Transfer Credit/Credit by Examination - Undergraduate

Undergraduate Transfer Credit

Transfer students should refer to the following regulations concerning transfer of credits to UH-Victoria. A student in doubt about courses which can be transferred to this university may consult the Office of Admissions and Student Recruitment.  Information as to how specific courses may be applied toward a degree should be obtained from the school of the student’s proposed degree.

General Regulations

Undergraduate coursework completed at previously attended colleges and universities are evaluated initially on the basis of up to four general criteria:

Coursework completed at a Texas public institution of higher education that meet that institution’s core curriculum requirement will be accepted and satisfy UHV’s core curriculum requirement, provided such credits are within the approved transfer curriculum of the student’s declared major field at UHV. This acceptance is based upon Rule 4.28 of the Texas Administrative Code.

Accreditation status of sending institution. Coursework must come from an institution that has recognition in some form from the U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Academic coursework completed at CHEA recognized institutional accreditation agencies at the college level that is not remedial are generally accepted when criteria #3 and #4 are met. All other coursework, including that which is completed at an institution of higher education with national accreditation, are reviewed on a case-by-case basis with required consideration to the following two criteria.

Compatibility with academic coursework at UHV. Courses must be equivalent to courses offered at UHV, and will be reviewed on a course-by-course basis by the appropriate UHV college for equivalency.

Applicability to program of study. Courses must fulfill established degree requirements for graduation, as either elective or major credit and will be reviewed on a course-by-course basis by the appropriate UHV college for applicability to the program of study. Questions regarding transfer of credit may be directed to transfer credit staff in the Office of the Admissions & Student Recruitment, or to the appropriate academic college dean for the student’s academic program of study.

Other Undergraduate Transfer Credit Regulations

Courses transfer to UH-Victoria on the same level and with the corresponding number of hours as earned at another institution. Grades are never lowered in transfer.

When a course has been repeated for credit, the last grade and credit hours will determine the acceptance for the course.

A student who has completed the core curriculum at another Texas public institution will have satisfied the core curriculum requirements for UHV.

Students who have not completed the core at another Texas public institution are subject to the following guideline. Courses taken at other colleges that do not correspond to courses listed in the Common Course Numbering System section in this catalog or to courses offered by this university may transfer as elective credit and may apply to specific degree requirements with appropriate academic approval. See the Core Curriculum section of this catalog for more information.

The following courses are not accepted by the university in transfer:

Vocational courses except those required for university degree programs.

Orientation, remedial English, remedial reading courses; high school level mathematics or intermediate algebra courses; bookkeeping courses.

General Education Development Tests on high school or college level.

Courses in technology will be considered for transfer credit on an individual basis, depending on the student’s plan and the type of course to be transferred.

Credit may be granted for courses taken at military service training schools when such training is considered to be at the baccalaureate level or higher and consistent with the student’s educational objective. Transfer credit will be based on recommendations made in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.

HB 269 makes military veterans who enroll in Texas universities and who meet certain requirements eligible to receive undergraduate college credit for the time they spent in the service. Eligible veterans receive college credit for all of the required physical education courses needed for their degree and up to an additional 12 semester hours of elective coursework. To be eligible to receive credit under HB 269, veterans must have:

Graduated from a public or private high school accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization or from a high school operated by the United States Department of Defense. Completed at least two years of service in the armed forces (or discharged because of a disability).

Been honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces.

Credit awarded under HB 269 is awarded for having served, not for college-level courses that might have been taken while in the military.

A maximum of 12 semester hours in religion is accepted toward a degree.

To earn a bachelor’s degree at UH-Victoria, 30 of the last 36 upper division hours must be completed with UH-Victoria.

The dean of the school of the student’s plan, with the advice and consent of the president or his/her designate, will make the decision concerning the application of transfer credit to the degree program.

Transfer of Vocational and Technical Courses

Vocational or technical courses will transfer for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree, provided the courses are transferred from a college or university that has recognition in some form from the U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the credit is of college level, and the credit is shown on the school’s official transcript.

