Transfer Credit Information

The Review Committee, chaired by the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academics, is comprised of

1. Individuals from student services appointed by the Vice President of Student Services
2. The chair of the Academic Standards Committee of Faculty Senate
3. Faculty members appointed by the Provost in consultation with the chair of the Academic Standards Committee
4. The Director of Transfer and Articulation
5. Liaisons who represent the university's educational alliances. In their review and deliberation, the Review Committee members consider the following tenets:
   
   • Transfer of course credits and other credit must reflect the academic integrity of the Franklin degree.
     
     
   • Franklin is committed to facilitating student success by assuring that students are prepared to do the upper-level coursework required for the awarding of the baccalaureate degree.
     
     
   • Franklin applies the guidance of higher education agencies such as the North Central Association Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR), and the American Council on Education (ACE) in developing transfer policies.  The OBR work done on transfer and articulation in Ohio for Ohio state assisted institutions is a key component of Franklin's policies and procedures regarding transfer and articulation. Although not all portions of the OBR transfer policy have been adopted, each portion is under consideration for incorporation into the university's standards.
     
     
   • At students' request, Franklin evaluates educational work and occupational experience to assure those experiences, when appropriate and relevant, can be used to meet degree requirements.
     
     
   • The Review Committee engages in periodic and systematic reviews of the transfer credit function and considers these tenets in its review and deliberation process.
     
     
   • Based on these aforementioned tenets, the Provost, as chair of the Review Committee, recommends consistent transfer policy and procedures to the university President.
     

The Review Committee is responsible for requesting and reviewing research studies from the office of Institutional Effectiveness to assess the extent to which transfer and non-transfer students are successful in Franklin coursework and in achieving program-specific and general education outcomes. The Review Committee will meet twice a year, in November and May, with additional meetings called as needed.

Ohio Board of Regents: Consistency with OBR Guidelines

Like all institutions of higher education, Franklin accepts transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education and applies that credit to the various degree programs. As stated by OBR, "the determination of the acceptance of transfer credit and the determination of the application of transfer credit to graduation requirements and specific program or major requirements are to be treated separately by the receiving institution within the stipulations of this policy."  (Ohio Board of Regents, Transfer Policy)  Because most Franklin graduates have transfer credit from one or more institutions, the Office of Transfer and Articulation reviews transfer credit requests continuously and maintains an extensive database of courses and their Franklin comparability and applicability.

Note: Some open issues still exist as Franklin incorporates OBR guidelines into procedures at the university. These are noted below.

Transfer Assurance Guides (TAGs).

TAGs have been developed in Ohio to prevent unnecessary duplication by articulating courses that adhere to recognized industry standards and are deemed equivalent and common to educational institutions. The TAGs are faculty developed guides which identify curricular connections beyond general education course work and into pathways to specific disciplines. Faculty developing the guides use a 70% standard for equivalency when matching learning outcomes. Some specific instances require a greater than 70% equivalency and these are described by OBR at regents.ohio.gov. The TAG equivalency development model focuses on the match of learning outcomes to articulate specific levels of learning mastery.  Franklin, in developing course equivalencies and comparabilities, also uses the 70% industry standard of OBR, along with course descriptions, syllabi, textbooks, and other more traditional processes in determining comparability. Franklin also uses these more traditional processes for coursework from non-Ohio institutions, including transfer credit requested by students participating in the Community College Alliance (CCA) and GoArmyEd.

Bilateral Articulation Agreements

OBR defines bilateral articulation agreements as the written agreements reached between individual colleges and universities which detail course equivalency, program-to-program linkages, and undergraduate requirements. Franklin maintains bilateral articulation agreements, particularly for CCA, and it will continue to maintain those agreements as described in Section 3 of this manual.

Transfer Module

The Transfer Module is a subset or a complete set of a college's or university's general education requirements that represents a body of knowledge and academic skills common to Ohio's colleges and universities. For Ohio's state assisted colleges and universities, a transfer module completed at one institution is accepted in total by another institution. The Transfer Module contains 36-40 semester hours (54-60 quarter credit hours) of course credit. Additional information from OBR about the transfer module can be found at http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/policy/definitions.php and in Transfer Module Guidelines, Appendix C of the OBR document (Ohio Board of Regents, Appendix C).

Note: Franklin University does not have an approved transfer module.

Accreditation

The OBR guidelines and requirements that govern the acceptance of transfer credit define transfer credit as college-level courses from Ohio institutions of higher education which are accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Higher Learning Commission or other regional accrediting commissions which have been recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CHEA was created for the purpose of assuring the quality of post-secondary education through the process of voluntary, non-governmental accreditation. CHEA does this through the establishment of criteria and provisions for the evaluation and recognition of accrediting agencies. For the purposes of the OBR policy, institutions accredited by national or professional agencies which are recognized by CHEA, but not also accredited by a regional accrediting commission, will be considered non-accredited. Transfer credit may be granted for courses taken at non-accredited institutions, and Franklin considers such credit on a course-by-course basis if deemed appropriate. (See Section 3 of this manual for the awarding of transfer credit from non-accredited institutions and organizations.)

Recognition of Associate's Degrees

OBR has established policies to encourage the completion of the associate's degrees. Individuals who have earned A.A., A.S. or Applied Associate degrees with an overall GPA of 2.0 or better, receive transfer credit for all college-level courses which they have passed. Pass/fail courses, Credit by Examination courses, Experiential Learning courses and other non-traditional credit courses which meet these conditions will be posted to the record and will appear on the student's transcript.

