St. Edward’s University and ACC Sign Articulation Agreement

Austin, Texas — St. Edward’s University and Austin Community College are signing an articulation agreement that will make it easier for students to transfer credits and earn a bachelor’s degree. 

The agreement — which formalizes a longstanding partnership between ACC, one of the largest community colleges in the nation, and St. Edward’s, a top-ranked liberal arts university — will enable students who transfer to St. Edward’s to carry with them the credits they have already earned for as much degree applicable credit as possible. Students will also be encouraged to reverse transfer credits back to ACC to receive an associate degree. 

"St. Edward's is thrilled to strengthen our partnership with ACC through this agreement, which creates a seamless pathway for students to transfer all ACC credits toward a St. Edward's degree,” said St. Edward’s Provost Andrew Prall. “We know that ACC students will thrive on the Hilltop under the mentorship of our outstanding faculty and personal success coaches who will connect students to compelling hands-on learning experiences in Austin and around the globe." 

The articulation agreement will be signed by leadership from both institutions at a public ceremony at 4 p.m. on Wed., July 10, at ACC Highland Campus. 

“By growing our partnerships, we are continuing to remove barriers and increase opportunities for our students to earn credentials for gainful employment,” said Charles Cook, ACC provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “As the boundaries and possibilities of higher education continue to expand through students and technologies, we can continue to promote student success to serve our community.” 

Here are a few of the ways that St. Edward’s and ACC are streamlining the transferring process for students: 

• Publish the General Education Equivalency Guide on the St. Edward’s website. The guide will serve to identify all freshman and sophomore level courses that will transfer to St. Edward’s from ACC. 
• Provide approved Transfer Advising Guide (TAGs) leading to a Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Art, Bachelor of Fine Art or Bachelor of Science degree from St. Edward’s. The TAGs assure students that their courses are transferable and will count toward their St. Edward’s bachelor’s degree. 
• Perform an automatic review for academic/merit scholarships during the admission process. 
• Implement a transition process for qualified ACC students wishing to enter the St. Edward’s Honors Program. 

The articulation agreement aligns with the St. Edward’s University Strategic Plan 2022, which emphasizes developing educational pathways that foster student success, as well as engaging and serving the Austin Community. 

Transfer students are an integral part of the St. Edward’s community and comprise roughly 30 percent of the university’s new undergraduate students annually. Of those, St. Edward’s enrolls 90 to 100 students from ACC. Both ACC and St. Edward’s host regular information sessions for transfer students to learn more about the admission process, majors and internship opportunities.

About ACC: 

Austin Community College is a nationally recognized two-year college serving Central Texas. ACC is focused on student success and providing affordable, flexible pathways to help students reach their education goals, learn new job skills, or advance their career. The college currently enrolls more than 70,000 students annually.