Block Transfer: Issues and Options. A Discussion Paper.

The purpose of this discussion paper is to explore the concept of block transfer as an alternative to, or a supplement to, traditional course by course transfer in British Columbia (BC). Transfer in BC is essentially a bilateral process in which sending and receiving institutions negotiate credit for a course or program. One of the assumptions that underlies Charting a New Course, the strategic plan issued in 1996 by the BC Ministry of Education, Skills, and Training, is that every academic course a student takes at a sending institution should transfer automatically to a receiving institution because it has been ratified by the sending institution. By virtue of the institution's membership in the public system, the ratification should extend to each and all facets of that system. Although block transfer is well established in the professional areas, there are few examples of its application to academic programs. There are a number of different block transfer models: system-wide transfer; general education core curriculum; standardized pre-major program; flexible pre-major program; learning outcomes; and descriptive pathways. Any successful revision, if needed, will require the full agreement of all partners in the system. (JA)