Texas State Technical College Harlingen has a defined and published policy for evaluating, awarding, and accepting credit for transfer, experiential learning [Ref 1] advanced placement [Ref 2] and professional certificates [Ref 1], that is consistent with its mission and ensures that coursework and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to TSTC Harlingen's own degree programs. TSTC Harlingen assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any coursework or credit recorded on TSTC Harlingen transcripts.

The Vice President for Student Development, Servando J. Villarreal [Ref 3], is the administrator responsible for all policies and processes associated with awarding credit for all coursework recorded on a TSTC Harlingen transcript. The Director of Admissions and Records, Elva Short [Ref 4], coordinates with each department chair [Ref 5] to ensure that all transcripted coursework and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to TSTC Harlingen's own degree programs.

These policies and practices are consistent with the TSTC Harlingen Purpose Statement to provide "close collaboration with... public and private secondary and post secondary educational institutions...(to) deliver an articulated and responsive technical education system."[Ref 6].

TSTC Harlingen awards credit to students who demonstrate subject content mastery in equivalent TSTC Harlingen courses through either:

1. Transfer from a national or regionally accredited college or university;
2. Substitution credit awarded for similar or equivalent courses within the TSTC System inventory of courses;
3. Credit awarded for equivalent course content earned through formal armed forces school training is processed using the policy for "Credit Assignment for Armed Forces and Services Schools" [Ref 7]; and,
4. Credit awarded through compliance with formal written articulation agreements between TSTC Harlingen and area high schools, state, universities, or colleges is found in the policy, "Articulation Credit" [Ref 8].

   The institutional policy, "Transfer and Substitution" [Ref 1], observes mandates from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) that require state colleges and universities to be consistent in granting academic credit for selected transfer courses. THECB policies ensure uniformity in the academic level, scope and quality of these courses and ensures that acceptable standards are maintained. Using the Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) [Ref 9] and the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) [Ref 10], the Admissions Office and faculty are able to grant approval for all state transferable courses. Substitution for credit awarded for like courses within the TSTC System, for previously earned credit which may be used to satisfy current TSTC curricular requirements, for learning outcomes earned through formal armed forces school training, and for compliance with formal written articulation agreements between TSTC Harlingen and other learning institutions are all addressed in this same "Transfer and Substitution Policy" [Ref 1]. Specific policies for credit earned through armed forces training [Ref 7] or through compliance with formal articulation agreements [Ref 8] have their own distinct policies. For additional information about TSTC's formal articulation agreements, see the narrative for Core 2.7.4.

5. The policy for "Awarding Credit by Examination" allows the award of credit for successful completion of AP and CLEP examinations published by the College Board as well as for successful completion of departmental examinations [Ref 2].
6. Credit earned through the TSTC Harlingen "Credit for Awarding Continuing Education Units Policy" [Ref 12] allows the VP of Student Learning to award semester credit hours for only non-credit continuing education coursework delivered by TSTC instructors and only for courses with similar coursework and learning outcomes to the credit instruction. No other non-credit work is awarded transcripted credit.
7. Neither industrial experience nor professional certifications are considered for awarding of credit.

The institution has direct control over the transfer of all credits. Credit for all courses not controlled by THECB mandate must be approved by the department chairs. Through this process, students must demonstrate, through presentation of course descriptions, syllabi, or both, that the course is comparable in scope and in academic level to TSTC Harlingen courses. The institution defines and publishes these policies regarding transfer credit in the TSTC Harlingen Catalog [Ref 13], the Course Schedule [Ref 14], the TSTC Student Handbook [Ref 15], and the TSTC Harlingen web site.