[Strategies for helping students transfer credits and how transfer credits reveal a university's territoriality]

by

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would first like to express my gratitude for my research supervisor, colleagues, peers and family whose immense and constant support has been a source of continuous guidance and inspiration.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names & surname here], declare that the following dissertation/thesis and its entire content has been an individual, unaided effort and has not been submitted or published before. Furthermore, it reflects my opinion and take on the topic and is does not represent the opinion of the University.

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Dated:

ABSTRACT

The research aims at addressing the barriers that occur in the transfer of credit transfer of students and providing appropriate solutions for them. The research followed both primary and secondary methods of research for having a critical evaluation of factors that result as troublesome for the students. The study included a review of the nationwide literature on student transfer. There was a focus on literature that addressed student transfer within a state public higher education system. The sample of the survey of this study included the 50 students who transferred to different universities for the fall semester of 2010. The literature review suggested a conflict among scholars in terms of ideas to improve the transferability of courses. Some authors highly endorsed legislative or system mandates to improve transfer, while other authors believed that the only path to improve transfer is through faculty agreement within disciplines. This research will help the students to have a proper understanding of how credits are transferred from one institute to the other and will help them understand the factors that affect the overall transfer procedure. A student's transfer from one school to another should be a worthwhile experience that is perceived to be satisfactory to both the student and to the receiving institution. If the recommendations from this study are accepted and put, into place, the process of admission to university may be improved. This improvement may then increase satisfaction with the transfer process by both the students and the university.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of Research1

Problem Statement1

Aims and Objectives2

Research Questions2

Significance2

Research Method4

Method for Collection of Literature4

Research Design4

Reliability and Validity6

Generalizability7

Ethical Considerations8

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE9

The Changing Student Body9

Problems Facing Transfer Students11

Characteristics of Transfer Students16

Articulation18

CHAPTER 3: FACTORS AFFECTING TRANSFER21

Factors affecting Transfer of Credit Hours21

Piece of Advice for Students23

CHAPTER 4: COURSE TRANSFERABILITY25

CHAPTER 5: ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE29

CHAPTER 6: INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE31

CHAPTER 7: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS, & RECOMMENDATIONS33

Discussion33

Conclusion35

Implications39

Recommendations39

Future Research41

REFERENCES44

APPENDIX55

Transfer Student Survey55

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of Research

With respect to the issue of transferability, there are several prevailing tensions. First, curricula are revised on a regular basis. While such a high level of curricular change is a laudable endeavor, rooted in the creativity espoused by Academic Freedom, sometimes there is a negative impact on transferability. Each time a change is made to a course, or if a new course is created, other colleges and universities must review the course and determine if transferability of that course should be revised. There exists neither a centralized reviewing process of transferability, nor a system that ...