Gateway Technical College and UW-Parkside have partnered to offer dual admission for qualifying students in the 1-plus-3 General Studies certificate program beginning in the Spring 2013 semester.

 

Students pursuing the certificate would register at Gateway but also be dually enrolled at UW-Parkside – even receive a student Ranger card – and take General Education courses at Gateway. This allows them the opportunity to seek financial aid through UW-Parkside, which they would have been unable to do at Gateway without declaring a program of study. Many students enter college undecided about their career path, but still desire to affordably earn their general studies credits, which would serve as required credits for a number of program areas.

 

Students must meet the standards of a 1-plus-3 General Education Certificate transfer agreement between Gateway and UW-Parkside, earning the 30 approved Gateway general studies course credits to meet the requirements of the certificate and transfer agreement.

 

In addition to benefiting students by allowing them to apply for financial aid and enter UW-Parkside as sophomores, the 1-plus-3 transfer agreement also presents an affordable option for students to earn their general studies credits.

 

The “1” in the agreement represents students completing their general studies courses, or about a year’s worth of courses for a full-time student. The “3” represents the final three years of courses they would take in their specific program area at UW-Parkside.

 

Gateway has also introduced a weekend college format, which provides students with the opportunity to earn 26 of the 30 credits needed in the transfer agreement certificate. The courses – which can be taken after 4 p.m. Fridays and during working hours Saturdays – can be applied toward a technical diploma and associate degree at Gateway or toward the general studies requirement at UW-Parkside.

 

The transfer agreement benefits students who may have been otherwise unable to attend UW-Parkside because of grades or failing to meet the college’s academic entrance standards, providing them with another option toward obtaining a four-year degree. They can also apply the general studies credits toward a Gateway associate degree, or earn a Gateway associate degree and transfer to UW-Parkside in program areas with 2-plus-2 transfer agreements.