Summary of State Transfer Approaches
In the spring of 2014, a law was passed by the Minnesota Legislature to develop a plan to implement
multi-campus articulations:
MINNESOTA STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BACCALAUREATE DEGREE COMPLETION PLAN.
The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities shall develop
a plan to implement multi-campus articulation agreements that lead to baccalaureate degree
completion upon earning the number of credits required for the degree minus 60 credits at
a system university after transfer to the system university by a student with an associate in
arts degree, associate of science degree, or an associate of fine arts (AFA) degree from
a system college. The board shall assign the task of developing the plan to the appropriate committee
formed under the board’s “Charting the Future” initiative. The board shall report on this plan to the
legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over higher education finance and policy by March 15,
2015.
In order to support efforts to develop the plan, other similar state practices were reviewed and are
summarized below.
Commonalities
There are several commonalities that are utilized in other states. Many states provide guaranteed
admission once the general education package, two-year degree, or minimum eligible admission
requirements are completed; however, they provide a caution that it ensures admission to pre-major
status, not necessarily to the major or campus of choice.
Some states provide conditions, such as requiring that the baccalaureate be in a designated similar
degree program, and have 60-credit s as the minimum left to complete the baccalaureate.
1) For example, Maryland says, “Credit earned in or transferred from an associate degree-granting
institution shall be limited to approximately one-half the baccalaureate degree program
requirement, not to exceed 70 credits, and to the first two years of the undergraduate
educational experience.” They also say, “A student is held accountable for the loss of credits
that result from changes in the student’s major program of study, were earned for remedial
course work or exceed the total course credits allowable in transfer from a community college
to a baccalaureate institution (e.g., one-half of the credits required for graduation at the
receiving institution--generally 60 credits for the bachelor’s degree and in no case more than 70
credits).”
2) Texas states, “To ensure guaranteed transfer, students are strongly encouraged to check with
the university where they plan to transfer. No university shall be required to accept in transfer
toward a degree, more than 66 semester credit hours of academic credits earned by a student in
a community college.”
All states address the timing of admission to the university; however, it can vary. Some provide dual
admission to both the two-year and four-year institutions, while others operate along traditional lines of
having the university admission when the student is completing or has completed the two-year
program.
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All states require a minimum GPA which is typically that courses have to be a “C” or better (some
require a C- or better); however, some majors are specified as requiring higher GPAs.
Thirteen states provide guaranteed admission to baccalaureate institutions; however, typically not to a
particular major. In addition, one state (Maryland) states students shall not be denied direct transfer. Six
provide guaranteed transfer of credits (usually a general education core).
Six states provide guaranteed junior status once the general education package, two-year degree, or
minimum eligible admission requirements is completed, but again, this status is at the university, and
there is a caution that the student may not necessarily be admitted to the major of choice.
States also address the catalog year that the student is operating under, yet there is variation. Some
cautions apply, such as whether the catalog year changes if the student changes majors. Some follow
the catalog year as of date the agreement is signed by the student (where individual student
agreements are utilized). Some follow the catalog at the time of admission to the university. Some use
university catalog year as of the beginning date of attendance at the community college assuming
continuous enrollment, and some have students check the requirements for their intended major at
university during the year before they transfer.
Ten states have some type of guided degree pathways for liberal arts bachelor's degrees that
incorporate the pre-major course requirements for specific majors.
States also address the length of time students have to complete the program. The following show
varying practices:
1) Students have three academic years from the time of matriculation in the colleges in which to
complete the minimum credits required and http://uwc.edu/admissions/transfer/guaranteedtransfer
2) Students have up to three additional consecutive semesters at the community college before
beginning courses at the university.
3) Associate degrees must be earned within 5 years and
https://www1.dcccd.edu/catalog/ss/transfer/trans_credit.cfm and
http://admissions.uconn.edu/content/transfer/gap
4) Must transfer within 10 years
Articulation
There are varying practices that differentiate the way articulation is handled among states. Arizona
includes consent for schools to share admission and transcript information for the institutions that enter
into agreements.
There are variations in the purposes or approaches of the articulation strategies in different states:
1) A focus is placed on developing agreements in areas in which significant numbers of students
may first obtain an associate of science or an associate of arts degree with the intent of
obtaining a related baccalaureate degree.
2) Single articulation pathways must incorporate the statewide transfer general education core.
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3) The agreements Include liberal arts transfer programs, agriculture and natural resources or
business (students need to earn the associate degree, appropriate required courses, meet
minimum grades and other requirements).
4) The agreements include College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES).
