The College Transfer Program provides opportunities for students to complete coursework that will transfer as baccalaureate credit to four-year colleges and universities. By completing courses in the Arts and Sciences, students can earn Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, or Associate in Fine Arts degrees. These degrees are designed to prepare students to continue their education as juniors in their field of study.

Sandhills is actively and fully complying with the 1997 Comprehensive Articulation Agreement between the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) and the University of North Carolina (UNC) System. This agreement establishes college transfer courses, degrees and policies that are accepted by all 58 community colleges and all 16 UNC colleges and universities. Students who complete degree requirements will have certain guarantees that credits earned will transfer to UNC institutions. These guarantees are discussed in the degree requirements sections that follow.

Students who do not complete all degree or general education requirements of the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement will be able to transfer credit on a course-by-course basis and must comply with the requirements of the receiving institution. In all cases, it remains the responsibility of the student to be aware of special requirements of a particular institution or program.

Special Note: Students planning to transfer to four-year institutions must still comply with the University of North Carolina Minimum Admission Requirements (MAR). The following guidelines apply:

• The MAR requires completion of minimum academic units in high school: 4 course units in English, 3 course units in mathematics, 3 course units in science, and 2 course units in social studies. Students who complete the MAR in high school are eligible to apply for admission to a university.

   

• Students who did not complete the MAR in high school may satisfy the requirements by successfully completing an A.A. or A.S. degree program in a community college.

   

• Students who did not complete the MAR in high school and who plan to transfer before completing the associate degree must complete six semester hours each in college transfer-level English, math, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences to satisfy MAR. CIS 110 and 115 do not count as MAR math credit for students who do not complete the associate degree.

General Requirements
To be awarded an associate degree, a student must complete 64 or 65 semester hours of credit, which include all requirements applicable to a particular degree program or pre-major agreement.

At least 18 semester hours of credit must be completed at Sandhills Community College.

Courses required are either part of the General Education Core or are considered Other Required Hours.

General Education Core
The General Education Core includes study in the areas of humanities and the fine arts, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences and mathematics, and English composition. Within the core, students receive opportunities to achieve competence in reading, writing, communicating, demonstrating mathematical skills, understanding science concepts, and using computers.

Other Required Hours provide the opportunity for students to specialize and tailor their degree programs to particular interests, majors or career fields.

Special note on the General Education Core requirement for the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degree: The General Education Core requirement of 44 semester hours of credit has been established under the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (1977). Any student who completes the entire 44-hour core will be able to transfer all 44 hours as a block to any UNC institution. This 44-hour core will fulfill the lower-division general education requirements of the receiving UNC institution even if specific course requirements at the institution are different.

Pre-Major Agreements
Pre-major agreements have been developed state-wide in several major areas. These agreements specify in more detail which courses students should take to be prepared to enter major programs at the junior level in one of the sixteen universities in the University of North Carolina System. Any student who successfully completes the requirements of an approved pre-major agreement will be awarded the Associate Degree appropriate to the major from Sandhills Community College.

While the Associate in Art and Science degrees are part of the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement, the Associate in Fine Arts degree is not. It does not contain a 44-hour general education core; consequently, students graduating with Associate in Fine Arts degrees should expect to take additional general education courses at the four-year institution. Additionally, their general education courses will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis at the receiving institution.

Pre-major agreements will be available to students through one of the hypertext links below, their advisors or the Division of Student Services.

ASSOCIATE IN ARTS Art Education Business Administration Business Administration - A.A.S. Students who wish to transfer to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke extension branch on the SCC campus and major in Business Adminstration may also transfer with the Associate in Applied Science in Business Administration. Student can earn both the BS in Business Administration and the MBA degree. Business/Marketing Education Criminal Justice Elementary Education English English Education Health Education History Middle Grades Education and Special Education Nursing Physical Education Political Science Psychology Social Science Secondary Education Social Work Sociology Speech/Communication ASSOCIATE IN FINE ARTS Visual Arts Music ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE Biology/Biology Education Chemistry/Chemistry Education Computer Science Engineering Mathematics Mathematics Education

The faculty and staff at Sandhills Community College recognize that student learning lies at the heart of all we do. In pursuit of this, we abide by the principles of academic freedom and academic integrity. Faculty and students must be free to examine all pertinent data, question assumptions, be guided by the evidence of scholarly research, and teach and study the substance of their discipline. Instructors are afforded the freedom to manage the learning environment of their courses. At the same time, students will be afforded a quality educational experience where learning is encouraged, evaluations are substantive and meaningful, and grades are awarded fairly.

Graduates of all associate's degree programs should be competent in five fundamental areas: reading, writing, oral communication, fundamental mathematical skills, and the basic use of computers. Students must demonstrate this competence as follows:

Reading. All associate's degree students are required to show reading competence through appropriate scores on reading competence tests. Those who cannot demonstrate this competence are required to take one or more developmental reading courses and must demonstrate competence prior to entering ENG 111, which is required of all students graduating with an associate's degree.

Writing. All associate's degree students are required to take ENG 111, Expository Writing. The final writing assignment for students in this class is evaluated for writing competence based on a recognized grading rubric. Students must demonstrate writing competence in order to pass the course.

Oral Communication. All associate's degree students are required to take ENG 112, Argument-Based Research, or ENG 114, Professional Research and Reporting. Each of these classes contains an oral communication component. Each student's competence is evaluated based on a recognized grading rubric. Students must demonstrate competence in oral communication in order to pass the course. Successful completion of an oral communication (COM) course also will satisfy this requirement.

Mathematical Skills. All associate's degree students are required to show mathematical competence through appropriate scores on competence tests. Those who cannot demonstrate this competence are required to take one or more developmental mathematics classes prior to entering their associate's degree programs. All graduates of associate's degree programs are required to complete successfully at least one mathematics or laboratory-based quantitative science course.

Basic Use of Computers. All students who graduate with associate's degrees are required to successfully complete ENG 111, Expository Writing. In order to complete this class, all students are required to show competency in the following basic computer skills: creating and storing files, using a word processor to create a properly formatted document, transporting files by way of networks, using computer-based communications, and performing Internet-based searching and retrieval of information. These skills are reinforced in both ENG 112 and ENG 114, either of which is required for all associate's degree programs. Successful completion of a computer (CIS) course also will satisfy this requirement. Any candidate for graduation that has not completed the competencies described above will be separately evaluated and the competencies documented prior to receiving their degree. For example, a student who has been awarded transfer credit for ENG 111 will be separately evaluated by the English Department for basic computer skills since the institution from which the credit was transferred may not have evaluated that competency. Successful completion of courses specifically designed to develop required competencies may be acceptable and must be approved on a case-by-case basis by the dean of instruction.

We invite those interested in learning more about admission to a degree, diploma, or certificate program to contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at (910) 695-3729 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .