6 CAR Part 374 — Rules Governing Uniform Course Credit at Institutions of Higher Education

Chapter IV

Subchapter A

Subpart 1

6 CAR § 374-101 Purpose {#sec-6-car-374-101 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-374--6 CAR § 374-101}

6 CAR § 374-101. Purpose.

(a) This part shall be known as the Division of Higher Education’s “Rules Governing Uniform Course Credit at Institutions of Higher Education”.

(b) The purpose of this part is to establish uniform course credit awarded upon achieving the required score on approved accelerated learning assessments, exams, or courses toward completing a postsecondary degree or certificate program.

History

• History: Ark. R. 2026-85 (eff. June 29, 2026) Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-60-119

6 CAR § 374-102 Definitions {#sec-6-car-374-102 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-374--6 CAR § 374-102}

6 CAR § 374-102. Definitions.

As used in this part:

(1) “Accelerated learning” means an organized method of learning that enables a student to meet individual academic goals and graduation requirements while pursuing higher levels of skill development, including without limitation the following coursework:

(A) A College Board pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement course;

(B) An International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme course;

(C) A Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education course;

(D) A concurrent credit course; and

(E) A substantively similar course or program approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education;

(2) “Alignment” means equivalent expectations for which a student seeks to receive college credit;

(3) “Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education course” means a program offered through a University of Cambridge-approved school and administered by the International Education division of the Cambridge University Press and Assessment department of the University of Cambridge that:

(A) Consists of Cambridge International AS and A Level courses and standardized examinations;

(B) Is designed to prepare high school students for college or university study and employment;

(C) Allows students to receive high school credit as well as qualify for college or university level-credit; and

(D) Can lead to a Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education Diploma;

(4) “CLEP examination" means an examination administered through the College-Level Examination Program for which a student seeks to receive college credit;

(5) “College Board pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement course” means a not-for-profit organization that develops and administers standardized tests and curricula used by elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education institutions:

(A) To promote college readiness; and

(B) As part of the college admissions process;

(6) “Concurrent credit course” means a college-level course offered by an institution of higher education in this state that upon completion would qualify for academic credit in both the institution of higher education and a public high school;

(7) “Institution of higher education” means a:

(A) State-supported two-year or four-year college or university; or

(B) Private, nonprofit two-year or four-year college or university with its primary headquarters located in Arkansas that is eligible to receive Title IV federal student aid funds;

(8) “International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme" means the curriculum and examinations leading to an International Baccalaureate Diploma awarded by the International Baccalaureate;

(9) “Learning outcomes” mean measurable skills, abilities, knowledge, or values that students should be able to demonstrate as a result of successful course completion for which a student seeks to receive college credit; and

(10) “Rigor” means an appropriate level of sophistication, difficulty, and challenge for which a student seeks to receive college credit.

History

• History: Ark. R. 2026-85 (eff. June 29, 2026) Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-60-119

6 CAR § 374-103 Faculty committee duties and responsibilities {#sec-6-car-374-103 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-374--6 CAR § 374-103}

6 CAR § 374-103. Faculty committee duties and responsibilities.

(a) To determine whether a student has met the minimum criteria for award of course credit, the Division of Higher Education, in consultation with faculty committees, will determine postsecondary credit to ensure proper alignment and application of uniform credit awards across all institutions of higher education.

(b) Postsecondary credit will be awarded upon achieving the required score on approved accelerated learning assessments, exams, or courses.

(c) As determined by the division, postsecondary credit will also be awarded upon successful completion of, but not limited to:

(1) An accelerated learning course; or

(2) Industry-based credentials.

(d) The number of faculty committees will be determined by the division based on the disciplines being considered for uniform credit and comprised of no less than seven (7) faculty from two-year and four-year institutions, system and nonsystem institutions, and representative of different state regions, each appointed by the Commissioner of the Division of Higher Education.

(e) Faculty committees shall be responsible for:

(1) The alignment of subject or discipline-specific examinations with general education core courses from the Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS); and

(2) Ensuring appropriate rigor for credit awards by determining performance expectations based on assessment scores.

(f) Faculty committees may issue recommendations to align subject or discipline-specific examinations for courses outside of the general education core courses and the Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS).

History

• History: Ark. R. 2026-85 (eff. June 29, 2026) Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-60-119

6 CAR § 374-104 Award of uniform credit {#sec-6-car-374-104 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-374--6 CAR § 374-104}

6 CAR § 374-104. Award of uniform credit.

(a) For students to receive an award of course credit, upon receiving the required assessment score on the approved accelerated learning assessments, exams, or courses, the knowledge and skills assessed must align with the Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS) student learning outcomes.

(b) In determining whether there is proper alignment, faculty committees will consider, without limitation, the following:

(1) Learning outcomes; and

(2) Rigor.

(c)(1) All institutions will have an opportunity to comment on the equivalency prior to the Division of Higher Education adding the course equivalency to the articulation tables.

(2) It is presumed that all courses are aligned unless the committee determines otherwise.

(d) If the committee determines there are zero alignment issues found, then uniform credit for the course will be awarded.

(e)(1) Institutions may choose to award additional credit for those students who score higher than the minimum credit awards identified by the faculty committees.

(2) Institutions receiving transfer credit given from another institution beyond the minimum requirement are encouraged to honor additional credit given by the sending institution.

(f) All accelerated learning or CLEP examination to course equivalencies will be publicly available online in the Division of Higher Education Credit for Prior Learning Articulation Tables annually.

History

• History: Ark. R. 2026-85 (eff. June 29, 2026) Authority: Arkansas Code § 6-60-119