Transfer Information

Transfer Policy for Public Two-Year and Four-Year Institutions in South Carolina (Revised 12/2009)

The South Carolina Course Articulation and Transfer System serves as the primary tool and source of information for transfer of academic credit between and among institutions of higher education in the state. The system provides institutions with the software tools needed to update and maintain course articulation and transfer information easily. The student interface of this system is the South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center (SCTRAC) web portal: www.SCTRAC.org. This web portal is an integrated solution to meet the needs of South Carolina’s public colleges and universities and their students and is designed to help students make better choices and avoid taking courses which will not count toward their degree. Each institution’s student information system interfaces with www.SCTRAC.org to help students and institutions by saving time and effort while ensuring accuracy and timeliness of information.

Transfer Criteria, Course Grades, GPA’s, Validations

All four-year public institutions will issue a transfer guide annually in August or maintain such a guide online. Information published in transfer guides will cover at least the following items:

1. The institution’s definition of a transfer student.
2. Requirements for admission both to the institution and, if more selective, requirements for admission to particular programs.
3. Institutional and, if more selective, programmatic maximums of course credits allowable in transfer.
4. Information about course equivalencies and transfer agreements.
5. Limitations placed by the institution or its programs for acceptance of standardized examinations (e.g., SAT, ACT) taken more than a given time ago, for academic coursework taken elsewhere, for coursework repeated due to failure, for coursework taken at another institution while the student is academically suspended at their home institution, and so forth.
6. Information about institutional procedures used to calculate student applicants’ GPAs for transfer admission. Such procedures will describe how nonstandard grades (withdrawal, withdrawal failing, repeated course, etc.) are evaluated; and they will also describe whether all coursework taken prior to transfer or only coursework deemed appropriate to the student’s intended four-year program of study is calculated for purposes of admission to the institution and/or programmatic major.
7. Institutional policies related to “academic bankruptcy” (i.e., removing an entire transcript or parts thereof from a failed or underachieving record after a period of years has passed) so that re-entry into the four-year institution with course credit earned in the interim elsewhere is done without regard to the student’s earlier record.
8. “Residency requirements” for the minimum number of hours required to be earned at the institution for the degree.

South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center (SCTRAC)

All two-and four-year public institutions will publish information related to course articulation and transfer, including but not limited to items A through D mentioned above, on the South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center website (www.SCTRAC.org). Course equivalency information listing all courses accepted from each institution in the state (including the 86 courses in the Statewide Articulation Agreement) and their respective course equivalencies (including courses in the “free elective” category) will be made available on www.SCTRAC.org. This course equivalency information will be updated as equivalencies are added or changed and will be reviewed annually for accuracy. Additionally, articulation agreements between public South Carolina institutions of higher education will be made available on www.SCTRAC.org, will be updated as articulation agreements are added or changed, and will be reviewed annually for accuracy. All other transfer information published on www.SCTRAC.org will be reviewed at least annually and updated as needed.

Statewide Articulation of 86 Courses

The Statewide Articulation Agreement of 86 courses approved by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education for transfer from two- to four-year public institutions is applicable to all public institutions, including two-year institutions and institutions within the same system. In instances where an institution does not have courses synonymous to ones on this list, it will identify comparable courses or course categories for acceptance of general education courses on the statewide list. This list of courses is available online at www.che.sc.gov as well as on www.SCTRAC.org.

Statewide Transfer Blocks

The Statewide Transfer Blocks established in 1996 will be accepted in their totality toward meeting baccalaureate degree requirements at all four-year public institutions in relevant four-year degree programs. Several Transfer Blocks were updated in March 2009: Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Business; Engineering; and Science and Mathematics. The Transfer Blocks for Teacher Education were updated in July 2010. The Transfer Blocks for Nursing were updated in July 2012. The courses listed in each Transfer Block will be reviewed periodically by the Commission’s Academic Affairs staff in consultation with the Advisory Committee on Academic Programs to ensure their accuracy, and the Transfer Blocks will be updated as needed.

For the Nursing Transfer Block, by statewide agreement, at least 60 semester hours will be accepted by any public four-year institution toward the baccalaureate completion program (BSN) from graduates of any South Carolina public associate degree program in nursing (ADN), provided that the program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and that the graduate has successfully passed the National Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and is a currently licensed Registered Nurse.

Any student who has completed either an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree program at any public two-year South Carolina institution which contains the total coursework found in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences or the Science and Mathematics Transfer Block will automatically be entitled to junior-level status or its equivalent at whatever public senior institution to which the student might have been admitted. However, as agreed by the Advisory Committee on Academic Programs, junior status applies only to campus activities such as priority order for registration for courses, residence hall assignments, parking, athletic event tickets, etc. and not in calculating academic degree credits.

For a complete listing of all courses in each Transfer Block, see http://www.che.sc.gov/InstitutionsEducators/AcademicPolicies,Programs/AcademicTransferArticulation.aspx

Assurance of Transferability of Coursework Covered by the Transfer Policy

Coursework (i.e., individual courses, transfer blocks, and statewide agreements) covered within this transfer policy will be transferable if the student has completed the coursework with a “C” grade (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or above. However, the transfer of grades does not relieve the student of the obligation to meet any GPA requirements or other admissions requirements of the institution or program to which application has been made. In addition, any four-year institution which has institutional or programmatic admissions requirements for transfer students with cumulative grade point averages (GPAs) higher than 2.0 on a 4.0 scale will apply such entrance requirements equally to transfer students from regionally accredited South Carolina public institutions regardless of whether students are transferring from a four-year or two-year institution.

