A.
General Education Requirements for Public Institutions.
1. While public institutions have the autonomy to design their general
education program to meet their unique needs and mission, that program
shall conform to the definitions and common standards in COMAR 13B.06.
According to the regulations, a public institution shall satisfy the
general education requirement by:
a. Requiring
each program leading to the A.A. or A.S. degree to include not less
than 30 and not more than 36 semester hours, and each baccalaureate
degree program to include not less than 40 and not more than 46 semester
hours of required core courses, with the core requiring, at a minimum,
course work in each of the following five areas:
(1)
Arts and humanities,
(2) Social and behavioral sciences,
(3) Biological and physical sciences,
(4) Mathematics, and
(5) English composition; or
b. Conforming
with COMAR 13B.02.02.16D(2)(b)-(c).
2. General
education programs of public institutions shall require at least:
a. One
course in each of two disciplines in arts and humanities;
b.
One course in each of two disciplines in social and behavioral sciences;
c.
Two science courses, at least one of which shall be a laboratory course;
d.
One course in mathematics at or above the level of college algebra;
and
e.
One course in English composition.
3. Interdisciplinary
and Emerging Issues.
a. In
addition to the five required areas in §I.A.1.a. of the Transfer
Student Policy ("Policy"), a public institution may include
up to 8 semester hours in a sixth category that addresses emerging
issues that institutions have identified as essential to a full program
of general education for their students. These courses may: (1)
Be integrated into other general education courses or may be presented
as separate courses; and
(2) Include courses that:
(a)
Provide an interdisciplinary examination of issues across the five
areas.
(b) Address other categories of knowledge, skills, and values that
lie outside of the five areas.
b. Public
institutions may not include the courses in this section in a general
education program unless they provide academic content and rigor equivalent
to the areas in §1.A.1.a. of this Policy.
4. General
education programs leading to the A.A.S. degree shall include at least
20 semester hours from the same course list designated by the sending
institution for the AA and A.S. degrees. The A.A.S. Degree shall include
at least one 3-semester-hour course from each of the five areas listed
in §I.A.1.a. Of this Policy.5. A course
in a discipline listed in more than one of the areas of general education
may be applied only to one area of general education. 6. A public
institution may allow a speech communication or foreign language course
to be part of the arts and humanities category.7. Composition
and literature courses may be placed in the arts and humanities area
if literature is included as part of the content of the course.8. Public
institutions may not include physical education skills courses as part
of the general education requirements.9. General
education courses shall reflect current scholarship in the discipline
and provide reference to theoretical frameworks and methods of inquiry
appropriate to academic disciplines.10. Courses
that are theoretical may include applications, but all applications
courses shall include theoretical components if they are to be included
as meeting general education requirements.11. Public
institutions may incorporate knowledge and skills involving the use
of quantitative data, effective writing, information retrieval, and
information literacy when possible in the general education program.12 Notwithstanding
§I.A.1.a. of this Policy, a public 4-year institution may require
48 semester hours of required core courses if courses upon which the
institution's curriculum is based carry 4 semester hours.13. Public
institutions shall develop systems to ensure that courses approved for
inclusion on the list of general education courses are designed and
assessed to comply with the requirements of this Policy.B.
Transfer of General Education Credit1. A student
transferring to Morgan State University ("Morgan") from another
Maryland public institution of higher education ("Maryland public
institution") shall receive general education credit for work completed
at the student's sending institution as provided by this Policy.2. A completed
general education program shall transfer without further review or approval
by Morgan and without the need for a course-by-course match.3. Courses
that are defined as general education by the sending institution shall
transfer as general education even if Morgan does not have that specific
course or has not designated that course as general education.4. Morgan
shall give lower-division general education credits to a transferring
student who has taken any part of the lower-division general education
credits described in §I.A. of this Policy at a Maryland public
institution for any general education courses successfully completed
at the sending institution.5. Except
as provided in §I.A.12 of this Policy, Morgan may not require a
transfer student who has completed the requisite number of general education
credits at any Maryland public institution to take, as a condition of
graduation, more than 10-16 additional semester hours of general education
and specific courses required of all students at the receiving institution,
with the total number not to exceed 46 semester hours. This provision
does not relieve students of the obligation to complete specific academic
program requirements or course prerequisites required by Morgan.6. A sending
institution shall designate on or with the student transcript those
courses that have met its general education requirements, as well as
indicate whether the student has completed the general education program.7. A.A.S.
