For many years, higher ed students in Alabama had few resources (and even fewer advocates) to help them navigate the transition from a two-year college to a four-year institution. In 1994, state legislators took action and created the Articulation and General Studies Committee (AGSC) to unify articulation agreements across the state and equip students to understand how their courses will transfer into other institutions and degree programs.
Today, Alabama students enjoy some of the most transparent credit transfer processes in the nation thanks to robust support from the institutions, community leaders, and generations of students before them who advocated for these advancements.
If you want to know if your college credits are transferable, we’ve created a guide with key resources to help you transfer into a four-year degree program in Alabama:
STARS: Statewide Transfer & Articulation Reporting System
Two-year students enrolled in Alabama public colleges can tap into the STARS system to create a Transfer Guide specific to their intended major. Not only will this guide their general studies course selection early in their academic career it will help minimize credit loss when transferring to a four-year public university in Alabama. Even students who don’t match the two-year to four-year transfer model can gain important insights into articulation agreements in Alabama’s colleges and universities.
ACCS: Alabama Community College System
If you’re currently pursuing a two-year degree in Alabama, or considering it as your first step after high school, you may already be aware of the benefits Alabama’s community college system offers. These degree programs often offer the most flexibility for real-life schedules with night, weekend, and online class options. Plus, the ACCS says that community college courses cost less than half of what the same courses would cost at a four-year university. Most importantly, the core classes taken in these affiliated institutions are designed to transfer seamlessly to a public four-year degree program at any of Alabma’s public universities, ensuring your transfer process is smooth and seamless.
AAICU: Private University Transfer Agreements
It may seem like public universities in Alabama are the easiest transfers to navigate because of the legislated STARS system. But, a surprising number of private colleges and universities in Alabama also have specific articulation agreements in place to honor those hard-earned credits and maintain your progress toward a valuable degree and fulfilling career. Just like the STARS program clearly defines transfer processes for public-college students, the academic advisors and admissions counselors in many schools that are part of the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities also work hard to streamline the credit transfer process.
Whether you’re currently enrolled in one of Alabama’s two-year community colleges or considering that as your first step on the way to a four-year degree, you have a wide range of resources available to you that will guide the credit transfer process and keep you on a path towards your best tomorrow.
Are my college credits transferable at Athens State?
Athens State is the most affordable of all public, state schools in Alabama and Tennessee. It’s our mission to not only make a college education affordable, but access to that education easy. Check out our Credit Transfer Guide to learn how your credits will transfer to Athens State. If you have any questions about the transfer process or credits you may have, call us, our Admissions Recruiters are ready to help.
