Graduates of two Knoxville-area community colleges will be able to easily transfer their credits into a baccalaureate degree program at Tusculum College now that the institutions have entered articulation agreements.

Representatives from Tusculum College met with representatives of Pellissippi State Technical Community College and Roane State Community College at their respective Knoxville campuses on June 14 to sign the articulation agreements, which will enable students from both colleges to enter Tusculum bachelor degree programs as juniors if requirements are met.

Both agreements with the community colleges involve the entry of their graduates into Tusculum College's Professional Studies Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management program.

"All three schools will benefit from these articulation agreements," said Dr. Dolphus E. Henry, president of Tusculum College. "Tusculum will be enrolling students with proven success in the classroom, and Pellissippi State and Roane State will be able to offer an additional educational opportunity to their students. We are pleased to be able to join these two colleges in the effort to help people in this region further their education."

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management is one of four offered through the Professional Studies program designed for working adults, with courses offered throughout East Tennessee from Bristol to Chattanooga and coordinated by offices in Knoxville and on Tusculum's historic Greeneville campus.

Tusculum's Professional Studies Knoxville Center will have a new home soon with the completion of a new building. The new Knoxville Center is being constructed in Centerpoint Park, located at the intersection of Lovell Road and Pellissippi Parkway, and will contain classrooms, a library, a technology work room, a computer lab, and administrative and faculty offices.

The terms of Tusculum's agreements with Pellissippi State and Roane State are similar in that students from both schools must complete associate degree programs to be eligible to transfer credits and have 61 hours in course work to enter Tusculum with junior status. Students from both schools must also complete specific courses in composition, algebra and computer literacy during their course work toward their associate's degrees. Students at Roane State must also complete a natural science course, according to its agreement.

Pellissippi State's agreement specifies that graduates must have completed a degree in one of 18 different areas to be able to transfer credits to Tusculum. These program areas vary from E-commerce/marketing to paralegal studies to computer science and information technology.

Both agreements also call for students transferring credit to meet all the applicable admission requirements of Tusculum and to complete the college's application process.

Representing Tusculum at the signing of the agreements were President Henry; Dr. Jonathan Franz, provost and academic vice president; Dr. Denise Wood, dean of instruction for Graduate and Professional studies, director of the Knoxville Professional Studies Center and professor of research; Don Stout, associate dean for operations for Graduate & Professional Studies and director of the Greeneville Professional Studies Center; and Renee Porier, director of enrollment management, Graduate and Professional Studies (Southeast Tennessee). Pellissippi State representatives included its President, Dr. Allen Edwards; Berta Ward, director of curriculum; and Cheryl Leach, coordinator of curriculum. Roane State representatives included Dr. Pat Land, vice president for academic and student services, and Tammie Bolling, coordinator of articulation.

Tusculum College recently signed articulation agreements with Pellissippi State Technical Community College and Roane State Community College. Signing the Pellissippi State agreement, above, seated are, Dr. Allen Edwards, president of Pellissippi State and Dr. Dolphus E. Henry, Tusculum president. Standing, from left, are Cheryl Leach and Berta Ward from Pellissippi State; and Renee Porier, Dr. Jonathan Franz, Dr. Denise Wood, and Don Stout from Tusculum. Signing the Roane State agreement, below, are Dr. Pat Land, vice president for academic and student services at Roane State, and Dr. Henry. (Photos courtesy of Pellissippi State and Roane State)