Plan ahead to make transfer easy
College students often decide to transfer from one institution to another while completing a degree, and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities work together to make transferring easier. All 32 state colleges and universities are accredited and offer the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, a package of general education courses accepted for transfer to the other state colleges and universities.
Plan ahead if you might want to transfer someday, and let your college advisor know. Some programs and courses are not designed for transfer, so be sure to ask before you register for classes.
Minnesota Transfer is a Web service that enables students and advisors to obtain consistent and accurate information about transfer. Each campus has transfer specialists to answer questions, help you with course selection and planning. Ask for the transfer specialist when you call or visit the admissions office. The transfer specialists? names, along with other information about transferring, can be found at Minnesota Transfer.
Frequently asked questions about transferring
Q. Where can I get my transfer questions answered?
A. Each state college and university has transfer specialists who can answer questions, help with course selection and plan your future with you. Their names, along with other helpful information on transferring, can be found on the Minnesota Transfer Web site.
Q. When I transfer, will there be others like me?
A. Yes, 44 percent of all new students at the state universities each year are transfer students, and about half of them are transferring from community and technical colleges. Some universities offer events and clubs for transfer students.
Q. Will my credits transfer to a private college or the University of Minnesota?
A. The University of Minnesota and private colleges generally will accept your credits from a liberal arts program at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities if you meet the institution's admissions requirements for transfer students. Some technical college programs also have transfer agreements with private colleges and the University of Minnesota. It's important to check in advance. Use the u.select course equivalency service to find out how your credits will transfer from institution to institution.
Q. What is the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum?
A. The Minnesota Transfer Curriculum is a 40-credit package of general education courses that will be accepted for transfer by all of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. The University of Minnesota accepts the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum when it is completed in full. Students often complete the transfer curriculum in conjunction with another program.
Q. What is the Associate in Arts degree?
A.Students typically pursue the Associate in Arts degree if they know they want to transfer to complete a four-year liberal arts degree or certain professional degrees. The Associate in Arts degree is a recognized 60- to 64- credit degree offered at community colleges and includes the entire Minnesota Transfer Curriculum. It is designed to satisfy the first two years of a four-year degree program. Students who plan to transfer should contact a transfer specialist, since some majors have specific course requirements.
The following programs are examples of the kinds of majors you can start by enrolling in an Associate in Arts degree program:
- Anthropology
- Art
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Education
- Engineering
- English
- Family consumer science
- Geography
- History
- Languages: French, German, Spanish
- Mass communications
- Mathematics
- Meteorology
- Pre-professional programs such as dentistry, law, medicine, veterinary science
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political science
- Psychology
- Social work
- Speech
