ASU collaboration with BYU-Idaho to help students complete bachelor's degree
Alliance to encourage closer academic ties with a credit-transfer program
Arizona State University announced an agreement Tuesday with Brigham Young University-Idaho and BYU-Pathway Worldwide to facilitate the transfer of academic credit for students wishing to complete a degree at ASU.
The innovative partnership will allow students who begin their education through one of BYU-Idaho’s programs access to the wider array of classes, majors and degrees offered by ASU.
“ASU, BYU-Idaho, and BYU-Pathway share a common mission and purpose: to help students achieve their educational and career goals,” said ASU President Michael M. Crow. “We do that by bringing them into higher education and working hard to ensure they are successful in the completion of their college degree — no matter where they start the process.”
Students in one of the BYU-Idaho programs wishing to transfer to ASU have two options to consider:
- The Guaranteed Program for Admission (GPA) will help students plan a smooth transfer to ASU and stay focused on earning a bachelor’s degree. This program is designed for students who achieve between 24 and 60 transferrable lower-division credits with a minimum of a 2.5 grade-point average for most majors. It is a cost-effective and time-efficient way of ensuring courses transfer and apply to an ASU degree.
- The Associate of Applied Science to Bachelor of Applied Science (AAS to BAS) program is for students who have completed an Associate of Applied Science from BYU-Idaho and want to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science at ASU. BYU-Idaho students who complete their AAS will receive 60 credits in transfer toward a BAS degree at ASU, thus requiring a maximum of 60 additional credits to complete their BAS at ASU.
“The strength of the relationship is that both ASU and BYU-Idaho are deeply committed to student success,” said Maria Hesse, ASU’s vice provost for academic partnerships. “Our primary goal is to facilitate a seamless transition from one institution to the other, so that students can pursue their personal and professional aspirations.”
ASU President Michael Crow gives the devotional at BYU-Idaho.
BYU-Pathway Worldwide operates the Pathway program and also offers online degrees and certificates developed in partnership with BYU-Idaho. Pathway is a one-year educational curriculum designed to give students the confidence and skills needed to succeed in college. It is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is a low-cost educational opportunity that combines online courses with weekly gatherings in hundreds of church communities around the world, including the Phoenix metropolitan area.
“We are pleased to be partnering with ASU in ways that will increase access and opportunity for our BYU-Pathway students” said BYU-Pathway President Clark Gilbert. “ASU has been a great friend to our program, and we look forward to offering local options for students in Arizona who want to take advantage of these opportunities.”
For Arizonans who wish to continue their education beyond Pathway and are interested in a major not available through BYU-Idaho, the relationship with ASU may be particularly attractive, offering students the ability to transfer credit to ASU for the work they’ve already done and attend classes in person or online.
Students signing up for either the GPA or AAS to BAS programs will receive access to a transfer specialist and pre-enrollment services at ASU. They will also be able to use tools such as ASU’s online major maps, which provide a detailed outline to critical requirements in a chosen field of study.
Crow traveled to Rexburg, Idaho, on Tuesday to sign the agreement and deliver remarks to the BYU-Idaho community. He was introduced by the BYU-Idaho president, Henry J. Eyring, who called Crow a friend of the LDS church and someone who shares his school's mission to serve students.
“He’s also a great supporter of BYU-Idaho,” Eyring said. “He has inspired confidence in our innovations, both on campus and online."
Crow’s address focused on how we as individuals can make an affirmative choice to improve ourselves and the world around us, and he asked the students in attendance to spend some time thinking about what they want to contribute.
“What is your unique improvement?” Crow asked the crowd. “… What are you going to do to improve what you’ve been given?”
Top photo courtesy of BYU-Idaho
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