Transfer Credit Award

Policy Statement

Durham Technical Community College evaluates transfer credit for equivalent courses from member institutions of the North Carolina Community College System and other post-secondary institutions.

Contact Information

Admissions, Registration, and Records
registrar@durhamtech.edu
919-536-7200, ext. 1800

Procedure

In accordance with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ (SACSCOC) Transfer of Academic Credit Position Statement, Durham Technical Community College (Durham Tech) considers institutions’ regional accreditation as an indicator of acceptability of credit but does not rely solely on that criterion.

Applicants who have been enrolled in a post-secondary institution are required to submit official transcripts of previous academic work to Admissions, Registration, and Records to determine transferability of completed coursework. An official transcript is one that is sent directly from the previous college, or university, or is submitted by the student in an official, sealed envelope from the educational institution. Transcripts may be delivered to Admissions, Registration, and Records in person (Wynn Center (Building 10), room 10-201, Main Campus) or by mail:

Admissions, Registration, and Records
Durham Technical Community College
1637 E. Lawson Street
Durham, NC 27703

Transcripts are accepted electronically from transcript processing services such as College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC), Credential Solutions, DiplomaSender, National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, Scribbles, and any other authorized electronic transcript service provider approved by the College. Faxed transcripts and diplomas are not accepted as official documents for transcript evaluation.

Upon receipt of the official transcript, the College will send a confirmation email to the student's College email account. The entire transcript will be evaluated to determine transferability and award transfer credit for the Durham Tech course most closely related to the course transferred. Determinations will be made using the following criteria:

• All transfer course credit must be equivalent to course offerings at Durham Tech;
   
• The grades for courses transferred must be a "C" or better;
   
• Courses with a Pass/Fail designation are transferrable if the established criterion defines a “Pass” to be equivalent to a grade of “C” or better;
   
• Seventy-five (75) percent of course learning objectives must be equivalent to courses offered at the College;
   
• Comparable developmental and supplemental education courses offered by North Carolina community colleges below the 100 level are transferable within the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). Developmental and supplemental courses do not earn credit toward a certificate, diploma, or degree;
   
• The grades for transferred NCCCS developmental and supplemental courses must be a “P1”, “P2”, or “P3” for ENG 002 and MAT 003; “A”, “B”, or “P” for ENG 011, MAT 010, MAT 021, MAT 043, MAT 052, MAT 050, MAT 060, MAT 071, DRE 096, DRE 097, DRE 098, DMA 010 thru 080, ENG 070, ENG 080, ENG 090, ENG 095, RED 070, RED 080, RED 090; and "A”, “B”, or “C" for MAT 070 and MAT 080; 
   
• Transfer credit may not exceed seventy-five (75) percent of the total credit hours required to complete the intended program of study;
   
• Foreign language courses are transferrable in level one coursework without a lab. The College will award transfer credit for both a level one lecture and lab. Since level two courses have a separate lab, awarding the level one lab will allow for progression through sequenced coursework. Other earned credits can satisfy the program credit hour requirements, if needed.
   
• Science coursework offered without labs will not require a lab component for a science course to be eligible for transfer. Science coursework offered with a lecture and lab will require a lecture and lab component for a science course to be eligible for transfer. Science coursework with a separate lab (AST 151/151A, BIO 140/140A, and CHM 131/131A) may transfer without a lab; however, to satisfy the program of study science/mathematics credit hour requirements, retaking the course and the lab may be required. Other science/mathematic credits earned can satisfy the program credit hours, if needed.
   
• International transcripts must be translated and evaluated prior to their submission to Durham Tech. Refer to the Translation and Evaluation Services section of the website for details.

The transcript evaluation process may take up to five (5) working days. During peak registration periods and adverse conditions, transfer credit determinations may be delayed. Students should contact a transcript evaluation specialist (transcripts@durhamtech.edu) for status updates.

Once the transcript evaluation process has been completed, the College will send the student a confirmation via email. At that time, the student will be able to view any transfer credit awarded in Self-Service (transfer credit is recorded as a grade of “TR”). Transfer credit from another institution is not used to calculate cumulative, program, graduation, or Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) grade point averages. 

When transfer credit is in question, a student may be asked for supporting documentation (e.g., an official course description or course syllabus). If a student wishes to have their transcript re-evaluated, they must submit a formal request via email to transcripts@durhamtech.edu. The correspondence must include the institution name, course name and number, and a brief statement outlining the reasoning for the re-evaluation request. Transcript evaluators will consult with the appropriate program director/chair to determine whether the stated reasoning and the related documentation support awarding transfer credit. A transcript evaluator will notify the student of the College’s final determination within three (3) working days. 

Graduation Requirements

In accordance with the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation, twenty-five (25) percent of coursework must be completed at Durham Tech. Refer to the Curriculum Program Completion and Graduation policy for additional information.

Institutional Transfer Equivalencies

Durham Tech establishes institutional transfer equivalencies when courses being transferred in are equivalent to course offerings listed in the NCCCS Combined Course Library (CCL). The College will update its institutional transfer equivalencies to ensure that appropriate transfer credit is awarded and determinations are inclusive of current course offerings.

Records Management

Transcripts received become the sole property of the College and are not available for distribution unless there is a verifiable extenuating circumstance. Approval must be granted by the Vice President, Chief Academic Officer, in consultation with the Vice President, Chief Student Services Officer.

Definition

Working Days – Days when the College is open and operating under a normal schedule. This excludes weekends, closings due to adverse conditions, and holidays.