Transfer Degrees

Planning for Success

Transfer Planning

By carefully constructing an educational plan, students can select Rock Valley College courses for transfer to a variety of four-year colleges and universities. When a student has selected a transfer school, it is important that the student review that institution’s specific admission and course requirements. Transfer information can be obtained in the Academic, Career, and Transfer Advising Office.

STU 100 – Planning for Success

The STU 100 - Planning for Success course is required for all new students intending to pursue an A.A., A.S., or A.E.S. This one-credit course is transferable to four-year colleges and universities and will apply towards graduation at RVC. Students are strongly encouraged to take this course in their first or second semester.

Although recommended for students seeking an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree or for certificate-seeking students, it is not a requirement.

Specific Requirements for
A.A. & A.S. Degrees

Rock Valley College, like most other Illinois community colleges, has additional, specific degree requirements for the Associate of Arts (A.A.) transfer degree, and other requirements for the Associate in Science (A.S.) transfer degree; these are described in detail on the Planning for Success - Education Plan page of this College Catalog.

Majors & Elective Courses

At Rock Valley College, 16-20 elective credits for the Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree and 15-18 credits for the Associate in Science (A.S.) degree may be used by students to explore a particular field of study or major.

Students should schedule an appointment to meet with an advisor to discuss course selection.

Students should also consult: iTransfer.org for up-to-date listings of Rock Valley College courses which will count in the majors at other Illinois colleges and universities.

Diversity & Non-Western Culture Courses

Some transfer institutions require a diversity or Non-Western course in their general education requirements. Students are encouraged to complete any diversity or Non-Western culture courses required by their intended transfer institution as part of their general education core at Rock Valley College.

Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI)

Rock Valley College is a participant in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide articulation effort to help Illinois college students transfer credit more easily between more than 100 participating Illinois colleges and universities. One of the main features of the IAI is the General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) which is a list of general education courses that have been articulated statewide and will be accepted for transfer by all participating colleges and universities in Illinois.

Completion of the GECC at any participating institution in Illinois assures transferring students that general education requirements for an Associate of Arts have been satisfied upon transfer to another participating institution. Students who wish to transfer to four-year colleges and universities are advised to complete an Associate Degree. Keep in mind, the IAI General Education transfers as a “package.” Course-to-course transfer credit is not guaranteed.

Students who have 30 semester credits of college-level coursework can transfer to an IAI participating institution and have the option of completing the institution’s lower-division general education requirements, or complete the IAI GECC. The receiving institution may require transfer students to complete institution-wide and/or mission related graduation requirements beyond the scope of the IAI GECC.

The IAI is a powerful tool for students. General and detailed information about the IAI as well as the most current list of participating schools can be found online at: iTransfer.org.

General Education Core Curriculum (GECC)

The requirements for an Associate Degree (A.A. or A.S.) at Rock Valley College consists of a minimum of 64 credit hours taken from three components:

General education core curriculum
Additional degree requirements
Baccalaureate-oriented courses taken in the major/minor, and electives

The IAI GECC of 37-41 credits for an Associate of Arts, or 31-35 credits for an Associate in Science, consists of courses that colleges and universities consider essential for students’ success in college and life. The GECC requires study in the following areas:

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS
Communications.....................9 credits
Mathematics...........................3-6 credits
Physical and Life Sciences.....7-8 credits
Humanities and Fine Arts........9 credits
Social Sciences.......................9 credits

ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE
Communications......................9 credits
Mathematics............................3-6 credits
Physical and Life Sciences .....7-8 credits
Humanities and Fine Arts.........6 credits
Social Science.........................6 credits
POST-TRANSFER...................6 credits

Courses taken at either the Transfer Institution or taken at RVC: one course from Humanities or Fine Arts and one course from Social and Behavioral Sciences.

RVC Education Guarantee Program

University Transfer Guarantee

Rock Valley College guarantees that courses approved for transfer to another college will be honored either as program requirements or electives. If transfer courses are not accepted after all provisions of the University Transfer Credit Guarantee are followed, the college will allow the student to take additional Rock Valley College courses up to the number of credits not transferred without charge for tuition and fees.

