Dr. Bill Flora signs papers alongside Dr. Don Tomas and Dr. Barbara Putman at Southwestern’s formal signing event. (Contributed/ETSU)

Thanks to a recently established agreement with ETSU, a new opportunity has opened for students with an associate’s degree from Southwestern Community College (SCC).  

The agreement is designed to help community college students transition seamlessly into a four-year program. Articulation agreements allow students to transfer credits efficiently toward a bachelor’s degree.  

Through the partnership, students from SCC can now pursue 14 new degree pathways–five in applied science and nine in health and allied fields.  

Jill Leroy-Frazier, chair of the Division of Cross-Disciplinary Studies at ETSU, spoke about the value of partnership.  

“What we have done here is mapped out the coursework that they take for two years at Southwestern Community College,” said Leroy-Frazier. “At the end of those two years, they’ll have earned about 67 to 69 credit hours toward that associate’s degree. And then when they come to ETSU, they can apply most, if not all, of those credits for the Bachelor of Applied Science degree.” 

This new partnership also encourages prospective students to think beyond a two-year program.  

“We are excited about the ways that this broadens our ability to help people pursue higher education in all kinds of fields of study,” said Leroy-Frazier.  

Students who completed an associate’s degree at SCC in previous years are also eligible to return and complete a bachelor’s degree, regardless of how much time has passed.  

“Many of them find, as they get into their careers and as they start moving up the job ladder, that they need a bachelor’s degree. So this is a wonderful way for them to be able to earn a bachelor’s degree,” said Leroy-Frazier.  

Leroy-Frazier shared that returning students will receive additional support as they acclimate to the university environment.  

“We’re able to bring you back, regardless of how long it’s been. We have mechanisms in place to help you do some refresher kinds of things,” said Leroy-Frazier. “For example, we have an information literacy course that helps students become acquainted with a contemporary library and its services offered.”  

Students interested in pursuing a degree through the articulation agreement are encouraged to talk to their advisor. Questions can be directed to the Division of Cross-Disciplinary Studies at cdst@etsu.edu.

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