2023-2024 College Catalog

Transfer Credit

Atlanta Technical College recognizes that it is necessary to establish reasonable and definitive policies for the acceptance of transfer credit. The college developed these guidelines in accordance with the standards set by the Technical College System of Georgia, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

While the College Registrar is responsible for evaluating transcripts to determine transfer credit, the ultimate authority for the transfer evaluation rests with the instructional faculty and division deans in the discipline. For example, the mathematics coordinator and dean of general education are the ultimate authorities on the transferability of math courses to the college.

The College Registrar, instructional faculty, and division deans determine the transferability of courses taken at other postsecondary institutions by considering the educational quality of the learning experience for which students seek transfer credit; the comparability of the nature, content, and level of the learning experiences to the courses offered at Atlanta Technical College; and the appropriateness and applicability of the learning experiences to the programs offered at Atlanta Technical College.

The college has established the following procedures to guide the awarding of transfer credit: 

Computer Information Systems (Computer Support Specialist and Networking Specialist)

Appropriate faculty and administrators review course competencies and the date of completion (typically within five years) before awarding transfer credit for courses in computer science, microcomputers, or networking.

Credit-By-Examination Awarded at Other Colleges

Atlanta Technical College does not award transfer credit for credit-by-examination tests administered at other postsecondary institutions.

Fine Arts and Humanities

Students who have taken courses in art, music, and/or English literature may receive transfer credit to satisfy General Education Requirement Area IV provided the courses are comparable in scope, nature, content, and level of learning experiences to the ARTS, MUSC, and ENGL courses offered at Atlanta Technical College. This type of transfer credit is entered on academic transcripts as ARTS 11XX, MUSC 11XX, or ENGL 11XX. Transferability of these courses will be determined by the executive vice president for academic and student affairs in consultation with deans and faculty on a case-by-case basis.

Health Information Management Technology

Atlanta Technical College will award transfer credit for Health Information Management Technology (HIMT) courses taken at postsecondary institutions holding CAHIIM accreditation provided the courses are comparable in scope, nature, content, and level of learning experiences to the HIMT courses offered at Atlanta Technical College.

Learning Support Coursework

Learning support coursework taken at other colleges is used to determine whether students are eligible to enroll in credit-bearing coursework. Learning support coursework grades are not counted in students' earned hours or in the calculation of semester, cumulative, and graduation grade point averages.

Health and Public Safety Technologies Courses

The College Registrar does not automatically award transfer credit for courses specific to Health Sciences programs in Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Nursing, Paramedicine, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Radiology. The College Registrar consults with faculty from those programs to determine transfer credit based on course competencies, program accreditation, and date of completion (typically within two to five years).

Official Transcripts with Final Grades

Students must submit official transcripts from all colleges attended in the past. All official transcripts must include final grades. Students who submit transcripts with in-progress coursework must submit official transcripts again once they complete the in-progress coursework and receive final grades before college officials can determine whether to award transfer credit.

Paralegal Studies

Atlanta Technical College will award transfer credit for Paralegal Studies (PARA) courses taken at postsecondary institutions holding American Bar Association (ABA) approval and institutions within the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). Transfer credit from other Colleges will be accepted provided that the courses are comparable in scope, nature, content, and level of learning experiences to the PARA courses offered at Atlanta Technical College.

Quarter System Coursework

The College Registrar converts credit hours for courses taken on the quarter system to semester credit hours by multiplying the quarter hours by 0.6667. This conversion may result in students receiving fewer credit hours for coursework offered at Atlanta Technical College. Students may need to complete additional coursework in order to satisfy the graduation requirements at Atlanta Technical College.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Grades earned for courses transferred to Atlanta Technical College are not included in the calculation of semester, cumulative, and graduation grade point averages. The Financial Aid Office includes grades earned for all courses taken at all postsecondary institutions when calculating HOPE scholarship grade point averages and for determining satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes.

Social Sciences

Students who have taken courses in history or political science may receive transfer credit to satisfy General Education Requirement Area II provided the courses are comparable in scope, nature, content, and level of learning experience to the HIST and POLS courses offered at Atlanta Technical College. This type of transfer credit is entered on academic transcripts as HIST 11XX and POLS 11XX. Transferability of these courses will be determined by the executive vice president for academic and student affairs in consultation with deans and faculty on a case-by-case basis.

Transcript Notation of Transfer Credit

Transfer credit is noted as TR, TRA, TRB, or TRC on academic transcripts. Transfer credit is not included in the calculation of semester, cumulative, or graduation grade point averages. The Dean of Enrollment Services records transferred coursework on students' academic transcripts and notifies students via their @student.Atlantatech.edu email address when transfer credits have been posted. Students should access their student records on Banner Web to verify the transfer credit awarded.

Transferable Coursework

Students may receive transfer credit for courses taken at regionally accredited colleges and universities. Students who attended colleges that were not regionally accredited at the time of attendance may be asked to provide additional materials including course syllabi, college catalog course descriptions, and instructors' credential information before the College Registrar can determine whether the courses are transferable. Students must have earned final grades of A+/-, B+/-, or C+/- for courses to be transferable. Course must equal or exceed to the number of semester hours established for similar courses at Atlanta Technical College.

Transferring from Other Technical Colleges in Georgia

Courses taken under state-approved standards at other Technical College System of Georgia colleges are transferable provided the technical colleges were accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at the time of attendance. Students who attended technical colleges that were not regionally accredited at the time of attendance may be asked to provide additional materials including course syllabi, college catalog course descriptions, and instructors' credential information before the director or registration and records can determine whether the courses are transferrable.