Degree Pathways Program Application


During the past several years it has become evident that the expansion of distance learning methodologies has created an environment for increased outreach to adults throughout New Jersey and the nation. Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, New Jersey, and Dallas County Community College District, Dallas, Texas, have a unique opportunity to build upon existing efforts to provide new higher education opportunities for the citizens of Dallas County. Therefore, this agreement seeks to extend higher education to associate degree holders in selected degree programs through the use of appropriate distance learning methodologies. The Degree Pathways Program will facilitate access to baccalaureate degrees for those students who complete an associate degree at Dallas County Community College District. It will offer such students an avenue to an advanced four year degree by providing access to the flexible programs of Thomas Edison State College, an institution for adult learners that offers a "degree pathway".

Academic courses from Brookhaven College, Cedar Valley College, Eastfield College, El Centro College, Mountain View College, North Lake College and Richland College, and Technical, WECM-approved courses from Brookhaven College, Cedar Valley College, El Centro College, Mountain View College, and Richland College, will transfer to Thomas Edison State College.
 
Introduction

Thomas Edison State College is committed to serving adult students. The mission of the College is to provide mature adults with diverse and alternative methods of achieving a collegiate education of the highest quality. This outreach is especially important to the adult student who lives in a geographic area without easy access to an upper-division college program, the working adult, and the adult with family responsibilities that restrict activities outside the home.

Dallas County Community College District is an open admissions institution committed to providing those postsecondary learning opportunities and assistance to students in determining and reaching a variety of educational, personal and career goals. The College offers courses leading to Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees, one year occupational certificates, shorter term skills enhancement and continuing education courses, and developmental learning.

Thomas Edison State College has a well established history of extending opportunities for higher education to the working adult. Many students come to the College with credits earned at other four year colleges; others come after completing an associate degree at a two-year college. To facilitate the transfer of students, the College has, over the years, developed articulation agreements with community colleges, covering the major areas of study offered by Thomas Edison State College.

Dallas County Community College District seeks to maximize transfer opportunities for graduates of associate degree programs by cooperating with baccalaureate degree granting institutions in providing options for degree completion in specific program areas.

The two institutions understand the challenges adult students face balancing work, families and education. This agreement provides a new opportunity for Dallas County Community College District graduates to continue their undergraduate studies and complete a baccalaureate degree in their chosen field.

The Degree Pathways Program

Thomas Edison State College's Degree Pathway Program was developed to facilitate the progression of associate degree to completion of the baccalaureate degree. Degree Pathways is a partnership between specific community colleges and Thomas Edison State College that builds on the associate degree and allow students to complete up to 80 semester hours of relevant coursework at the community college level on the community college campus.

The Degree Pathways Program defines the completion requirements for specific baccalaureate degree programs and provides an attractive tuition model for participating students. The partnership between the participating institutions and Thomas Edison is characterized by shared responsibilities as outlined below. The benefit of this structured relationship is a well articulated, manageable degree plan that is cost effective for the participating student.

The Relationship

Dallas County Community College District offers a number of degree programs at the associate level that articulate well with selected baccalaureate degree programs at Thomas Edison State College. This agreement includes the following:

Dallas County Community College District     Thomas Edison State College 

Associate in Science                                            Bachelor of Science in Applied   
Computer Programming and Applications       Science and Technology

Associate in Science in Business and                Bachelor of Science in Business Management                                                          Administration
Management                                                 Marketing and Management        
International Business                                     International Business
Small Business Management                             Small Business Management /    
                                                                  Entrepreneurship
Computer Science Technology

Dallas County Community College District will provide the following:

Thomas Edison State College will provide:

Graduates of Dallas County Community College District and residents in Dallas County will be eligible to participate in the programs at Thomas Edison State College to be disseminated to those populations by Dallas County Community College District staff.

To assist graduates to complete baccalaureate degrees, Thomas Edison State College and Dallas County Community College District will form a cooperative partnership in accord with the Degree Pathways Program agreement set out below.

Relationship of Students to Institutions

Students are encouraged to make application to Thomas Edison State College prior to the completion of their associate degrees. At the time of application, students will submit the application and assessment fee along with an official transcript from Dallas County Community College District and other educational institutions as appropriate. Additionally, students may submit evidence of licenses, military credits, or ACE approved courses for credit award consideration. A program plan will be developed by Thomas Edison State College for the student which will include courses needed to fulfill associate degree requirements, additional courses that may be taken at Dallas County Community College District up to the 80 credit hour limit, and suggested options for fulfilling the Bachelor's degree requirements. Students may make application following the completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours at Dallas County Community College District.