Franklin offers both associate's and bachelor's degrees and recognizes the successfully completed A.A. degrees, A.S. degrees, and Applied Associate degrees from other colleges and universities. The Franklin process for accepting and applying technical credit gained as part of Applied Associate's degrees is further explained in Section 1 of this manual (Degree Structure and Completion Programs).

College-level Coursework

As defined by OBR, college-level coursework is a course that 1) is not remedial or developmental, 2) carries one or more credit hours, and 3) is eligible to count toward graduation at the sending institution. These courses are taught at an institution of higher education for which credit is granted toward a particular degree(s). These courses are taught at an intellectual and content level which goes beyond courses taught at the high school level. For the purposes of the OBR policy, the sending institution determines which courses are college-level and thereby eligible for transfer to a receiving institution.

Franklin defines and accepts college-level credit from accredited institutions, consistent with most OBR guidelines. 

Passing Grades

As of Fall 2005, Ohio public institutions of higher education accept and apply all transfer coursework with a letter grade of D or higher as the institution would for a native student under the business rules and academic policies of the receiving institution. This policy was adopted to ensure the equitable treatment of transfer students with native students across Ohio's public institutions. The 1990 Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy section which requires the acceptance of all college level courses which students have passed ("D") remains in effect for all students. This policy does not override institutional admissions standards and/or requirements of entrance into a specific academic program. Consistent with the spirit of the policy, there is no universal minimum grade or quality points for the acceptance of credit and thresholds for this are set by institutional policy.

Franklin University has institutional policies that incorporate portions of the Transfer of D Grades Policy of the Ohio Board of Regents. (See Appendix 2.)

Course Numbering

Because of variance in the curricular design and course numbering among two-year and four-year institutions, the division of upper and lower courses is not always clear and absolute. OBR suggests that there must be latitude for exceptions to the OBR guidelines. For example, Franklin may determine that a community or technical college course is equivalent in nature and content to an upper division university course. In this instance, Franklin could accept the course as upper division credit. Courses may be deemed comparable in content and learning outcomes, regardless of their lower and upper division status. Franklin adheres to OBR and Servicemembers Opportunity College guidelines which encourage accepting the course at the level at which it is taught at the receiving institution.

Course Length

If the credit from a course with fewer hours is at least two-thirds of the course with greater hours, the course should be deemed comparable in length. For example, a two-semester hour course may not be comparable to a four-semester hour course, according to OBR guidelines.

Note: There are circumstances where this OBR guideline is superseded by other guidelines or Franklin procedures.

Free Electives

OBR guidelines define a free elective as college level courses taken for credit outside of specific university, collegial, or departmental degree requirements. As part of its commitment to the adult learner and to allow students some flexibility in degree requirements, Franklin includes general education electives and university electives as part of degree requirements.

Adult Career-Technical Education

"The language in section 3333.162 of the Ohio Revised Code requires the Board of Regents and the Ohio Department of Education to develop policies and procedures ensuring that students at an adult career-technical education institution or secondary career-technical education institution can transfer agreed upon technical courses completed there (that adhere to industry standards) to any state institution of higher education 'without unnecessary duplication or institutional barriers' (Ohio Board of Regents, Background). Specific fields of study where course equivalencies are considered include nursing, information technology, and medical assisting.

Franklin accepts career-technical education programs and applies these credits to degree requirements in the completion majors offered by the university (Section 1: Degree Structure and Completion Degrees). Some coursework can be applied, course by course, if deemed equivalent. (See Section 5: Purpose Statement of University Electives and the Role They Play in the Bachelor's Degree.)

Franklin recognizes the value of credit and knowledge obtained from adult career-technical education programs and applies this credit to degree requirements in the university's undergraduate degree completion programs. These programs allow students to transfer coursework into a baccalaureate degree designed to complement their technical expertise. For example, students with an AAS degree in Law Enforcement can complete a B.S. in Public Safety Management to advance in their career field.

The completion degrees allow the students to extend their education into management studies that build on their body of knowledge acquired in paraprofessional/professional training and education programs of study. As is illustrated in Appendix 1, up to 24 credit hours can be counted toward the students' Bachelor's degrees. The degree completion programs provide students with the theory and tools to support intelligent leadership practices in their professions. The requirements for the completion majors are as follows:

• 50 hours of general education
• 24 hours of credit from the occupational area/major of the associate's degree, taken at the community college or adult career-technical institution
• 16 hours of business core coursework
• 20 hours of coursework in the major, including a capstone course for the program taken at Franklin
• 14 hours of university electives

New degree-seeking students are normally required to take Franklin University placement tests in reading, writing, mathematics and computer literacy. Results of these tests determine the required preparatory and developmental education courses that are most appropriate for each individual. Transfer students may have certain tests waived due to previous course credit at another institution. Additionally, students who have taken the ACT may not have to take certain placement tests. Academic advisors will advise students on the placement tests required, ways to prepare for tests, and appeal procedures. Because student progress is monitored in direct and indirect ways, the university has evidence of appropriate placement of new and transfer students and of students' ability to perform successfully.

Franklin University meets the needs of adult students who wish to continue their education in combination with other life responsibilities. The adult students’ barriers toward earning an advanced education often include unwillingness on the part of higher education institutions to accept college credits previously earned. Because Franklin University is cognizant of such challenges, it continually strives to recognize relevant prior learning. The university accepts credits transcripted by colleges and universities that are regionally accredited, as defined by OBR. (Credit from non-regionally accredited institutions is discussed in Section 3.

In the majority of cases, students who are attempting to transfer credit into Franklin University have attended or are attending a regionally accredited institution. Franklin has a consistent process for accepting credit from institutions that are regionally accredited.