5) There is a determination of the programmatic areas in which to develop single articulation
pathways.
6) Students follow a structured academic plan to complete general education courses and lower
division courses for that major. (also http://latransferdegree.org/what-is-tdg/)
7) Transfer Assurance Guides are developed to create discipline-specific pathways from any stateassisted institution to another.
8) Students who complete all the courses listed on a particular Transfer Pathway will earn an A.A.
or A.S. degree (individual institutions may require courses specific to their mission).
9) Students follow specific degree plans in specific majors that are called Fields of Study--entire
plan of courses are designed to transfer as a block of courses to all public colleges and
universities when the student majors in the specific Field of Study.
10) Create transfer associate "pathways" that include the prerequisites students need to qualify for
their major.
11) Allow a student who completes an associate degree for which a single articulation pathway has
been developed to pursue a single, common curriculum in a particular programmatic area that
will articulate, without alteration, with related baccalaureate degrees at all four year state
educational institutions that offer the baccalaureate degrees.
Connecticut has a standard that transfer students be treated the same as current students with respect
to access to majors.
Some states address course equivalencies:
1) In Ohio, miss-matches are rectified by curricular enhancement of the deficient course and a
universal course equivalency system was created to reduce undesired variability in the
transfer credit evaluation process. Criteria, policies, and procedures are established whereby
students will be able to transfer a wider range of agreed-upon equivalent technical courses
4) Texas states that institutions must offer at least 42 semester credit hours of academic courses
that are substantially equivalent to courses listed in the Lower Division Academic Course Guide
(state) manual
Agreements
There are variations in how states implement articulation agreements:
1) Students must provide confirmation that they have read the university admission requirements
and that they understand the timeline for transferring
2) Students complete an “intent to transfer” form
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3) Students indicate up to two majors they’re interested in when they apply for the program.
Upon signing the agreement, the university presents the admissions requirements for each of
the two degree programs indicated
4) Students must formally sign up for the program before they have completed 30 credits
5) Students complete the transfer application by the application deadline --after the application
deadline they will be admitted on a space-available basis. In the event that space is not
available, students eligible for guaranteed admission will be admitted for a future quarter
6) Students complete a Declaration of Intent to Participate form at any time prior to the start of
their sophomore year (thirty credits).
7) Agreement should be signed when the student is within last four semesters at the community
college. This is a maximum time limit
8) The Transfer Admission Guarantee can be signed any time during the year
9) Students need to apply before earning 30 transferable credits
10) The student is responsible for following the TTP exactly to ensure transfer of all hours.
Some universities provide restrictions or conditions:
1) There may be additional, more restrictive admission requirements
2) The university might require you to meet other admission standards or course requirements
for certain majors. An example is where special requirements exist for some majors (e.g.
Business school--3.3 GPA required, must meet program pre-requisites with minimum grade of
"B," must have second language requirement)
3) Community colleges and four-year colleges/universities have articulation agreements in
programs not covered by the Pathways
4) Note that some bachelor’s degrees require more than an additional 60 credits to complete.
You should follow the institutional transfer guide (they are linked below) to ensure you take
the correct courses as part of your associate’s degree.
5) Universities determine courses and prerequisites
6) Agreements are developed after consultation with employers
7) Some of these transfer agreement courses, especially math and science, may have prerequisites
8) Intermediate algebra must have a minimum grade of 2.0
9) Students must complete instruction in a single foreign language
There can also be college conditions, such as not every community college offering every transfer
agreement.
Some practices are collaborative:
1) Students receive admission letters from both the college and university and signed by both
admissions representatives; university and colleges coordinate curricula and share curricular
changes; an individual is appointed to make contact with counterparts at other institutions
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2) Information about changes is transmitted in a timely manner
3) …advisement sessions for program students and/or staff for each of the participating
community colleges each semester. These sessions will alternate between the community
college campuses and the University and include information regarding program-specific
requirements.
4) Tuition discounts are provided
5) Students are simultaneously admitted to both the community college and the 4-year school at
the start of their freshman year
6) Students may take tuition-free course(s) if:
(a) A public college or university refuses to accept in transfer core courses when the student
has received the Associate in Arts or Associate in Sciences degree,
(b) A public college or university refuses to accept in transfer courses listed in that institution's
Transfer Guide,
(c) A public college or university refuses to accept in transfer all courses taken in order to
receive a Field of Study Associate in Arts/Associate in Sciences degree.
