Articulation, or more specifically course articulation, is the process of comparing the content of courses that are transferred between postsecondary institutions [1] such as TAFE institutes, colleges or universities. In other words, course articulation is the process by which one institution matches its courses or requirements to coursework completed at another institution. Students rely on course articulation to assure themselves that the courses they have completed or intend to complete will not need to be repeated at the institution to which they are transferring.
Course articulation is distinct from the process of acceptance by one institution of earned credit, from another institution, as applicable towards its degree requirements, i.e. "transferring credit". For example, a university may count units of academic credit earned at a community college towards its minimum number of units for a bachelor's degree. But it might not treat certain previously taken courses as good as its own specific course requirements for a particular major or concentration for that same degree, if the articulation process reveals that the other institution's course curricula are not equivalent to or not as rigorous as its own course curricula. In that latter situation, a transferring student may discover they cannot graduate until they take courses at the second institution which partially overlap or repeat material they have previously studied at the first one.
Course articulation may be done on an ad hoc basis when a student actually wishes to transfer. It may also be done pursuant to existing course-to-course comparison data, or based on formal articulation agreements. In the last case, representatives of each institution compare their respective course curricula, to determine which courses are comparable and which are not. Their consensus is then formalized in a written agreement which is used by students and advisors and is regularly updated according to a mutual schedule.
Articulation agreements are notoriously difficult to keep up-to-date where one institution (usually a research university) is significantly larger and more prestigious than the other one (usually a junior college, community college, or liberal arts college) and the field of study at issue is evolving very rapidly (especially science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The larger and more prestigious institution is constantly revising and improving its course curricula to keep up with cutting-edge developments, meaning that inbound transfers from smaller and less prestigious institutions are always aiming at a moving target on the basis of coursework at their prior institution which may be several years behind the state of the art.
Articulation between institutions with different academic terms is particularly difficult. For example, an institution on the quarter system may have three first-year courses in a subject, while an institution on a semester system may have two first-year courses. While both might cover approximately the same material by the end of one academic year, they may tackle subtopics in a different order, meaning that a student who transfers without taking the entire sequence at one institution will have significant knowledge gaps.
Although credit transfer can be conducted between education bodies in separate countries, the process of articulation can become very complicated when students transfer courses earned at multiple and international campuses, transfer courses from more than 5–10 years ago, or have alternative credit experiences such as exam or military credit.
A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an open enrollment policy for students who have graduated from high school, also known as senior secondary school or upper secondary school. The term usually refers to a higher educational institution that provides workforce education and college transfer academic programs. Some institutions maintain athletic teams and dormitories similar to their four-year college and university counterparts.
A Master of Business Administration is a professional postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular area but an MBA is normally intended to be a general program. It originated in the United States in the early 20th century when the country industrialized and companies sought scientific management.
Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree.
A bachelor's degree or baccalaureate is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years. The two most common bachelor's degrees are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science. In some institutions and educational systems, certain bachelor's degrees can only be taken as graduate or postgraduate educations after a first degree has been completed, although more commonly the successful completion of a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for further courses such as a master's or a doctorate.
The Bologna Process is a series of ministerial meetings and agreements between European countries to ensure comparability in the standards and quality of higher-education qualifications. The process has created the European Higher Education Area under the Lisbon Recognition Convention. It is named after the University of Bologna, where the Bologna declaration was signed by education ministers from 29 European countries in 1999. The process was opened to other countries in the European Cultural Convention of the Council of Europe, and government meetings have been held in Prague (2001), Berlin (2003), Bergen (2005), London (2007), Leuven (2009), Budapest-Vienna (2010), Bucharest (2012), Yerevan (2015), Paris (2018), and Rome (2020).
In education, a curriculum is the totality of student experiences that occur in an educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view of the student's experiences in terms of the educator's or school's instructional goals. A curriculum may incorporate the planned interaction of pupils with instructional content, materials, resources, and processes for evaluating the attainment of educational objectives. Curricula are split into several categories: the explicit, the implicit, the excluded, and the extracurricular.
A degree completion program is an undergraduate academic program, most frequently found in the United States and Canada, that is offered within an established university but designed for non-traditional students. Degree completion programs are typically structured to allow persons who previously completed a substantial portion of the requirements for an undergraduate degree, but who have been separated from the university setting for a period of time, to complete the credit requirements needed to earn a bachelor's degree (B.A.), either at an accelerated pace, or a flexible schedule. The difference between credits previously earned, and those required for the award of a B.A., are made-up through a variety of methods depending on the sponsoring institution, but typically include a combination of traditional university courses and CLEP examinations.
