The college guarantees to its Associate of Arts and Associate of Science graduates the transferability of course credit to Texas public colleges and universities. Students pursuing these degrees will complete the college's Core Curriculum. By Texas State Law, the entire Core will transfer as a block to all Texas public colleges and universities to take the place of the core curriculum of the receiving transfer institution. Students should work closely with an advisor in the choice of electives to ensure that the receiving institution has cooperated with the college in the development of Transfer and Equivalency Guides that clearly indicate how the receiving institution accepts the selected elective courses in transfer.
Another means of ensuring the transferability and applicability of all courses within an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science is to follow specific degree plans in specific majors that are called Fields of Study. A Field of Study plan has the approval of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The entire plan of courses is designed to transfer as a block of courses to all Texas public colleges and universities when the student majors in the specific Field of Study at the transfer institution.
The college guarantees that a student may take tuition-free course(s) if: (a) A Texas public college or university refuses to accept in transfer core courses when the student has received the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree; (b) A Texas public college or university refuses to accept in transfer courses listed in that institution's Transfer Guide; (c) A Texas public college or university refuses to accept in transfer all courses taken in order to receive a Field of Study Associate of Arts/Associate of Science degree.
The conditions that apply to the guarantee area are as follows:
- Transferability means the acceptance of credits toward the general education requirements at a Texas public college or university. The courses must consist entirely of those in the Core Curriculum, the courses outlined in an official Field of Study, and additional elective courses identified by the receiving university as transferable and applicable toward a specific major and degree in its Transfer Guides written within the last five years; and
- Limitations of total number of credits accepted in transfer, grades required, relevant grade point average and duration of transferability apply as stated in the catalog of the receiving institution.
The college works with a number of institutions to develop Articulation Agreements and Transfer Guides. To find out more about articulation agreements, transfer guides and other transfer information, visit https://www.dcccd.edu/services/academic-support/transfer-services/pages/default.aspx.
In order to secure such a guarantee, students should begin the process in the college Counseling/Advisement Center to work closely with an advisor.
To ensure guaranteed transfer, students are strongly encouraged to check with the university where they plan to transfer. No university shall be required to accept in transfer toward a degree, more than 66 semester credit hours of academic credits earned by a student in a community college. Universities, however, may choose to accept additional credit hours. Also, all public colleges and universities must offer at least 42 semester credit hours of academic courses that are substantially equivalent to courses listed in the Lower Division Academic Course Guide manual including those that fulfill the lower-division portion of the institution's core curriculum.