EACH STUDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:

Complete a minimum of 64 credit hours of 100 level courses or above that also meet the requirements of the General Education Core Curriculum.
Achieve a cumulative 2.0 (C) GPA in all 100/200 level courses attempted at Rock Valley College.
Meet residency requirements by earning a minimum of 15 semester hours of 100/200 level at Rock Valley College.

Students must submit an application for graduation approved by an Academic Advisor to the Records and Registration Office, on second floor of Stenstrom Student Center, by the dates listed below.

March 1 – Last day to apply for Spring graduation

June 1 – Last day to apply for Summer graduation

October 1 – Last day to apply for Fall graduation

Transferring

About Transferring

Students who earn the Associate of Arts or Associate in Science (A.A. or A.S.) degrees at Rock Valley College before transferring may be granted junior standing by many baccalaureate institutions considering the general education requirements are completed. Transfer students should check early with their transfer institutions and advisors to ensure they are meeting ALL requirements specific to each individual institution. A few colleges/universities may do a course-by-course examination of work from Rock Valley College, and could expect students to complete some general education courses at their institution. Students should work together with Academic and Transfer Advisors, Career Services, or Career & Technical Education Faculty along with transfer institutions to build a transfer degree program appropriate for them. As a general rule, earning an A.A. or A.S. degree is an excellent strategy for transfer.

Students who decide to transfer to another college in Illinois before they earn an A.A. or A.S. degree will find that IAI-approved courses will be accepted by most baccalaureate institutions. Transferring without completing the general education core curriculum may mean that students must complete the general education requirements at the four-year institution.

Transferring from RVC

The Academic, Career, and Transfer Advising Office at Rock Valley College offers information about transferring to baccalaureate institutions. For successful transfer, the following guidelines are recommended for all students who plan to transfer:

Investigate possible career paths at the Career Services, Advising, and Placement Office at (815) 921-4100, through labor market information and career interest surveys.
Plan RVC course selection with general education and introductory transfer courses in mind. The Academic, Career, and Transfer Advising Office, (815) 921-4100, can assist in course selection. Transfer guides for many baccalaureate institutions are available. Because transfer requirements change frequently, verify all transfer information directly with the college/university. For more information, go to RVC Transcripts.
Review examples of transfer program course guides available in various department offices and/or on the college website.
Visit the Academic, Career, and Transfer Advising Office, (815) 921-4100, to see available resources: internet access, college- career search programs, applications, college catalogs, and more.
Research possible colleges/universities’ academic programs, entrance requirements, costs, deadlines for applications and transcript submission, and housing requirements.
Study since admittance to a college/university is based in part on the Rock Valley College grade point average (GPA) – it pays to study. Many students are competing for limited seats in popular areas of study; your GPA can either limit or broaden career options.
Visit campuses as time and resources permit. Virtual tours are available on the Internet. Many college representatives also come to campus for “College Night” and throughout the year. The “college visit schedule” is available at the Academic, Career, and Transfer Advising Office web page.
Apply for graduation at Records and Registration at the beginning of your last semester at Rock Valley College. Even students who are not planning to attend the graduation ceremony need to apply for graduation.
When applying, send the RVC transcript to the transfer institution via Self Service at RVC Transcripts. Request transcript to be sent after each semester a grade is posted at RVC.

NIU & RVC Engineering Partnership

Rockford-area companies need local talent to fill a growing number of skilled jobs in engineering and technology. Business leaders and the community are putting their support behind NIU Engineering at RVC, a revolutionary new program that began in Fall 2016 that lets you earn a Northern Illinois University (NIU) bachelor’s degree while attending Rock Valley College (RVC).

Students who earn their Associate Degree in Engineering Science (AES) or Associate of Science (AS), along with the appropriate prerequisite courses, are able to earn a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from NIU without having to leave the RVC main campus. Area businesses provide internship opportunities, mentoring, and interviews for job openings.

Similarly, students who earn their Associate of Applied Science (AAS) with appropriate prerequisite courses can earn a B.S. in Technology with emphasis in Applied Manufacturing Technology online from NIU. Students take RVC classes during their first two years of the program and then a combination of RVC classes and NIU classes online during the second two years.