The university, in describing the application of credit hours to degree requirements, evaluates the credit hours in terms of the five components that comprise Franklin degrees: general education, the business core, coursework in the major, university electives, and technical coursework. The degree programs vary in the number of credit hours required in these areas. The purpose of these components is to have relevant coursework appropriately applied to fulfill degree requirements. (See the Franklin Academic Bulletin for specific degree requirements.)

Courses evaluated for comparability are added to the Transfer Credit comparability database which, in 2007, had course comparability determinations from more than 5,000 sources. The database continues to be revised and expanded as determinations are made. For students in the Community College Alliance (CCA) program, many course comparabilities have been systematically determined as described in Section 4 of this transfer manual. Course comparabilities are listed on the CCA Transfer Guides and are a tool for Franklin advisors working with students. (See the Franklin website for an example.)

Ohio’s public universities and college are engaged in developing Transfer Assurance Guides (TAGs) to facilitate transferability. TAGs focus on learning outcomes and specific levels of learning mastery. Franklin does not currently participate in the TAGs process but may in the future. If so, for non-Ohio institutions, the university will continue to follow the traditional process of determining comparability based on course descriptions, syllabi, and classroom seat time.

Typically, the procedures for accepting and applying coursework from regionally accredited institutions are as follows:

• Determine whether the sending institution is regionally accredited.
• Review transcript to determine if it is a duplicate with no additional course work or a previously evaluated transcript with additional completed course work.
• Determine the sending institution's calendar system, and convert quarter credit hours to semester credit hours, as necessary (1 quarter hour = 2/3  semester hour).
• Determine the type of student (CCA, GoArmyEd, COC, OVC), the degree program, major, and catalog year to determine the appropriate degree audit.
• Identify additional resources that may be needed (i.e., CCA Transfer Guide, SOC Transferability Tables).
• Review legend from sending institution transcript to determine grades that are eligible for transfer.
• Determine if an associate's or bachelor's degree was granted from sending institution.
• Exclude all courses with grades that are ineligible for transfer (i.e., failing grade, non-credit courses, etc.). Determine if any grades of D are eligible for transfer (See Appendix 2: Transfer of D Grades)
• Determine course comparabilities of remaining eligible course work.
  • Review pre-determined comparabilities from transfer credit database.
  • For courses without a pre-determined comparability, the transfer credit evaluator considers additional criteria in an effort to determine comparability. (See Appendix3: Criteria for Comparability Consideration.)
• If the Evaluator is unable to determine a comparability after reviewing the Criteria for Comparability Consideration, one of the following steps is taken:
• The Office of Transfer and Articulation awards general credit based on the level of the course and area of study and notes on the evaluation that additional information is required for additional review (typically a syllabus).
• The transfer credit evaluator will submit a Credit Recommendation Form with additional criteria as available to Lead Faculty (or a designated committee if more than one degree program is involved) to request a determination of course comparability.

Franklin University offers students the opportunity to appeal any transfer credit decision. To initiate the appeal process, students are required to contact their academic advisors. The process is as follows:

• The academic advisor works with the student to complete the appropriate sections of the Credit Recommendation Form
• The form and any additional information (syllabus, etc.) are forwarded to the Office of Transfer and Articulation where the information is verified to be as complete as possible.
• The Evaluator reviews and considers the additional documentation to determine if credit can be awarded as the student requested (See Appendix 4: Criteria for Comparability Consideration).
• If the Evaluator is unable to determine the requested comparability, the information is forwarded to the appropriate Lead Faculty (or a designated committee).
• The Lead Faculty (or a designated committee) determines if the request is approved as submitted, approved as revised, or denied (in general or in the specific case). If the request is denied, the Lead Faculty provides the reason for the denial.
• The Lead Faculty (or a designated committee) returns the decision with attached documentation to the transfer credit evaluator.
• The Evaluator notifies the academic advisor of the decision.
• The Evaluator enters the decision into the transfer credit database accordingly.

The documentation for reviewed course comparabilities is retained for future reference. If the recommendation is for an institution, whether credit is denied or approved, the documentation is retained. If the credit recommendation is for a student, it is required to be marked general or specific. The following applies to approved or denied credit recommendations for students:

• If marked "Applies in general," the decision is noted on the student's record and the documentation is retained for future reference.
• If marked "Applies to this specific case," the decision is noted on the student's record.
• If nothing is marked, or the meaning is not clear, the evaluator will attempt to decipher the intent or will contact the faculty person for clarification (for example, marking something that is pertinent to a particular student as general or something that is standard to the school as specific).

The academic advisor may be asked to request additional information not specifically requested on the Credit Recommendation Form from the student. The level of the course is also important. The academic advisor is responsible for verifying the requested course comparability is required for the student's major.

The Office of Transfer and Articulation maintains its own manual with the detailed procedure (e.g., which Datatel screens are used) for the initial transfer review and appeal processes within that office. The Office of Transfer and Articulation is also responsible for providing information to and training for academic advisors with regard to this process.

Overall requirements

Students seeking a bachelor's degree must complete a minimum of 40 credit hours at Franklin University to be eligible for a degree. Students seeking an associate's degree must earn 30 credit hours overall in residence at Franklin University to be eligible for a degree. Soldiers participating in the GoArmyEd Program must have a minimum of 30 credit hours in residence at Franklin for the bachelor's degree and 16 credit hours for the associate's degree.

Course level requirements

A student must have 40 credit hours overall that are equivalent to 300/400 level Franklin University courses for a bachelor's degree. A student must have a minimum of 12 credit hours of courses that are equivalent to 200 level or above for an associate's degree.

