9. Improving the Outcomes for College Students Transferring to University

Abstract

T his essay considers the use of learning outcomes as a way of improving the results for college students seeking admission to four-year university programs. Both colleges and universities face issues involving the transfer of credits from colleges to universities. Colleges deliver twoand three-year diploma programs with applied focuses, while four-year university programs place their emphasis on the development of theory and research skills. Upon graduation from college or after gaining work experience, students often aspire to raise their professional status by seeking to obtain a four-year university degree. This process frequently results in frustration due to confusing transfer policies and disappointing transfer credit results. The policies and processes that are employed in transferring credits from college to university programs clearly needs improvement, and using learning outcomes presents a viable alternative. Confusing and Frustrating Transfer PoliciesWhen moving from high school to institutions of higher learning, students often choose colleges over universities because they view colleges as a steppingstone into universities. Colleges often have more affordable tuition levels, require lower grades for

Incorporating Learning Outcomes in Transfer Credit: The Way Forward for Campus Alberta?

“…Possible reasons for reluctance of universities to give transfer credit include perceived value of technical courses, missing high school prerequisite courses, and college reputation. Employing learning outcomes has been suggested as a way to facilitate these sorts of articulations (Carter, Coyle, & Leslie 2009). There is strong evidence for this perspective when one considers professional organizations (whose members include technicians, technologists, engineers, allied health professionals, biologists, and chemists to name a few) with member certification requirements that state learning outcomes.…”