Greenville Technical College (GTC) and University of South Carolina Columbia (USC) have signed an agreement promoting access and facilitating the transfer of GTC students into the university’s programs. The goal is to maintain viable transfer pathways that allow students to begin a bachelor’s degree at GTC and complete it at USC.
The courses taught at GTC will be equivalent to the first half of the USC bachelor’s curriculum to the extent feasible. Transfer courses at GTC are taught by professors with master’s or doctorate level education as they are at four-year colleges, and both institutions are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The agreement also makes provisions for reverse transfer. Reverse transfer comes into play when a student leaves GTC without earning an associate degree or certificate and transfers to another college or university. University of South Carolina has agreed to transfer credits back to GTC so that the student can earn a credential, bolstering the student’s resume and providing incentive to continue studying.
“This partnership with USC makes the process of moving from our campus to theirs as seamless as possible,” said Dr. Larry Miller, vice president for learning and workforce development at Greenville Technical College. “Students who want to earn a USC bachelor’s degree can begin with us and move toward that goal knowing that if they meet the requirements, their credits will move with them as they gain admission to USC.”
The agreement contributes to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education’s Ascend Strategy. This strategy is aimed at increasing the proportion of South Carolinians with high-quality postsecondary credentials to 60 percent by 2030.
“Transfer students are an important part of our Carolina family, and their success at USC is a priority for us,” said Dr. Donna Arnett, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at USC. “This partnership will help us ensure that students efficiently achieve their higher education goals – which will ultimately benefit not just these students but the entire state of South Carolina.”