Oct 25th, 2012
The presidents of Jackson State Community College and MTSU signed agreements Thursday (Oct. 25) that will ease the transition for students seeking to transfer from the West Tennessee college to the university in Murfreesboro.
The measures authorized by Jackson States Dr. Bruce Blanding and MTSUs Dr. Sidney A. McPhee create dual admissions, concurrent enrollment and reverse transfer options between the institutions.
The signing took place in Jackson, the last stop of MTSUs 2012 True Blue Tour, a six-city admissions caravan of deans, administrators and counselors.
All of us at JSCC are excited to partner with Middle Tennessee State University on this dual admission agreement, Blanding said. By formalizing and clarifying this process, we are clearing the path for students wishing to continue their higher education as a Blue Raider.
This agreement forges even closer ties between MTSU and Jackson State, McPhee said. We have made such pacts a priority at MTSU, as we are the No. 1 destination of transfer students in Tennessee. This agreement helps ensure a smooth transition for students between our institutions.
The dual admission program allows eligible Jackson State students to get MTSU advising, registration priority and admission while still attending the community college.
The concurrent enrollment aspect of the new agreement allows students to enroll for classes at both institutions simultaneously and get financial aid for the total number of credits if needed.That change will help students who have selected majors that require lower-division courses not available at the community-college level, such as nutrition, interior design and Concrete Industry Management.
The reverse transfer portion of the plan gives former Jackson State students, who enrolled at MTSU before receiving a two-year associates degree from the college, the opportunity to transfer MTSU credits back to Jackson State and receive a diploma.
Students must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the new partnership with Jackson State, including meeting admissions standards for MTSU.
Jackson State, also a TBR institution, provides accessible learning opportunities and services to a 14-county area. In addition to its main campus in Jackson, the school has full-service centers located in Humboldt, Lexington, and Savannah.
MTSU is the states largest undergraduate university and the largest and oldest institution in the Tennessee Board of Regents system.