The Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) is a statewide agreement designed to create a smooth transfer of community college students to any of the 16 public universities in the UNC System.
What is a Transfer Student?
A transfer student enrolls at CCC and then transfers to attend another college or university. At CCC, the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees are designed for students who plan to transfer.
The Associate in Fine Arts in Visual Arts degree transfers to some universities under the Uniform Articulation Agreement.
Some Associate in Applied Science programs transfer as part of a Bilateral, 2+2, Articulation agreement, or other agreement between CCC and a specific university.
Transferring from a Community College to a University in North Carolina
There are 58 community colleges in North Carolina, and they make up the North Carolina Community College System, known as NCCCS. The Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Science (AS) degrees at an NC community college are equivalent to the first two years of general education courses at a university. Students who go straight to a university after high school take the same courses they would take in the AA or AS degrees at a community college.
The NCCCS and the public universities in North Carolina, known as the University of North Carolina System (UNC System) have a Comprehensive Articulation Agreement under which community college students can transfer to any of the 16 public universities in the UNC System.
In addition, there is an Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (ICAA) between the NCCCS and the North Carolina Independent Universities and Colleges (NCICU). Not all private universities are part of the NCICU. There are 30 private universities in the NCICU system.
Transfer Agreements
As a member of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS), Cleveland Community College participates in multiple transfer agreements for college-transfer programs. These agreements provide a smooth transfer of credits from NC community colleges to any of the 16 North Carolina public universities or 30 private signatory institutions across the state.
Why Is It Important To Choose A Transfer University And Major?
Each university posts four-year degree plans (by major) on its website. The plans list the courses students should take at the community college to complete their AA or AS degree.
When choosing courses to take at the community college, students should follow the four-year degree plan for the major they want to pursue at the university they plan to transfer to.
Additional Resources
- North Carolina Community Colleges System College Transfer Articulation Agreements
- UNC System NC Community College Transfer
- UNC System College Transfer/Articulation Agreements
- UNC System Contacts by Institution
- UNC System Program and Degree Finder
- VLC Course Finder – Search available courses at NC Community Colleges