Articulation is the process that facilitates the successful transfer of students from community colleges to undergraduate baccalaureate programs at 4-year colleges and universities. It is the development of formal written agreements that explain how courses transfer from one institution to another, either “as comparable to” or “acceptable in lieu of” specific course requirements at four year institutions. Successful completion of articulated courses related to admission criteria, general education, and major preparation, according to a Student Educational Plan (SEP) developed with the assistance of a counselor, will ensure successful and competitive transfer.
There are several types of articulation agreements. The first step in building articulation is elective credit, courses at a minimum will transfer as lower division credit but not necessarily complete general education or major requirements.
Course-To-Course (by department) Articulation Agreements describe how specific courses taken at a community college (or sending institution) can be used in place of specific courses at the receiving (or transferring) institution, possibly fulfilling general education and/or major preparation requirements.
General Education (GE) Articulation Agreements identify a pattern of courses that can fulfill lower division general education requirements. Which pattern a student should follow is dependent on the transfer universities and majors being considered, consult with a Laney Counselor for assistance in understanding the most appropriate choice. General Education Articulation Agreements include: Intersegmental GeneralEducation Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) primarily used when applying to multiple UCs and CSUs – not advisable for high-unit majors and CSU General Education (CSU-GE) Breadth Requirements is used when applying to CSUs only. UC campus-specific agreements are sometimes an option, depending on the combination of transfer universities and majors. Many California Private/Independent Universities and Colleges accept IGETC and/or CSU-GE Breadth Requirements, please consult with a Laney Counselor.
Lower Division Major Preparation Articulation Agreements describe the lower division major preparation (or courses) expected in order to be a competitive transfer student. Transfer students completing all lower division major courses prepare them for upper division major requirements.
Not all 4-year university/college campuses provide articulation with every community college or for all of their majors or departments. Many 4-year universities/colleges concentrate on their primary feeder community colleges. This doesn’t mean you, as a student, can’t transfer. It means that you will need to talk directly with a Laney Counselor and 4-year University Admissions Advisor. In addition, each 4-year university campus will have a different articulation with different community colleges, even when they are colleges in the same district. For example, Laney, College of Alameda, Merritt, and Berkeley City College have different articulation agreements even though they are sister colleges. You also can not assume that a community college course will be accepted the same way at a different 4-year universities/colleges. UC Berkeley, for example, does not automatically use a course the same way that UC Los Angeles does.
ASSIST is California’s official statewide repository of transfer information for the California Community Colleges (CCC), California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems, offering easy access to a single database of articulation and transfer information. ASSIST will help you determine if you will receive credit for courses you’ve already taken or plan to take, and how those courses will apply to a specific academic major or general education requirement. Visit ASSIST website for Laney College courses that are transferable to the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) systems according to these various types of articulation agreements. Please view online demonstrations on how to use the ASSIST website by visiting ASSIST Demos. By utilizing the ASSIST website, you can also explore UC & CSU majors (under construction). In the meantime, please visit Transfer Major Explorer.
Click here for Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) transfer information. Click here for Historical Black Colleges and Universities, Native American Tribal Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities for web links to schools. California Colleges has been developed in collaboration with the CCC (California Community Colleges), CSU (California State University), UC (University of California), AICCU (Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities), and the CDE (California Department of Education) to allow students to obtain information about higher education opportunities in California. The site aims to become the portal for all colleges and universities in the state.
The final responsibility for successfully achieving an educational goal rests with the student. Information online is designed to be helpful; however, this information changes frequently. It is recommended that students consult with a counselor to confirm an educational plan. Students are encouraged to work with a Laney College Counselor to develop a Student Educational Plan (by appointment) to ensure you know how to use and understand the resources available appropriately. Counseling appointments can be made in the Laney Tower, T-350, by calling (510) 464-3152 or 464-3153, or online.
