Transfer Degree and Career Programs

Transfer Degree Program Admission Requirements

The following admissions requirements apply to all new students seeking to enroll in the Associate in Fine Arts (AFA), Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), or Associate in Engineering Science (AES) programs. To meet the admissions requirements, students may fulfill any one of the requirements in each category. Students who lack any of the requirements may develop an individualized plan with an academic advisor to fulfill these requirements.

1. Four years of high school English or complete one of the following sequences:
   1. L&C English placement test score of 90 and a reading test score of 75;
   2. ENGL 125  and READ 125  with grades of “C” or higher;
   3. ENGL 120  and READ 120  plus ENGL 125 and READ 125 - all with grades of “C” or higher.
2. Three years of high school social studies or two social science courses at L&C.
3. Three years of high school mathematics (algebra, geometry, advanced algebra) or one of the follow­ing sequences:
   1. L&C algebra math placement test score of 90 and college level math score of 40 plus MATH 113  with a grade of “C” or higher;
   2. MATH 112  plus MATH 113 plus MATH 116  - all with grades of “C” or higher.
4. Three years of high school laboratory science or successful completion of one laboratory science course at L&C.
5. Two years of high school foreign language, music, vocational education, or art or successful comple­tion of two L&C courses in humanities, foreign language or vocational education.

Transfer Degree Program Goals

Freshman and sophomore years at any college or university are designed to complete general education requirements in English, speech, math, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. These years allow you to explore many different subjects before making that important decision about a major field of study. L&C’s transfer degree programs provide the same quality educational courses that you would take as a freshman or sophomore anywhere else, but at a much lower cost. You will work with faculty and staff in student-centered classes and programs. We understand the importance of the individual and the efforts needed to build the academic skills required to complete educational goals.

Transferring to a four-year college or university is easy if you:

• Earn one of the transfer degrees and select courses at L&C to match the freshman and sophomore requirements listed by the college to which you plan to transfer (check course articulation agreements—see advisor), and
• Complete an educational plan with a counselor or advisor and follow it.

Transfer of Course Credit

The courses in the baccalaureate-oriented transfer degree programs are carefully designed to assure the acceptance of your course work by the senior college or university to which you transfer. However, the ultimate acceptance of your credit is determined by the senior institution.

The Illinois Board of Higher Education requested senior colleges and universities “to declare that a transfer student in good standing, who has completed an AA or AS degree based on baccalaureate-oriented sequences to be transferred from a junior/community college in Illinois to be considered to have attained junior standing; and to have met lower division general education requirements of senior institutions.”

Many of the senior institutions comply with this request. Some universities have expanded the agreement and stated that all general education requirements have been met by completion of an associate degree based on baccalaureate-oriented sequences.

Lewis and Clark is a participant in the major statewide initiative to facilitate transfer of students among Illinois colleges and universities. This major effort among public, private, two-year, four-year, associate and baccalaureate degree granting institutions is called the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI). See www.itransfer.org for more information.

The IAI agreement is designed to make transferring to any participating school as smooth as possible. When making transfer plans, a student must always seek the advice of an academic advisor in the Enrollment Center and at the school she/he plans to attend.

Articulation is the process of transferring courses from one college to another and the way the classes will be used at the receiving school. The IAI General Education Core Curriculum is designed specifically for transfer students. Transferring students should complete the IAI General Education Core Curriculum  before transferring in order to be guaranteed full general education credit. When the full core is not completed before transfer, each college or university decides how to apply each individual course.

L&C’s General Education Core Curriculum, approved by the IAI, requires a total of 12 courses (37 semester credit hours). There are five fields or categories within the General Education Core Curriculum: Communication, Mathematics, Physical and Life Sciences, Humanities and Fine Arts, Social and Behavioral Sciences. This curriculum became effective at L&C and statewide in the summer of 1998. The application of credit earned prior to the summer of 1998 is an individual college’s decision.