Understanding TAGs & Course Equivalency Faculty Panel Point Person Meeting September 18, 2008

TAG Transfer Guarantee If a student takes an approved TAG course then that course is guaranteed to transfer as major credit to any of Ohio’s public institutions. TAG courses are equivalent when they have been matched to the same set of learning outcomes (OAN) and have been approved during the same time period.

Ohio Articulation Numbers Presently there are 152 OANs that represent a set of learning outcomes Institutions map their course(s) to the OANs. Sometimes an institution will map more than one course to an OAN. (The difference in many cases is due to the mapping done by quarter and semester institutions.) Faculty panels review the course mappings

3 hrs. English 3 hrs. Math 6 hrs. Natural Sciences 6 hrs. Arts & Humanities 6 hrs. Social Sciences Required Courses – 24 semester hours Elective Courses – 16 semester hours Courses in transfer module that are for major pathway Pre-major & Major Courses –Additional hours OHIO TRANSFER MODULE ASSOCIATE DEGREE TRANSFER TO BACCALAUREATE DEGREE AND MAJOR Semester Hour Example (36-40 semester hours / quarter hours) TAG OTM

A TAG is Composed of Four Parts 1.Transfer Module with Recommendations 2.Advising Notes 3.Foreign Language (If Applicable) 4.Pre-major and Beginning Major Courses

TAG Discipline Areas 1. Arts & Humanities Art History Dance English Literature Fine Arts Music Philosophy Theatre 2. Social and Behavioral Sciences Anthropology Economics Geography History Political Science Psychology Sociology 3. Education Professional Education Module Professional Education Module with Advising Recommendations for Middle School Math Professional Education Module with Advising Recommendations for Middle School Science Professional Education Module with Advising Recommendations for AYA Math Professional Education Module with Advising Recommendations for AYA Science Professional Education Module with Advising Recommendations for Intervention Specialist 4. Engineering & Engineering Technology Aerospace, Agriculture, Civil, Mechanical Engineering Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering Chemical, Environmental Engineering Computer, Electrical Engineering Industrial Engineering Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Bachelor of Science in Technology Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Construction Engineering Industrial Bachelor of Individualized Studies Baccalaureate in Organizational Leadership 5. Science and Mathematics Biology Chemistry Geology Mathematics Physics 6. Health Dietetics Health Information Management Medical Laboratory Nursing 8. Communications Communication Studies Journalism Public Relations & Advertising Telecommunication 7. Business Business 6

Anatomy of a TAG Transfer Module with Recommendations

Anatomy of a TAG Advising Notes

Anatomy of a TAG Foreign Language (if applicable)

Anatomy of a TAG 10 Pre-major and Beginning Major Courses

Understanding Course Equivalency

Five Steps to Course Equivalency 1.Defining – Joint faculty panels meet to define learning outcomes and credit hour ranges. 2.Agreeing – Educational partners reach consensual agreement on the learning outcomes via a statewide feedback process. 3.Matching – Institutions match courses to learning outcomes and credit hour ranges. 4.Submitting – Institutions submit specific course materials based on learning outcomes and credit hours. 5.Reviewing – Faculty review panels validate course materials against learning outcomes, recommended credit hour ranges, and other requirements.

What is a match? A match is a set of one or more courses in a subject area that are grouped together as meeting a specific set of learning outcomes, recommended credit hour ranges, and other requirements, represented by a corresponding Ohio Articulation Number (OAN). An OAN is simply a naming convention used to uniquely identify each set of learning outcomes. Because Ohio does not have a common course numbering system, OANs were created instead to act as “connectors.”

Who approves matches? Faculty panels have been formed based on nominations from both two- and four-year institutions. These panels consist of faculty members from across the state who have been chosen to represent their discipline. It is these panel members who make the decisions regarding whether or not a match should be approved.

What qualifies a match for approval? The match must meet 70% (or in some cases 100%) of the learning outcomes Credit hours should be taken into account as well because they are commonly viewed as an indicator of breadth and depth. The match must also meet any other requirements including: co-/prerequisite, laboratory hours, and textbooks.

What is an equivalency? An equivalency exists when a match is approved as meeting a specific set of learning outcomes, identified by an OAN. If two institutions have approved matches to the same set of learning outcomes (and both approvals are effective in the same time period), the matches are equivalent.

Examples of Equivalency Course 1 OAN001 Course A Approved Match Equivalency

Course 1 OAN002 Course A Approved Match Equivalency Course 2 Course B Examples of Equivalency, cont.

Course 1 OAN002 Course A Approved Match Equivalency Course B

What if there is no equivalency? Sometimes, a school will either not have a course that would fulfill a specific OAN or their course has not yet been approved. If this does occur, any student who has completed an approved match to the OAN is guaranteed to receive credit in the major for the completed coursework. How that credit applies to the major is up to the receiving institution.

How can equivalencies be viewed? The TAG Approved Courses Bulletin Board displays all approved matches. It is able to display approved matches by institution or the course equivalencies that exist between institutions. The Bulletin Board does not display not approved matches or bilateral agreements.