Building and Using a Common AAS-BAAS Pathway Template A REGIONAL COLLABORATIVE

What is an AAS in Texas? ● Applied Arts & Sciences (AAS) degree ● One of many types of two-year degrees ● Typical degree structure: 60 hours total ● 15 hours of general education courses ● 45 hours of technical credits ● Wide variety of curricula that have close connection to the workforce ● Nursing, cyber security, industrial engineering, health professions, gaming, criminal justice, business, hospitality management, pilot training, etc. ● AAS programs have strong curriculum connected to workforce needs ● Students are carefully assessed and proven performers

Glass ceilings ● What stops student advancement? ● Need for bachelor’s degree ● Faculty/advisor awareness of options ● Students’ academic confidence and awareness ● Stigma associated with technical credits

What is a BAAS degree? Traditional Bachelor’s Degree Discipline Specific Courses General Education Courses (42 hours) Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences Degree General Education Courses Occupationally Specific Courses Freshman Year Senior Year

What is WECM? Why is it a transfer issue? ● Unfamiliar outside technical programs at community colleges ● Unfamiliar territory for 4- years ● Unfamiliar to K-12 partners ● Unfamiliar to those outside Texas Share your experiences: How does your program/institution deal with WECM transfer credits? How do you support student transition from AAS to BA/BS/BBA/BAAS? How can we create partnerships/communication between advisors?

State and local realities ● 60x30TX (Texas Strategic Plan for Higher Education) ● Goal 2: Focus on getting credentials—a lot and soon ● Goal 4: Growing issues surrounding student debt ● Transfer students are no longer the exception—especially in Texas ● Increase in CTE dual credit/collegiate academies/ and ECHS

Developing pathways ● Most AAS students do not understand how their work relates to a bachelor’s degree ● Don’t know about BAAS programs ● Don’t know how to plan their coursework ● Need specific, prescriptive pathways ● Requires intensive collaboration between institutions ● Insures that the maximum of credits both transfer and apply

AAS to BAAS Transfer Collaborative ● Goal: Improve transfer articulation and BAAS completion for students earning an AAS degree ● Brought together universities (public and private) and community colleges across North Texas ● Participants shared current templates ahead of workshop, and copies were placed on each table ● Each table included universities and community colleges ● Created common regional template ● Students participated in template format and content recommendations

AAS to BAAS Transfer Collaborative Midwestern State University Tarleton State University Texas A&M University-Commerce Texas Wesleyan University Texas Woman’s University University of North Texas University of Texas at Tyler Brookhaven College Collin College Dallas County Community College District Eastfield College Grayson College North Central Texas College North Lake College Paris Junior College Richland College Tarrant County College District Tarrant County College NE Campus Tarrant County College SO Campus Trinity Valley Community College Tyler Junior College Weatherford College 55 participants from 20 universities and community colleges (7 University,13 CC)

AAS to BAAS Transfer Collaborative BAAS Coordinator Non-Traditional Programs Coordinator Transfer and Pathways Office Completion Center Coordinator AVP of Academic Outreach Divisional Dean AVC for Academic Affairs Dean of Workforce Education VP of Academic and Workforce Development Director of Academic and Student Records VC for Educational Policy Executive Director of Academic Advising Services Coordinator, District Office of Transfer and Articulation Services President 55 participants from 20 universities and community colleges (7 University,13 CC) including Transfer Coordinator Associate Dean VP Student Access and Success Director of Academic Advising & Career and Educational Planning Coordinator, University Partnerships Coordinator, Transfer Services, Articulation, and University Relations BAAS Director AVP Academic and External Partnerships Associate Provost, Undergraduate Studies and Academic Partnerships Director of Counseling and Academic Advising Degree Audit Registrar AVC for Enrollment Services Admissions Counselor Campus Dean Vice Provost for Transfer Articulation AVP Academic and Student Affairs