Students who select transfer studies as their major simply because they are undecided or don’t understand how to declare an area of study might be in the wrong major.
That’s the advice of transfer studies faculty, who have suggested the major is for students whose desired major isn’t offered at AACC or who have specific course requirements for transferring to a four-year university.
“It is supposed to help students meet their academic goals by letting them customize the classes that they take to meet the program and specific requirements of the four-year institution that they’re interested in transferring to,” Khadijat Richmond, director of transfer studies, said.
Interim Assistant Dean for Transfer Studies Scott Cooper said he encourages students to reach out to their academic advisers and professors to ask questions about fields they’re interested in, and then create a plan that will work best for them. Then, they can select a major from the programs that AACC offers.
“I would say, as soon as after the first semester, they can start reaching out to their academic adviser, but also their current professors, and say, ‘I think I have an interest in this area,’” Cooper said.
“AACC programs actually do a really good job transferring outside of the state of Maryland,” Richmond said. “It’s really about making sure as early as possible you know the program requirements, and if we can make it align with an existing program we have, we’re going to put you there before transfer studies.”
The transfer studies degree is one of AACC’s five most popular programs, with more than 1,500 students enrolled.
Second-year transfer studies student Christopher Robinson said he chose transfer studies as a community college major because he wants to study international relations, which AACC does not offer.
“[Transfer studies] really helps me to get the more general education classes out of the way without going to a main four-year and paying the premium,” Robinson said. “So you have the flexibility to take the specific classes that you need for your degree program choice.”
Richmond said he encourages students, especially if they rely on financial aid, to sign up for general education courses here.
“I think that can get pretty dangerous because you start spending a lot of money and a lot more time than necessary,” Richmond said of students who wait until enrolling in a more expensive university before they take their gen ed credits.
Still, Cooper said majoring in transfer studies can benefit students “who … just really want to earn an associate degree quickly and get right into the workforce with an associate degree.”