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Section IV: Programs
SACS Comprehensive Standard for All Educational Programs
IV-8.  The institution awards academic credit for course work taken on a non-credit basis only when there is documentation that the non-credit course work is equivalent to a designated credit experience.
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
At East Tennessee State University, non-credit coursework is defined either as a formal educational experience not sponsored by a college or university or an experience sponsored by a college or university that could not be applied to a degree at that institution.  It includes noncollegiate educational and training courses, and educational experiences obtained as continuing education, remedial, and developmental work.  Non-credit coursework does not include degree credits, whether awarded from a higher education institution but not valid for transfer to ETSU (SACS Standard IV-4), or awarded from a non-regionally accredited institution.
East Tennessee State University awards academic credit for course work taken on a non-credit basis in only two cases, specifically:
  • military training courses in the Armed Services of the United States.  Veterans must submit transcripts or other official documentation of completion of military training to the office of admissions for evaluation (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Transfer Student Admission, Credit for Service in the Armed Forces).
  • credit for noncollegiate-sponsored instruction or training.  Only students enrolled in four specific baccalaureate degree programs (General Studies, Applied Science, Professional Studies, and Interdisciplinary Studies) are eligible to received credit through these recommendations.  No more than 30 hours of credit earned through approved noncollegiate-sponsored instruction may be applied to these degrees.  Students must submit official documentation of completion of approved noncollegiate training for review by the ETSU Division of Cross-Disciplinary Studies, the faculty in the discipline, and the Office of Admissions (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, Transfer Student Admission, University Credit for Experiential Learning).
In both of these cases, credit awards are based on recommendations provided by the American Council on Education, which uses evaluation criteria and procedures developed first in 1945 for military courses, and adapted in 1974 to include training programs (Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services; National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs).
Any credit hours awarded for course work taken on a non-credit basis may not exceed the credit hours awarded by ETSU for an equivalent course.  A grade of "P" for passed hours is recorded for approved courses.  Credit awarded for course work taken on a non-credit basis is non-transferable and cannot be used for any ETSU degree except those noted above (ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, 2001-2002 Transfer Student Admission).
DOCUMENTATION
SOURCE
LOCATION
SACS Standard IV-4
http://www.etsu.edu/sacs/audit/reports/IV04.htm
ETSU Undergraduate Catalog, 2001-2002, Transfer Student Admission
http://www.etsu.edu/reg/cat-ugrad
Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services, American Council on Education
http://www.acenet.edu/calec/military/guides-adm.html
National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs, American Council on Education
http://www.acenet.edu/bookstore/index.cfm?pubID=119

 

 

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