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Guidelines for Articulation Agreements

Definition and Purpose

An articulation agreement is a formal arrangement to transfer a defined set of academic credits between an academic program of an institution, most often a two-year post-secondary institution, and a program within a college or campus of the University of Minnesota. This document provides guidelines for the preparation of such an agreement.

The guidelines are intended to:

• Enhance quality, productivity, and efficiency in collegiate or campus units and uniformity in developing and implementing articulation agreements.
• Ensure that articulation agreements are aligned with unit compact statements and institutional, campus, and college mission and strategic directions.
• Make explicit the criteria for articulation agreements and connections to related policies.
• Enhance the availability, consistency, and coordination of information about the University?s academic programs for transcript records, internal analysis, accountability reporting, and accreditation.
• Ensure thorough and timely review of proposed agreements.

Background

The University of Minnesota supports the development of transfer processes that are clear and transparent for all students and advisors. Nationally, the basic strategy for transfer is course-by-course evaluation. Within Minnesota, the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) provides the preferred transfer mechanism for students who begin at one public institution and plan to transfer to another. Completion of the MnTC at any Minnesota public college or university means that the lower-division, liberal education requirements have been met at all other campuses.

In most cases, use of the MnTC is preferable to creating articulated programs because it involves no additional or special agreements, and because students are then prepared to begin their majors when they arrive on any University of Minnesota campus.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is working closely with the Minnesota State College and University (MnSCU) system and Twin Cities metropolitan area community colleges on the Minnesota Cooperative Admissions Program (MnCAP) on the implementation of the Course Applicability System (CAS). When fully functional, CAS should minimize the need for formal articulation agreements because students and advisors will have on-line access to transfer information that should inform course selection in advance of transferring.

However, there may be instances when a formal articulation agreement is appropriate. University of Minnesota campuses, colleges, and departments may explore articulation agreements if such agreements provide demonstrable advantages to the University and its students. In these cases, the articulation agreement addresses the transferability of specific degree-related, usually prerequisite, courses.

Review Process

The review process for articulation agreements between any college on any campus of the University of Minnesota and another educational institution involves a series of steps leading to approval by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. The development of specific articulation agreements is usually done by campuses, colleges, or departments, but should follow these guidelines established by the Provost’s Office.

Guidelines

The following guidelines are offered for University of Minnesota campuses, colleges, or departments interested in developing articulation agreements:

1. The agreement is between a specific campus or college outside the University and a specific campus, college or program at the University of Minnesota.
2. The agreement needs the approval of the collegiate dean and/or the chief campus academic officer, and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost or his/her designee.
3. Students must meet University of Minnesota admission standards for transfer students. They become University of Minnesota students only upon transferring to the University.
4. All potential courses that will be transferred as part of the agreement must be reviewed prior to students starting on these future majors. In cases where courses have not previously been reviewed and accepted for transfer, course reviews must be conducted by the University department that teaches equivalent courses, e.g., chemistry courses will be reviewed by the chemistry department. Course review may include syllabi, prerequisites, text(s) used, course outline, assignments, notes (if available), tests and, where appropriate, direct discussion between faculty at the University of Minnesota and the other institution.
5. Credit for courses taken at other institutions will be transferred subject to the following considerations:
   • Regional accreditation of the institution from which the credit would be transferred.
   • The mission of the institution from which credits would be transferred.
   • The comparability of the coursework with University of Minnesota coursework.
   • The appropriateness of the coursework for meeting baccalaureate degree requirements at the University of Minnesota.

Contents of Articulation Agreement

A satisfactory articulation agreement should include five elements:

1. Statement of Purpose
2. Terms of Admission to the Receiving Institution
3. Terms and Conditions of Credit Transfer
4. Articulation Implementation, Agreement Review
5. Signatories

These elements are described below.

Paragraph 1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

• Identify the parties to the agreement and describe the intent of the agreement.
• Specify the major(s) and degree(s) included in the agreement.
• Indicate that the major(s) and degree(s) being articulated are fully approved programs of their respective institutions.

Example: This agreement has been entered into by ________________ College and the _________________ (campus/college/department) of the University of Minnesota for the benefit of students and prospective students at the two institutions. The purpose of this agreement is to facilitate credit transfer and a smooth transfer for students from one institution to the other. The agreement specifically provides for collaboration between the ____________ degree program/major at ____________ College with the __________ major and _________ degree at the University of Minnesota. This agreement does not replace or supersede other more general cooperative agreements such as the Minnesota Cooperative Admissions Program or the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum.

Paragraph 2. TERMS OF ADMISSION TO THE RECEIVING INSTITUTION

• Specify what students must do to be admitted to the University of Minnesota.
• Be clear that students must have all admissions requirements in place at the time of their application to the University.
• Be clear that participation in the program defined by the articulation agreement does not guarantee University admission.

Paragraph 3. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CREDIT TRANSFER

• Describe how credit will transfer from one institution to the other and what requirements will have been fulfilled at the time of transfer.
• Include in an appendix to the agreement specific course-by-course transfer information. The appendix must list the specific courses taken at the sending institution that will satisfy specified requirements at the University of Minnesota as of the time of the agreement.
• Insure that the University of Minnesota campus admission office has reviewed all courses included in the articulation agreement. If this step is not taken, the University cannot assure their transferability.
• Include a statement that if any courses in the agreement have not been reviewed and are subsequently rejected for transfer by the University, the articulation agreement will be nullified.

Paragraph 4. ARTICULATION IMPLEMENTATION, AGREEMENT REVIEW

• Identify who is responsible for implementing the agreement.
• Describe the procedures and terms for amending the agreement.

Example: The Chief Academic Officer or designee of the collaborating institutions shall be responsible for implementing this agreement, for identifying and incorporating any changes into subsequent agreements, and for conducting periodic reviews of this agreement. The appendices may be updated as necessary without renegotiation of the agreement in its entirety. This agreement becomes effective on (date) and remains in effect until terminated or amended by either party with prior written notice on a timetable that assures appropriate communication with students.

SIGNATORIES

University of Minnesota signatories must include all of the following, as appropriate:

• department chair
• dean
• chief campus academic officer (if Duluth, Crookston or Morris campus)
• Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost or her/his designee