Transfer Credit From International Institutions

All university level course work completed at an institution outside of the U.S. must submit a course-by-course evaluation through a recognized organization at NACES. NACES report  must be sent directly to the International Programs Office. NACES requirement is waived for students taking part in a Study Abroad program partner program affiliated with UHV. UHV students taking part in Exchange programs are required to submit an official transcript in English from the exchange partner institution upon completion of their program. In order for Study Abroad courses to be applied towards the degree program, student must submit the Transfer Credit Agreement (TCA). The form TCA must be completed by the student, academic advisor, dean and provost to be applied towards your degree plan. English composition courses, American history and Americana political science/Government courses will transfer from international institutions if the program is taken at an U.S. affiliated institution.

Transfer of Credits from International Institutions without Pre-Approval

Students who pursue coursework at an international institution without pre-approval may request these credits be transferred after completion. However, these credits will be reviewed and, if acceptable, will be processed as transfer credits, not study abroad credits. Students are highly encouraged not to take part in a Study Abroad Program without consulting the International Programs Office.

Transfer Credit from approval Study Abroad Programs
Please see Study Abroad section under International Programs Office.

Community/Junior College Regulations

A student enrolled in a degree program at UH-Victoria may transfer hours from a community college, subject to the following conditions:

Courses taken at a community/junior college cannot transfer as upper division (junior and senior) credits.

There is no limit to the number of credits transferable from a community/junior college, but in addition to these credits a student must earn a minimum of 54 semester hours of upper division work toward a bachelor’s degree, with exception to the RN to BSN program which requires 30 upper division hours, and the BAAS program which requires 40 upper division hours.

Correspondence Credit

UH-Victoria does not offer correspondence courses; however, such credit may be accepted in transfer when taken from a college or university with recognition in some form from 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 still in high school may be accepted in transfer when taken from a college or university with recognition in some form from the U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The credit must be of college level and must be shown on the college or university’s official transcript.

Experiential Learning

The university does not award academic course credit for experiential learning or life experience. As specified by the state, certain kinds of experience may be credited toward fulfilling certification requirements in Education.

Undergraduate Credit by Examination

UH-Victoria recognizes the importance of accepting credit for specified levels of achievement on institutionally approved, standardized examinations. Examples include Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Exam Program (CLEP), Dantes Standardized Subject Test (DSST), and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. Such work will be treated as transfer credit and is not included in determining any grade point average (e.g., transfer G.P.A. or cumulative UHV G.P.A.). The minimum scores acceptable for the different examinations are stated below.

Credit by examination earned at another institution may be transferred provided the institution that has recognition in some form from the U.S. Department of Education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The credit is of college level, and the credit is shown on the school’s official transcript. Exam credits earned at another institution and accepted in transfer does not imply that the credits are applicable to a particular degree program.

The dean of the school of the student’s plan, with the advice and consent of his/her designate, will make the decision concerning the application of any credit by examination to the degree program.

Credit by Examination requirements/restrictions:

Students must be seeking a degree and must satisfactorily complete a fall or spring semester at UHV.

Students must meet UH-Victoria’s minimum passing scores (see specific examination section below) in order for examination credit to be used toward a degree program. Official score reports may be required if scores are not reported on a transferring institution’s official transcript.

Only UH-Victoria administrations of appropriate tests, official score reports from an approved testing agency, or official transfer institution transcripts are acceptable for credit. Informal score reports are not accepted for credit. The testing agency must provide examination results (scores) directly to UH-Victoria.

Students may attempt credit by examination for degree credit anytime during their undergraduate career at UH-Victoria.

A grade of CR (credit) will be assigned where applicable, will not carry grade points, cannot be translated into grades A, B, C, D, or F, and will not replace any existing course grade earned at UHV, in high school, or at another college or university.

Credit earned by examination does not count toward the number of semester credit hours required for graduation with honors.

Credit by exam may not be used to reduce the general degree requirement of

completing a minimum of 30 semester hours in residence on the UHV campus
completing at least 54 semester hours of advanced work at UHV.
completing at least 18 of the 54 advanced semester hours in the student’s major at UHV.

Credit may not be earned in any course the student has previously completed at any college or university.

Credit may not be earned in any course prerequisite to another course in the same subject for which the student has previously earned credit.

None of the examinations may be taken more than one time in a six-month period.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

UHV recognizes credit earned through College-Level Examinations of the College Board only if the credit is first certified by the Office of Admissions and Student Recruitment. The dean of the student’s school at UHV has the option of applying CLEP credit to the student’s degree audit. Students should specify code 6917 to have CLEP test scores sent to the UH-Victoria admissions office.

