STCC Partners with Elms College to Offer Pathway to Biology Degree

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and Elms College are partnering to create an affordable and seamless pathway for students to transfer into the biology program at elms.

Students who earn their associate degree in engineering and physical science transfer (biology transfer) from STCC can enroll at Elms as a biology major to seek a bachelor’s degree, according to the terms of an articulation agreement.

The collaboration between the two institutions allows students who earn their bachelor’s degree and meet GPA requirements to enroll in the master’s-degree program.

In recent years, STCC and Elms, with a campus in Chicopee, have worked together to offer several other program-transfer agreements, including pathways for computer-related majors, social work, graphic design, health information technology, medical coding and billing, and nursing.

In a ceremony on May 2, STCC President John Cook and Elms President Harry Dumay formally signed an agreement that eases the coursework transfer between the two colleges for students seeking degrees in biology.

Students who earn their associate degree from STCC in biology transfer will enter Elms as third-year students with at least 60 transfer credits. Elms will accept 75 credits from STCC. Students need to earn 120 credits to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Full-time students could complete their bachelor’s degree in two years at Elms.

The STCC-Elms program includes a combination of online courses and some on-campus, low-residency lab-course experiences.

“We are thankful again to collaborate with Elms and offer an affordable pathway to a biology degree,” Cook said. “Students will gain skills that open the door to many employment opportunities, including careers in the medical and pharmaceutical fields.”

Dumay added that “we are delighted to partner with Springfield Technical Community College once again and offer STCC engineering and science transfer students a pathway to complete their education at Elms. With this agreement, we hope to increase the number of skilled workers employed in the life sciences in Western Massachusetts.”

STCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Geraldine de Berly noted that “this is an exciting opportunity for our students interested in the life sciences. This new transfer pathway applies to students who are full-time or part-time, which is an important feature for students who need flexibility, and strengthens our partnership with Elms.”

Walter Breau, vice president of Academic Affairs at Elms, added that “Elms College and STCC have a long history of educating students in the Pioneer Valley, and we are excited that this partnership can provide STEM students at STCC with easy access to complete their bachelor’s degree at Elms.”