Focused Report

Comprehensive Standard 3.5.2

At least 25 percent of the credit hours required for the degree are earned through instruction offered by the institution awarding the degree. In the case of undergraduate degree programs offered through joint, cooperative, or consortia arrangements, the student earns 25 percent of the credits required for the degree through instruction offered by the participating institutions. (Institutional credits for a degree) .

Off-Site Committee Finding

The Committee reviewed Albany State University 's policies regarding the maximum number of hours of transfer credit and the requirements for degree as documented in the University's catalogue. Although the policies are clearly stated and a degree audit procedure is described in the catalogue, the documentation did not provide evidence that the degree audit procedure currently in place monitors adherence to these policies. As described in the catalogue, the degree audit is conducted collaboratively (involving the department chair and staff in the Registrar's office). Written documentation of the confirmation of degree hours in residence was not provided. The major check sheet only listed course requirements completed and grades. No mechanism for documenting other degree requirements (e.g., number of transfer hours) was provided. Samples of degree audit paperwork that verifies the 25% of credit hour in resident would be helpful to the On-Site Committee in ascertaining compliance.

Albany State University's Response

Albany State University provides w ritten documentation of the confirmation of degree hours in residence. This document, called the Degree Evaluation, confirms and documents the degree hours in residence for every Albany State graduate. Specifically, it lists any additional courses needed to complete degree hours in residence, states that a student must complete a minimum of thirty hours in residence, and must bear the signatures of the Registrar and Department Chairperson for it to be considered an official evaluation of degree hours in residence [1] . ASU also has in place a mechanism for documenting other degree requirements (e.g., number of transfer hours). Provided are examples of non-coursework requirement [2] and evaluation of transfer work [3] .

[1] Samples of Degree Evaluation (Audit Results) *

[2] Samples of Report of Non-Coursework Requirement *

[3] Samples of Evaluation of Transfer Work *

* Hardcopies of these documents will be available upon request.