Degrees.
a. While
there may be variance in the numbers of hours of general education
required for AA, AS, and A.A.S. Degrees at a given institution, the
courses identified as meeting general education requirements for all
degrees shall come from the same general education course list and
exclude technical or career courses.
b. An
A.A.S. student who transfers into Morgan with fewer than the total
number of general education credits designated by Morgan shall complete
the difference in credits according to the distribution as designated
by Morgan. Except as provided in §I.A.12. of this Policy, the
total general education credits for Morgan may not exceed 46 semester
hours.
8. Student
Responsibilities. A student is held:
a. Accountable
for the loss of credits that:
(1)
Result from changes in the student's selection of the major program
of study,
(2) Were earned for remedial course work, or
(3) Exceed the total course credits accepted in transfer as allowed
by this Policy.
b. Responsible
for meeting all requirements of the academic program of Morgan.
C.
Transfer of Non-general Education Program Credit. 1. Credit
earned at any public institution in the State is transferable to Morgan
if the:
a. Credit
is from a college or university parallel course or program;
b.
Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.0 or higher;
and
c.
Acceptance of the credit is consistent with Morgan's policies governing
students following the same program.
2. Credit
earned in or transferred from a community college is limited to:
a. 1/2
the baccalaureate degree program requirement, but may not be more
than 70 semester hours; and
b.
The first two (2) years of the undergraduate education experience.
D.
Nontraditional Credit.1. The
assignment of credit for AP, CLEP, or other nationally recognized standardized
examination scores presented by transfer students is determined according
to the same standards that apply to native students at Morgan, and the
assignment shall be consistent with the State minimum requirements.2. Transfer
of credit from the following areas shall be consistent with COMAR 13B.02.02.
and shall be evaluated by Morgan on a course-by-course basis:
a. Technical
courses from career programs;
b.
Course credit awarded through articulation agreements with other segments
or agencies;
c.
Credit awarded for clinical practice or cooperative education experiences;
and
d.
Credit awarded for life and work experiences.
3. The
basis for the awarding of the credit shall be indicated on the student's
transcript by the receiving institution (Morgan).4. Morgan
shall inform a transfer student of the procedures for validation of
course work for which there is no clear equivalency. Examples of validation
procedures include ACE recommendations, portfolio assessment, credit
through challenge, examinations, and satisfactory completion of the
next course in sequence in the academic area.5. The
receiving baccalaureate degree-granting institution (Morgan) shall use
validation procedures when a transferring student successfully completes
a course at the lower division level that Morgan offers at the upper
division level. The validated credits earned for the course shall be
substituted for the upper division course.E.
Program Articulation.1. Recommended
transfer programs shall be developed through consultation between the
sending institution and Morgan. A recommended transfer program represents
an agreement between the two institutions that allows students aspiring
to the baccalaureate degree to plan their programs. These programs constitute
freshman/ sophomore level course work to be taken at the community college
in fulfillment of Morgan's lower division course work requirement.2. Recommended
transfer programs in effect on September 3, 1996, which conform to this
Policy, may be retained.F.
Academic Success and General Well-being of Transfer Students.1. Sending
Institutions.
a. Community
colleges shall encourage their students to complete the Associate
degree or to complete 56 hours in a recommended transfer program which
includes both general education courses and courses applicable toward
the program at the receiving institution.b. Community
college students are encouraged to choose as early as possible the
institution and program into which they expect to transfer.c. The
sending institution shall:
(1)
Provide to community college students information about the specific
transferability of courses at 4-year colleges;
(2) Transmit information about transfer students who are capable
of honors work or independent study to the receiving institution;
and
(3)
Promptly supply the receiving institution with all the required
documents if the student has met all financial and other obligations
of the sending institution for transfer.