Major area requirements

A student must have 20 credit hours in the major area that are equivalent to 300/400 major level Franklin courses for a bachelor's degree. A student must have 12 hours of major area courses that are equivalent to 200 level or above for an associate's degree.

Capstone requirement

Every major has a capstone experience for which credit cannot be transferred into the University. This is a Franklin course designed to integrate and assess the learning outcomes specific to each major as a whole. This course should be taken as the last major course. If, given the academic scheduling process and the student's projected graduation date, this is not possible, then the student should have Senior Standing (90 or more credit hours), plus the skill-based General Education courses (COMM, SPCH, MATH, COMP), all business or business core courses, and the capstone prerequisite courses.

Subsequent degree requirements

Students pursuing subsequent bachelor's degrees must earn in residency at Franklin University a minimum of 30 credit hours at the 200 level or above, of which a minimum of 16 credit hours must be major area courses equivalent to 300/400 level courses.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit and credit awarded on standardized exams, proficiency exams, or portfolio credit awarded by another institution will not count toward the residency requirement at Franklin University. Credit awarded based on proficiency examination or portfolio evaluation conducted by Franklin University may apply as appropriate major area credit, but will not reduce the hours required toward the residency requirement. 

Franklin recognizes that quality academic offerings come from multiple sources and has a process for reviewing coursework from non-accredited institutions, using the OBR definition of those institutions not regionally accredited. Students who request credit from work completed at non-accredited institutions work with an academic advisor to complete the Credit Review Form.

The student must provide the following information, which outlines the criteria for accepting the coursework. Typically, the request is for technical credit: 

• Defined Learning Outcomes or Objectives
• Description of Controlled Environment/Class Hours
• Textbook Information
• Any Additional Information such as a certificate of completion and/or transcript

This information is provided on the Credit Review Form. If all criteria are met, the Office of Transfer and Articulation takes the lead and continues the review process, as follows:

• The academic advisor completes the appropriate sections of the Credit Review Form.
• The form and any additional information are forwarded to the Office of Transfer and Articulation where information is verified.
• The Office of Transfer and Articulation forwards the information to the appropriate Lead Faculty member or Program Chair who reviews the information for technical credit or specific course credit.
• The Lead Faculty or, in the case of technical credit applied to degree completion programs, the Program Chair determines if the request is approved as submitted, approved as revised, or denied. If the request is denied, the Lead Faculty or Program Chair provides the reason for the denial. In some cases, the Lead Faculty or Program Chair may ask the student to provide additional information or clarification before a decision is made.
• The Office of Transfer and Articulation receives the information and decision from the Lead Faculty or Program Chair and notifies the academic advisor and the student of the decision.
• The Office of Transfer and Articulation enters the decision into the database and scans the documentation into the system.
• If the Office of Transfer and Articulation is asking for a review of an individual course for a Franklin equivalency, the Credit Recommendation Form is used.

The Office of Transfer and Articulation provides information to and training for the academic advisors with regard to this process. The Office of Transfer and Articulation is responsible for transcripting credit from standardized tests and managing the transfer credit database. The Office of Transfer and Articulation is not responsible for processing or providing input into Franklin University Proficiency Exams (FUPEs) or portfolios. The FUPEs and portfolios are the responsibility of the Student Learning Center.

Franklin, in reviewing the credit requests for coursework taken at non-accredited institutions, considers the review components required by other types of accrediting agencies. Appendix 3: Criteria for Comparability Consideration lists the review components that USDE requires accrediting agencies to consider. This appendix also identifies the components reviewed by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the National Program on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI). Franklin considers that transfer credit from institutions and organizations accredited by CHEA-approved agencies is transferable. Franklin's transfer process includes accepting coursework from CHEA-approved institutions and organizations according to the transfer processes outlined in Section 3.

In addition, transfer credit may be accepted for prior coursework and other experiences including tests, training seminars, and adult vocational training. These requests are often handled on a case-by-case basis, using the Credit Review Form, and documented in the Office of Transfer and Articulation

Students may transfer as many as 24 hours of technical credit into one of the university's completion degrees. If Franklin has evaluated vocational/technical programs as post-secondary specializations leading to a professional position, the coursework may be acceptable as technical credit for a completion degree. Franklin University has created and manages articulation agreements with vocational and technical programs in the central Ohio area, and course and program comparabilities have been determined. If additional review is needed or if comparabilities have not been determined, students work with the academic advisor to complete section 1 and perhaps section 2 of the Credit Review Form. The transfer minimum for technical credit is 23 of the required 24 semester hours. (Section 5: Transfer Minimums)

If prospective transfer students can demonstrate that the training program(s) they have completed are comparable to a vocational/technical program's body of knowledge leading to a paraprofessional/professional specialization, the coursework may be acceptable as technical credit for a completion degree. The process used for evaluating vocational and technical programs is applied. If comparability has not been determined, students work with the academic advisor to complete section 1 and perhaps section 2 of the Credit Review Form. The transfer minimum for technical credit is 23 of the 24 semester hours required. Exceptions are made by the appropriate Program Chair on a case-by-case basis.

Franklin University is a member of the Servicemember Opportunity Colleges. SOC is for individuals in the armed services who are interested in college but find it difficult to pursue a degree because of problems related to service transfer and meeting degree requirements. The individuals interested in this program can obtain information by contacting the Military Admissions and Services Office at Franklin or the educational counseling office at the bases where they are stationed.

Upon accepting the student, Franklin University acts as the academic depository and counseling/advising agent for the student. During the enlistment period, the student takes college-level courses approved by Franklin to meet the various requirements of the particular major program offered by the university. Credits for these courses are transferred to Franklin University's academic depository. Course selection is based on periodic contact between the university and the enlisted individual.

