Eastern Iowa Community Colleges has announced an innovative statewide plan designed for students wishing to pursue specific majors.
The state’s community colleges and public universities have joined forces to create a new Transfer Majors program, with many private colleges joining in as well.
In a nutshell, the program creates specified Transfer Major Associate Degrees, laying out the precise course path students complete at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges before continuing on at the four-year college to which they transfer.
That means students will take general education classes as well as classes required for their major. The partner colleges and universities have all agreed on these classes, giving the courses their academic seal of approval.
Partnering colleges include: The University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Clarke University, Iowa Wesleyan University, Mount Mercy University, St. Ambrose University, University of Dubuque, Upper Iowa University and Western Illinois University.
For students enrolled in one of the Transfer Major programs, it is like being a student at the four-year college, but they are able to save money and start their major closer to home. With a specific course map detailing the classes they’ll need to take for their first two years, they can also get started knowing they’ll be ready to transfer seamlessly into their major once they’ve completed their Transfer Major Associate’s Degree with EICC.
“Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is committed to making a quality higher education accessible to everyone,” said EICC Chancellor Don Doucette. “We are pleased to work with the state’s public and private colleges to provide this enhanced transfer opportunity to students.”
“The Iowa Department of Education – Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Preparation is excited about the work that has been completed on state discipline frameworks and the community college transfer majors,” said Chris Russell, Education Program Consultant for the Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Community Colleges.
“A lot of hard work took place with faculty and administrators to establish these frameworks between the community college system and the Regents. These new program options will allow students more transfer efficiency and defined pathways towards their academic goals – ultimately leading to a more affordable and data-informed postsecondary education. We expect hundreds of students to take advantage of these opportunities in the upcoming year.”
These are the EICC majors currently included in the program, but more will be added soon:
- Ag Education
- Ag Business
- Agronomy
- Animal Science
- Biology
- Business
- Chemistry
- Criminal Justice
- Early Childhood Teaching
- Elementary Education
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology
- Secondary Education
- Sociology
Students will still need to meet admission requirements of the four-year college they choose in order to transfer, but EICC does have admission partnerships with all of the state’s public colleges and universities, and even some of the Iowa private colleges.
This new plan is in addition to EICC’s many great transfer agreements the college has in other areas and with many private colleges. Those colleges have worked closely with EICC to sign those agreements so our students can transfer, without worry, to their colleges as well. It also doesn’t mean students don’t have the option of studying in a long list of other areas not included in the current transfer majors list.
If you have any questions about the new Transfer Majors Associate’s Degrees, please contact the college nearest you and ask to speak to an advisor. You can also call toll-free 1-888-336-3907 or email eiccinfo@eicc.edu
