MILWAUKEE — The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee reached an agreement guaranteeing admission for regional technical college graduates, the college announced Tuesday.
The partnership includes four technical colleges, Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC), Moraine Park Technical College and Gateway Technical College. Graduates who have their associate's degree will be able to transfer 60 credit toward a bachelor’s degree at UW-Milwaukee.
“We believe that education should be accessible to all,” said UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone. “Our goal is to ensure that every student with an associate degree from one of our partner colleges has the opportunity to continue their educational journey at UWM. These agreements reaffirm our commitment to student success and provide a clear path toward earning a bachelor’s degree.”
UW-Milwaukee has had transfer pathways in place with many technical colleges, but this new deal is the most direct way a student with an associate's degree can acquire admission to UW-Milwaukee. Starting in the summer of 2024, students with their associate's degree and at least a 2.0 grade point average will be guaranteed admission at UW-Milwaukee to pursue their bachelor’s degree.
Some degree programs do have other requirements.
“Our transfer degree programs, which include the associate of arts and associate of science, are among the most sought-after programs we offer at Milwaukee Area Technical College,” MATC President Vicki Martin said. “As the largest source of transfer students for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, MATC is proud to join our colleagues at our sister technical colleges in strengthening this transfer process by making it easier and increasing the credits allowed while also expanding transfer options for students in our career-oriented associate of applied science programs.”
Admissions counselors will meet with interested students to create a plan for their guaranteed 60 transfer credits. In order to receive a bachelor’s degree, UW-Milwaukee requires students to complete a minimum of 120 credits.
“We are excited about the new partnership with UW-Milwaukee and proud to be recognized alongside our technical college colleagues,” Moraine Park President Bonnie Baerwald said. “We intentionally built our degree programs to give students options to progress from certificates to diplomas, then associate degrees. This partnership with UWM gives our students an additional step in that pathway–offering an accessible and affordable opportunity to enter a UWM baccalaureate degree program at a guaranteed junior status.”
A total of 260 students transferred from those four institutions in the fall of 2023, with numbers expected to increase with the new partnership.
“UWM has been a longstanding partner to WCTC and our graduates,” WCTC President Richard Barnhouse said. “As we all work toward bringing higher education together in the state of Wisconsin, this new agreement opens another pathway for WCTC graduates to earn a four-year credential.”