OU signs transfer agreements with OCC and Macomb Community College

Oakland University, along with partner schools Oakland Community College and Macomb Community College, has signed individual articulation agreements that will benefit students at all three schools.

The objectives of the agreements include helping transition qualified students from OCC and Macomb to OU in pursuit of School of Business Administration bachelor’s degrees. The agreements are effective through July 31, 2021 and subject to review for continuation after the initial three years. 

Oakland University now allows a maximum number of 82 transfer credits for students holding an Associate of Business Administration - Business Administration major from OCC or an Associate of Business Administration - General Business for Macomb as part of this new articulation that can go towards a bachelor’s degree. That number is up from the limit of 64 credits generally accepted for business degrees and should encourage students to complete their associate degree while saving on tuition costs as they prepare to transfer to OU in pursuit of their bachelor’s degree.

“These articulation agreements will help ensure clear communication among all three schools, making degree paths more straightforward and achievable,” Dawn Aubry, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Oakland University said. “There will be increased efforts placed on course equivalencies that create far less need for re-taking of core or elective classes. That way, students can take advantage of the benefits offered by each school as they make progress towards graduation with both an associate’s and bachelor’s degree.”

For adult learners, time-to-degree is extremely important. A robust articulation agreement is the shortest route to completing the degree. With the agreements, students are only paying for courses they need. If students know they want to earn a four-year degree, the entire plan is laid out for them so they know the endpoint when they sign up for their first course at the two-year community college.

“It is not business as usual to have three higher education institutions working collaboratively in this highly competitive environment,” said Dr. Cathey Maze, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Oakland Community College. “Today’s signing is the culmination of work by all three institutions to facilitate a seamless transfer for our business students so they may pursue a bachelor’s degree. By coming together and empowering our students in this way, we provide a pathway to greater achievement in our commitment to excellence in education, student success and economic growth of our region.”

“Collaboration among colleges and universities amplifies the strengths of each institution while leveraging resources and impact for our students and communities,” said Kevin Chandler, Dean, University Relations, Macomb Community College. “Streamlining the path from associate to bachelor’s degree in business supports degree completion, positions our students for in-demand career opportunities, develops vital talent to sustain and grow local business and industry, and contributes to regional economic prosperity.” 

These articulations focus on business-related majors as students seek bachelor’s degrees in accounting, finance, business economics, general management, human resources management, marketing, operations management and management information systems. However, Aubry added that the schools will work on expanding articulation agreements to include other majors in the future.

Macomb Community College and Oakland Community College students consistently make up the largest numbers of transfer students to Oakland University. In 2017, 55.7% of incoming transfer students were from the two schools and maintained a 3.2 GPA.

This latest articulation is another step in the longstanding partnerships between the schools. In addition, Oakland also offers the Transfer Admission Guarantee to OCC and Macomb transfer students.

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