Transfer
The purpose of Transfer is to facilitate the smooth transition of college course work taken at one college institution to another college, for the benefit of the individual student. These courses are generally intended to move the student towards a baccalaureate degree goal.
Washington State’s community and technical college system provides educational course work and degree programs which “transfer” to upper-division institutions, both public and private. The notion of Transfer is grounded in the peer-based accreditation status of the participating colleges in supporting student mobility of course work between and among the colleges.
The current community and technical college system grew out of enabling legislation in 1967, later revised in 1991, that fostered educational opportunity to students in their own communities. These opportunities were clearly intended to include course articulation between the community/ technical colleges and the baccalaureate colleges.
These transfer arrangements have evolved over many decades to include a variety of degrees and articulation arrangements. Effective 2009, technical colleges may also offer transfer degrees in selected fields in support of professional baccalaureate work.
TRANSFER WITHIN THE Community and Technical College SYSTEM
The Washington State Community and Technical College Instruction Commission established policies that govern the acceptance of credits within the CTC system:
Common Course numbering makes course transfer between and among Washington’s 34 community and technical colleges easy. Common courses are those courses delivered by a number of community and technical colleges and have official college catalog descriptions similar enough to be accepted as equivalent at a receiving college for transfer purposes.
Technical College General Education Course Acceptance - The Instruction Commission and the Washington State Student Services Commission expect that all colleges in the Washington community and technical college system accept transferable technical college general education courses as equivalent to their own similar general education courses in content and purpose, in transcript credit value, and as applied to degree requirements. The Instruction Commission and Washington State Student Services Commission members will communicate this position to those in their colleges responsible for accepting transfer courses, and that the Commissions send this resolution to the Education Services Committee of WACTC.
CTC Inter-College Reciprocity Policy Transfer Distribution Courses and Areas ensures that students moving between colleges are not penalized by the healthy differences in the specific general education requirements imposed by individual campuses within the general guidelines of the Transfer degrees (DTA and AS-T).
Prior Learning Assessment of Credit is an opportunity for colleges to award credit for student learning done outside of the academic system which meets with NWCCU Accreditation standards. Credit earned through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) at one college will be accepted toward the appropriate course or program at any other Washington community and technical college (per the guidelines approved by WACTC January 2000).
TRANSFER TO BACCALAUREATE INSTITUTIONS POLICY
Historically, transfer policy in Washington consists of several cross-sector agreements, some of which have been adopted by the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB), the agency responsible for state transfer policy. The agreements include:
The Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) Associate Degree, sometimes called the Associate in Arts or Associate in Arts and Sciences, is the community college degree designed to transfer to most bachelors of arts degrees at Washington’s four-year institutions.
This degree is designed for community and technical college students seeking to major in engineering and science. Degrees structured under the AS-T umbrella provide:
- Priority admissions consideration at public universities for most science and engineering majors ahead of non-degreed transfers.
- Completion of similar lower division general education requirements as first- and second-year university students in engineering or science-based fields.
- Credit for all courses completed within the AS-T up to and in some cases beyond 90 credits.
- Opportunity to complete math and science prerequisites for the chosen major.
- Opportunity to explore other fields within the electives included in the degree.
Associate in Science - Track 1 - This degree is for students interested in chemistry and related fields (Exit Code A).
Associate in Science - Track 2 - This degree is for students interested in engineering and physics and related fields (Exit Code B) . On September 18, 2008 the Higher Education Coordinating Board, based on a recommendation from the higher education community, updated the original 2000 AS-T Track 2 agreement such that it:
- Removes the requirement of a minimum of four credits of computer programming in the Associate of Science Transfer (AS-T) Degree #2 (thus reducing the pre-major program requirements from 29 to 25 and increasing the electives from 31 to 35).
- Removes a clarifying sentence about the need for a “design component” to meet ABET accreditation requirements because the accreditation requirement has changed.
- Includes 2005 agreement language regarding acceptance of social science and humanities credits.
- All changes effective for students accepted in transfer for fall 2009.
Major Related Programs (MRPs)
Major related programs help transfer students better prepare for the junior year upon transfer. Major Related Program (MRP) pathways follow one of the two statewide transfer agreements. "Major Related" includes early selection of academic interests for competitive selection at four-year colleges and universities.