CLEP General Examinations.

UHV does not grant credit on the basis of College Board CLEP General Examination scores.

CLEP Subject Examinations (currently under review, students should contact their school in the interim)

The table below shows CLEP exams that may be accepted for lower-division credit (unless otherwise specified), the minimum scores required, the equivalent UHV courses, and the number of semester credit hours that may be awarded for these exams. Contact your academic advisor for information regarding possible equivalencies for any CLEP exam not listed below.

Effective July 1, 2001, CLEP began using a new “common recommended credit-granting score” for all CLEP exams. UHV recognizes CLEP credit recommendations as posted on the official student score report.

Advanced Placement Examinations

Students typically complete an AP course offered by their high school before taking an AP examination in that subject. However, in consideration of homeschooled students and students whose schools do not offer AP, the College Board does not require you to complete an AP course before taking an AP examination. AP examinations are offered each May in most school districts. You must score a 3, 4, or 5 to earn college credit. Specify code 6917 to have your test scores sent to the UHV admissions office. The table below indicates which Advanced Placement (AP) exams will be accepted as equivalent to UHV courses, the minimum score required, and the number of semester credit hours that may be awarded for these exams. Contact your academic advisor for information regarding possible equivalencies for any Advanced Placement exam not listed below.

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD)

The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD) is an international program of courses and exams offered at the high school level. In keeping with Senate Bill 111 passed in 2005, UH-Victoria will grant credit (CR) for International Baccalaureate (IB) exams with certain required scores to incoming freshmen students.

Texas institutions of higher education must award at least 24 semester credit hours in appropriate subject areas on all IB exams with scores of 4 or above, as long as the incoming freshman has earned an IBD. However, course credit does not have to be awarded on any IB exam where the score is a 3 or less. This may mean that students will not receive 24 hours of college credit, even if they have an IBD.

Students must submit an official IB transcript to the Office of Admissions and Student Recruitment for evaluation and determination of credit.

Dantes Standardized Subject Test (DSST)

The table below shows DSST exams that are accepted for lower-division credit (unless otherwise specified), the minimum scores required, the equivalent UH-Victoria courses, and the maximum number of semester credit hours that may be awarded for these exams. Contact your academic advisor for information regarding possible equivalencies for any DSST exam not listed below.

Other Examinations

Credit may be accepted for other nationally recognized standardized exams. Credit for such exams will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Evaluation of Transfer Work

If the application for admission indicates that the student plans to earn a degree at UH-Victoria, college credit earned at another accredited institution will be evaluated in accordance with the transfer of credit regulations in effect at the time of enrollment. The evaluation of transfer work is usually made after enrollment and after the complete transfer record is on file.

Resolution of Transfer Disputes for Lower Division Courses

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has established procedures to be followed by Texas public colleges and universities in resolving transfer of credit disputes involving lower division courses. Courses covered by this procedure are defined by the Coordinating Board’s guide, “Transfer of Credit Policies and Curricula”.

If a transfer course covered by the Coordinating Board policies is not accepted, the student may initiate an appeal. A “UH-Victoria Appeal Form” must be completed and submitted to UH-Victoria Office of Admissions and Student Recruitment.  Forms are available on the Admissions and Student Recruitment page.

The two institutions and the student shall attempt to resolve the transfer of the course credit in accordance with the Coordinating Board rules and/or guidelines.

If the transfer dispute is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student or the institution at which the credit was earned, then UH-Victoria will state its reason for course denial to the Commissioner of Higher Education within 45 days after the date the student received written notice of the denial. The commissioner or a designee will then provide a final written decision about the transfer of course credit to UH-Victoria, the student and the other institution.

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 Office of Admissions and Student Recruitment (Transfer Credit).  Except for the graduate business programs, the transfer student must complete 75% of the coursework required for a degree program at UHV (for example, 36 hours in a 48 hour program) unless transferring from a UH System institution. In the latter case, the student must complete 50% at UHV. The graduate business programs accept only 6 semester credit hours in transfer, subject to approval by the Dean’s Office.

Advanced work completed with another institution prior to the time the institution offered graduate credit will not apply as credit toward an advanced degree at UH-Victoria. The student bears the final responsibility for securing the Office of Admissions and Student Recruitment’s evaluation. Approval of transfer credit toward a degree is by the appropriate school dean with the advice and consent of the president or 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.