For more information, please visit RVC-NIU

Guaranteed Admission Agreement

Northern Illinois University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offer guaranteed admission to eligible RVC students. Students must meet minimum credit completion and GPA requirements to be considered for guaranteed admission pathways. These guaranteed admission programs guarantee admission to the university, not to limited admission or competitive programs, such as nursing.

For more information, contact the Academic, Career, and Transfer Advising Office at (815) 921-4100.

Rockford Ready Agreements

Rock Valley College and Rockford University have partnered to offer degree completion programs for students who complete an A.A.S. degree at RVC and then transfer to Rockford University to complete a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies (BSMS). Traditionally, an A.A.S. degree does not transfer, but this program allows students to transfer career- focused degrees, such as an A.A.S. in Business Administration, into the program. Upon completion of the A.A.S. degree, students can earn their bachelor’s degree in as little as 24 months through a combination of hybrid and online courses.

A similar agreement would allow students who graduate with an A.A.S. in Computer Science from Rock Valley College to transfer to Rockford University to earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an emphasis in Management Information Systems.

Reverse Transfer Credit

Reverse transfer credit is a program designed for students who attended a community college and then transferred to a university without earning their associate’s degree. Credits successfully completed at a university may be transferable back to your community college and used to determine if these courses will satisfy any remaining degree requirements for your associate’s degree. This is similar to the process on how credits transferred from your community college to a university – just in reverse. The community college will evaluate your university work and determine if credits taken at the University will fulfill any and all remaining requirements for your associate’s degree. All Illinois public universities and Rockford University participate in this partnership with Rock Valley College.

Baccalaureate Completion / Transfer Agreement

In addition to the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) with the state universities for students who complete transfer degrees at Rock Valley College, the college also has written agreements with several baccalaureate completion institutions. It is the transfer students’ responsibility to ensure that all course requirements are met by communicating with the chosen four-year institution prior to transferring. Students may also contact these institutions for more information about how they can finish their degree without leaving the Rock Valley College district.

Call the Academic, Career, and Transfer Advising Office at (815) 921-4100 for more information.

American InterContinental University

Career Education Corporation

Website: AIUniv.edu/Admissions/Documents-And-Resources

Attn: Educational Alliance Center

231 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173

(855) 377-1888

Bachelor of Accounting
Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Information Technology
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice

Aurora University

Website: Aurora.edu/GWC

350 Constance Boulevard, Williams Bay, WI 53191

(262) 245-8587

Business
Recreation
Special Education

Bellevue University

Website: Bellevue.edu/Community-College/index.aspx

Community College Partnerships

1000 Galvin Road South, Bellevue, NE 68005

(800) 756-7920

Beloit College

Website: Beloit.edu

(608) 363-2000

700 College Street, Beloit, WI 53511

Guaranteed Transfer Admission

Columbia College

Website: ccis.edu

1001 Rogers Street, Columbia, MO 65216

(573) 875-8700 or (800) 231-2391

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide

Website: ERAU.edu/Rockford

E-mail: Chicago.rockford.center@erau.edu

Aviation Management

Franklin University/Online Campus

Website: Alliance.Franklin.edu

Columbus, OH

(888) 341-6237

Business Administration
Computer Science
Health Services Administration
Management Information System
Public Safety Management
Technical Administration

Governors State University

Website: GovSt.edu/

Website: GovSt.edu/cas

One University Parkway, Office of Admission

University Park, IL 60484 | (708) 534-4490

E-mail: gapply@GovSt.edu

B.A. in Communication with a Filmmaking and Multimedia Concentration

Herzing University

Associate Degree Recognition

Herzing.edu

5218 East Terrace Drive, Madison, WI 53718

(800) 596-0724

Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech)

Baccalaureate degree completion programs for the Adult Learner

Website: Registrar.IndianaTech.edu/Transfer-Agreements

1600 East Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, Indiana 46803

(800) 937-2448

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA)
- Business Administration A.A.S.
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ)
- Criminal Justice A.A.S.
Bachelor of Science in Child Development (BSCD)
- Early Childhood Education A.A.S.
Bachelor of Science in Emergency Response Management (BSERM)
- Fire Science A.A.S.

