A new agreement between the University of Wyoming and Laramie County Community College allows students transferring to UW to count more of their community college courses toward their bachelor’s degrees.

Through the new “1=1 articulation” students who complete a general education core at LCCC and transfer to UW will have already completed the UW University Studies Program, eliminating the need for students to retake courses to meet that requirement.

LCCC President Joe Schaffer says the articulation will help more LCCC students transfer to UW without an associate’s degree.

“Because of our close proximity to UW, especially with our Albany County campus, we have students who transfer early with just their general education. Historically, though, when they transferred, if they didn’t have the 60-plus credit associate degree, they couldn’t demonstrate they met the UW university studies program, making them susceptible to the requirement of retaking general education courses,” says Schaffer.

“Many students come to LCCC just for their general education courses before transferring, and they will see the most benefit,” says Schaffer.

Two years of work by faculty and administration at both schools to redesign their respective general education programs with a focus on student learning outcomes occurred simultaneously, allowing the institutions to work together on the new articulation agreement.

“The university’s new USP was a product of several years of intense effort by our faculty and administration, and we are quite happy with the result,” says Anne Alexander, UW’s associate vice president for undergraduate education. “It’s wonderful to see that our revised program is right in line with one of our excellent community college partners.”

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