2. Receiving
Institutions (Morgan).
a. Admission
requirements and curriculum prerequisites shall be stated explicitly
in institutional publications.b. Morgan
shall admit transfer students from newly established public colleges
that are functioning with the approval of the Maryland Higher Education
Commission on the same basis as applicants from regionally accredited
colleges.c. Morgan
shall evaluate the transcript of a degree-seeking transfer student
as expeditiously as possible, and notify the student of the results
not later than mid-semester of the student's first semester of enrollment
at Morgan, if all official transcripts have been received at least
15 working days before mid-semester. Morgan shall inform a student
of the courses which are acceptable for transfer credit and the courses
which are applicable to the student's intended program of study.
d. Morgan
shall give a transfer student the option of satisfying institutional
graduation requirements that were in effect at Morgan at the time
the student enrolled as a freshman at the sending institution. In
the case of major requirements, a transfer student shall satisfy the
major requirements in effect at the time when the student was identified
as pursuing the recommended transfer program at the sending institution.
These conditions are applicable to a student who has been continuously
enrolled at the sending institution. For the purpose of this subsection
d only, continuous enrollment is defined as a student who has officially
registered for at least one course and has not dropped all of the
student's course(s) or withdrawn from school during any given semester.
G.
Programmatic Currency.1. Morgan
shall provide to the community college current and accurate information
on recommended transfer programs and the transferability status of courses.
Community college students shall have access to this information.2. Recommended
transfer programs shall be developed with each community college whenever
new baccalaureate programs are approved by the degree-granting institution.3. When
considering curricular changes, institutions shall notify each other
of the proposed changes that might affect transfer students. An appropriate
mechanism shall be created to ensure that both 2-year and 4-year public
colleges provide input or comments to the institution proposing the
change. Sufficient lead time shall be provided to effect the change
with minimum disruption. Transfer students are not required to repeat
equivalent course work successfully completed at a community college.H.
Transfer Mediation Committee. 1. There
is a Transfer Mediation Committee, appointed by the Secretary of the
Maryland Higher Education Commission, which is representative of the
pubic 4-year colleges and universities and the community colleges.2. Sending
and receiving institutions that disagree on the transferability of general
education courses as defined by COMAR 13B.06.01 shall submit their disagreements
to the Transfer Mediation Committee. The Transfer Mediation Committee
shall address general questions regarding existing or past courses only,
not individual student cases, and shall also address questions raised
by institutions about the acceptability of new general education courses.
As appropriate, the Committee shall consult with faculty on curricular
issues.3. The
findings of the Transfer Mediation Committee are considered binding
on both parties.I.
Appeal Process1. Notice
of Denial of Transfer Credit by Morgan
a. Except
as provided in §I.I.1.b below of this Policy, Morgan shall inform
a transfer student in writing of the denial of transfer credit not
later than mid-semester of the transfer student's first semester,
if all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working
days before mid-semester.b. If
transcripts are submitted after 15 working days before mid-semester
of a student's first semester, Morgan shall inform the student of
credit denied within 20 working days of receipt of the official transcript.c. Morgan
shall include in the notice of denial of transfer credit:
(1)
A statement of the student's right to appeal; and
(2) A notification that the appeal process is available in the institution's
catalog.
(3) The statement of the student's right to appeal the denial shall
include notice of the time limitations in §I.2 of this regulation.
2. A student
believing that Morgan has denied the student transfer credits in violation
of this Policy may initiate an appeal by contacting the Transfer Coordinator
or the Dean for the school or college in which the student's major is
located (or the Dean for the College of Liberal Arts where no major
has been declared) within 20 working days of receiving notice of the
denial of credit.3. Response
by Morgan.
a. Morgan
shall:
(1)
Establish expeditious and simplified procedures governing the appeal
of a denial of transfer of credit;and
(2) Respond to a student's appeal within 10 working days.
b. Morgan
may either grant or deny an appeal. Morgan's reasons for denying the
appeal shall be consistent with this Policy and conveyed to the student
in written form.
c. Unless
a student appeals to the sending institution,the written decision
constitutes Morgan's final decision and is not subject to appeal.
4. Appeal
to Sending Institution.
a. If
a student has been denied transfer credit after an appeal to Morgan,
the student may request the sending institution to intercede on the
student's behalf by contacting the transfer coordinator of the sending
institution.
b.
A student shall make an appeal to the sending institution within 10
working days of having received the decision of Morgan.
