To increase transparency and reduce students' burdens related to transferring credits between institutions of higher education.

Summary: Transferring Credits for College Completion Act of 2012 - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require the Secretary of Education to include on the College Navigator website the percentage of undergraduates at an institution of higher education (IHE) who have transferred from another IHE and earned their degree or certificate in their program of study within: (1) the normal time for its completion, (2) 150% of the normal time for its completion, and (3) 200% of the normal time for its completion.

Requires IHEs, to the extent practicable, to include in their course schedule publications information on whether each listed course or program of study is transferable for credit toward the completion of a degree at a public IHE located in their state.

Requires each public IHE, by July 1, 2014, to enter into an articulation agreement with the other public IHEs located in its state.

Requires those agreements to include: (1) a common general education core curriculum consisting of at least 30 credit hours or equivalent coursework that are fully transferable toward meeting specific degree or certificate requirements at other public IHEs in the state, (2) common course numbering for substantially similar courses in that curriculum, and (3) a guarantee that an associate degree in an academic major in the arts and sciences at a public IHE in the state will be credited as the first 2 years of a related baccalaureate program at other public IHEs in the state.

Excepts Tribal Colleges or Universities from those articulation agreement requirements.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Transferring Credits for College 
Completion Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Transfer Completion Data.--Section 132(i)(1) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1015a(i)(1)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
                    ``(AA) The percentages of degree- or certificate-
                seeking undergraduate students enrolled at the 
                institution who have transferred from another 
                institution and who obtain a degree or certificate 
                within--
                            ``(i) the normal time for completion of, or 
                        graduation from, the student's program 
                        (including the time spent as a degree- or 
                        certificate-seeking undergraduate student at 
                        any other institution);
                            ``(ii) 150 percent of the normal time for 
                        completion of, or graduation from, the 
                        student's program (including the time spent as 
                        a degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate 
                        student at any other institution); and
                            ``(iii) 200 percent of the normal time for 
                        completion of, or graduation from, the students 
                        program (including the time spent as a degree- 
                        or certificate-seeking undergraduate student at 
                        any other institution).''.
    (b) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect one year after 
the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS.

    (a) Transfer of Credit Policies.--Section 485(h) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(h)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (A);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of 
                subparagraph (B) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) to the extent practicable, in each electronic 
                and printed publication of the institution's course 
                schedule published on or after July 1, 2014, in a 
                manner of the institution's choosing, for each course 
                or program of study listed in the institution's course 
                schedule, whether such course or program of study is 
                transferable for credit toward the completion of a 
                degree at a public institution of higher education in 
                the State in which the institution is located.''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting following:
            ``(2) Articulation agreements.--Except as provided in 
        paragraph (3), each public institution of higher education 
        participating in any program under this title shall, not later 
        than July 1, 2014, enter into an articulation agreement (as 
        defined in section 486A(a)) held in common with the other 
        public institutions of higher education that are in the State 
        in which the institution is located and that are participating 
        in any such program. Such articulation agreement shall, at a 
        minimum, include the following:
                    ``(A) A common general education core curriculum 
                consisting of not less than 30 credit hours or the 
                equivalent coursework, which are fully acceptable in 
                transfer at any such public institution of higher 
                education in the State toward meeting specific degree 
                or certificate requirements.
                    ``(B) Common course numbering for substantially 
                similar courses in such common general education core 
                curriculum.
                    ``(C) A guarantee that an associate degree in an 
                academic major in the arts or sciences that is awarded 
                by a public institution of higher education in the 
                State on or after July 1, 2014, shall be fully 
                acceptable in transfer and credited as the first 2 
                years of a related baccalaureate program at a public 
                institution of higher education in such State.
            ``(3) Exception for tribal colleges and universities.--A 
        Tribal College or University (as defined in section 316) shall 
        not be required to enter into or otherwise participate in an 
        articulation agreement required under paragraph (2).
            ``(4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
        shall be construed to--
                    ``(A) except as provided in paragraph (2), 
                authorize the Secretary or the National Advisory 
                Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity to 
                require particular policies, procedures, or practices 
                by institutions of higher education with respect to 
                transfer of credit;
                    ``(B) authorize an officer or employee of the 
                Department to exercise any direction, supervision, or 
                control over the curriculum, program of instruction, 
                administration, or personnel of any institution of 
                higher education, or over any accrediting agency or 
                association;
                    ``(C) limit the application of the General 
                Education Provisions Act;
                    ``(D) require an institution of higher education to 
                accept or enroll a student; or
                    ``(E) create any legally enforceable right, 
                including with respect to a guarantee under paragraph 
                (2)(C), on the part of a student to require an 
                institution of higher education to accept the student 
                for enrollment or to accept a transfer of credit from 
                another institution.''.
    (b) Articulation Agreements.--Section 486A(b) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1093a(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by inserting ``that meet the requirements of 
                section 485(h)(2)'' after ``comprehensive articulation 
                agreements'';
                    (B) by inserting ``comprehensive articulation 
                agreements'' after ``practicable)'';
                    (C) by striking ``2010'' and inserting ``2014''; 
                and
                    (D) by striking the third sentence, including 
                subparagraphs (A) through (D); and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the period at the 
        end the following: ``and section 485(h)(2)''.