For MMC

WAUSAU – Technical college students seeking to transfer credits to one of the state’s private, nonprofit colleges and universities will have a much easier time in the future thanks to a comprehensive credit transfer agreement.

More than a dozen popular introductory courses are included in the agreement, such as: chemistry, psychology, and speech.

Under the agreement, specified technical college credits will count toward requirements for a bachelor’s degree at a private college, provided the student earned a grade of “C” or better within the last ten years.

Technical college students must also meet the admissions requirements of the private college.

Dr. Morna K. Foy, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), and Dr. Rolf Wegenke, president of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges Universities (WAICU), recently signed the transfer agreement.

The ability to smoothly transfer credits provides more flexibility for students — especially those who wish to start their college career close to home as well as nontraditional students who are already in the workforce and are looking to further their careers with bachelor’s degrees. With the new agreement in place, students can look forward to an educational experience that is more efficient and simpler to navigate, while shortening the time to graduation and reducing costs for students.

“Streamlining the process to transfer credits from a technical college to a four-year private college opens doors for more students to earn bachelor’s degrees in Wisconsin,” Wegenke said. “Our private colleges have longstanding relationships with the technical colleges, and this new agreement will make a difference as the state strives to increase the level of educational attainment and improve our position in the competitive knowledge economy.”

All 16 Wisconsin technical colleges are participating, in addition to a first cohort of WAICU-member institutions, including: Alverno College, Cardinal Stritch University, Carroll University, Carthage College, Concordia University Wisconsin, Edgewood College, Herzing University, Lakeland University, Marian University, Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Mount Mary University, Northland College, Viterbo University, and Wisconsin Lutheran College.