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The adoption of common course naming and numbering systems is increasing as a way to facilitate student transfers between state four-year colleges and universities and two-year community colleges. With these systems, common curriculum requirements are identified across associate and baccalaureate degrees and across institutions. When course numbers at community colleges and four-year universities are identical, a student is more likely to take courses that will transfer later to another institution.

For example, the Texas Common Course Numbering System identifies each course by a four-character prefix or department abbreviation and a four-digit number. The departmental abbreviation is always four upper-case alphabetic characters, for example, ACCT for accounting. The first digit of the course number denotes the academic level of the course; the second digit denotes the credit value of the course in semester hours; and the third and fourth digits identify the particular course or distinguish it from others of the same level or credit value. So ACCT 2301 would be a specific sophomore-level three-credit course in accounting. All course numbers correspond to course descriptions listed in an academic course guide.