How do transfer equivalencies work between North Carolina community colleges and four-year universities? I'm trying to ensure my credits will count toward my major when I transfer.
Transfer equivalencies between North Carolina community colleges and four-year universities are well-streamlined thanks to the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) between North Carolina's community colleges and public universities. The CAA allows for easier credit transfer from a North Carolina Community College to any University of North Carolina institution.
According to the CAA, students who earn an Associate in Arts (AA) or Associate in Science (AS) degree will enter a University of North Carolina (UNC) institution as a junior, as long as they meet specified GPA criteria. The CAA guarantees that general education credits from the community college will transfer and complete all lower-division general education requirements at the four-year university. However, these credits will only count in fields where the community college offers those specific courses.
For credits that are not general education, including major-specific courses, it's a bit more complex. The transferability of these credits is determined on a course-by-course basis by the receiving university. You'll want to consult your four-year institution's transfer guide or meet with an academic advisor to determine how these credits will transfer. They can help you understand which of your credits will count towards your chosen major.
To ease this process, it's helpful to have a specific UNC institution and major in mind while you're still at the community college. This will allow you to tailor your course choices to meet the course requirements, not just at the university, but specifically for your major, ensuring that most, if not all, of your credits, will apply to your bachelor's degree.
For example, if you're looking to major in Chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill, you can identify equivalent courses at your community college using the "Transfer Course Equivalency" database on UNC Chapel Hill's website. This process can be repeated for other UNC institutions as well.
Again, having a dialogue with academic advisors at both schools can be extremely valuable in ensuring a smooth transition.
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