MRP pathways that follow the statewide Direct Transfer Agreement ( DTA) are as follows:
NEW: Associate in Biology DTA/MRP (Exit Code R) – Approved by public and independent universities in 2009.
Associate in Business DTA/MRP (Exit Code F) – Approved by public and independent universities in 2006.
Associate in Math Education-DTA (Exit Code G) – Approved by public universities in 2003.
Associate in Pre-Nursing DTA/MRP (Exit Code D, CIP 51.1601, EPC code PREN – all 3 required) – Approved by public and independent universities in spring 2005.
Associate in Elementary Education DTA/MRP (Exit Code D, CIP 13.1202, EPC code ELEM -all 3 required) – Approved by public and independent universities in winter 2006.
Associate in Technology DTA/MRP – or transfer to CWU’s Construction Management, Safety and Health Management, Industrial Technology & Technology Education or EWU’s Design, Construction, Manufacturing, and Electronics Tech. (Currently use Exit Code D EPC code TECH and CIP 15.0000 - all 3 required) eventually M) - Approved Winter 2007.
Construction Management DTA/MRP (Currently use Exit Code D and 52.2001 CIP and EPC code CM - eventually will be Exit Code V) - approved by UW, WSU, CWU and EWU Spring 2008.
Earth Space Secondary Education DTA/MRP (Currently use Exit Code D and CIP 13.1399 and EPC code ESS - eventually will be Exit Code L) Preparation for secondary teaching in earth and space science - approved Spring 2008.
MRP pathways that follow the statewide Associate in Science-Transfer Tracks 1 and 2 are as follows:
AS-T in Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering MRP (Exit Code B, EPC code BIOEand CIP 14.0701).
AS-T Computer and Electrical Engineering MRP (Exit CodeB, CIP14.1001, EPC code CEE).
AS-T Mechanical/Civil/Aeronautical/Industrial/ Materials Science Engineering (Exit CodeB, CIP 14.1901, EPC code OTRE).
Engineering Technology MRP pathways - Expanded detail for engineering technology based on the AS-T, Track 2, approved by CWU, EWU, and WWU in fall 2006. These pathways are:
AS-T EET/CTE (Electriconics Engineering Tech and Computer Engineering Tech) MRP (Exit Code B, CIP 15.0303, EPC Code EECE).
AS-T MET (Mechanical Engineering Tech) MRP (Exit Code B, CIP 15.0805, EPC Code MET).
Several MRP degrees follow the AS-T guidelines and thus share the same benefits as described above, but provide specific preparation for the specific majors identified:
Associate in Chemistry Education – AS-T Track 1 (Exit Code I)
Associate in Biology Education – AS-T Track 1 (Exit Code J)
Associate in Physics Education – AS-T Track 2 (Exit Code H)
Associate in General Science Education – AS-T Track 1 (Exit Code K)
Transfer Degree Policies
Several higher education groups composed of community and technical college and 4-year college and university representatives collaborate to form policy for students transferring from a community and technical colleges to four-year colleges.
Student Transfer Rights and Responsibilities
This document outlines student rights and responsibilities as well as the rights and responsibilities of colleges who receive students upon transfer.
The Joint Access Oversight Group (JAOG)
JAOG was formed in 2003 to consider statewide transfer issues and recommend policy strategies. It is a standing committee that meets about six times a year with representatives from the public and independent academic degree-granting institutions and the HECB. More »
In December 2007 the JAOG prepared a report summarizing transfer policies as they currently operate in Washington. JAOG Transfer Policy Report, December 2007
The InterCollege Relations Commission (ICRC)
ICRC representatives from community and technical colleges and four-year colleges and universities work collaboratively to enforce transfer policies and make recommendations for policy change. The ICRC handbook outlines transfer agreements, courses generally accepted for transfer and courses generally NOT accepted for transfer (ICRC Handbook, page 28, Appendix C).
Generally Transferable Courses
Each year the CTC system identifies course areas or specific courses that meet the criteria for generally transferable courses that have not yet been listed as generally transferable. A review process results in annual updates to the list of such courses (ICRC Handbook, page 23, Appendix B).
