Representatives from Missouri University of Science and Technology and East Central College recently signed a reverse transfer agreement that encourages students who transfer from ECC to Missouri S&T to complete their associate’s degree from ECC while taking courses at Missouri S&T.

The program establishes a simplified process with graduation application and transcript fee waivers for eligible students. Students will transfer Missouri S&T credits back to ECC to complete associate’s degree requirements.

“The Missouri S&T partnership with East Central College dates back to the 1970s,” says Dr. Cheryl B. Schrader, chancellor of Missouri S&T. “East Central College sends more transfer students to Missouri S&T than does any other single college or university. The new reverse transfer program will strengthen this important partnership and provide greater opportunities for student success and degree completion. We hope to expand this type of partnership to other community colleges in Missouri as well.”

“For decades, ECC students have successfully transitioned to Missouri S&T to pursue bachelor’s degrees in engineering,” says Dr. Warren K. Wray, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at Missouri S&T. “More recently, new transfer programs have paved the way for students to enter a wide range of programs at Missouri S&T, including in business, education, psychology, the sciences and other majors. The new reverse transfer program will make it easier for these students to complete an associate’s degree too.

“This has been a cooperative effort between the registrar and admissions offices at both institutions,” says Wray. “We have developed a new form that simplifies the process for students. They can order their transcripts and apply to graduate from ECC on the same form, at no cost to them.”

The agreement satisfies requirements of Missouri House Bill 1042, which requires that schools “foster reverse transfer for any student who has accumulated enough hours in combination with at least one public higher education institution in Missouri that offers an associate degree and one public four-year higher education institution in the prescribed courses sufficient to meet the public higher education institution’s requirements to be awarded an associate degree.”

Debra Schatz, assistant director of admissions and director of transfer and articulation programs at S&T, is a strong supporter of the new agreement. She completed her associate’s degree at ECC prior to completing an advanced degree at S&T. “Students will really benefit from this,” she says. “By demonstrating that they’ve already completed a degree, their resumes will really standout when they apply for internships and co-ops,” she says.

Schatz and Jean McCann, vice president of instruction at ECC, will give a presentation about the reverse transfer agreement at the Coordinating Board for Higher Education board meeting this month. The pair recently presented to a Missouri Community College Association conference in Kansas City.