Tech Prep

The University of Texas at Brownsville & Texas Southmost College

ATC STANDARD ARTICULATION AGREEMENT

This standard agreement applies to all courses listed in the ATC Statewide-Articulated Course Crosswalk and described in the subject area Technical Course Articulation Manuals (TCAMs).

A. Requirement to Award College Credit for Articulated Courses

A college voluntarily participating in the Advanced Technical Credit Program must award articulated credit to a student enrolled in the college for courses in statewide Technical Course Articulation Manuals if minimum requirements outlined in this Agreement and the TCAMs are met, and the courses are listed in the college's catalog/bulletin and are part of a relevant degree plan selected by the student.

A college must not impose additional institutional requirements, other than requirements applicable to all students for application and admission, for award of articulated credit for courses in the TCAM, nor deny the award of articulated credit based on additional institutional requirements. A participating college should institute and appeals process for students denied credit for statewide-articulated courses.

B. High School Student Eligibility for Articulated Credit

1. General Course Enrollment Eligibility - Students enrolled in public high schools are eligible to enroll in, and receive high school credit for, courses designated eligible for articulated credit, under applicable state law.

2. Course Enrollment Age Limitation - There is no minimum age requirement for enrollment in articulated high school courses or course sequences. Any applicable minimum age specified by an outside agency for certification or licensure will not be noted in the TCAM.

3. Documenting Successful Course Completion

a. Course Grades - To be eligible for the award of college credit for statewide-articulated courses taken in high school, a student must meet the following minimum course grade requirements:

1. Prerequisites and co-requisites - A student must successfully complete with a minimum grade of 80, all courses designated as required prerequisites and/or co-requisites for statewide articulation.

2. Individual articulated courses - A student must successfully complete the articulated high school course, meet minimum content competency requirements for the course as outlined, and receive a minimum grade of 80.

3. Articulated courses sequences - A student must successfully complete each course in the high school course articulation sequence required for award of college credit, meet minimum content competency requirements for the course sequence as outlined in the Manual, and receive a minimum grade of 80 in each course in the sequence.

b. Course Competencies - Documents, such as course competency profiles, end-of course exams, or external certification, that verify that a student has met minimum course competencies for articulated courses outlined in the Manual should be maintained by the independent school district as part of a student's record.

c. Baccalaureate Academic Transfer Programs - Optional end-of course exams may be offered by a high school or college to document college-level competence for award of a academic credit for content- equivalent technical courses that a student wishes to use for transfer toward a baccalaureate degree in areas such as Criminal Justice, Computer Science, Family and Consumer Science.

A student with intent to request alternate academic credit from the Academic Course Guide Manual credit for WECM-equivalent courses to apply toward a baccalaureate degree should contact appropriate college personnel for specific institutional requirements.

C. The "A" Code and High School Academic Achievement Records (Transcripts)

The "A" code is a special explanation course code that denotes high school courses eligible for articulated credit award at a public postsecondary 2-year degree-granting institution (college).

1. Unique PEIMS Course Codes for Statewide-Articulated Career and Technology Courses - Each statewide-articulated high school career and technology course is identified with a unique PEIMS course number and abbreviation and the "A" transcript code.

2. "A" Code to Designate Articulated Courses - Courses identified for statewide articulation and those identified for local articulation are identified by the "A" code on the high school transcript. This code signals college registrars that a student may be eligible for the award of articulated credit.

A district inserts the code after a colon following the TEA- approved course abbreviation. Sample "A" code use on high school transcripts:

GRADE 11 2001-2002

Generic Course Name

Abbreviated Course Name
1st Sem. Grade
2nd Sem Grade
Average
Credit
Language Arts ENG 3:H
89
93
91
1.0
Mathematics TRIG
86
86
0.5
  ANL GEOM  
87
87
0.5
Career/Tech Ed ECAD-TP:A
85
75
80
2.0
  BCIS1-TP:A
71
75
73
1.0

NOTE: In the sample transcript above, although both career and technology courses are noted with the "A" code, the student is eligible for college credit for Engineering Computer-Aided Drafting I (ECAD-TP:A, course grade of 80), but not for Business Computer Information Systems I (BCIS1-TP:A, course grade of 73).

D. High School Faculty Qualifications

In order for high school faculty to teach courses designated for statewide articulation they should meet minimum qualifications for faculty in associate degree programs outlined in the Criteria for Accreditation, Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Section 4.8.2.1, and outlined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for community and technical college faculty teaching the college-equivalent course(s) (GIPWE, Part I).

Any special faculty requirements for each course eligible for statewide articulation will be outlined in TCAMs. The employer of record should verify that a faculty member meets minimum requirements and is eligible to teach courses for articulated college credit. Additional requirements of external accrediting agencies for specific courses will be noted in TCAMs, as applicable.

In specific instances, a college technical course may be taught specifically for transfer to a baccalaureate degree program. In this case, high school faculty teaching the equivalent high school course for articulated credit must have additional qualifications, usually a master's degree and 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline.

E. Posting Articulated Credit to College Transcripts

1. Student Requirements - Credit for courses identified on the high school transcript with the "A" code, and for which the student has met all the specified requirements, must be transcripted by the participating college if:

a. General Requirements

  • The student enrolls in the college after completion of high school;
  • A high school transcript is presented with one or more courses noted with the "A" code;
  • The student completed the course, or final course in an articulated course sequence, with junior (grade 11) or senior (grade 12) standing;
  • The student completed any pre- or co-requisite courses and the articulated course, or courses in an articulated course sequence, with a minimum grade of 80;

At the discretion of the receiving college, credit may be awarded for courses, or final course in a sequence, taken in grades 9 and 10. A college at its discretion may also award academic credit for articulated courses that are part of a baccalaureate transfer degree.

  • The Student has successfully completed 6 hours of college credit from a college, either after high school graduation, or by concurrent enrollment (Advanced Placement, and/or CLEP examinations may also apply toward the 6 college credit hours subject to the receiving college's policy for transcription such credit); and
  • The course or courses appear in the college catalog/bulletin and may be included in the technical degree plan declared by the student.

NOTE: At UTB/TSC Advanced Technical (Tech Prep) credit will be posted as ("CR" credit) at the time the student completes Admission requirements and begins College classes. This will include all high school transcripts with Advanced Technical (Tech Prep) credit which are designated with the letter "A" and with a grade of 80 or better.

b. Texas Success Initiative - A student must be in compliance with state Texas Success Initiative requirements (effective fall 2003).

c. Time Limitations on Award of Articulated Credit - Due to rapid changes in technology and related instruction, it is recommended that a student enroll in a public two-year associate degree-granting institution, and complete requirements for award of articulated credit.

NOTE: At UTB/TSC Students who enroll within twenty-four (24) months after high school graduation will be awarded Advanced Technical (Tech Prep) credit by the college. Students enrolling more than twenty-four (24) months after high school graduation will have her/his Advanced Technical (Tech Prep) credit reviewed for application as appropriate to current Tech Prep or other program of study.

 

 
 

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The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College

Tech Prep Office * 301 Mexico Blvd. * Suite E6 * Brownsville, Texas 78520

Phone (956) 982-0197 * Fax (956) 982-0199

Last Updated July, 2006