Proportionality Agreement of 1994
This agreement was developed by the Transfer Task Force convened by the HECB in fall 1992 in response to an anticipated problem of lack of sufficient space at some public baccalaureate institutions due to the potentially increasing numbers of transfer students at the community colleges. (See letter of transmittal, March 30, 1994.) The proportionality agreement states that each baccalaureate institution will maintain its current (1992) proportion of community college transfer student admissions and within that number grant priority admissions to those with an associate degree or who have otherwise completed lower-division preparation.
1990 Cooperative Student Transfer Process
This document outlines the joint process used by public four-year institutions of higher education and community colleges to establish a cooperative transfer process, which will ensure that qualified students can progress through their chosen courses of study toward their desired degrees.
1984-86 Umbrella Transfer Policy
This document has a commitment to transfer as a key path to the bachelor's degree and has been adopted by the HECB.
NEW! Transfer Degree Approval
Beginning summer 2009, all community and technical colleges will need to seek State Board approval for programs that transfer to four-year colleges and universities within Washington state. All programs that existed prior to summer 2009 are automatically approved by the State Board. Please review the program approval policy prior to completing the program approval request form. Questions about the program approval policy should be directed to Michelle Andreas, 360.704.4338. The completed program approval request form should be emailed to Jackie Eppler-Clark.
College in the High School Academic/Transfer Guidelines
These guidelines were approved by the Instruction Commission and public baccalaureate provosts in 2004.
Community and technical colleges play an important role in producing baccalaureate degree graduates in Washington State
CTC Applied Baccalaureate Pilot Degrees
Community and technical colleges offer 8 applied bachelor degrees at 7 pilot colleges:
- Bellevue Community College – Bachelor of Applied Science in Radiation and Imaging Sciences; and Bachelor of Applied Arts in Interior Design
- Columbia Basin College – Bachelor of Applied Management
- Lake Washington Technical College – Bachelor of Technology in Applied Design
- Olympic College – Bachelor of Science Nursing
- Peninsula College – Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management
- Seattle Central Community College –Bachelor of Applied Behavioral Science
- South Seattle Community College – Bachelor of Applied Science in Hospitality Management
These pilot programs stem from the 2005 Legislature enacted E2SHB 1794, sponsored by Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, which provided new means for expanding baccalaureate capacity in the state, including expanding the university branch campuses for both upper division and lower division students, creating a university center at Everett Community College, authorizing three pilot contracts between community and technical colleges and universities to provide bachelor’s degrees for place bound students, and authorizing four community and technical colleges to pilot applied bachelor’s degrees. The State Board was given the authority to choose the colleges for both types of pilot projects. The 2007-09 biennial budget authorized the State Board to select three additional pilots.
Other background resources
Research Report: Baccalaureate Enrollment Growth Needed to Meet Educational Needs of Technical Associate Degree Graduates: Examples of Applied Bachelor’s Degree in Washington State and elsewhere in the country, documentation of need for expanded number of such degrees and the employment changes that result in demand for the degrees.
PowerPoint presented to SBCTC October 18, 2005
HECB 2006 State and Regional Needs Assessment for use in identifying student, employer and community needs related to both proposals.
Employer demand by detailed occupational area by education level to 2012
HECB Program and Facilities Approval Guidelines
Other CTC efforts to expand access to bachelor degrees
- 41 percent of bachelor's degrees awarded each year go to students who started at community or technical colleges.
- Community and technical college transfers are well represented in business, science, engineering and education majors at universities in Washington.
- University branch campuses and off-campus programs are expanding access to baccalaureate degrees.
- Community and technical colleges open the door to baccalaureate degrees for thousands who might not otherwise go to a university.
Transfer Degree Inventory
In addition to statewide direct transfer degrees (DTA and AS-T), each community and technical colleges creates individual program articulation agreements with four-year colleges and universities, inside and outside of Washington State.
University Center Partnerships 2008-09
Community and technical colleges offer four- year degrees on their campus to increase student access to higher education.
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The CTC system works to smooth transfer Between Colleges
- Reciprocity agreements that smooth transfer within the CTC system.
- See also the Common Course Numbering section on the SBCTC web site.
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