Dual Credit
The Blinn College Dual Credit Program enables students attending high schools in the Blinn College District service area to earn credit toward a college degree by enrolling in courses that simultaneously satisfy the requirements for both high school graduation and a college degree.
College courses offered for dual credit may be taught at a Blinn College District campus or on a high school campus by credentialed instructors, according to criteria established by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Blinn Dual Credit courses include the same content and rigor as courses taught to other college students. Dual Credit students’ permanent records will include both a high school transcript and an official college transcript.
Why Dual Credit?
Dual Credit allows a high school student to earn credit towards high school graduation while at the same time earning college credit towards an associate's degree or technical education program certificate.
Dual Credit is approved and regulated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Dual Credit classes are college level classes, that provide instruction beyond, or in greater depth than, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for a corresponding high school course.
Taking Dual Credit Courses
Benefits
- Earn transferable college credit hours
- Save time earning a degree
- Save money by graduating from college sooner
- Attend intellectually stimulating classes
- Have access to all Blinn facilities
Challenges
- College courses are more demanding
- Classes require strong self-discipline and self-direction
- Failure in a class taken for academic dual credit may affect high school graduation
- Grades affect high school and college GPAs
- Conflicts in college and high school calendars may arise
FAQ
Courses for dual credit may be taught on the college campus, on the high school campus, via Live Online.
The Dual credit experience helps to ease the transition from high school to college, and enable students to get a significant head start with their educational and career goals.
Students also find that the program helps develop those skills needed to be successful in college such as following a syllabus, meeting classroom and course requirements, conducting themselves appropriately, using self-discipline, and improving and applying higher-level thinking skills.
Dual Credit students also enjoy access to Blinn libraries, open labs, writing labs, advising, and athletic events.
Participating students and their parents benefit from significant savings on tuition and fees.
Students with a B or higher average in overall coursework can take classes beginning the summer following their 8th grade year.
Dual Credit students successfully completing college-level classes earn Blinn course credit. Public institutions of higher education in the State of Texas are required, by state law, to accept most college-level academic courses in transfer from another state public institution as core, field of study, or elective credit.
Students may verify the transferability of credit by asking the college or university if it accepts Blinn college-level courses in transfer. While many private and out-of-state institutions accept Blinn college-level courses in transfer, students are advised to confirm transferability with private or out-of-state institutions.
Technical education courses may or may not be transferable depending upon whether Blinn and the target university have a signed articulation agreement for the particular program and courses in question. Consult with a Blinn Program Coordinator for more details or refer to Blinn’s transfer information page for further information.
In accordance with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board regulations, Dual Credit instruction follows the same curriculum, materials, grading, and rigor used in any classes on the regular campus. Blinn Department Chairs, through continual monitoring, assure the integrity and rigor of the curriculum in all sections of their discipline or program, both on-campus and Dual Credit.
Dual Credit faculty must meet the same requirements as any other faculty member hired by Blinn. They may be full-time instructors of Blinn or adjunct Blinn faculty. Some high school faculty may be hired as Blinn adjunct instructors to teach Dual Credit classes because they meet the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) criteria and Blinn faculty standards.
Dual credit faculty are interviewed, approved, hired, supervised and evaluated by Blinn Department Chairs. They are also required to maintain college-level rigor in each of their classes, the same rigor and curriculum standards expected on the main campuses of the college.
Home schooled students may attend Blinn as dual credit students. They must meet the same requirements as all other dual credit students and follow the same process of admittance to Blinn. In addition, they must document their status as home school students, along with all pertinent information required to register for Blinn classes. Home school students should refer to the Admissions Process Page.
Private and charter school students may take dual credit at Blinn, but must work through the administration of their high school. Private and charter schools that want dual credit as an option for their students must have established partnerships with Blinn.
The Blinn College District Board of Trustees has reduced tuition and fees for Dual Credit students. Current tuition and general fees are published on the Blinn website.
Tuition and fee payments are due at registration. Failure to pay by the due date will result in the student being dropped from class.
BucBooks is our new textbook program that allows you access to your textbook at a bundled and cheaper price. Students may choose to opt out of the BucBooks program, and they will be responsible for access to course material on their own. for more information please visit our BucBooks website at 6g2.0531-it.com/bucbooks
For non-FAST eligible students, please see the Academic Calendar for the payment due dates.
Dual Credit students cannot receive financial aid. Students must earn a high school diploma or GED to be eligible for financial aid. Dual Credit students should be aware that failure to successfully complete the courses in which they enroll could, in some circumstances, make them ineligible to receive federal student aid.
Complete the Dual Credit Drop Form and the course(s) will be dropped by the Dual Credit Office. All registration deadlines indicated on the Blinn College Academic Calendar and refund schedule must be followed.
If you are continuing at Blinn, you do not need to reapply. However, please have your high school send an official transcript with your date of graduation. It is the student’s responsibility to address all holds on their account.
If you are attending another institution, remember to have an official Blinn transcript sent to that institution to transfer your credits.
House Bill 8 legislation that provides free tuition to educationally disadvantaged students who attend a Texas school district or charter school.
Yes, Blinn is proud to participate in the Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program.
Contact Us
Shannon Williford
Director of Dual Credit Programs
Phone: 979-209-8218
Email: shannon.williford@0531-it.com
Shannon Whigham
Dual Credit Advisor
Phone: 979-830-4807
Email: shannon.whigham@0531-it.com
Jocelyn Santos
Dual Credit Coordinator
Phone: 979-209-8326
Email: jocelyn.santos@0531-it.com