Harvard Extension School (HES) is the continuing education School of Harvard University, a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1910, it is one of the oldest liberal arts and continuing education schools in the United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, HES offers both part-time, open-enrollment courses, as well as selective undergraduate (ALB) and graduate (ALM) degrees primarily for nontraditional students. Academic certificates and a post-baccalaureate pre-medical certificate are also offered.
A course credit is a measure of the size of an educational course, often used to determine whether the requirements for an award have been met, to facilitate transfer between institutions, or to enhance intercomparability of qualifications. Credit may be input-based – defined by the quantity of instruction given – or outcome-based – defined by the learning outcomes and a notional time to achieve those outcomes.
An undergraduate degree is a colloquial term for an academic degree earned by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. In the United States, it is usually offered at an institution of higher education, such as a college or university. The most common type of these undergraduate degrees are associate degree and bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degree typically takes at least three or four years to complete. In some other educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a master's degree; this is the case for some science courses in Britain and some long-cycle medicine courses in other European countries. These degrees can be categorised as basic or first professional degrees.
A school leaving qualification is an academic qualification awarded for the completion of secondary education. Depending on the country or region, it may alternatively be known as a high school diploma, senior secondary leaving certificate, high schools general certificate or school certificate.
Sisseton Wahpeton College (SWC) is a public tribal land-grant college of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate on the Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota. It was established in 1979 and serves the Dakota people and the general public. SWC has an average enrollment of about 250 students, of whom more than 80% are tribal members. It has both vocational and academic programs, which includes certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor degrees as well as articulation arrangements with other universities and colleges so that students can transfer for continued studies.
College transfer refers to the process by which students in postsecondary education move from attending one institution at that level to another institution at that level. It does not normally refer to the process by which students in secondary education seek access to postsecondary education. College admissions encompasses the processes by which secondary education students and transfer students pursue admission to a particular postsecondary institution.
Transfer credit, credit transfer, and advanced standing are the terms used by colleges and universities for the procedure of granting credit to a student for educational experiences or courses undertaken at another institution. This is a subset of recognition of prior learning.
A bridge program is a partnership in Canada between two post-secondary institutions that allows students to transfer college credits from one institution to another. A bridge program student typically holds a two-year college degree and wants to obtain a four-year or graduate degree.
Higher education in Alberta refers to the post secondary education system for the province of Alberta. The Ministry of Advanced Education in Alberta oversees educational delivery through universities, publicly funded colleges, technical institutions, and private colleges. These institutions offer a variety of academic and vocational pursuits. Students have access to post-secondary options through most regions of Alberta, and a developed articulation system allows for increased student mobility.
In the United States, community colleges are primarily two-year public institutions of tertiary education. Community colleges offer undergraduate education in the form of an associate degree. In addition community colleges also offer remedial education, GEDs, high school diplomas, technical diplomas and tech certificates, and occasionally at some colleges, a limited number of 4-year bachelor's degrees. After graduating from a community college, some students transfer to a four-year college or university to continue their studies leading to a bachelor's degree. Community college is tuition-free for selected students in 47 states, often under the name College Promise. Most community college instructors have advanced degrees but serve as part-time low wage employees.
Marion Technical College, is a public technical college in Marion, Ohio. It shares a campus with Ohio State University at Marion. Founded in 1970 with classes beginning in 1971, MTC has awarded over 7,500 associate degrees. The college offers associate degrees, certificates, and transfer programs in the areas of Business, Engineering, Information Technology, Public Service, Health, and Arts and Sciences. As of 2023, it offered one Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. The college practices open admissions. Some Marion Tech professors teach courses at local high schools for qualified students to earn college credits. High school students comprise 55% of MTC's enrollment, making them the student majority and the cause of increased enrollment at the college over the past decade.
Transfer admissions in the United States refers to college students changing universities during their college years. While estimates of transfer activity vary considerably, the consensus view is that it is substantial and increasing, although media coverage of student transfers is generally less than coverage of the high school to college transition.
Alternative pathways in education are alternative means of obtaining educational qualifications, other than the traditional means of gaining access to or completing the required study to obtain the educational qualifications.