Education for a Digital World Advice, Guidelines and Effective Practice from Around Globe, 2008a

12 – Articulation and Transfer of Online Courses
Glossary
Articulation. The process used by post-secondary institutions
to determine which courses are equivalent to
one another. Articulation is normally a course-to-course
analysis or comparison, but it can also involve whole
programs. By extension, articulation refers to the development
and implementation of agreements that provide
for inter-institutional movement of students or the connecting
of two or more educational systems.
Assigned credit. Transfer credit is assigned when a
course is assessed as being equivalent to a specific course
at a receiving institution.
Course outline. A description of the main content,
organization and expected outcomes of a course, normally
including the number of credits awarded for successful
completion, hours of class time required,
evaluation procedures, assignments, texts, and readings.
In this chapter, a course is assumed to be the “official”
description of a course upon which articulation decisions
are based. (See also: syllabus)
Credit. The value assigned to a course. For example,
many courses are valued at three credits. Most credentials
specify the number of credits to be earned.
Receiving institution. The institution to which a
student intends to transfer. In an articulation agreement,
it is the institution which grants credit for course work
completed at a sending institution.
Sending institution. The institution from which a
student is transferring. In a transfer agreement, it is the
institution where the courses were completed.
Syllabus. An individual instructor’s version of the
official course outline (See: Course outline), normally
distributed to students at the first class.
Transfer Credit. The granting of credit towards a
credential by one institution for programs or courses
completed at another.
Unassigned credit. Transfer credit is unassigned
when a course is assessed as being of a university level
but not equivalent to a specific course at a receiving
institution.
References
BCCAT 2005. Articulation Committee Meeting Summary,
available online at http://www.bccat.bc.ca
/articulation/summary.cfm.
Carnevale, Dan 2002. Missed Connections” Online colleges
complain about traditional institutions' tough
credit-transfer policies. The Chronicle of Higher Education,
Volume 49, Issue 8, Page A35.
CIHE, no date. Best Practices for Electronically Offered
Degree and Certificate Programs, available online at
http://www.neasc.org/cihe/best_practices_electronica
lly_offered_degree.htm.
Finlay, Finola 2005. How to Articulate: Requesting and
Assessing Credit in the BC Transfer System. BC
Council on Admissions and Transfer, Vancouver.
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