NORWALK, Conn.—Transferring from Norwalk Community College to Sacred Heart University just got a little easier, thanks to an innovative articulation agreement between the two institutions.

More than half of Norwalk Community College students transfer upon graduation to four-year colleges and universities to complete a bachelor's degree.

Faculty and administrators at Norwalk Community College and Sacred Heart University have recently updated an articulation agreement between the schools enabling transfer of credits from NCC's Business School to Sacred Heart University's College of Business.      

The articulation agreement allows students receiving an Associate of Science degree in approved programs at NCC to enter the Sacred Heart University College of Business to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Business.

This “seamless” transfer of credits enables NCC students to complete their B.S. at Sacred Heart in just two years. The agreement extends to students who major at NCC in accounting, business administration, finance and banking, management and marketing.

An articulation ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, November 18, in the Norwalk Community College East Campus Atrium (East Campus building). A reception will follow.

“Both Norwalk Community College and Sacred Heart University have provided residents of Fairfield County with outstanding, affordable educational opportunities,” notes Norwalk Community College President David L. Levinson, Ph.D. “By creating a seamless pathway for students majoring in business, we will jointly create students who are uniquely trained for productive roles in our burgeoning knowledge economy."

Dr. Anthony J. Cernera, the president of Sacred Heart University, noted that SHU's mission specifically “calls on it to ‘join other colleges and universities in the task of expanding human knowledge and deepening human understanding.' By this agreement, our two institutions will make it easier for hundreds of men and women to pursue their dreams of advanced education and preparation for careers in business.”

The primary goals of the articulation agreement are to “encourage and enhance a more thorough knowledge base for students and to facilitate a smooth transition for students who choose to pursue a baccalaureate degree.” (Source: Articulation Agreement document). The agreement also fosters effective relations and communications between the two institutions.      

The schedule of events is as follows:

2:30 p.m.     Welcome (Ron Bealer, NCC Business School Chairman)
2:40 p.m.     NCC President Dr. David Levinson
2:50 p.m.     Sacred Heart University President Dr. Anthony Cernera
3:00 p.m.     Student Jana Novakova, a graduate of the NCC Class of 2003 (Finance and Banking major), who is now pursuing a B.A. at Sacred Heart University.   

3:10 p.m.     Dr. Stephen Brown, Sacred Heart University's dean of the the College of Business

A reception with light refreshments will follow the ceremony.

For more information, contact Ron Bealer, Chairman of the Norwalk Community College Business School at (203) 857-7177 or for full-time enrollment at Sacred Heart University contact Jamie Romeo, Sacred Heart University's director of transfer admissions at 203-365-7560 or for part-time enrollment at Sacred Heart University, contact Nancy Sidoti, dean of University College, at 203-371-7832.