Students participating in Franklin University's approved SOC programs are required to complete at least 25 percent of the coursework through Franklin. Students are still subject to grade point average (GPA) and major area residency requirements.

Franklin University is a GoArmyEd partner, an eArmyU education partner, a SOCAD (2 and 4), SOCCOAST-4, SOCGUARD, and College of the American Soldier (ConAP) college. These programs allow military personnel to complete a two-year or four-year degree while they serve their country.

Coursework taken per the Student Agreement will be transferred to Franklin University according to the SOC Transferability Tables. The Student Agreement allows military personnel to complete a degree even after separation from military service, with the assurance that coursework will transfer to Franklin University.

Franklin participates in the review of coursework for inclusion in SOC category codes, which indicate a transfer guarantee. In transferring credit, Franklin University 1) honors the SOC agreements, 2) requires that no more than 25 percent of the coursework be completed at Franklin, and 3) awards credit based on transfer guarantees in approved SOC categories.

Active duty Army personnel may also qualify to participate in GoArmyEd as described in Section 4.

The College-Level Examination Program or CLEP examinations are computerized, 90-minute multiple-choice exams with study guides available. Students can study for them while taking other courses.

If students are interested in using CLEP, DANTES, Excelsior, or other exams, they work with the Student Learning Center. Franklin uses the American Council on Education (ACE) minimum standards in determining college-level comparability for these exams. If a student receives credit as a result of a standardized test, the Student Learning Center notifies the Registrar's Office, and credit is added, by the Registrar's Office, to the student's transcript. This credit does not count toward student residency.

The Portfolio Credit Program is coordinated by the staff in the Student Learning Center (SLC), and the directions for preparing a portfolio for course credit are posted on the SLC website. Credit decisions are made by the appropriate faculty member.

(FUPEs) Franklin awards academic credit based on course-specific proficiency exams. These exams are available to students whose learning from experience, training, or independent reading is equivalent to that gained in the classroom. Students contact the Student Learning Center where study guides are available. Students work with their academic advisors to identify any coursework for which FUPEs might serve as alternatives to classroom work.

If a student receives credit as a result of a FUPE or a portfolio, the faculty supervising the test or portfolio notifies the Registrar’s Office, and the Registrar’s Office adds the credit to the student’s transcript.

Information regarding proficiency exams and portfolios is in the university’s Academic Bulletin. Proficiency examinations and portfolio credit may be used in any combination to accumulate a maximum of 32 credit hours toward the associate’s degree or 84 credit hours toward the bachelor’s degree. Credit awarded through proficiency examination or portfolio evaluation does not reduce the hours required toward residence.

International students on a visa status must have sent to us an official evaluation directly from a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) approved evaluation agency such as ECE or WES. U.S. citizens and permanent residents with international credentials have the option of procuring an approved third party evaluation or submitting official documents for in house review.

Note: The type of evaluation report required varies with student type and evaluation agency.

The university has two types of educational alliances that are an integral part of its mission and success: the Community College Alliance (CCA) and GoArmyEd, a program that allows soldiers to continue their education while serving in the military.

The Office of Transfer and Articulation, in reviewing transfer credit for CCA and GoArmyEd students, uses the university processes and procedures. There are some processes specific to these alliances.

The university launched CCA in 1998 as a partnership between two-year technical and community colleges and Franklin. In this program, students complete their associate’s degrees and approximately 24 additional hours (bridge courses) at the community college. Students then complete a minimum of 40 hours at Franklin in one of the undergraduate majors. 

When a community college joins CCA, the college and Franklin develop a Transfer Guide (see the Franklin website for an example) which identifies how the associate degree and subsequent community college coursework are transferred into and meet degree requirements at Franklin. The guides are jointly determined by Franklin University and the community college. An annual review process incorporates changes in both the Franklin and community college curricula.

New transfer guides are built by the Office of Transfer and Articulation, which reviews course descriptions in the community college catalog, and compares them to the Franklin course descriptions. The guides are negotiated and agreed upon by Franklin University and the community colleges. Any changes in the Franklin curriculum that affect the transfer guides are communicated and agreed upon with the community colleges. Any curricular change at Franklin impacts the CCA transfer guides, which are reviewed and updated annually by the Office of Transfer and Articulation.

Active duty soldiers who wish to pursue college degrees can do so through their installation Education Centers. In addition to official college transcripts, the Office of Transfer and Articulation reviews military training and job experiences as outlined in the Army American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS). In addition, Franklin University adheres to Servicemembers Opportunity College Guidelines.

Principles for Curriculum Transfer

Franklin University acknowledges the complexity of the transfer credit landscape in American higher education. This complexity includes differences in semester and quarter hours, degree structures, outcomes specification, course calendars, and specificity in course materials presented for review. Franklin has the responsibility to ensure all credit transferred into the university meets the academic standards set forth by the institution.

Franklin University understands that there are many avenues by which credit can be transferred, accepted, and applied. To provide a consistent transfer credit process, Franklin has incorporated the guidelines set forth by its authorizing body, the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR) regarding the transportability of college level credit. As stated in OBR's policy manual, "Ohio's Articulation and Transfer Policy (1990) was a major achievement in improving the mobility of students among colleges and universities within the state. Policy revisions recommended by the Articulation and Transfer Advisory Council (2004), and further codified by the Ohio General Assembly in H. B. 95, extended the impact of the existing policy through more precise advising and the assurance of credit transfer and the application of credits to academic degree/program requirements. A central feature of the enhanced policy is the development of Transfer Assurance Guides (TAGs)" (Ohio Board of Regents, Appendix E).  According to the Ohio Board of Regents, "Ultimately articulation and transfer will move away from the traditional process of constructing course equivalencies on the basis of course descriptions, credits, and seat time. The new equivalency development model, competencies to competencies, will focus on matching learning outcomes to articulate specific levels of learning mastery" (Ohio Board of Regents, Preamble). Franklin is ready to assess the transferability of courses in this manner, but the specification and evaluation of outcomes is not currently consistent across institutions and outside the state of Ohio. Thus, Franklin continues to also use the more traditional methods including credit hours, contact hours, syllabi, and course descriptions.

