TRANSFER DEGREE PROGRAMS 

Direct Transfer Aggreements-Associate of Arts

The Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) Associate Degree — called the Associate of Arts (AA) is the community college degree designed to transfer to most bachelor’s of arts degrees at all public and many private Washington four-year institutions. In order for the agreement to be valid for transfer, however, it is essential that the degree be completed. Otherwise, each course taken may be evaluated by the receiving institution separately and some courses may not be accepted for transfer that would have been with a completed degree. For this reason students are strongly advised to complete the appropriate transfer degree prior to transfer. 

Transfer guides are available from counselors and at the SCC and SFCC Transfer Centers. Students planning to transfer should consult these guides as well as information provided by the four-year institutions. Completion of recommended courses in a pre-major for transfer does not necessarily assure a student admission to a four-year institution or a specific program. Some colleges use screening procedures (cumulative GPA, test scores, major GPA, etc.) for acceptance into certain majors and programs. 

Many four-year institutions have an admissions requirement of two years of a single foreign language in high school or two to three quarters of a single foreign language in college. Additional foreign language courses may be required for graduation. Students should check this requirement carefully for the institution to which they plan to transfer. 

Lower-division major requirements vary among four-year institutions. Therefore, students should consult the four-year institution to which they plan to transfer for specific program requirements. Careful planning is important in order to meet specific requirements. 

Students planning to earn an AA or AS-T degree must meet minimum standards of preparation, which includes a math proficiency requirement. Those whose records and test scores indicate a need for additional preparation may be required to complete preliminary work in the college preparatory/developmental program.
For specific information on AA and AS-T degree requirements, refer to the transfer program outlines. For descriptions of courses, please refer to the Course Descriptions section. 

For most majors in the arts, humanities and social sciences, the Direct Transfer Agreement provides the best pathway. Degrees based on the DTA – degrees structured under the DTA umbrella – provide: 

 Priority consideration in the admissions for most humanities and social science 
    majors in most four-year institutions ahead of non-degreed transfers.
 Completion of most or all lower division general education requirements.
 Credit for all courses completed within the DTA up to and in some cases beyond 
    90 credits.
 Opportunity to explore several fields of study through the category of up to 30 
    credits of elective courses.
 Opportunity to complete prerequisites for a future major. 

Reciprocity Agreement 

Washington community and technical colleges (CTCs) offer reciprocity to students transferring within the CTC system who are pursuing the Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) degree or the Associate in Science-Transfer (AS-T) degree. Students who completed an individual course that met distribution degree requirements or fulfilled entire areas of their degree requirements at one college will be considered to have met those same requirements if they plan to complete the same degree when they transfer to another community or technical college in Washington. These degree requirements include Communication Skills, Quantitative Skills, or one or more Distribution Area requirements. Students must initiate the review process and must be prepared to provide necessary documentation. For complete information, students should contact an academic adviser at SCC, SFCC or the IEL. 

Direct Transfer Agreements/Major Related Programs 

To help transfer students better prepare for the junior year, two-year and four-year institutions are working together to create transfer associate degrees outlining the appropriate courses in order for students to be well prepared to enter the major upon transfer – MRP degrees. MRP degrees follow either the DTA/Associate of Arts format or the Associate in Science-Transfer format. 

Several MRP degrees follow the DTA guidelines and thus share the same benefits as described above, but provide specific preparation for the specific majors identified: 

 Associate in Business DTA/MRP
 Associate in Math Education-DTA
 Associate in Pre-Nursing DTA/MRP
 Associate in Elementary Education DTA/MRP 

Students interested in learning more about any of the MRP requirements in any specific area should seek advising from experts in those disciplines, counselors or the SCC and SFCC Transfer Centers. Students completing one of these MRPs will have that specific degree posted on their transcript; the more general DTA will not be posted. 

