Awarding of Transfer Credit

Upon completion of a student's file and the receipt of all college transcripts, the Admissions and Records Office with the assistance of the respective academic division will evaluate courses taken from other institutions. No transfer credit will be processed until all official transcripts from each school attended by the student are received by Admissions and Records. Transcripts must be official and must be sent directly from the school to Jackson State Admissions and Records Office. Unofficial or faxed student copies will not be evaluated.

Transcripts should be sent to:                                     

Email: recdocs@jscc.edu

Fax: (731) 425-2653

Jackson State accepts transfer credit from colleges and universities based on the following considerations:

• comparability of the nature, content, and level of credit earned to JSCC’s credit
• accreditation of the institution

Credit will be given for all courses in which passing grades are achieved, including the grade of D*; additionally, all grades, including a grade of F, P, or W, will be included on the JSCC transcript. Only grades of D or higher will be accepted for credit towards a degree, and transfer grades will not be calculated in the Jackson State GPA; however, all transfer credit will be computed in the student's Tennessee Education Lottery System grade point average and for the GPA used for application to the College’s healthcare programs. Also, beginning Summer 2015, all undergraduate transfer credit will be reflected on the academic transcript with a T in front of the grade earned at the other institution.

*D grades may not be accepted for Nursing and other allied health programs. Students should refer to the acceptance policies of those particular programs 

Courses that were taken at another institution at a junior level or higher generally transfer into JSCC as Elective Credit; however, students do have the opportunity to request a review of the course by the respective academic dean for specific credit or other options as needed to meet graduation requirements.

Credits from institutions on the quarter hour system will be converted to semester hours by dividing the quarter hour by 1.5.

Process for Transfer Credit

The following policies and procedures govern the granting of credit for transfer coursework:

1. Official transcripts of all previous college coursework must be sent to JSCC at the time of application for admission.
2. Credit earned at a regionally accredited institution will be evaluated upon completion of a student's file and the receipt of all official college transcripts. If the coursework has already been evaluated by the Academic Deans and JSCC has an equivalent course, the credit will appear on the academic transcript as the JSCC course. If it has not been evaluated or JSCC does not offer the same course, the credit will appear as elective hours earned. The student may present copies of course descriptions to be evaluated, and, if approved, the course rubric will be changed to the JSCC course number.
3. Transfer credit (quality hours, quality points, and GPA) will not be included on the Jackson State academic record. Only the courses will appear, and the earned hours will be included in the transcript totals.
4. Courses earned with grades of A, B, C, D, or P will be considered for applicability towards degree and certificate programs from Jackson State. Only grades of A, B, C, or P will be accepted for Learning Support courses.
5. Students must complete at least 25 percent of the credit hours required for their degree or certificate program at Jackson State.
6. Jackson State grants non-traditional credit for military service and service schools in accordance with the guidelines established in ACE (American Council on Education) and DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support) published by the American Council on Education. Military service credit will be assigned a grade of P.
7. Jackson State grants non-traditional credit for CLEP (College Level Examination Program) and AP (Advance Placement) examinations. CLEP and AP credit will be assigned a grade of P. See https://www.jscc.edu/admissions/pla for more details and credit requirements.
8. Jackson State will consider coursework from non-regionally accredited institutions as transfer coursework. Credit requests must be made by completing a Request for Transfer or PLA Evaluation Form obtained from the Admissions and Records Office or any off campus location. Once the evaluation is complete, any accepted credit will be added to the Jackson State transcript, and the student will be notified.
9. Additional options of credit can also be requested using the Request for Transfer or PLA Evaluation Form. Other options for Prior Learning Credit accepted by JSCC can be found at https://www.jscc.edu/admissions/pla.

The following information may be required to evaluate the comparability of courses for the purpose of awarding transfer credit:

1. Course syllabus—photocopy of the syllabus used at the time the course was taken. A determination of the comparability of course content and level of instruction is made through a comparison of the following syllabus elements: course prefix, number and title; lecture/lab contact hours and credit hours; course description; prerequisite/corequisite courses; course objectives/ course goals; grading scale; required textbook and other instructional materials; and methods of evaluation. If the syllabus does not contain the information specified above, supplemental documentation (e.g., assignment schedules, grading policy statements) should be submitted along with the course syllabus.
2. Faculty credentials—in cases where the credit was not earned at a regionally accredited institution, verification that faculty teaching the course(s), for which credit is requested, must meet the following academic and/or professional experience qualifications:
• Courses designed for transfer to four-year colleges and universities—master's degree and at least 18 graduate hours in the discipline.
• Courses not designed for transfer to four-year colleges and universities—master's degree and at least 18 graduate hours in the discipline or bachelor's degree and work experience in a related field.
3. If applicable, the name of relevant specialized or program agencies/boards may be submitted along with the above information. 

The Transfer Credit Appeal Process

The transfer credit appeal process may be used by students to request reconsideration of transfer credit decisions. The appeal process is as follows:

1. The student contacts the Admissions and Records Office, to receive a copy of a Request for Transfer or PLA Evaluation Form, and specifies that they are requesting a reevaluation of transfer credit. The student may ask that particular courses be reconsidered for approval.
2. Course descriptions, course syllabi and other documentation as described above must be provided with the a Request for Transfer or PLA Evaluation Form by the student or by the institution where the courses were taken.
3. Copies of college transcripts and supporting documentation are sent to the appropriate academic dean for review.
4. The dean’s recommendation is forwarded to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
5. The Vice President for Academic Affairs informs Admissions and Records of the transfer credit decision. The VPAA’s decision regarding the awarding of transfer credit is final.
6. The Admissions and Records Office notifies the student of the transfer credit decision.

The appeal process is the same for students transferring from regionally and non-regionally accredited colleges and universities. Students transferring from international colleges and universities follow the same steps, with the additional requirement that supporting documentation (e.g., course syllabi) must be translated in English.

Maximum External Credit Allowed from Various Sources

No more than a total of 75 percent of semester hour credit can be granted by Jackson State through any combination of external sources. Credit granted for service in the Armed Forces (including physical education credit and credit for courses offered through the American Council on Education or other service schools), advanced placement credit (the Advanced Placement Program and College-Level Examination Program of the College Entrance Examination Board, credit by examination, or previous training or work experience qualifying for degree credit) can be used towards graduation requirements.

Should a student be granted the maximum total of 75 percent of semester hour credit through external sources, he/she must still complete all specific degree or certificate requirements as given in an outlined Program of Study. In order to receive a credential from Jackson State, students must meet the residency requirement, which is earning at least 25 percent of their hours at Jackson State.