Some states have incorporated curricular changes:
1) A common course numbering system for general education curriculum courses and common
curriculum and common standards for the transfer of associate degree credits
2) Courses are prescribed in the curricula to earn an Associate of Arts/Transfer Degree or an
Associate of Science/Transfer Degree
The application for admission to the university can include:
1) Priority application processing
2) Students may submit an abbreviated application form
3) No application fee
4) No essay required
5) Applications are processed ahead of other transfer applications
There are typically eligibility restrictions:
1) Former university degree-seeking students and students who have already earned a bachelor’s
degree are not eligible for the Joint Admissions or Articulation Transfer program
2) The Joint Admissions agreement is designed for first-time, full-time students who know the
associate's degree they want from the community college and know what four-year degree
they want, and know where they want to earn that four-year degree
Student Responsibility
Some states include student responsibility. Students are encouraged to use the state’s transfer tool
similar to Transferology--a computerized method of determining the transferability of courses to the
intended transfer institution. Students are also encouraged to check out the transferability of courses
before registration, not after.
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Other responsibilities include:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
The student is responsible for following the transfer agreement exactly
Students are responsible for checking specific program requirements
Students should know the graduation requirements that will apply
Students need to learn the admission requirements for the transfer campus
Students need to contact the department they'll be majoring in and check the university
catalog for the requirements they'll need to meet to graduate from university
6) Some states require student responsibility such that to ensure guaranteed transfer, they are
strongly encouraged to check with the university where they plan to transfer
Advising
There are guidelines for students to consult with advisors:
1) If students select a major with additional or higher requirements, they need to consult with a
transfer specialist.
2) Students receive advising when they review and sign the form to participate in the agreement,
when they complete 30 credits, and next to the last semester
3) To seek advice during the first semester or as soon as possible after earning 15 credits
4) Counselors assist students to apply/transfer to universities that have corresponding bachelor's
degrees
5) Advising is done at the institution the student plans to attend
6) Advisors meet with guaranteed admission students throughout their academic careers
7) Advisement sessions alternate between colleges and universities and will include program
specific requirements
8) With the help of community college staff, students identify an intended major
Limitations
Students
There are different types of student limitations:
1) If the student is not a native English speaker, evidence of English language proficiency must be
provided
2) Former university students are not eligible
3) Students who don’t earn an AA (Associate in Arts) are not offered all guarantees
4) Students who do not have good academic, fiscal, disciplinary status at all previously attended
colleges, and/or criminal history may not be guaranteed transfer benefits
5) Students still need to complete their college/school and major requirements, including the
junior writing and integrative experience courses
6) Students will have completed all university General Education requirements, with the
exception of the university diversity requirement (through the articulation agreement)
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Students are responsible for:
1)
2)
3)
4)
the loss of credits due to changes in the their selection of the major program of study
the need for remedial course work
exceeding the limit of credits accepted
meeting all requirements
Courses
There are limitations regarding courses:
1) If none or only a few of the general education courses apply to the bachelor's, the student is
advised that although the courses transfer, they will not necessarily apply
2) Only courses with C- or higher are guaranteed to transfer
3) Any additional courses taken in the discipline may not count towards major requirements
4) Not all credit in an AA (Associate in Arts) may satisfy program prerequisites or course
requirements
5) Courses must consist entirely of those in the Core Curriculum, the courses outlined in an official
Field of Study, and additional elective courses identified by the receiving university as
transferable and applicable toward a specific major and degree in its Transfer Guides written
within the last five years
Degrees/Majors
There are some limitations depending upon the type of degree or major:
1) Engineering, nursing, business, music education, or computer science majors should meet with
an advisor because these degrees often do not require gtPathways (general education) courses
2) Some bachelor's degrees require more than an additional 60 credits
3) Some university majors may require a higher GPA and/or prerequisite coursework
4) Only certain academic degrees at both the community college and area four-year institutions
are part of this program
5) Some baccalaureate degree programs require more than four years of full-time study
General/Other
Other limitations may also apply:
1) AP, CLEP or similar test may not apply the same at all colleges
2) The agreements are not guaranteed to transfer to out-of-state and private institutions
The following states were reviewed:
Arizona
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California
Colorado
Connecticut and http://admissions.uconn.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/GA_Program_Agreement.pdf and
http://www.ct.edu/files/pdfs/BOR-transfer-articulation-agreement.pdf
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana and http://cop.hlcommission.org/Assessment/johnson.html
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Oregon
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington and http://admission.wsu.edu/transfer/associates.html
Wisconsin and http://uwc.edu/admissions/transfer/guaranteed-transfer
For a summary of state information, please click here.
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