A recent “Beyond Transfer” column made the very useful point that the transfer community needs to stop using different words for the same thing. For example, when the same course is given different names at two different institutions, that can hinder the transfer of that course’s credits between those institutions.
The purpose of the present column is to beseech the transfer community to not only use the same words for the same thing, but to use precise, correct terminology for credit transfer (specifically concerning the terms “credits,” “lost credits” and “reverse transfer”). Doing so is essential not only for avoiding confusion by everyone, but for facilitating good research and practice that can inform and implement helpful transfer credit policies and actions.
Let’s start simply with the term “credits.” All transfer community constituencies need to be specific about what sort of credits they are talking about. Are they general education (core), major or elective credits, or some combination thereof? Most institutions’ degree requirements include all three types of credits, as well as a total number of credits. However, some researchers or policymakers are only concerned with transfer of major credits. Others focus on general education or elective credits, or on the combination of all three credit types. Again, the policies and strategies that affect the transfer of these three types of credits are different.
