Academic Transfer Programs

Colorado Northwestern offers the Associate of Arts (AA) and the Associate of Science (AS) degrees for the student who wishes to transfer to a baccalaureate-level college or university. Each of the programs fulfills the General Education Core Transfer Program. 

Career and transfer opportunities vary according to one’s intended major of concentration. Students are encouraged to explore a range of subjects through elective course work in fine arts, behavioral sciences, natural sciences and mathematics, literature, business, and humanities. Students are assisted, through the academic advising program, to realistically assess their goals and aspirations.

GT Pathways

gtPathways is a set of general education courses that the state guarantees to transfer to a public institution in the state of Colorado. The curriculum consists of 31 credit hours of courses across 5 content areas - Communications, Mathematics, Natural and Life Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Arts and Humanities. The number of credits required in these areas differs with the various degree designations. Details are available on the specific program pages. Receiving institutions shall apply guaranteed general education courses to a student’s general education or major requirements. Approved courses in gtPathways are not based on course equivalencies but meet content and competency criteria. Receiving institutions shall apply guaranteed general education courses to a student’s general education or major requirements.

The gtPathways Program makes it possible for CNCC students to complete a core of general education curriculum requirements and be guaranteed transfer credit for these classes at Colorado’s public four-year colleges and universities. Each Core course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. Only courses taken after the Colorado Department of Higher Education approval date have transfer guarantees.

Keep in mind that it is always a good idea to check with the school you wish to attend, so you are clear about which credits will transfer beyond any that are guaranteed by the gtPathways transfer program or a statewide articulation agreement.

State approved core courses are indicated by bold print. State-approved elective courses are in plain lettering.

Statewide Transfer Articulation Agreements (Degrees with Designation)

The Colorado Community College System has entered into a series of agreements between Colorado’s community/junior colleges and Colorado’s public four-year colleges and universities of Colorado (Adams State College, Colorado Mesa University (Mesa State) Colorado State University-Ft Collins, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Fort Lewis College, Metropolitan State College of Denver, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, University of Northern Colorado, and Colorado Western State University) on a guaranteed transfer curriculum. These agreements assure transferability of general education courses among Colorado’s public colleges and universities, ensuring access to higher education to students who wish to meet the lower division general education requirements of most baccalaureate degrees at a local community college before continuing at a four-year college or university.

The purpose of statewide transfer articulation agreements is to identify the courses a student at a Colorado public community college must complete as part of an AA/AS degree to be guaranteed the ability to complete the designated baccalaureate degree program at any public four-year college and university that offers that program within the minimum number of credits designated by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. For more information about Statewide Transfer Articulation Agreements/Degrees with Designation please visit http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Transfers/Students.html.

Students should check with a transfer coordinator and/or advisor with the school they wish to attend, so that they are clear about which credits will transfer beyond any that are guaranteed by the guaranteed transfer program or a statewide articulation agreement.

Per 23-1-108 student coursework must be completed within 10 years of receiving their degree with designation from the Colorado community college. Any coursework that exceeds this 10 year requirement  and applies to the degree with designation may be evaluated on a course-by-course basis when the student transfers to the 4-year institution. 

Part One-Guarantees

Students who complete an AA/AS degree and the prescribed curriculum in the articulation agreement and are admitted (with no academic deficiencies that require additional coursework) to a receiving institution participating in this agreement are guaranteed the following:

1. Junior standing with no more than 60 remaining credits to meet the graduation requirements for a baccalaureate degree in the degree program covered by this articulation agreement.
2. Completion of the receiving institution’s lower division general education requirements as defined by the gtPathways curriculum.
3. The same graduation requirements as students who begin and complete this degree program at the receiving institution. 

Part Two-Limitations

Completion of the curriculum prescribed within this statewide articulation agreement does not guarantee admission to a participating receiving institution. Students must meet all admission and application requirements at the receiving institution including the submission of all required documentation by stated deadlines. Please note: students transferring to a University of Colorado institution (Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver) must satisfy the CU System’s MAPS (Minimum Academic Preparation Standards) requirement.

Only courses with grades of C- or higher are guaranteed to transfer.

Admission to a receiving institution does not guarantee enrollment in a specific degree program. Some programs at receiving institutions have controlled entry due either to space limitations or academic requirements.

The credit and course transfer guarantees described in this agreement apply to the specific degree program covered by this agreement. Receiving institutions will evaluate application of the courses designated in this agreement to other degree programs on a course-by-course basis.

Students who wish to use credits awarded by exam, such as AP (Advanced Placement), or IB (International Baccalaureate), to fulfill specific course requirements are responsible for consulting with the transfer institution to determine whether the credits they have been awarded by exam meet the standards of the receiving institution for specific course equivalents.

The receiving institution will accept all applicable credits earned within ten years of transfer to the receiving institution. Credits earned more than ten years earlier will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis.

All the courses a student needs to take in the discipline covered by this Articulation Agreement are listed in the Prescribed Curriculum. Any additional courses taken in the discipline covered by this Agreement may not count toward the requirements of the major at the receiving institution. Students can avoid this problem by only taking the courses identified in the Prescribed Curriculum for the discipline or by consulting first with the receiving institution to assure that any additional courses they take in the discipline will count toward the major.

Because of the limitations above, students must consult with the Office of Admissions at the institution to which they are considering transferring. The Transfer Policy of the Colorado Department of Higher Education is available at: http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Transfers/Students.html Any additional limitations will be noted in each Statewide Transfer Articulation Agreement/Degree with Designation.

Transfer Academic Programs, Including Degrees with Designation Offered at CNCC

Colorado Northwestern offers the courses necessary to complete the following designations on the campuses indicated:

Associate of Arts Degree (Craig, Rangely, and Online)

• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Business (Craig, Rangely, and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in History (Craig, Rangely, and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Psychology (Craig, Rangely, and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Economics (Craig, Rangely, and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Spanish (Craig, Rangely and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Criminal Justice (Craig, Rangely and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Philosophy (Craig, Rangely and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Anthropology (Craig, Rangely and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Early Childhood Teacher Education (Craig, Rangely and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Elementary Teacher Education (Craig, Rangely and Online)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in French (Craig, Rangely and Online)

Associate of Science Degree (Craig, Rangely, and Online)

• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Agricultural Business (Rangely and Craig)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Animal Science (Rangely and Craig)
• Associate of Science in Equine Science (Rangely and Craig)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Biology (Rangely and Online)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Psychology (Craig, Rangely, and Online)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Geology (Craig, Rangely and Online)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Mathematics (Craig, Rangely and Online)

Additional Degrees with Designation are available, but will require online course work or transfer credit to complete the degree. These can be found at: http://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Transfers/Students.html

Associate of Arts Degree

• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Anthropology (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Business (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Criminal Justice (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Economics (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Early Childhood Teacher Education (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Elementary Teacher Education (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in English (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in French (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in History Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Philosophy (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Psychology (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Arts Degree Designation in Spanish (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)

Associate of Science Degree

• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Agricultural Business (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Animal Science  (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Biology (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Equine Science (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Geology (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Mathematics (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)
• Associate of Science Degree Designation in Psychology (Craig and Rangely with online courses required)

Institutional Transfer Guides

Colorado Department of Higher Education has created a resource to help community college students planning to transfer to in-state 4-year institutions. These transfer guides will assist students on knowing what to take at CNCC as part of their Associate degree that will transfer and apply to the Bachelor degree requirements at the 4-year institution. CNCC advisors can assist students with understanding these resources. This resource can be accessed at: https://cdhe.colorado.gov/institutional-transfer-guides.