90 TEEX courses approved for college credit by American Council on Education

The American Council on Education (ACE) recently recommended college credit for 29 additional TEEX courses, bringing the number of TEEX courses approved for ACE credit to 90.

More than 1,800 colleges, including 40 preferred colleges in Texas, recognize ACE-approved courses, said Mark Posada, TEEX Manager of Education and Training Initiatives. “Having ACE recognition makes the agency more attractive to potential students. It opens doors for them and for us. Students can often plug these courses into existing associate’s or bachelor’s degree plans.”

Posada added that TEEX has articulation agreements with many community colleges, which makes it easier for TEEX students to get credit for courses they have completed. The student requests a transcript on the ACE website, and the transcript can be taken to an institution of higher education for credit. During the recent ACE review team visit, 19 Public Safety & Security courses offered through the Camber program in Abu Dhabi were approved, along with 10 Department of Homeland Security grant-funded courses.

Last fall, the ACE review team approved credit for the TEEX Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and for the EMT-Paramedic course, which is only the third paramedic program from a non-degree granting institution in the country to be approved for ACE credit. Participants in the TEEX EMT program can receive up to 23 hours of college credit.

“About 70 percent of TEEX courses grant CEUs,” Posada said, “and now 10 percent offer college credit. With the state of Texas pushing to double the current number of Texas residents working towards a college degree, my goal is for TEEX to capitalize on the high quality of our curriculum by acquiring college credit for all appropriate TEEX courses. More than two-thirds of all TEEX courses have gone through the curriculum review and revision process, and this has helped TEEX achieve this standing with ACE. The ACE reviewers say we have the best curriculum they have seen in a training organization.”

Although TEEX offers more than 800 courses, Posada said not all are appropriate for college credit and may not meet the 16-hour minimum length requirement. All courses that are approved by ACE are reviewed every three years by a team of college and university faculty from across the country.

“ACE recognition shows the quality of our training courses and having ACE credit helps TEEX be more competitive,” Posada said.