In efforts to assure maximum transfer of relevant college-level credit and to reduce the likelihood of students taking courses for which they have prior credit, Franklin University articulates and collaborates with other institutions on curriculum transfer. Articulation agreements entered into with regionally accredited educational institutions express the desire for Franklin to work with the institution to assure transportability of the totality of relevant curriculum from the sending institution. The pathway through which courses are evaluated and identified for transfer is specified in the transfer guides that are created in partnership with the sending institution. The transfer guides document the match between the curricular outcomes and courses of the sending institution and those of Franklin University. Transfer guides are reviewed each academic year to identify any changes of the curriculum, at either the sending institution and/or Franklin University, and to ensure course transfer practices remain current and relevant.

Franklin also recognizes that the credit hours at the sending institutions may not fulfill the credit hour requirements of Franklin in general education, the business or professional core, and major areas. When these credit hour differences occur, Franklin allows students to make up those hours with appropriate related coursework. Franklin does not deny the transfer of appropriate credit and does not require students to retake individual courses. By maintaining academic integrity through this transfer policy and providing the needed services and value to students, Franklin demonstrates dedication to and support of students' educational goals.

Overview of the Franklin Degree Structure.

Franklin University degrees are structured to assure a breadth of knowledge. In most cases, Franklin degree programs consist of 124 credit hours, divided among general education, a business/professional core, coursework in the major, and university electives. Completion degrees include the technical coursework component. For official program requirements for each academic major, see the university's Academic Bulletin. The program year (when the student enters the degree program) is used to determine degree requirements.

Process for Determining if Prior Coursework is Transferable.

The Criteria for Comparability Consideration (Appendix 3) provides an overview of how college-level coursework and vocational-technical academic credit are accepted into the university's degree programs, based on whether the coursework is delivered by an institution or organization that is regionally accredited or accredited by a body recognized by CHEA. The directory of CHEA recognized organizations is available at http://chea.orf/directories/index.asp The framework in Appendix 3 illustrates that, for example,

• If the learning outcomes are comparable, and if the institution is regionally or nationally accredited, coursework can be transferred in to fulfill general education requirements, business core requirements, coursework in the major, or technical credit.
• If the learning outcomes are comparable, and if the institution or organization is determined to offer quality academic work, coursework can be transferred in to fulfill general education requirements, business core requirements, and coursework in the major.
• Vocational and technical coursework is described as N/A, or non-applicable, in the Credit Application Framework. This credit is transferred in as technical credit, specific to the technical credit component of one of completion programs. 

Technical credit from non-accredited (nationally accredited) courses are added to the transcript as "alpha 910" or technical credit. (The other 900-level courses indicate independent study or special topics courses that do not transfer.)

Course Title and Course Description

Key to awarding transfer credit is determining the extent to which prior work is similar to or comparable in intent and outcomes to a course or courses at Franklin. Determining course comparability begins when the Office of Transfer and Articulation staff reviews the course title and course description, comparing them to the Franklin course.

Course Level and Location in the Curriculum

If the Office of Transfer and Articulation staff still have questions about comparability, they look at the level of the course, and they look at prerequisite and subsequent coursework on the transcript to determine where the course is located in the general curriculum. In addition, they look at student grades in courses that appear to be similar to Franklin courses that are prerequisite or subsequent courses. If the staff still are not sure of the comparability, they typically award general transfer credit but do not apply the credit to a specific course, pending receiving more information about the course and sending information to the Lead Faculty or Program Chair(s) for a final decision.

Credit Hour Conversions

Franklin operates on the semester system, with three academic terms. When students transfer credit from a quarter system into Franklin's semester system, one quarter credit hour is equivalent to two-thirds semester credit hour (1 quarter =2/3 semester).

Transfer Minimums and Addressing Deficiencies

Transfer Minimums are an established minimum number of semester hours that a transfer student must have to meet the requirement for each course. Consistent with OBR standards, the credit hour minimums are set at two-thirds of requirement. Specific calculations of credit hour minimums for Franklin are shown below. 

Franklin's 4 Semester Hour Courses = 2.67 Semester Hour Transfer Minimum

Franklin's 2 Semester Hour Courses = 1.33 Semester Hour Transfer Minimum

Franklin's 1 Semester Hours Courses = 0.67 Semester Hour Transfer Minimum

Students may be deficient in credit hour requirements and degree components and can fill deficiencies in the following ways:  

1. General Education Core deficiencies of three hours or fewer may be met with general education courses, major area electives, or university electives. Deficiencies of four hours or more must be met with general education electives. (Effective for new students beginning Winter 2007)
2. Business Core deficiencies may be met with major area electives or business core equivalent credit.
3. Major Area deficiencies must be met with major area electives. 
4. For students who have English as a Second Language (ESL): All ESL courses must be completed prior to taking college level courses. Students meet with their academic advisor to discuss ESL placement test results. (CCA students complete ESL at the community college.)

