ISSUED: 12 March 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Cecelia Mason
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University has made it much easier for students who transfer from community colleges to Shepherd to spend less time and money earning their bachelor’s degree.
Starting in fall 2024, all students who transfer to Shepherd after earning an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from an accredited community college will no longer have to take core curriculum classes. These are required classes that are not part of a major, such as English, history, science, and math. The only exception is for classes that are required for the degree a student is earning at Shepherd. Previously, students with associate degrees transferring to Shepherd had to take any core curriculum classes that they hadn’t taken at their community colleges.
“It’s a very simple thing. It saves someone time and money,” said Dr. Robert W. Tudor, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We were finding that students who came over from a two-year institution had as much as an entire extra semester or more added to their time at Shepherd because they didn’t have their core curriculum satisfied.”
Will Bell, acting vice president for enrollment management, said if a student comes with an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree, they will be able to start taking courses in their major right away.
“This is a much easier transfer pathway for students, and most will automatically be here for only two years and can graduate with a bachelor’s degree,” Bell said.
“It’s nice to be able to say that we’ve dropped a barrier that equals time and money,” Tudor added. “As someone who attended a two-year institution and transferred to a four-year institution, I see this as an action that says we value a student’s time.”
Bell pointed out that the new policy will benefit both Shepherd and the community colleges students transfer from.
“We want students to graduate with bachelor’s degrees and the community colleges want students to graduate with associate degrees, so it is a win for everyone,” he said.
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