Transfer Credit, Evaluation and Disputes
This page explains how Texas Tech Health El Paso evaluates transfer coursework, common reasons a transferable course may not satisfy a specific degree requirement, and how to dispute a denied transfer credit.
How Transfer Credit Is Evaluated
Texas Tech Health El Paso evaluates transfer credit under HSCEP OP 77.17 (see Registrar Policies and Procedures). Under that policy, transfer coursework must generally correspond with a current Texas Tech Health El Paso course required in the student’s program of study, and domestic transfer credit is generally accepted from regionally accredited institutions. Minimum grade requirements for transfer are established by the respective school and made available on the website and in the academic catalog. Students may be asked to provide supporting documentation, such as a course syllabus, catalog description, or other materials, during transcript review.
Credit Accepted by the Institution vs. Credit That Applies to a Requirement
Transfer review involves two separate questions: whether a course is transferable to Texas Tech Health El Paso at all, and whether it applies to a student’s specific program, prerequisite, core curriculum, or statutory degree requirement. A course can be accepted by the institution as transfer credit while still not satisfying a specific required component of a student’s degree plan — for example, it may count only as elective credit.
Documentation You May Need to Provide
- Official transcript(s) from all institutions attended
- A course syllabus or catalog description for coursework under review
- Any other materials requested by the transfer liaison during review
ACGM and Texas Core Curriculum Guidance
To determine whether a lower-division course is transferable, Texas Tech Health El Paso uses the Texas Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) as a benchmark. All students must also meet the Texas Tech Health El Paso core curriculum requirements listed in the Texas Tech Health El Paso Academic Catalog; many program prerequisites also satisfy a Texas Core Curriculum requirement.
Common Transfer Credit Issues
The table below lists common examples of courses that may be accepted as transfer credit but do not apply to a specific degree requirement. These are illustrative examples, not a guaranteed list of course equivalencies — every transcript is reviewed individually, and a course not listed here may still raise the same kind of issue.
| Requirement Area | Common Transfer Credit Issue | Why the Course May Not Apply | Recommended Course Alignment |
|---|---|---|---|
| American History | World History submitted in place of American History | World History may be transferable, but it does not satisfy the required American History component when U.S. history coursework is required. | HIST 1301, History of the U.S. to 1877, and HIST 1302, History of the U.S. Since 1877. |
| Political Science / Government | Out-of-state state politics or state government courses | Courses focused on another state’s government or politics may not include the Texas government or Texas constitution content required for Texas public institutions. | GOVT 2305, American Government, and GOVT 2306, Texas Government. |
| Anatomy and Physiology | A&P coursework that does not align with the Texas Anatomy and Physiology sequence | Anatomy and Physiology courses may not apply if the content, sequencing, credit hours, or laboratory structure does not align with the required health professions prerequisite sequence. | BIOL 2401, Anatomy and Physiology I with lab, and BIOL 2402, Anatomy and Physiology II with lab. |
| Mathematics | College Algebra submitted for a program that requires Statistics | College Algebra may transfer as credit, but it does not satisfy a program requirement that specifically requires Statistics. | MATH 1342, Statistics. |
| Creative Arts | Creative Arts courses that do not align with an ACGM course or approved equivalent | Some Creative Arts courses may lack a clear lower-division academic course equivalent or may not align with an approved Texas Core Creative Arts option. | Approved Creative Arts options may include ARTS 1301, ARTS 1303, ARTS 1304, DANC 2303, DRAM 1310, DRAM 2361, DRAM 2362, DRAM 2366, or MUSI 1306. |
Students who believe a course should satisfy a specific requirement may contact the transfer liaison and may be asked to provide supporting documentation, such as a course syllabus, catalog description, or other materials needed for review.
Transfer Credit Disputes
Texas law requires institutions to provide written reasons for certain transfer-credit denials, along with instructions for institutional review and escalation. If Texas Tech Health El Paso denies transfer credit for a Core Curriculum or Texas Field of Study course, the institution must send written notice of the reason for the denial to both the student and the sending institution.
Students who wish to dispute a denied transfer credit should first contact the transfer liaison to begin the institutional review process. If a dispute remains unresolved after institutional review, it may be submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for further review by the Commissioner of Higher Education.
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Transfer Dispute Process
Transfer Liaison
Questions about transfer credit evaluation or a dispute can be directed to Susana Iscapa, Manager, Transfer & Degree Completion. Her full contact information is listed right below in the contact section of this page.