Transfer programs are designed for students who plan to complete a baccalaureate degree at a four- year college or university. The courses required for these programs parallel those normally taken during the freshman and sophomore years of the baccalaureate program. MCC transfer programs include:
The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) is a statewide agreement among more than 100 Illinois colleges and universities. The IAI includes an agreed upon Illinois General Education Core Curriculum (GECC), which is a package of general education courses accepted at all IAI participating schools. Completion of the GECC credential assures transferring students that lower-division, campus-wide general education requirements will be satisfied at any participating institution. It is important to keep in mind that an IAI transfer institution may require an institution-wide and/or mission-related graduation requirement beyond the scope of the GECC and that baccalaureate majors often require specific general education courses. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that students work closely with an Academic Advisor when selecting courses.
The GECC is a transfer-related credential. It can be completed on its own or along with a transfer associate degree and is required coursework in the Associate in Arts degree. The GECC is not a workforce certificate or industry-recognized credential that prepares students for employment or certification in a specific occupational field. Completion of the GECC credential is recorded on the student’s transcript.
The Associate in Arts degree is designed to parallel the first two years of a baccalaureate degree program. Students complete freshman and sophomore level courses for baccalaureate majors in many areas such as the arts, humanities, social sciences, behavioral sciences, mathematics and related professional fields. Completion of the AA degree fulfills requirements of the Illinois General Education Core Curriculum (GECC).
Students also may complete an AA degree through distance learning options.
- Associate in Science (AS)
The Associate in Science degree is designed to parallel the first two years of a science-related baccalaureate program. Students complete freshman and sophomore level courses for majors in areas such as biology, chemistry, physics and related professional fields. Science-related baccalaureate programs are highly structured and require extensive sequential mathematics and science courses at the lower division. In order to take courses in a similar pattern to those at a university, some general education courses are postponed to the junior and senior years. Therefore, while the general education courses required for the AS degree are approved by the IAI, the AS degree does not fulfill the minimum requirements of the GECC. After transfer, students either complete the general education requirements of the transfer institution or are given the opportunity to complete the GECC.
NOTE: On September 18, 2015, the Illinois Community College Board approved changes to the AS degree model, effective for the 2016-2017 academic year. The approved changes reduce the number of required credits in general education areas of humanities, fine arts, and social and behavioral sciences and requires additional credits in sciences and mathematics. The AS degree no longer includes the entire GECC package. The new model is intended to better serve students who plan to major in sciences and to provide them with the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree.
- Associate in Engineering Science (AES)
The Associate in Engineering Science (AES) degree is designed to parallel the first two years of a pre-engineering baccalaureate program. Baccalaureate engineering programs are highly structured and require extensive, sequential mathematics and science courses at the lower division. In order to take courses in a similar pattern to those at a university, some general education courses are postponed to the junior and senior years. Therefore, while the general education courses required for the AES degree are approved by the IAI, the AES degree does not fulfill the minimum requirements of the GECC. After transfer, students either complete the general education requirements of the transfer institution or may be given the opportunity to complete the GECC. It is important to work with an Academic Advisor as soon as possible to discuss engineering field options and course selection.
- Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) - Art or Music Option
The Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) degree is designed to parallel the first two years of a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis on art or music. Baccalaureate degree programs in the fine/performing arts are highly structured and require many sequential courses in the major field at the lower division. In order to take courses similar to those at a university, some general education courses are postponed to the junior and senior years. Therefore, while the general education courses required for the AFA degree are approved by the IAI, the AFA degree does not fulfill the minimum requirements of the GECC. After transfer, students either complete the general education requirements of the transfer institution or may be given the opportunity to complete the GECC. It is important to work with an Academic Advisor and the transfer school as soon as possible. The AFA degree may not be suitable for certain art and music majors.
Transferability of MCC Courses and Programs
MCC offers a wide variety of courses designed to provide the equivalent of freshman and sophomore years of education for students seeking to transfer to four-year colleges and universities in Illinois and across the country. MCC maintains strong relationships with in-state and many out-of-state baccalaureate-granting institutions and actively participates in innovative state initiatives meant to ease the transition for transfer students.
Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI)
MCC is a participant in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI). This statewide agreement among more than 100 Illinois colleges and universities is sponsored by the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Board of Higher Education. It is in effect for students entering an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree-granting institution as first-time freshmen in summer 1998 and thereafter.
The initiative includes an agreed-upon Illinois General Education Core Curriculum (GECC), a package of general education courses accepted at all participating schools. Completion of the GECC assures transferring students that lower-division, campus-wide general education requirements for a bachelor’s degree will be satisfied at any participating institution. A receiving institution may require an institution-wide and/or mission-related graduation requirement beyond the scope of the general education core. The IAI also includes recommendations for appropriate lower-division coursework in specific baccalaureate majors. The Illinois Baccalaureate Majors’ Recommendations describe courses typically taken by freshmen and sophomores for a specific major. These course recommendations are meant for students who are undecided about a transfer school. Courses should be selected in consultation with an Academic Advisor.
The GECC credential is a transfer-related credential. It can be completed on its own or along with a transfer associate degree and is required coursework in the Associate in Arts degree. It consists of at least 12 courses (37-41 semester credits) chosen from five different categories. No more than two courses from any one discipline can be used to fulfill the requirements.
