Associateʼs Degrees and the MACRAO Transfer Agreement
The Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees offered by North Central are designed to be equivalent to the first two years of study at a four-year institution. The distribution of courses duplicates the general education requirements at the senior institutions.
Transferability is essential since liberal arts education is an important part of North Centralʼs mission. Course transferability from the categories below may vary by institution and program of study. While North Central students have the assurance of transfer agreements between colleges, it is important for each student to meet with an advisor at both North Central and the four-year transfer institution. The MACRAO website at www.macrao.org is maintained by the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO). It contains course equivalency information between colleges and universities and is easy to use. Many participating universities post on-line transfer guides on the MACRAO site.
The MACRAO Transfer Agreement allows for smooth transferability of courses among participating Michigan colleges and universities. It stipulates that 30 semester hours of 100-level and above compatible general coursework will satisfy typical freshman- and sophomore-level general education requirements for the bachelorʼs degree at participating universities. A number of the participating institutions have limitations, exceptions, or provisos to the MACRAO Agreement. The most current list can be found at www.macrao.org.
A North Central student who completes the 30 credit hours for the MACRAO Transfer Agreement and who seeks to transfer to another institution must request that Student Services stamp his/her transcript “MACRAO Agreement Satisfied.” Students transferring credits to North Central must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of North Central coursework before the MACRAO Agreement can be satisfied.
North Central courses satisfying the MACRAO Transfer Agreement by category:
English Composition (6 credit hours):
ENG 111 and ENG 112
Science and Mathematics (8 credit hours):
Must include a lab class and courses from at least two disciplines. Any course from the following: biology, chemistry; earth science, physics, physical science, geology; statistics; MATH 100 and above.
Social Sciences (8 credit hours):
Must include courses from at least two disciplines. Any course from the following: anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, sociology.
Humanities (8 credit hours):
Must include courses from at least two disciplines. Any course from the following: philosophy; religion; ART 105 , ART 106 ; ENG 130 , ENG 213 , ENG 214 , ENG 215 , ENG 221 , ENG 222 , ENG 231 , ENG 232 , ENG 240 , ENG 241 , ENG 242 , ENG 244 , ENG 250 , ENG 251 , ENG 252 , ENG 255 ; HST; MU 120 ; THF 101 , THF 276 .
New courses may be created that also satisfy the MACRAO agreement. Check with Student Services for the MACRAO status of any course not appearing in the above listing.
Charting Your Path to a Bachelorʼs Degree
North Central offers three degree programs for students who plan to transfer to senior institutions: the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science and Associate of General Studies.
North Central students have the assurance of transfer agreements between colleges, along with curriculum guides and an important website, www.macrao.org, to verify the transferability of courses. The website is maintained by the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO) and is easy to use. Participating colleges and universities post on-line transfer guides on the MACRAO site.
North Central students who expect to transfer to a senior institution should plan their programs of study with the help of a North Central academic advisor or counselor and an admissions advisor from the college or university they wish to attend.
Suggestions for transferring are contained in this catalog to help students select courses that may be applied toward the requirements of bachelorʼs degrees at other institutions. These should not be considered a replacement for transfer guides from the senior institutions.
Checklist for Transferring
- Identify the four-year college or university of your choice as early as possible.
- Meet with North Central counselors and academic advisors to keep current with transfer issues, to satisfy your associate degree requirements and to ensure transferability of courses.
- Attend transfer events. Meet with representatives from Michiganʼs four-year universities. Visitation dates and scholarship information are listed on the Collegeʼs website, posted on bulletin boards throughout campus and posted in Student Services.
- Follow the transfer guide, prepared by the four-year university, which lists course requirements for your specific transfer program. Inquire about the MACRAO Agreement. Check out www.macrao.org.
- Apply to the four-year college or university of your choice in a timely manner. Many applications for admission are available online at www.macrao.org.
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