SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has partnered with Elms College in Chicopee to create a seamless and more affordable pathway for STCC students to transfer into the Biology program at Elms.
In a ceremony Tuesday, STCC President, John B. Cook, and Elms College President, Harry Dumay, formally signed an agreement that will allow students who have earned their associate degree in Engineering and Physical Science Transfer (Biology Transfer) from STCC to then enroll at Elms as a biology major, to seek a bachelor’s degree.
This collaboration will also allow students who have earned their bachelor’s degree and meet minimum grade requirements, to then enroll in the master’s degree program.
This isn’t the first time that these two institutions have worked together; In recent years, STCC and Elms have collaborated to offer numerous other program transfer agreements, including pathways for computer-related majors, social work, graphic design, health information technology, medical coding and billing, and nursing, according to STCC.
“We are thankful again to collaborate with Elms and offer an affordable pathway to a biology degree,” says Cook. “Students will gain skills that open the door to many employment opportunities including careers in the medical and pharmaceutical fields.”
According to a release sent to 22News from STCC, students who earn their associate degree from STCC in Biology Transfer will enter Elms as third-year students with at least 60 transfer credits. Elms will accept 75 credits from STCC. Students need to earn 120 credits to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Full-time students could complete their bachelor’s in two years at Elms.
Elms president, Dumay adds, “We are delighted to partner with Springfield Technical Community College once again and offer STCC Engineering and Science Transfer students a pathway to complete their education at Elms. With this agreement, we hope to increase the number of skilled workers employed in the life sciences in western Massachusetts.”