5. Consultation
Between Sending and Receiving Institutions.
a. Representatives
of the two institutions shall have 15 working days to resolve the
issues involved in an appeal.
b.
As a result of a consultation in this section, Morgan may affirm,
modify, or reverse its earlier decision.
c.
Morgan shall inform a student in writing of the result of the consultation.
d.
The decision arising out of a consultation constitutes the final decision
of Morgan and is not subject to appeal.
J.
Periodic Review.1. Report
by Receiving Institution.
a. A
receiving institution shall report annually the progress of students
who transfer from 2-year and 4-year institutions within the State
to each community college and to the Secretary of the Maryland Higher
Education Commission.b. An
annual report shall include ongoing reports on the subsequent academic
success of enrolled transfer students, including graduation rates,
by major subject areas.
c. A
receiving institution shall include in the reports comparable information
on the progress of native students.
2. Transfer
Coordinator. A public institution of higher education shall designate
a transfer coordinator, who serves as a resource person to transfer
students at either the sending or receiving campus. The transfer coordinator
is responsible for overseeing the application of the policies and procedures
outlined in COMAR 13B.06.01 and interpreting transfer policies to the
individual student and to the institution.
3. The
Maryland Higher Education Commission shall establish a permanent Student
Transfer Advisory Committee that meets regularly to review transfer
issues and recommend policy changes as needed. The Student Transfer
Advisory Committee shall address issues of interpretation and implementation
of COMAR 13B.06.01.
A.
Terms defined: 1. "AA
degree" means the Associate of Arts degree.2. "A.A.S.
degree" means the Associate of Applied Sciences degree.3. "Arts"
means courses that examine aesthetics and the development of the aesthetic
form and explore the relationship between theory and practice. Courses
in this area may include fine arts,performing and studio arts,appreciation
of the arts, and history of the arts.4. "AS
degree" means the Associate of Sciences degree.5. "Biological
and physical sciences" means courses that examine living systems
and the physical universe. They introduce students to the variety of
methods used to collect, interpret, and apply scientific data, and to
an understanding of the relationship between scientific theory and application.6. "English
composition courses" means courses that provide students with communication
knowledge and skills appropriate to various writing situations, including
intellectual inquiry and academic research.7. "General
education" means the foundation of the higher education curriculum
providing a coherent intellectual experience for all students.8. "General
education program" means a program that is designed to:
a. Introduce
undergraduates to the fundamental knowledge, skills, and values that
are essential to the study of academic disciplines;
b.
Encourage the pursuit of lifelong learning, and
c.
Foster the development of educated members of the community and the
world.
9. "Humanities"
means courses that examine the values and cultural heritage that establish
the framework for inquiry into the meaning of life. Courses in the humanities
may include the language, history, literature, and philosophy of Western
and other cultures.10. "Mathematics"
means courses that provide students with numerical, analytical, statistical,
and problem-solving skills.11. "Native
student" means a student whose initial college enrollment was at
a given institution of higher education and who has not transferred
to another institution of higher education since that initial enrollment.12. "Parallel
program" means the program of study or courses at one institution
of higher education which has comparable objectives as those at another
higher education institution,for example, a transfer program in psychology
in a community college is definable as a parallel program to a baccalaureate
psychology program at a 4-year institution of higher education.13. "Receiving
institution" means the institution of higher education at which
a transfer student currently desires to enroll.14. "Recommended
transfer program" means a planned program of courses , both general
education and courses in the major, taken at a community college, which
is applicable to a baccalaureate program at a receiving institution,
and ordinarily the first 2 years of the baccalaureate degree.15. "Sending
institution" means the institution of higher education of most
recent previous enrollment by a transfer student at which transferable
academic credit was earned.16. "Social
and behavioral sciences" means courses that examine the psychology
of individuals and the ways in which individuals, groups, or segments
of society behave, function,and influence one another. The courses include,
but are not limited to, subjects which focus on:
a. History
and cultural diversity;
b.
Concepts of groups, work, and political systems;
c.
Applications of qualitative and quantitative data to social issues;
and
d.
Interdependence of individuals, society, and the physical environment.
17. "Transfer
student" means a student entering an institution for the first
time with academic credit earned at another institution which is applicable
for credit at the institution the student is entering.