Indiana Wesleyan University

Bachelor degree completion for Registered Nurses

Website: IndWes.edu

4201 S. Washington St., Marion, IN 46953

(765) 674-6901

Nursing - R.N.-B.S.N. Completion Program

Judson University

Website: Judson.edu

Elgin, IL

(815) 399-3500 • (888) 537-6246

Criminal Justice Management
Human Services
Human Resources Management
Management and Leadership
Management Technology Systems

Kaplan University

Website: cc.Kaplan.edu

(866) 583-4417

Information Technology - Network Administration Business

National American University

Website: National.edu

Distance Learning

(800) 548-0602

Applied Management
Applied Information Technology

National Louis University

Website: NL.edu/t4/transfer/

Chicago, IL | (800) 443-5522

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Science
Applied Behavioral Science
Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Healthcare Leadership
Management
Management Information Systems

Northern Illinois University - DeKalb, IL

Website: NIU.edu/OffCampusAcademics

(866) 885-1239 or call (800) 892-3050 for more information.

Aviation Management Technology
Business Administration
Computer Science
Homeland Security Certificates
Industrial Management Technology
Liberal Arts and Sciences
Nursing - R.N.-B.S.N. Completion Program
Health and Human Sciences
Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S.)
A.A.S. - Dental Hygiene
A.A.S. - Fire Science
A.A.S. - Respiratory Care
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
A.A.S. - Fitness, Wellness & Sport - Exercise Science track

In addition, offered at NIU-Rockford on East State Street:

Business Administration Bachelor Degree

Offered by NIU on the RVC Main Campus:

A.A.S. - Engineering & Technology
B.S. - Applied Manufacturing Technology
B.S. - Electrical Engineering
B.S. - Mechanical Engineering

Olivet Nazarene University

School of Graduate and Continuing Studies

Website: Olivet.edu

One University Avenue, Bourbonnais, IL 60914-2345

(800) 648-1463 • (815) 939-5011

Nursing - R.N.-B.S.N. Completion Program
PURSUE ONU - RVC Associate Degree to
ONU Bachelor’s Degree Program Completion
Criminal Justice
Business Administration
Applied Science in Management

Palmer College of Chiropractic

Website: Palmer.edu

Davenport, IA

(800) 722-3648

Bachelor of Science in General Science

Rasmussen College

Website: Rasmussen.edu

6000 E. State Street, Fourth Floor, Rockford, IL 61108

(815) 316-4800

Online or On-Campus

Business Administration

Rockford University

Website: Rockford.edu

5050 E. State Street, Rockford, IL 61108

(815) 226-4000

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science
Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science in Accounting Studies
Bachelor of Science in Management Studies
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Sports Management

Roosevelt University

College of Pharmacy

Website: Roosevelt.edu/Colleges/Pharmacy

1400 N. Roosevelt Blvd., Schaumburg, IL

(847) 619-7300

Doctor of Pharmacy

Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Website: SACN.edu

3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford, Illinois 61114

(815) 395-5091

Bachelor of Science in Nursing
RN - BSN Completion Program

Saint Leo University/Online Campus

Website: Online.SaintLeo.edu

Tampa, Florida

(888) 622-7344

Accounting
Business Administration
Computer Information Systems

Shaw University

Website:ShawU.edu

118 East South Street

Raleigh, NC 27601

(919) 546-8569

A.A. and A.S. degree acceptance to fulfill general education requirements

Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Website: Aviation.SIUC.edu

Department of Aviation Management and Flight

College of Applied Sciences and Arts

Mailcode 6623, Carbondale, IL 62901-6623

(618) 453-8898 or (618) 453-1144

Automotive Service Technology A.A.S. to Bachelor of Science in Automotive Technology
Aviation Management
Business A.A.S. to Bachelor of Science
Dental Hygiene A.A.S. to Bachelor of Science
Fire Science A.A.S. to Bachelor of Science
Public Safety Management (PSM)

The University of Phoenix/Online Campus

Website: Phoenix.edu

(602) 387-7000