For specific MCC courses that fulfill GECC requirements, refer to GECC Credential course requirements in this catalog. Following are IAI GECC requirements:
Communications
3 courses (9 semester credits)
Must include a two-course sequence in writing completed with grades of C or higher (6 semester credits) and one course in oral communications (3 semester credits) - a C being at least two quality points on a four-point scale
Mathematics
1 or 2 courses (3-6 semester credits)
Physical and Life Sciences
2 courses (7-8 semester credits)
Must include one course from the physical sciences and one course from the life sciences; at least one must include a lab
Humanities and Fine Arts
3 courses (9 semester credits)
Must include at least one course from the humanities and at least one course from the fine arts
Social and Behavioral Sciences
3 courses (9 semester credits)
Must include courses from at least two different disciplines
For more information about the IAI and the benefits of transferring with the IAI core met, check with an Academic Advisor and visit the IAI website www.iTransfer.org.
MCC’s Participation in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI)
The IAI agreement has been in effect for students entering an associate’s or baccalaureate degree-granting institution as first-time freshmen since summer 1998. As an IAI participant, MCC will observe the following procedures concerning implementation of the GECC:
- The GECC is a transfer-related credential. It can be completed on its own or along with a transfer associate degree and is required coursework in the Associate in Arts degree. Certification of GECC completion will be noted on the official transcript.
- MCC will recognize courses on the approved list of IAI courses taken at any participating college or university and apply the credit toward fulfilling GECC requirements at MCC.
- MCC may recognize courses taken at non-IAI participating accredited colleges and universities, at MCC prior to summer of 1998, and through Advanced Placement and CLEP. These courses will be evaluated through the Office of Credentials Evaluation and may satisfy GECC requirements at MCC. For students planning to transfer, the transfer school will follow their established credit policies and may wish to re-evaluate this coursework.
- Courses with D grades or higher are accepted for the core curriculum requirements, but students must have a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA in order to be certified as having completed the GECC. Exceptions: The Communications component of the GECC requires a minimum grade of C in both writing courses.
- Students must complete a minimum of 37 semester credits to satisfy GECC requirements. For IAI credits transferring to MCC, MCC will recognize minimum hours required per IAI category. If a student satisfactorily completes the objectives of the Communications writing sequence with only one course, earning 3 or 4 credit hours, the student must complete a 200 level IAI literature course to satisfy the remaining Communications requirement.
Transferology
Transferology is a web-based transfer information tool designed to help students answer the question “Will my courses transfer?” It allows students to see how their MCC courses transfer and apply at participating Transferology institutions and how courses transfer to MCC from other institutions. For more information, check with an Academic Advisor and visit the website www.iTransfer.org.
Transfer Compact Agreement
MCC participates in the Compact Agreement with most public universities in Illinois. The agreement states: “….a transfer student in good standing, who has completed an associate degree based on baccalaureate-oriented sequences to be transferred from a Junior-Community College in Illinois be considered (a) to have attained junior standing and (b) to have met lower division general education requirements of senior institutions.” The agreement assures that the AA degree is accepted as meeting all lower-division general education requirements, and junior standing is granted upon transfer. Students may have to meet institution-wide, mission-related or particular major general education requirements after transfer. Contact an Academic Advisor for more information. The following Illinois public universities honor the agreement:
- Chicago State University
- Eastern Illinois University
- Governors State University
- Illinois State University
- Northeastern Illinois University
- Northern Illinois University
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- University of Illinois Springfield
- Western Illinois University
Transfer Guides by Major and Course Articulation
To facilitate smooth transfer, MCC monitors and maintains general and major-specific transfer guides with many colleges and universities. The guides include articulated courses, which are courses that have been reviewed by the partnering four-year institution and clearly defined as to how they will transfer. Numerous four-year institutions maintain course equivalency tables showing articulation between their courses and MCC’s courses. Transfer guides and equivalency tables can be accessed through MCC’s transfer website: www.mchenry.edu/transfer.
Partnerships with other Colleges and Universities
In addition to transfer guides and articulated courses, MCC has partnerships with four-year institutions that provide benefits for MCC students such as guaranteed admission agreements, scholarship opportunities, program articulation agreements, and reverse transfer agreements.
For information detailing partnership agreements, check with an Academic Advisor and visit MCC’s transfer website: www.mchenry.edu/transfer.
Reverse Transfer
Reverse transfer allows a former Illinois community college student who completed at least 15 credit hours of coursework at the community college and is now attending an Illinois state university to apply for an associate degree using requisite courses earned at the university. Through reverse transfer, the student has the potential to ‘transfer back’ university courses that count toward an associate degree and earn that associate degree even while they are in progress to completing the baccalaureate degree.
A Student may request a reverse transfer of credit from the state university to the community college previously attended by selecting the opt-in at enrollment or at any time thereafter while enrolled at the state university.
In the event that the student has earned credit hours at more than one Illinois community college or Illinois state university, the student shall:
- Identify the community colleges and state universities at which any credit hours have been earned; and
- Authorize release of the student’s transcript information from the community colleges and state universities to the community college identified for the purpose of earning an associate degree through a reverse transfer of credit.
Contact an Academic Advisor for more information (815) 479-7565.
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