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Section IV: Programs
SACS Comprehensive Standard for All Educational Programs
IV-4. The institution has a defined and published
policy for evaluating and awarding 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 collegiate
level and comparable to the institution's own degree programs.
JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
Yes, East Tennessee State University is able to provide
a portfolio of evidence supporting compliance.
STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
East Tennessee State University has a defined and published policy for
evaluating and awarding credit for transfer, experiential learning, advanced
placement, and professional certificates for baccalaureate, graduate,
and post-baccalaureate professional degrees. The policy framework is
consistent with the ETSU Mission as a state-supported, comprehensive,
regional university that offers broad programming embracing the philosophy
of a liberal education, and with special programs leading to a primary
level of expertise in the arts and sciences and in selected professional
fields. These processes for evaluating and awarding credit ensure that
course work and learning outcomes are collegiate level and comparable
to the institution's own degree programs as demonstrated through use of
various means for applying or awarding credit equivalent to the requirements
of ETSU's own academic degree programs (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog,
Transfer Student Admission). The following narrative describes procedures
applied to credits for baccalaureate programs; procedures for graduate
and post-baccalaureate professional degree credits are described in SACS
Standard IV-21.
Transfer
East Tennessee State University's admission policy for transfer students
requires an applicant to have official transcripts sent from all previous
degree-granting institutions (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog,
Transfer Student Admission; ETSU Transfer Student Brochure).
The transfer admission policy includes the qualitative and quantitative
criteria (transfer GPA based on credit hours attempted) for admission
in good standing as well as probationary admission. Criteria for advanced
standing credit is outlined in the policy and includes direct transfer
of credit, credit by examination, and credit through experiential learning.
Transfer students are informed of the amount of credit transferred at
the time of their admission. The transfer credit evaluation provides
a detailed listing of each previous course taken along with the transfer
status of each class at ETSU. The only exception is the instance where
a student is admitted on an unofficial transcript at the beginning of
the semester. In this case, the student is required to provide the official
transcript during the first semester of enrollment; the transfer credit
evaluation is then provided to the student prior to the end of that first
term of enrollment (ETSU Transfer Credit Evaluation).
After evaluation by faculty in the discipline, credit may be accepted
for transfer work through non-regionally accredited and/or non-degree
granting institutions of these types: a) foreign institutions; b) degree-granting
institutions accredited by a professional accrediting body responsible
for free-standing institutions within a specialty; and c) education in
the United States military or in corporate training programs (ETSU
Undergraduate Catalog, Transfer Student Admission).
Experiential Learning and Advanced Placement
East Tennessee State University awards credit through the following
examination programs:
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Advanced Placement Program of the College Board,
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College Level Examination Program of the College Board,
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Proficiency Examination Program of the American College Testing
Program/Regents College;
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DANTES Subject Standardized Tests,
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International Baccalaureate Program,
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National League for Nursing Mobility Profile II Test, and
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comprehensive departmental examinations.
Credit may also be awarded for military and corporate training programs
(ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Transfer Student Admission).
Credit for external examination programs follows the recommendations
of the various recognized organizations: The College Board; the American
Council on Education; American College Testing Program/Regents College:
the National League for Nursing; and the National Council on the evaluation
of Foreign Educational Credentials, etc. Recommendations from the academic
departments are followed in regard to minimum score requirements, level
of credit, and amount of credit to be awarded; college and departmental
faculty are consulted to determine if credit recommendations equate to
specific ETSU courses. The internal comprehensive departmental examination
program provides a local means for establishing knowledge of ETSU course
content in areas not covered by the above examination programs. Departments
may elect to administer examinations that cover material specific to ETSU
courses with the results being reported to the office of the registrar
(ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Transfer Student Admission).
Assessment of Equivalency
The university allows students the opportunity to receive credit for
prior learning earned as community college courses through assessment
for four degree programs only: The Bachelor of Applied Science, the Bachelor
of General Studies, the Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies and
the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies. The procedure designed to
evaluate credit for this type of prior learning follows local, standardized
practices (ETSU Application for Academic Credit Earned Through Experiential
Learning). In this process, the academic department determines, through
testing or other assessments, whether the student has mastered the content
of an ETSU course. The department is required to document the methodology
used to make this determination. Such credit is awarded only to matriculate
students and is noted on the student's transcript. Credit is awarded
only for ETSU courses and does not duplicate credit already awarded.
As these four programs mature, this procedure will be evaluated for its
efficiency and validity by the faculty.
Professional Certificates
East Tennessee State University permits articulation from selected professional
certification and registries to baccalaureate completion programs in nursing
(R.N. to B.S.N. completion program) and a limited number of allied health
fields, specifically, radiography, cardiopulmonary care (B.S. in Allied
Health), and dental hygiene (B.S. in Dental Hygiene). Students admitted
to the university must complete “bridge” or gateway requirements at
the upper division level to assess prior learning and to gain eligibility
for program admission. With successful completion of the designated assessment
courses, the appropriate academic departments recommend the award of ETSU
credit for comparable lower division courses in the discipline. Each
degree program (B.S.N., B.S.A.H., and B.S.D.H) undertaking such articulation
of professional certification/licensure/registry offers all courses to
which equivalent credit will be assigned (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog,
College of Nursing, Department of Health Related Professions, Department
of Dental Hygiene).
DOCUMENTATION
SOURCE
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LOCATION
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ETSU Mission
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ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, 2001-2002, Transfer
Student Admission
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SACS Standard IV-21
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ETSU Transfer Student Brochure
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SACS Documentation Files
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ETSU Transfer Credit Evaluation
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SACS Documentation Files
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ETSU Application for Academic Credit Earned Through Experiential
Learning
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SACS Documentation Files
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ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, 2001-2002, College
of Nursing
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ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, 2001-2002, Department of Health
Related Professions
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ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, 2001-2002, Department
of Dental Hygiene
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