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Begin your university degree here
More and more students are finding that starting a bachelor’s degree at a community college is a smart choice. At PCC, you can take many of the same freshman and sophomore courses offered at universities, like art, science, music, literature, writing, and more. Why not start close to home and save money?
Here are a few ways to start at PCC and complete a bachelor’s degree at a university:
Earn an associate degree, then transfer
With this plan, you’ll start here as a freshman, earn a degree, then transfer to a four-year school as a junior. You can take as little or as much time as you need to complete your freshman and sophomore courses.
Start your transfer degree today:
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Apply for admission to PCC
Applying for admission is free and just takes a few minutes.
- The admissions form will ask you what you plan to study. For now, choose Associate of Arts – Oregon Transfer (AAOT). You will update your PCC degree later, after you’ve decided what your future major will be.
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Start with foundation classes
For your first term, take the reading, writing, and math classes recommended by your placement tests. If you need help choosing a career path or college major, consider signing up for CG 140A Career and Life Planning (3 credits) or CG 130 Today’s Careers (2 credits).
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Make an education plan
During your first term, start working on the steps in your transfer plan. How long it takes for you to earn an associate degree from PCC depends on: how many credits you take per term; if you attend summer term; and where your placement tests recommend you start in reading, writing and math. Sometime during your first year or 45 credits, consider taking CG 225 Transfer to a University (2 credits). Also be sure to check if your major has an articulation agreement with the college(s) you’re interested in!
In general, if you attend:
- Full time, you’ll register for 12 to 15 (or more) credits per term, taking 6 to 7 terms to graduate.
- 3/4 time, you’ll register for 9 to 11 credits per term, taking 8 to 10 terms to graduate.
- Part time, you’ll register for 6 to 8 credits per term, taking 11 to 13 terms to graduate.
Consider Dual Enrollment
Some majors require you to start taking upper division (300 and 400 level) courses during the first two years of a four-year bachelor’s degree. If this is the case for you, dual enrollment at PCC and one of our co-admission partners might be a great fit! This is also a smart option for students with majors PCC does not offer, but where the general education requirements can be done at PCC to save you money.
You can be dually-enrolled as a PCC student at these four university partners:
- Portland State University (PSU)
- Oregon State University (OSU)
- Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT)
- Linfield College
See Dual Enrollment for more information and learn how to apply!
Pick up a few credits, then transfer
Just need a few classes before moving on? PCC is a great place to take your lower-level classes. We offer the same rigor and course material as four-year schools, but with a much smaller price tag.
Already a university student? You can also enroll in PCC over the summer to re-take a course you didn’t pass at the university (just make sure your university says PCC’s course is equivalent to theirs for transfer purposes), or take some general education courses to save money! You can even transfer university classes back to PCC and earn an associate’s degree after you’ve transferred.
Start taking classes here that will count there:
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Apply for admission to PCC
Applying for admission is free and just takes a few minutes.
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Research transfer classes
To find which classes will transfer to your future school, you can research how to transfer or ask an adviser or transfer specialist at the school you are transferring to. Before making your final class selections, always check in with an advisor at your four-year school.
- You can also consider the Oregon Core Transfer Map (CTM). The CTM requires WR121Z, a 100-level (or higher) math course, and two courses from each: Arts & Letters, Social Science, Lab Sciences. All classes transfer to meet at least 30 credits of general education requirements for a bachelor’s degree at any Oregon public university.
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Send your transcript
When you’re ready to transfer, have your official PCC transcript sent to your four-year school. If you attend PCC again after transferring, or take summer classes to catch up, be sure to send your transcript to your university again!
Questions about transferring?
Undecided about how long you’ll be in school? What to choose as a major? Which degree to pick? That’s okay. Here is where to get help:
- Ask your future school: An advisor at your future school will know which classes will transfer, what major to choose, and what paperwork to fill out. Many schools visit PCC throughout the year so you can ask questions in person – see events and school visits.
- Academic Track: This self-guided tutorial explains the difference between PCC’s degrees and how to choose one that will take you where you want to go.
- Academic Advising: PCC’s advisors help match your academic goals with PCC’s programs and degrees.
- Career Services: PCC’s Career Services office can help you explore and decide on a career path, and find transfer universities that will help you reach your goal.