Applying credits to university electives

Each degree component has a specific number of credit hours that are required. If a transfer student has more than the maximum number of college-level credit hours applicable to that component, the additional hours may be transferred into university electives.

Age of Credit

Program Chairs recommend standards for the age of credit that can be applied to courses in their disciplines.

Maintaining the Transfer Course Database

The database is reviewed per the timeline set in Section 6. The database entries are specific to a program year (fall through summer academic terms), and they are reviewed every year. The transfer credit staff reviews first the course title and course descriptions in determining comparability. They also look at the level of the course, prerequisites and subsequent courses to identify the role of a particular course in the curriculum. If the staff have questions regarding whether the course should be included in the database as specific course credit, general transfer credit, or not included in the database, they send the information about the course to the appropriate Lead Faculty or Program Chair for review.

Purpose Statement of General Education and the Role General Education Plays in the Bachelor's Degree

The general education degree requirements at Franklin are defined 1) by distribution, 2) by outcome, and 3) by intent. All of these definitions are considered when determining the extent to which a particular student has met the general education requirements of the university. This determination balances the need for academic integrity and the need for maximizing transfer coursework for adult students.

Purpose Statement of the Business Core and the Role the Business Core Plays in the Bachelor's Degree

The business core is a collection of courses that provide the foundation for students who are pursuing a bachelor's degree in a business-based major. The full business core consists of six courses (24 credit hours). A modified version of the business core (16 credit hours) is used in the completion degree programs and in the Healthcare Information Systems program.

Purpose Statement of the Major Area Course Requirements and the Role Major Area Courses Play in the Bachelor's Degree

Program majors at Franklin each have program outcomes, the statement of what students will be able to do as a result of their educational experience at Franklin. The major area course requirements provide depth in the discipline being studied.

Purpose Statement of University Electives and the Role University Electives Play in the Bachelor's Degree

To allow students to "customize" their degrees, the university allows students to select university electives that are in consort with their career objectives. For transfer students, this component allows them to maximize transfer credit because previous college-level coursework can be applied to the degree.

Purpose Statement of Technical Credits and the Role Technical Credits Play in the Bachelor's Degree

Franklin designed and implemented the completion degrees of Applied Management, Health Care Management and Public Safety Management to allow students who complete associate's degrees to build a career ladder and to have their technical coursework accepted into the bachelor's degree.

Each of these five degree components is important in assuring the academic integrity of the Franklin degree. Comparable and/or applicable courses are transferred, but there is a review beyond the individual course level to assure that the intended balance is maintained in the degree.

Franklin University recognizes that course content and curricula change with some frequency, particularly in evolving technical fields. Fall curriculum changes for Franklin and collaborating institutions provide a catalyst for updates to CCA transfer guides, databases, and the university website. Although each data entry point is important, priority is given to those providing the most impact. 

1. Since a significant portion of Franklin's transfer population comes from CCA students, transfer guides remain the top priority during this peak season of change and influx of new students.
2. Database updates for CCA schools and top transfer institutions provide accurate data for both academic advisors and transfer credit evaluators and are the next area of focus.
3. The Office of Transfer and Articulation loads new CCA transfer guides on Franklin's website for use as marketing and customer service tools.
4. Non-essential databases become the focus of attention as the department concentrates on the top 200 non-essential schools.
5. On an ongoing basis, databases are updated in the process of transfer credit evaluations, as evaluators come across needed changes and assess new equivalencies. Only transcripted courses are reviewed and updated in the database.

Franklin University Articulation and Transfer Policy and Procedures Manual
Appendix 1: Degree Requirements and the Application of Technical Credit and Adult Career-Technical Credit

Franklin University has developed completion majors that build on prior technical education at the associate's or vocational/technical level and complement this background with management education. The first table below shows the number of credits required in each of the five components of the undergraduate degree. The second table shows how credit is transferred into the five components. Illustrated are the university's completion degrees and, for comparison, the Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration.  In the degree completion programs, 24 semester hours of technical credit applies toward degree requirements. The 24 hours are drawn from the business core (8 hours), the major area (8 hours), and the university electives (8 hours).

Transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions and organizations may apply to any area of the degree requirements as determined by a comparison of course outcomes. Relevant credit from nationally accredited and vocational institutions and organizations is applied to the Franklin degree as technical credit and may apply for specific credit. In order to award technical and specific credit, the institution's curriculum must meet our standards and the course or courses must meet Franklin requirements for depth and rigor.  

The information in the tables below reflects the fact that students must complete 40 semester hours of residency at Franklin, but the transfer student may transfer in as many as 84 semester hours of coursework. Bilateral agreements for colleges participating in the Community College Alliance, GoArmyU agreements, and transfer and articulation agreements for local technical and vocational training programs identify the credits which transfer and their application to the Bachelor's degree programs. If an individual student seeks transfer credit outside the bilateral agreements, the Credit Review Form is used to evaluate prior learning.

Credit Hours Required for the Bachelor's Degree
(Hours Vary)

Credit Hour Degree Requirements Including
Technical Credit Transferred in from Regionally Accredited Colleges

*Coursework will be evaluated for specific course credit applicable to general education, business core, and major area degree components.