Any coursework covered within this transfer policy will be transferable to any public institution without any additional fee and without any further encumbrance such as a “validation examination,” “placement examination/instrument,” “verification instrument,” or any other stricture, notwithstanding any institutional or system policy, procedure, or regulation to the contrary.

Assurance of Quality

All claims from any public two- or four-year institution challenging the effective preparation of any other public institution’s coursework for transfer purposes will be evaluated by the staff of the Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the Advisory Committee on Academic Programs. After these claims are evaluated, appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that the quality of the coursework has been reviewed and approved on a timely basis by sending and receiving institutions alike.

Transfer Officers

Each institution will provide the contact information for the institution’s Transfer Office personnel, including telephone numbers, office address, and e-mail address, on its website and on www.SCTRAC.org. Transfer office personnel will:

• Provide information and other appropriate support for students considering transfer and recent transfers.
• Serve as a clearinghouse for information on issues of transfer in the state of South Carolina.
• Provide definitive institutional rulings on transfer questions for the institution’s students under these procedures.
• Work closely with feeder institutions to assure ease in transfer for their students.

Statewide Publication and Distribution of Information on Transfer

The staff of the Commission on Higher Education will place this document on the Commission’s website under the title “Transfer Policies.” In addition, information about transfer, including Institutional policies, course equivalencies, and articulation agreements, will be published and distributed by all public institutions through transfer guides and be made available on www.SCTRAC.org. Furthermore, course catalogs for each public two-and four-year institution will contain a section entitled “Transfer: State Policies and Procedures.” This section will:

1. Include the Transfer Policy for Public Two-Year and Four-Year Institutions in South Carolina.
2. Refer interested parties to www.SCTRAC.org as well as to the institutional Transfer Guide and institutional and Commission on Higher Education’s websites for further information regarding transfer.

SCC Programs of Study & The South Carolina Education Economic Development Act

In an effort to assist students in preparing for a career that best aligns with their skills and abilities, Spartanburg Community College programs of study have been linked with Clusters of Study as outlined in the South Carolina Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA) of 2005.

The EEDA legislation, which was signed into law in May 2005, is designed to give South Carolina students the educational tools they need to build prosperous, successful futures. The EEDA’s “Personal Pathways to Success” system gives students the guidance and experience they need to take full advantage of real opportunities in the South Carolina economy. The system is designed to assist students and businesses that compete in today’s global workforce by combining high academic standards with enhanced opportunities to explore career options that build real-life working skills. The system is also designed to demonstrate to students the connections between what they accomplish in school and their professional success in the future.

Clusters of Study, or Career Clusters, are courses of study organized around different groups of occupations that encompass virtually all occupations from entry through professional levels (see list of clusters on following page). Clusters of Study provide a way to organize and tailor course work and learning experiences around each student’s areas of interest and skills. They are designed to provide a seamless transition from high school to post-secondary education and/or the workforce. South Carolina has identified 16 Career Clusters which represent a variety of professions and jobs. Throughout the following pages, each SCC program of study is linked to a specific Career Cluster that will assist students in selecting a program of study - and a career - that best suits their skills and interests.

Spartanburg Community College has articulation partnerships with local four-year colleges and universities which allow for the alignment of courses and areas of academic focus from one educational institution to another in a way that provides a systematic, seamless transition for students. Students should work closely with their academic advisor and consult with their preferred transfer institution before registering for coursework that they intend to transfer to a four-year college or university.

Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

Career opportunities include the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products/resources.

Architecture & Construction

Career opportunities include designing, planning, managing, building and maintaining the built environment.

Arts, A/V Technology & Communications

Career opportunities in this cluster include designing, producing, exhibiting, performing, writing, and publishing multimedia content including visual and performing arts and design, journalism, and entertainment services.

Business Management & Administration

Career opportunities in this cluster include planning, organizing, directing and evaluating business functions essential to efficient and productive business operations. Business Management and Administration career opportunities are available in every sector of the economy.

Education & Training

Career opportunities in this cluster include planning, managing and providing education and training services, and related learning support services.

Finance

Career opportunities in this cluster include planning, services for financial and investment planning, banking, insurance and business financial management.

Government & Public Administration

Career opportunities in this cluster include executing governmental functions to include Governance; National Security; Foreign Service; Planning; Revenue and Taxation; Regulation; and Management and Administration at the local, state and federal levels.

Health Science

Career opportunities include planning, managing, and providing therapeutic services, diagnostic services, health informatics, support services, and biotechnology research and development.

Hospitality & Tourism

Career opportunities include the management, marketing, and operations of restaurants and other food services, lodging, attractions, recreation events and travel related services.

Human Services

Career opportunities prepare individuals for employment in career pathways that relate to families and human needs.

Information Technology

Career opportunities in IT occupations framework: for entry level, technical and professional careers related to the design, development, support and management of hardware, software, multimedia and systems integration services.

Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

Career opportunities include planning, managing and providing legal, public safety, protective services and homeland security, including professional and technical support services.

Manufacturing

Career opportunities include planning, managing, and performing the processing of materials into intermediate or final products and related professional and technical support activities such as production planning and control, maintenance and manufacturing/process engineering.

Marketing, Sales & Service

Career opportunities include planning, managing and performing marketing activities to reach organizational objectives.

Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

Career opportunities include planning, managing, and providing scientific research and professional and technical services (e.g., physical science, social science, engineering) including laboratory and testing services, and research and development services.

Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

Career opportunities include planning, management, and movement of people, materials, and goods by road, pipeline, air, rail and water and related professional and technical support services such as transportation infrastructure planning and management, logistics services, mobile equipment and facility maintenance.