After students complete the community college associate degree, they will continue to take community college courses up to the maximum allowed by Thomas Edison (80 semester hours), as outlined in the plan, and then enroll at Thomas Edison State College for the remaining credits.

Administration and Implementation

The Vice-Provost and Academic Dean will be the Thomas Edison State College administrator responsible for establishing and maintaining the Degree Pathways Program agreement. The Vice Chancellor for Educational Affairs and Coordinator of Articulation and Transfer Services at Dallas County Community College District will carry out the Agreement for each program area.

Thomas Edison State College staff will provide accurate information to community colleges staff (e.g., admissions, transfer counselors, head of academic departments) on the degree programs and methods of earning credit offered by Thomas Edison State College. Community college staff will, in turn, make this and any other information about the Degree Pathways Program available to community college staff and students. Thomas Edison State College and Dallas County Community College District will cooperate to publish and disseminate materials to provide information about the Degree Pathways Program to citizens of Dallas County.

Thomas Edison State College offers Guided Study, On-Line Computer Classroom and Contract Learning courses. Additionally, the College administers the Thomas Edison State College Examination Program (TECEP) and the Defense Activities for Nontraditional Education (DANTES) subject examinations. These approaches to learning take place outside the traditional classroom and have proven most successful with well motivated, self disciplined lined individuals who enjoy learning independently.

Guided Study courses are largely print based correspondence offerings, but all have mediated components as well. The Online Computer Classroom (OLCC) uses the Internet to link distant learners with each other and their faculty mentors. OLCC courses are designed to provide the experience of interactive distance learning in a structured format, but without imposing barriers of time and place. Online Computer Classroom courses are available through the College's Internet site, www.tesc.edu. This Internet based Web page provides many college services, which greatly enhance Edison students' ability to interact with the College. Specifically, through Thomas Edison State College's Internet site, students can complete an online admissions application, email the admissions office, participate in online chats and bulletin boards, register and enroll in online courses, access several electronically delivered applications. Dallas County Community College District will provide Internet access on its campus to allow students who do not have their own computers to connect with Thomas Edison State College. System requirements, notably an Internet browser and the ability to send and receive Internet mail (STMP), will be made available at Dallas County Community College District for students who do no have access at home or work. Contract learning courses offer students the opportunity to earn college credit for courses not readily available in established distance learning formats. These independent study courses provides students a rigorous college level learning experience as they work independently with faculty to complete course objectives.

Appropriate staff at Dallas County Community College District will work closely with the staff of Thomas Edison State College on all programmatic aspects of the delivery of coursework through print, television, video and computer. Electronic connections will be used wherever possible to enhance communications between institutions.

Advising and Related Services

Students will receive academic advising on the selection of and registration for courses form staff at Thomas Edison State College or Dallas County Community College District. Thomas Edison State College will work to extend its services beyond basic information with the goal of helping students become even more self directed, resourceful and reflective as learners. The number of courses offered will be expanded each year to provide a selection of upper-division courses applicable to degrees in liberal arts, business, applied science and technology, and human services. New program relationships will be developed as course offerings are expanded.

Thomas Edison State College will seek cooperative relationships with other providers for courses that may be delivered through a variety of methods, including television, video, computer and print. If Thomas Edison State College is unable to provide specific courses in technical, business or human services areas, the College may recommend upper-division courses available via computer, television, correspondence, or the classroom. The course credits will be transcripted by the course and will be transferred to Thomas Edison State College.

Testing And Portfolio Assessment

Dallas County Community College District will provide testing support for Thomas Edison State College courses, the TECEP program and recommended CLEP and DANTES exams and Testing Center access (testing support provided at a small fee) for Degree Pathways students. Thomas Edison State College will set up testing orientation workshops for community college staff and for students preparing to take tests. Thomas Edison State College will set up testing orientation workshops for community college staff and for students preparing to take tests. Thomas Edison State College District will also supply Dallas County Community College District with copies of the Test Description Book. Dallas County Community College District will provide secure procedures for storing and processing the examinations.

In order to assist Dallas County Community College District students to use portfolio credits for both the associate and the baccalaureate degree, Thomas Edison will offer portfolio workshops on-site or via ITV technology, on request, to Dallas County Community College District.

This Agreement, when executed by the parties hereto, shall become effective as of and shall be in effect for minimum three year period from the date the Agreement is signed and will be reviewed and annually modified as necessary. Either party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement after the initial three year period upon written notice to the other party at least ninety (90) days prior to the end of any academic year. 
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Dr. George A. Pruitt
President
Thomas Edison State College 

Dr. Robert Aguero
Vice Chancellor for Educational Affairs
Dallas County Community College District 
 
Dr. Jerry Ice
Vice President and Provost
Thomas Edison State College