Franklin University Articulation and Transfer Policy and Procedures Manual
Appendix 2: Transfer of D Grades

The Ohio Board of Regents Articulation and Transfer Advisory Council issued a policy on the Transfer of D Grades in 2005. That policy states that "as of Fall 2005, Ohio public institutions of higher education are to accept and apply all transfer coursework with a letter grade of D or higher as the institution would for a native student under the business rules an academic policies of the receiving institution. These business rules and policies may include, but are not limited to, such areas as effective course dates, age of coursework, requirements of a particular major or program, and eligibility" (Ohio Board of Regents, Appendix D).  In May and December 2005, the advisory council provided ten points of clarification for this policy. Some of these points are relevant to Franklin's transfer policies and are noted below:

1. "This policy was adopted to ensure the equitable treatment of transfer students with native students across Ohio's public institutions of higher education." As applied to D grades, Franklin will treat transfer students as native students.
2. "State-assisted colleges and Universities which offer D as the lowest passing grade are required to accept all college level courses with a grade of D or higher." As Franklin offers D grades, the university accepts all college level courses with a grade of D or higher.
3. Not at issue.
4. "While state assisted institutions are only required by this policy to accept D/D- graded courses from other Ohio state-assisted colleges and universities, they have the option to extend their policy to accept such course credit from other regionally accredited institutions." Franklin will accept D graded courses from regionally accredited institutions.
5. Not at issue.
6. Not at issue.
7. Not at issue.
8. Not at issue.
9. "This policy does not override institutional admission standards and/or requirements of entrance into a specific academic program." Franklin does not have any institutional or program-specific admissions requirements to which this policy override would apply.
10.  "Consistent with the spirit of the policy and clarification 2, there is no universal minimum grade or quality points for the acceptance of credit and thresholds for this are set by institutional grading policy at the D or D- level." Franklin applies this point of clarification to transfer of D grades.  (Ohio Board of Regents, Appendix D)

Franklin University Articulation and Transfer Policy and Procedures Manual
Appendix 3: Criteria for Comparability Consideration

Franklin University accepts transfer credit from 1) institutions that are regionally accredited as defined by OBR and 2) institutions that are accredited by national or professional agencies accredited by CHEA. In addition, Franklin accepts technical/vocational credit from institutions that are accredited by agencies recognized by the US Department of Education. This technical credit may fulfill degree requirements of Franklin's completion degrees. Recognition by USDE is based on a number of criteria for evaluation, as described below. Franklin considers that due diligence has been done and that the criteria for evaluation have been met by institutions accredited by an agency recognized by USDE. USDE criteria exceed those required by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the National Program on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI).

Criteria for Evaluation

According to the US Department of Education, the Secretary recognizes accrediting agencies who have demonstrated compliance with a number of criteria. As outlined in 602.16, "the agency must demonstrate that it has standards for accreditation, and preaccreditation, if offered, that are sufficiently rigorous to ensure that the agency is a reliable authority regarding the quality of the education or training provided by the institutions or programs it accredits. The agency meets this requirement if -

• The agency's accreditation standards effectively address the quality of the institution or program in the following areas:
• • Success with respect to student achievement in relation to the institution's mission, including, as appropriate, consideration of course completion, state licensing examination, and job placement rates.
  • Curricula
  • Faculty
  • Facilities, equipment, and supplies
  • Fiscal and administrative capacity as appropriate to the specified scale of operations
  • Student support services
  • Recruiting and admission practices, academic calendars, catalogs, publications, grading, and advertising
  • Measures of program length and the objectives of the degrees or credentials offered
  • Record of student complaints received by, or available to, the agency
  • Record of compliance with the institution's program responsibilities under Title IV of the Act, based on the most recent student loan default rate data provided by the Secretary, the results of financial or compliance audits, program reviews, and any other information that the Secretary may provide for the agency." (U. S. Department of Education, 602.16)

Because Franklin University accepts transfer credit from non-regionally accredited institutions, one of the first steps in reviewing applications for transfer credit is to determine whether the institution is accredited by an agency recognized by the USDE and CHEA. If the institution is accredited by an agency recognized by USDE, the next determination is whether the coursework is a) college level coursework leading to an associate's degree or bachelor's degree or b) vocational/technical coursework leading to a certificate or diploma. College-level coursework may be applied to any component of the Franklin degree, including general education and coursework in the major. Vocational/technical coursework may be applied only to the technical component of the completion degrees.

Credit from schools or organizations that are accredited by an agency recognized by the USDE are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Evidence of assessment
• Contact hours
• Syllabus

Under certain circumstances, Franklin University also accepts transfer courses from institutions not accredited by an agency recognized by USDE. In such cases, the following criteria are required.

• Accrediting Agency
• Contact hours for the course/program
• Evidence of assessment
• Sample of Certificate/Transcript for Office of Transfer and Articulation
• Evidence of Consistent Quality
• • Defined learning outcomes/objectives
  • Textbook
  • Sample assignment
  • Syllabus
  • Instructor qualifications

Staff members have worked with students to complete the review process, worked with schools/organizations to complete the institutional review process, and worked with Program Chairs at Franklin to develop the evaluation sheet used to review institutions.

The various accrediting agencies and the components they review are in the table below.

*While terminology differs, the components are similar. 

  Ohio Board of Regents.  (n.d.)  Appendix C.  Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy.  Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/policy/appendixC.php

Ohio Board of Regents.  (n.d.)  Appendix D.  Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy.  Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/policy/appendixD.php

Ohio Board of Regents.  (n.d.)  Appendix E.  Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy.  Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/policy/appendixE.php

Ohio Board of Regents.  (n.d.)  Background.  Ohio Career-Technical Credit Transfer.  http://regents.ohio.gov/careertechtransfer/ Ohio Board of Regents.  (n.d.)  Preamble. Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy.  Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/policy/index.php

Ohio Board of Regents.  (n.d.)  Transfer Policy.  Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy.  Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://regents.ohio.gov/transfer/policy/transfer_policy_d2.php

U. S. Department of Education. (n.d.) 602.16 Accreditation and Preaccreditation Standards.   Financial Aid for Postsecondary Students. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg14.html