Transfer Guide

Transferability

Transferability refers to the circumstances under which the University accepts credit from other post-secondary institutions for inclusion in a student’s Athens State record. Athens State University’s policy on Transfer and Acceptance of Academic Credit and the bullets below detail the requirements for the transfer of academic credit to Athens State.

Equivalency

Equivalency refers to the determination as to whether accepted transfer credit is equal, both in hours and content, to coursework offered or required by Athens State University.

• Lower-level (100/200) equivalencies will be determined by staff in the Office of the Registrar – Student Records. Since Athens State is an upper-division institution and does not offer coursework at the 100/200-level, the Alabama Community College System course directory is used as the baseline for establishing and determining lower-level equivalencies.
• Upper-level (300/400) equivalencies will be determined by the college/department which houses the discipline and must go through the University’s equivalency approval process. As part of this process, the content and level of instruction of the transfer course are evaluated to ensure that student outcomes and competencies are equivalent to those in a specific course offered by Athens State.

Credit/coursework judged not to be equivalent to any courses required or offered by Athens State University may be accepted and applicable as general electives only.

Applicability

Applicability refers to whether accepted transfer credit will count towards the fulfillment of a specific degree or program requirement. The University reserves the right to determine the applicability of any transfer credit toward the fulfillment of a specific degree, program, or course requirements at Athens State. Transfer courses that are not determined as equivalents to any required coursework may only be applied as general electives and total earned hours. In some cases, a transfer course that is not determined as an equivalent may be eligible as a substitution for a required course.  Such substitutions are considered on a case-by-case basis and must be approved through the University’s Curriculum Adjustment process.

Credit Earned at Institutions Accredited by an Institutional Accrediting Agency

Athens State University generally accepts academic credit earned from postsecondary institutions accredited by an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Credit earned (above the remedial level) from such institutions will be included in the Athens State undergraduate student record and may be applicable towards satisfying certain degree requirements. Coursework taken at the graduate level will not be automatically recorded on the Athens State University undergraduate transcript.  Some graduate-level coursework may be added as undergraduate credit on a case-by-case basis at the written request of the student, and when the coursework has been approved by the appropriate College as applicable to the requirements for the undergraduate program being pursued.

Transfer Course Equivalency Guide

For students pursuing graduate degrees at Athens State, any graduate transfer credit/coursework from accredited institutions must be relevant to the requirements for the degree or major being pursued. The content and level of instruction of graduate transfer coursework are evaluated by the appropriate faculty advisors to ensure appropriate student competencies in the coursework. A maximum of six (6) semester hours of graduate coursework from an institution accredited by an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be transferred into an Athens State University graduate program. Coursework that is more than five (5) years old at the time of application for graduation may not be used for fulfilling graduate course requirements.

Credit Earned Through Completion of Nationally Recognized Exams

Athens State University recognizes credit earned through examinations completed under the Advanced Placement Program (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) under the Defense Activity for Non-traditional Educational Support (DANTES) provided acceptable examination scores are achieved. Official transcripts of AP, CLEP, or DSST scores must be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions before any credit is awarded. If official examination transcripts cannot be obtained, no credit will be awarded. Since AP, CLEP, and DSST are only accepted as non-graded credit, any credit awarded will not factor into a student’s grade point average. Credit awarded for AP and CLEP examinations is at the 100-200 level; some credit earned through DSST may be eligible for 300-level credit. Credit will be awarded only if it does not duplicate other earned academic credit.

Minimum exam scores required for the award of credit are determined by the American Council on Education (ACE) and are subject to change without notice when ACE issues updated exam reviews and/or recommendations.

• Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
• College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) or DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST) Credit

Athens State University recognizes credit earned through GCE A/AS Level examinations offered by a number of Examining Boards (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA); Edexcel; Oxford, Cambridge, and RSA Examinations (OCR); Pearson; Council for the Curriculum, Examinations, and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland; Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC); Cambridge International Examinations (CIE); Oxford International AQA).

Students are not required to earn the full Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma as individual GCE subject certificates for A/AS Level examinations passed are considered for transfer credit purposes.

Examination scores for A/AS Level Examinations are A, B, C, D, E, and U/O. Scores of A–E are passing and credit can be awarded. Scores of U/O are not passing and no credit will be awarded. Official score reports must be submitted to the University in order for credit to be placed on the student’s transcript. Credit will be awarded only once for the same subject, whether from credit by examination, dual enrollment, transfer credit, or credit granted by Athens State University.

Athens State University recognizes International Baccalaureate (IB) credit with a score of 4, 5, 6, or 7 on the higher-level examinations. IB score reports should be sent to the Athens State University Registrar’s Office for evaluation. Additional credit may be awarded on a course-by-course basis as approved by the department. Some departments may award credit based on the subsidiary examinations. The academic unit responsible for the student’s program of study will determine the application of credits toward specific degree requirements. If awarded, credits will be recorded without grades or quality points, and will not, therefore, be included in the calculation of grade point average.

Major Prerequisite Course Requirements

As specified in the statewide general education structure, degree programs offered at Athens State and other universities in Alabama may require certain courses that are specific to the major or program.

These blocks of major-specific courses are known as Area V Requirements, or Major Prerequisite (Pre-Professional) Course Requirements.

The Major Prerequisite Course Requirements for each program offered at Athens State are published in the appropriate sections of the Academic Catalog.

General Education/Elective Credit Through SOPHIA or StraighterLine

In some instances, students may be able to earn credit for general education and some pre-professional requirements from SOPHIA Learning or StraighterLine.  Athens State University awards credit for selected courses offered through these providers according to the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations.  SOPHIA or StraighterLine courses that are completed successfully are awarded the ACE-recommended credits as non-graded courses (“pass”) and do not factor into a student’s GPA.

Please note that Athens State does not accept or award credit for all SOPHIA or StraighterLine courses; be sure to review the specific Athens State partner institution or partner college information before signing up for any SOPHIA or StraighterLine courses.  Please contact the Registrar’s Office if you need assistance.

• SOPHIA – Athens State University
• StraighterLine – Athens State University

Transfer Guide and Process

Start at Athens State at any time during the year! Use our step-by-step guide (linked below) to correctly transfer your FAFSA to Athens State University!

FAFSA Transfer Guide

Add us to your FAFSA – 001008

Transfer Pathways

After the FAFSA

• Review your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) carefully. The FSS is the official record that proves the federal processor received your FAFSA. If you find any errors on your FSS, you should correct your FAFSA online. Unresolved errors could impact your federal aid awards.
• Contact your current school to cancel any future financial aid.
• Carefully read all emails, letters, and texts from the Athens State Office of Student Financial Aid.  If we are contacting you, it’s important!  Email is the primary way our office with contact you, but we may also call or text you to help you complete the financial aid process.  
• Make sure all documents you submit are complete, accurate, and signed as required (tax forms typically require a signature and a date).
• You will have additional steps if you plan to accept student loans. Complete the Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling online. You may transfer your Entrance Counseling if you have already completed it.

If your financial situation changes after you submit your FAFSA or if the information submitted does not reflect your situation, you may be eligible to appeal. Changes in finances due to a reduction in income, a change in marital status, the death of a parent/spouse, or other special circumstances may greatly impact a family’s ability to pay for college. The Department of Education allows financial aid administrators to use Professional Judgment on a case-by-case basis to make adjustments to the data used in calculating the Student Aid Index (SAI) to reflect these special circumstances.  If your family is experiencing financial issues (such as the loss of a job, reduction of income, or other extenuating circumstances) and would like to learn more about the appeal process, please contact us at [email protected].