When your goal is a four-year degree, it’s important to know which courses can transfer. This page explains articulation agreements and helps you make the most of your course and transfer choices while you’re at CMC.
What Is “Articulation”? How Does It Affect Your University Transfer?
When “articulation” is used in education, it means the formal process of reviewing courses for equivalency between a community college and a university. If you were transferring to a UC or CSU, that’s already been worked out for your general education courses.
An articulation agreement means the two schools (CMC + a four-year university) have reviewed their courses together and come to an agreement on how they will transfer.
For CMC students, it specifies which CMC classes can transfer to meet general education, major requirements, and electives. These agreements facilitate your successful transfer from CMC to certain public or private four-year universities.
Articulation Agreements Are One-Way
Transferring classes only works one-way: from CMC to the specified university. You can’t necessarily take a class at the university and transfer it back to CMC.
California Public Institutions: Articulation Agreements
ASSIST (Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer) is the official repository of California public institutions’ articulation agreements.
ASSIST is a student-transfer information system that explains how course credits earned at one California Community College (CCC) can be transferred to a CSU or UC.
Meet with a Counselor when reviewing ASSIST to know which classes are accepted at the CSU or UC that you want to attend.
Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs)
An agreement between the California Community Colleges (CCC) and many Historically Black College’s & Universities (HBCU) guarantees CCC students’ admission with junior standing to an HBCU.
Requirements: Complete either the California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE) or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum requirements (IGETC) and obtain a transfer-level associate degree with a minimum of 2.5 GPA.
There are over 35 HBCUs that have partnered with CCCs, and several offer CA transfer students in-state tuition. Check out the full list of HBCUs and contact your counselor for more information on transferring to an HBCU.
Articulation & Tuition Reduction Agreements
Headed to a non-CSU or non-UC school? It takes a little more research and planning to do it well. We’ll help! Start with these two questions:
- Does my intended school already have a transfer agreement with CMC?
- Is my intended school properly accredited?
Other Articulation Agreements
These are the current articulation agreements in place with Copper Mountain College for non-CSU and non-UC colleges.
- American Public University
- Aspen University
- California Baptist University
- DeVry University
- Grand Canyon University
- La Sierra University
- Loma Linda University
- School of Allied Health Professions – Major-Specific Preparation Requirements
- School of Nursing – Major Preparation Requirements
- National University
- Ohio University
- Southern New Hampshire University
- University of the Pacific
- University of Redlands
- University of Massachusetts Global
- West Coast University
- Western Governors University
Archived Agreements
TBD
What is Regional Accreditation? Why is it Important?
Regional accreditation describes the process when one of the educational accreditation bodies reviews a college to ensure educational standards.
Regionally accredited universities and colleges are predominantly academically oriented, nonprofit institutions.
Nationally accredited schools are predominantly for-profit and offer vocational, career, or technical programs. Standards for nationally accredited schools tend to be lower.
Beware: Credits from Nationally Accredited Schools May Not Transfer
Every college has the right to set standards and refuse to accept transfer credits. However, if you go to a nationally accredited school, it will be difficult to transfer credits (or even receive credit for a degree earned).
Some regionally accredited colleges have policies against accepting credits from a nationally accredited school. Other colleges are reluctant to accept the credits because they feel that the schools’ standards are lower than their own or they might be unfamiliar with the school.
Be cautious if you’re attending a nationally accredited school, especially if you intend to transfer to a regionally accredited school. You should first check with the regionally accredited school to see if the units are transferable.
Always check with a counselor if you have questions regarding accreditation.
Who Determines Accreditation?
The following are the regional accrediting agencies for educational institutions in the United States:
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) —California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, Palau, and Northern Marianas Islands.
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) —New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as schools for American children in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) —Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) —Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation and one of two commission members of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).
- Northwest Association of Accredited Schools — For primary and secondary schools and Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) for postsecondary institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) —Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas.
Program-Level Accreditation Might Matter, Too
Beyond regional accreditation, there are programs that require additional accreditation that are linked to academic programs. For example: if you’re interested in becoming a Registered Dietetic Technician or a Registered Dietician, you have to attend a program that is CADE accredited.
It’s recommended you check with the program professors or faculty if you have questions about program specific accreditation.