are not accepted in transfer:
- Vocational courses, unless required for a A&M-Victoria degree program.
- Orientation courses; remedial English or reading courses; high school-level or intermediate algebra mathematics; and bookkeeping courses.
- Credit awarded through General Education Development (GED) testing.
- Technology courses will be considered for transfer on a case-by-case basis, depending on the student’s degree plan and course content. The dean of the college of the student’s plan, with the advice and consent of his/her designee, will make the decision concerning the application of transfer credit to the degree program.
Military Credit
Undergraduate credit may be awarded for military service training that is determined to be at the baccalaureate level or higher and consistent with the student’s degree objectives. Evaluation of such credit is based on recommendations published in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services by the American Council on Education (ACE).
In accordance with Texas House Bill 269, eligible military veterans may receive undergraduate credit for their time in service. Credit awarded under HB 269 includes all required physical education courses for the degree and up to 12 additional semester credit hours of elective coursework. To qualify, veterans must meet the following criteria:
- Graduated from a public or private high school accredited by a recognized accrediting agency or from a high school operated by the U.S. Department of Defense.
- Completed at least two years of service in the United States Armed Forces or were discharged due to a service-connected disability.
- Received an honorable discharge.
Credit awarded under HB 269 is awarded for having served, not for college-level courses that might have been taken while in the military.
Vocational and Technical Courses
Vocational or technical coursework may be applied to the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree if:
- Earned at an institution that has recognition from U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,
- Considered college-level,
- And documented on an official transcript.
International Transfer Credit
All university-level coursework completed at institutions outside the United States must be evaluated on a course-by-course basis by an organization recognized by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). The official evaluation report must be sent directly to International Programs Office.
The NACES evaluation requirement is waived for students participating in A&M-Victoria-affiliated study abroad programs. A&M-Victoria students enrolled in approved exchange programs must submit an official transcript in English from the partner institution upon completion of their program. To apply study abroad coursework toward a A&M-Victoria degree, students must submit a completed Transfer Credit Agreement (TCA). The TCA must be approved by the student’s academic advisor, dean, and the provost prior to registration.
Courses in English composition, American history, and American government/political science may transfer from international institutions only if completed at a U.S.-affiliated institution.
Transfer of Credit without Pre-Approval
Students who complete coursework at an international institution without prior approval may request that the credits be evaluiated for transfer. If accepted, these will be processed as regular transfer credit, not study abroad credit. Students are stronglt encouraged to consult the International Programs Office before enrolling in any international program.
Transfer Credit from approval Study Abroad Programs
Please see Study Abroad section under International Programs Office.
Community/Junior College Regulations
Students enrolled in degree programs at the A&M-Victoria may transfer coursework completed at community or junior colleges under the following conditions:
- Courses taken at a community or junior college are not eligible to transfer as upper-division (3000- or 4000-level) credit.
- There is no maximum limit on the total number of transferable credits from community or junior colleges. However, to satisfy bachelor’s degree requirements, students must complete a minimum of 36 semester hours of upper-division coursework at A&M-Victoria, except for the following programs:
- RN to BSN program, which requires 30 upper-division semester hours.
- Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences (BAAS) program, which requires 40 upper-division semester hours.
Correspondence Credit
A&M-Victoria does not offer correspondence courses. Nevertheless, correspondence credit may be accepted in transfer if earned from a regionally accredited institution or one recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. A student may apply a maximum of 18 semester hours of correspondence credit toward a bachelor’s degree. Only 6 semester hours in the plan may be correspondence credit.
Dual Credit
Dual credit earned while in high school may be accepted in transfer if awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Dual credit must be collegiate-level and documented on an official college transcript to be accepted.
Experiential Learning
A&M-Victoria does not grant academic credit for experiential learning or life experience. However, in compliance with state regulations, certain types of experience may be applied toward meeting certification requirements in Education.
Transfer Dispute Resolution (Lower-Division)
In accordance with guidelines established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), Texas public colleges and universities must follow specific procedures to resolve disputes related to the transfer of credit for lower-division courses. These procedures apply to courses defined in the Coordinating Board’s publication, Transfer of Credit Policies and Curricula.
If A&M-Victoria does not accept a lower-division transfer course covered under these policies, the student may initiate an appeal by submitting a Records Appeal Form to the Office of the Registrar and Student Records.
The student and the two institutions involved will work together to resolve the dispute in accordance with Coordinating Board rules and guidelines.
If the dispute cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the student or the sending institution, A&M-Victoria will submit a written explanation for the denial of credit to the Commissioner of Higher Education within 45 days of the student receiving written notice of the denial. The Commissioner or a designee will then issue a final written decision to A&M-Victoria, the student, and the sending institution regarding the transferability of the course.
Transfer Credit - Graduate
The graduate transfer student must meet the regular admission requirements. Credit may be transferred only for graduate credit courses completed with a grade of A or B and completed in residence under a graduate degree program at a college or university with recognition in some form from the U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. These courses must be certified as graduate level by the Transfer Credit department within the Office of the Registrar and Student Records. Transfer students must complete at least 75% of the coursework required for a degree program at A&M-Victoria (for example, at least 27 hours in a 36-hour program).
Advanced work completed with another institution prior to the time the institution offered graduate credit will not apply as credit toward a graduate degree at A&M-Victoria. The student bears the final responsibility for securing the Office of the Registrar and Student Records’ evaluation. Approval of transfer credit toward a degree is by the appropriate college dean with the advice and consent of his/her designee.
Correspondence Credit
Graduate credit is not granted for correspondence courses and courses taken prior to the student’s admission to a graduate school.
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