Catalog 2022-2023

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Transfer Credit

Athens Technical College recognizes that it is necessary to establish reasonable and definitive policies for the acceptance of transfer credit. The college developed these guidelines in accordance with the standards set by the Technical College System of Georgia, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

While the director of registration and records is responsible for evaluating transcripts to determine transfer credit, the ultimate authority for the transfer evaluation rests with the instructional faculty and division deans in the discipline. For example, the mathematics coordinator and dean of general education are the ultimate authorities on the transferability of math courses to the college.

The director of registration and records, instructional faculty, and division deans determine the transferability of courses taken at other postsecondary institutions by considering the educational quality of the learning experience for which students seek transfer credit; the comparability of the nature, content, and level of the learning experiences to the courses offered at Athens Technical College; and the appropriateness and applicability of the learning experiences to the programs offered at Athens Technical College.

The college has established the following procedures to guide the awarding of transfer credit:

  • Accounting — Students who have completed Accounting I and II (6 credit hours) at a University System of Georgia college will be awarded credit for ACCT 1100, ACCT 1105, and ACCT 1110 (11 credit hours) at Athens Technical College. Students who transfer these courses to the college must complete five additional credit hours of business or accounting coursework to meet their degree requirements.
  • Computer Information Systems (Computer Support Specialist and Networking Specialist) — Appropriate faculty and administrators review course competencies and the date of completion (typically within five years) before awarding transfer credit for courses in computer science, microcomputers, or networking.
  • Credit-By-Examination Awarded at Other Colleges — Athens Technical College does not award transfer credit for credit-by-examination tests administered at other postsecondary institutions.
  • Fine Arts and Humanities — Students who have taken courses in art, music, and/or English literature may receive transfer credit to satisfy General Education Requirement Area IV provided the courses are comparable in scope, nature, content, and level of learning experiences to the ARTS, MUSC, and ENGL courses offered at Athens Technical College. This type of transfer credit is entered on academic transcripts as ARTS 11XX, MUSC 11XX, or ENGL 11XX. Transferability of these courses will be determined by the vice president of academic affairs in consultation with faculty on a case-by-case basis.
  • Health Information Management Technology — Athens Technical College will award transfer credit for Health Information Management Technology (HIMT) courses taken at postsecondary institutions holding CAHIIM accreditation provided the courses are comparable in scope, nature, content, and level of learning experiences to the HIMT courses offered at Athens Technical College.
  • Learning Support Coursework — Learning support coursework taken at other colleges is used to determine whether students are eligible to enroll in credit-bearing coursework. Learning support coursework grades are not counted in students' earned hours or in the calculation of semester, cumulative, and graduation grade point averages.
  • Life Sciences Courses — The director of registration and records does not automatically award transfer credit for courses specific to Life Sciences programs in Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Nursing, Paramedicine, Physical Therapist Assistant, Practical Nursing, Radiography, Surgical Technology, and Veterinary Technology. The director of registration and records consults with faculty from those programs to determine transfer credit based on course competencies and date of completion (typically within two to five years).
  • Official Transcripts with Final Grades — Students must submit official transcripts from all colleges attended in the past. All official transcripts must include final grades. Students who submit transcripts with in progress coursework must submit official transcripts again once they complete the in progress coursework and receive final grades before college officials can determine whether to award transfer credit.
  • Paralegal Studies — Athens Technical College will award transfer credit for Paralegal Studies (PARA) courses taken at postsecondary institutions holding American Bar Association (ABA) approval provided the courses are comparable in scope, nature, content, and level of learning experiences to the PARA courses offered at Athens Technical College. Students must complete a minimum of twelve (12) credit semester hours of Paralegal Studies legal specialty courses, along with PARA 2210 at Athens Technical College. In addition, must take at least nine (9) semester credit hours of required Paralegal Studies legal specialty courses through synchronous instruction. 
  • Quarter System Coursework — The director or registration and records converts credit hours for courses taken on the quarter system to semester credit hours by multiplying the quarter hours by 0.6667. This conversion may result in students receiving fewer credit hours for coursework offered at Athens Technical College. Students may need to complete additional coursework in order to satisfy the graduation requirements at Athens Technical College.
  • Satisfactory Academic Progress — Grades earned for courses transferred to Athens Technical College are not included in the calculation of semester, cumulative, and graduation grade point averages. The Financial Aid Office includes grades earned for all courses taken at all postsecondary institutions when calculating HOPE scholarship grade point averages and for determining satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes.
  • Science Courses with Separate Labs — Students must pass science courses and their associated lab during the same academic term at the same postsecondary institution in order to receive transfer credit at Athens Technical College. In addition, Athens Technical College does not accept lab science courses for transfer credit in which the lab portion is taken as part of a distance education class. Students may be asked to provide syllabi and other course information to show that the lab portion of a distance education lab science class was taken in the classroom.
  • Social Sciences — Students who have taken courses in history or political science may receive transfer credit to satisfy General Education Requirement Area II provided the courses are comparable in scope, nature, content, and level of learning experience to the HIST and POLS courses offered at Athens Technical College.  This type of transfer credit is entered on academic transcripts as HIST 11XX and POLS 11XX. Transferability of these courses will be determined by the vice president of academic affairs for academic affairs in consultation with faculty on a case-by-case basis.
  • Transcript Notation of Transfer Credit — Transfer credit is noted as TR, TRA, TRB, or TRC on academic transcripts. Transfer credit is not included in the calculation of semester, cumulative, or graduation grade point averages. The Registration and Records Office records transferred coursework on students' academic transcripts and notifies students via their @student.athenstech.edu email address when transfer credits have been posted. Students should access their student records on BannerWeb to verify the transfer credit awarded.
  • Transferable Coursework — Students may receive transfer credit for courses taken at regionally accredited colleges and universities. Students who attended colleges that were not regionally accredited at the time of attendance may be asked to provide additional materials including course syllabi, college catalog course descriptions, and instructors' credential information before the director of registration and records can determine whether the courses are transferable. Students must have earned final grades of A+/-, B+/-, or C+/- for courses to be transferable. Course must equal or exceed to the number of semester hours established for similar courses at Athens Technical College.
  • Transferring from Other Technical Colleges in Georgia — Courses taken under state-approved standards at other Technical College System of Georgia colleges are transferable provided the technical colleges were accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at the time of attendance. Students who attended technical colleges that were not regionally accredited at the time of attendance may be asked to provide additional materials including course syllabi, college catalog course descriptions, and instructors' credential information before the director or registration and records can determine whether the courses are transferrable.