Mount Mary participates in historic transfer agreement with technical colleges

Students seeking to transfer credits from any of Wisconsin’s 16 technical colleges to Mount Mary University will have a much easier time in the future thanks to a historic, comprehensive agreement signed this week. Mount Mary is one of the private, nonprofit colleges and universities participating in the WAICU-WTCS Course Credit Transfer Agreement.

“With Mount Mary University’s high ranking by U.S. News and World Report for social mobility of our students, this agreement will provide a swift and efficient pathway for technical college students to earn a bachelor’s degree at a University with a high success rate for students of all demographics,” said Mount Mary President Christine Pharr, Ph.D.

“Streamlining the process to transfer credits from a technical college to a four-year private college opens doors for more students to earn bachelor’s degrees in Wisconsin,” said Dr. Rolf Wegenke, president of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU). “Our private colleges have longstanding relationships with the technical colleges, and this new agreement will make a difference as the state strives to increase the level of educational attainment and improve our position in the competitive knowledge economy.” 

More than a dozen popular introductory courses are included in the agreement, such as chemistry, psychology, and speech. Under the agreement, specified technical college credits will count toward requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Mount Mary University, provided the student earned a grade of “C” or better within the last ten years. Technical college students must also meet the admissions requirements of Mount Mary University.

“Wisconsin’s private colleges and universities have long been leaders in recognizing the rigor of a technical college education, and the value of creating transfer opportunities for our students,” noted Dr. Morna K. Foy, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). “This agreement sets a strong foundation for the future by allowing all of our institutions – in both sectors – to make lifelong learning opportunities even clearer for students.”

The negotiated "course equivalencies" provide great value to transfer students by reducing or eliminating the need to spend extra time and money retaking courses. The ability to smoothly transfer credits provides more flexibility for students — especially those who wish to start their college career close to home as well as nontraditional students who are already in the workforce and are looking to further their careers with bachelor’s degrees. With the new agreement in place, students can look forward to an educational experience that is more efficient and simpler to navigate, while shortening the time to graduation and reducing their college costs.

To learn more about this agreement, visit waicu.org or WisconsinsPrivateColleges.org.