Associate of Science-Transfer 

The Associate of Science-Transfer (AS-T) degree is intended for students majoring in science who wish to transfer as juniors to four-year institutions in Washington.
Students who earn this degree will transfer with about half of the lower division general education courses required by four-year institutions. Remaining general education courses may be taken after transferring. This degree allows students to concentrate on fulfilling pre-major coursework in their intended field of study. A number of different options are offered with two basic tracks. 

Track 1 involves:
 Biological science, environmental/resource sciences, chemistry, geology and 
    earth science. 

Track 2 involves:
 Computer science, physics and atmospheric science.
 Engineering, with the following specific MRPs:
    • AS-T in Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering MRP
    • AS-T Computer and Electrical Engineering MRP
    • AS-T Mechanical/Civil/Aeronautical/Industrial/ Materials Science Engineering 
      technology based on the AS-T, Track 2, approved by CWU, EWU, and WWU 
      in Fall 2006. These pathways are: 
     (a) AS-T EET/CTE Electrical Engineering Technology and Computer 
          Engineering Technology MRP 
     (b) AS-T MET Mechanical Engineering Tech MRP 

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
 Associate in Biology Education – AS-T Track 1
 Associate in Physics Education – AS-T Track 2
 Associate in General Science Education – AS-T Track 1 

For more specific information on these MRPs, consult with an instructor in the discipline, a counselor or the SCC and SFCC Transfer Centers. 

Associate In Business (DTA/MRP) 

The Associate in Business Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Ready Program (DTA) degree is a statewide articulated transfer degree agreement for business majors between the community colleges and four-year institutions. The Associate in Business DTA degree shall only be granted to students who have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, as calculated by the degree awarding institution. Students should consult with transfer advisers for the specific requirements of the intended transfer institution. 

Associate In Elementary Education (DTA/MRP) 

The Associate in Elementary Education DTA/MRP degree is a statewide articulated transfer degree agreement for elementary education majors between the community colleges and four-year institutions. The DTA/MRP degree is only granted to students who have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 as calculated by the degree awarding institution. It is highly recommended that students meet with an academic adviser at SCC or SFCC on a regular basis to be sure that requirements specified in this degree are met. Students should also seek academic advising at the four-year institution to which they plan to transfer early in their educational planning to learn about additional requirements and procedures for admission. 

Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) 

A primary purpose of the Associate of Fine Arts is to offer a program of study applicable for transfer to a four-year institution. While the Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degree does not satisfy the general education requirements for most four-year institutions, all courses are transferable. Students should consult the catalog and/or transfer manual of the school to which they plan to transfer before selecting courses. 

The AFA degree prepares students to transfer to a four-year institution with a minimum of 90 credits, which include many general university requirements. Students may earn an AFA in art. Students are encouraged to meet with an art adviser before enrolling. 

Certificate of Fine Arts (CFA) 

This certificate program provides an opportunity for the student to concentrate his or her program of study in fine arts. The program is suitable for those who wish to pursue art as a profession. The program is not designed with an emphasis on transfer, although all courses in the program are transferable. 

A candidate for a Certificate of Fine Arts (CFA) must complete a minimum of 96-100 credits with a grade point average of 2.0 or better. The program can be completed in two years. However, a longer time span may be necessary for maturation of skills. Students must submit a portfolio and participate in an exhibition during their final quarter. Art faculty will work closely with students to build a strong portfolio. A review committee of faculty will evaluate the artwork before final approval to recommend awarding a Certificate of Fine Arts. 

Associate of Applied Science-Transfer 

Some career and technical programs of study may offer an Associate of Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) degree that is designed to provide transfer opportunities for students desiring to continue on towards achieving a baccalaureate degree at specific four-year institutions. An AAS-T degree is a degree awarded in a career and technical discipline that contains a minimum of 20 transferable general education credits in communications, quantitative reasoning, and social science, humanities or science. Not all programs offer the AAS-T. Please consult with a program faculty member or an academic adviser/counselor to determine if your program of study offers an AAS-T and into which four-year institutions it transfers. AAS-T degrees do not transfer to all four-year institutions.