Many international students come to Shoreline to begin their studies toward a four-year undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree. In the United States, the first two years of a bachelor’s degree program, regardless of the major, are usually spent taking general education courses: English composition, history, math, science, and social sciences, for example. Undergraduate students then begin focusing more on courses in their major field of study in their third and fourth years. Within this structure, it is common for students to begin their undergraduate education at a community college, where they finish their general education coursework as part of an Associate Degree (2-year) program. They then transfer to a four-year college or university to complete the bachelor’s degree.

It is not necessary to complete a degree at Shoreline to be eligible to transfer. However, many universities or programs within a university give admission preference to transfer students who have completed the Associate in Arts and Sciences (AAS) or the Associate in Science (AS) degree.

At Shoreline, The primary requirements for any transfer degree are a minimum of 90 transferable credits and a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade-point average (GPA). Students intending to transfer to a four-year school have a number of different options or “plans” available for earning an associate’s degree. These options depend on the student’s intended major field of study, as well as which particular college or university they plan to attend.

Shoreline’s main transfer degree plans include:

Option A Degree Plan
This degree plan is designed for those students who are interested in earning a general two-year academic degree. The Option A, or “Direct Transfer Degree,” is based on a “Direct Transfer Agreement” between Shoreline and most of the four-year colleges and universities in Washington state (as well as a few in Oregon). This Direct Transfer Degree transfers as a package to the colleges and universities with whom Shoreline has the Direct Transfer Agreement, fulfilling most or all of their General education requirements and providing junior (third-year) status. For this reason, this degree plan offers students the most flexibility in terms of transfer options. The Option A is also the degree of choice for students who intend to transfer but who are undecided about which college or university they will attend.

Option B Degree Plan
This degree is designed primarily for those students who are planning to transfer to a four-year institution that does not accept the Option A package. It allows students to follow the unique general education requirements of the specific university or program to which they plan to transfer. Students intending to complete the Option B should consult the degree requirements of their intended university and work carefully with their advisor to satisfy both Shoreline and intended transfer institution requirements. Planning sheets are available for many programs and universities in Washington state. Students intending to complete an Option B degree for an institution for which a planning sheet has not been prepared should consult with their advisor.

Associate in Science (AS) – Degree Plan
This degree plan is intended for transfer students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree in science, computer science or engineering at another college or university after completing their studies at Shoreline. The AS degree offers two tracks, one for students who plan to major in astronomy, atmospheric sciences, computer science, engineering or physics; and the other for students planning to major in biological sciences, chemistry, geology, earth science, environmental science or oceanography. The focus of this degree plan is on introductory mathematics and science foundation courses, providing AS graduates with a solid preparation for their future majors.

Both tracks of the AS degree are included in the “AS Transfer Agreement,” which applies to all public universities and several private colleges and universities in Washington state. This agreement provides students with some priority for admission at their intended transfer institution, and helps ease transferability of AS courses towards major and general education requirements. The “AS Transfer Agreement” differs from the “Direct Transfer Agreement” (see Option A) in that most courses included in the AS are major/program prerequisites, and the degree includes few general education course requirements. Therefore, the “AS Transfer Agreement” does not stipulate that students will have met the general education requirements for their transfer university. On the contrary, students are expected to complete further general education requirements after transfer.

 Shoreline planning sheets for academic majors