Standard Number 3.4.8: The institution awards academic credit for course work taken on a noncredit basis only when there is documentation that the noncredit course work is equivalent to a designated credit experience.

Full Compliance

The University System of Georgia offers guidelines for reviewing course work from institutions that are not regionally accredited (see Board of Regents “ Principles for Reviewing Transfer Credit ”); however, it has been the practice of Georgia Southern University to only accept credit from those institutions that hold regional accreditation (see 2004-2005 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog , p. 22, “Transfer Credit/Military Credit,” #1). Provisions may be considered when an institution appeals this policy, but the director of Admissions retains the prerogative not to accept all or any part of previously earned credits should the quality of the educational program be deemed mediocre or unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the University reserves the right to use proficiency examinations at the undergraduate level to evaluate if non-credit course work is equivalent to a designated credit experience comparable to that offered by the University (see 2004-2005 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog , p. 23, “Proficiency Exams).

Since Georgia Southern University maintains a Department of Military Science that operates an Army R.O.T.C. program, the University will consider granting academic credit based on military experience. In implementing this practice, the University carefully adheres to Board of Regents policy contained in the Academic Affairs Handbook (see § 2.20, “Credit for Military Service”). Moreover, the Registrar also evaluates the military experience following guidelines established in the American Council on Education Military Guide and by the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC). Every effort is made to ensure that the academic credit awarded for the military experience is equivalent to a designated Georgia Southern experience.

²⁵Recognized regional accrediting agencies include: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Western Association of Colleges and Schools.

²⁶2004-2005 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog , p. 22.