Transfer Credit

Only academic or technical courses required within a major field of study and in which a “C” or better has been earned may be applied toward a TSC certificate or degree. This applies to all degree plans. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) recognizes the Texas Administrative Rule 7.6, which provides criteria for accrediting agencies to be recognized and accredited institutions in Texas. The THECB recognizes 17 regional and national, and 3 professional or specialized accrediting agencies.

Courses from institutions accredited by national and/or professional or specialized accrediting agencies that are recognized by the THECB may be applied by the college toward a certificate or degree only after being reviewed on a case-by-case basis:

  • Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
  • Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior College, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC-WASC)
  • Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
  • Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)
  • Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
  • Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools Accreditation Commission (AARTS)
  • Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) (undergraduate only)
  • Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS)
  • Council on Occupational Education (COE)
  • Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (accreditor for all Texas public institutions of higher education) (SACSCOC)
  • Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)
  • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WAS-SCUC)

Professional or Specialized Accrediting Agencies:

  • Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM)
  •  American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE)
  • National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST)

Credit from institutions not regionally, nationally, and/or professionally accredited by one of the above associations is not accepted by TSC. The Office of Admissions and Records is responsible for verifying an institution’s regional accreditation status and for evaluating official transcripts. Traditional classroom instruction and credit by examination are the basis for which transferred credit is recognized. A minimum of 25% of the required semester credit hours toward a degree or certificate must be completed at TSC. For example, a student pursuing an Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, which consists of 60 total semester credit hours, must complete at least 15 semester credit hours at TSC in order to receive an A.A. in Criminal Justice from TSC.

Courses taken 10 or more years prior to a student’s associated last enrollment at TSC will not count as semester credit hours toward the award of the Associate of Applied Science degree or Certificate of Proficiency Level One and Level Two. However, a student may petition for an exception, which will be evaluated and awarded as determined by the division dean with approval by the Vice President of Instruction.