Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) Frequently Asked Questins fr Cllege Persnnel What happened t the MACRAO Agreement? Originally signed in 1972, the MACRAO agreement has been used successfully by many students t transfer their general educatin curses frm cmmunity clleges t participating fur year institutins. In 2012 the Michigan legislature included language in the cmmunity cllege apprpriatins bill calling fr imprvement in the transferability f cllege curses between Michigan clleges and universities by revising the MACRAO Agreement. The Michigan Transfer Agreement has been created in an effrt t increase the transferability f lwer level general educatin curses acrss all f Michigan s public institutins. What is the Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA)? The Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) was designed t facilitate the transfer f general educatin requirements frm ne institutin t anther. Students may cmplete the Michigan Transfer Agreement as part f an assciate s degree r as a stand alne package at a Michigan cmmunity cllege. What are the minimum requirements t receive the MTA? T fulfill the Michigan Transfer Agreement, students must successfully cmplete at least 30 credits f cursewrk in six defined areas with at least a grade f 2.0 in each curse. What des it mean by distributin requirement f credits? Distributin requirements are a set f categries f academic disciplines frm which students select frm a list f curses t satisfy the requirements.
What are the distributins f credits that must be met fr the MTA*? One curse in English Cmpsitin A secnd curse in English Cmpsitin r ne curse in Cmmunicatins Tw curses in Scial Sciences (frm tw disciplines) Tw curses in Humanities and Fine Arts (frm tw disciplines excluding studi and perfrmance classes) Tw curses in Natural Sciences including ne with labratry experience (frm tw disciplines) One curse in Mathematics** that shuld be satisfied by an entry level cllege curse. * Additinal cursewrk may be necessary t satisfy the 30 credit hur requirement. 1 ** A mathematics curse shuld be treated as an entry level cllege curse; see Math Requirement sectin that fllws this FAQ fr a full descriptin. What special cnsideratin shuld be given t quarter hurs? Quarter hur based credits must be cnverted t equal 30 semester credit hurs in rder t fulfill the MTA, which translates t 46 quarter hurs. When will the MTA be available? The MTA will take effect fr students wh begin their studies in the fall 2014 semester. Students wh started prir t fall 2014 will be able t cmplete the existing MACRAO Agreement until the end f the summer 2019. Will students that have already cmpleted the MACRAO agreement be required t cmplete the MTA? N, irrespective f time, if a student already has a MACRAO Satisfied endrsement previusly placed n their transcript, it is expected that receiving institutin will still hnr the MACRAO Stamp if it is in the best interest f the individual student.
Wh determines if students have met the MTA requirements? Individual sending institutins determine specific curses t be included in the MTA categries at their institutin. What d yu mean by sending and receiving institutins? The sending institutin refers t participating cmmunity clleges and the receiving institutin refers t fur year clleges and universities that participate in the MTA. Hw d students get the MTA endrsement n their transcript? It is the sending institutin s respnsibility t develp a prcess t certify students wh have satisfied the requirements f the MTA, which includes prminently displaying MTA Satisfied n an fficial transcript. Hw many curses must a student cmplete in rder fr a sending institutin t recgnize the cmpletin f the MTA? Students are required t cmplete at least ne credit bearing curse at the institutin awarding the MTA. What happens if students d nt meet the minimum 30 credits required t satisfy the MTA but need t transfer t anther cllege? Sending institutins may use credits earned at ther institutins tward cmpletin f the MTA requirements, including credit reverse transferred frm the receiving institutin. A student must earn at least ne credit bearing curse at the sending institutin in rder t have MTA Satisfied psted n a transcript. Students must earn at least a grade f 2.0 in each MTA curse in rder fr it t cunt twards the minimum MTA requirements. Are students required t cmplete an assciate s degree in rder t satisfy the MTA? Students are nt required t cmplete an assciate s degree in rder t satisfy the MTA and likewise, students wh have cmpleted an assciate s degree shuld be allwed t return later t cmplete the MTA. D students need t enrlled at the sending institutin in rder t earn the MTA? N. Students shuld nt be required t be enrlled at a sending institutin during the semester they request an MTA evaluatin.
Hw will the receiving institutin knw that a student has cmpleted the MTA? The sending institutin will include the phase MTA Satisfied n the fficial transcript. Des it make sense fr all students t cmplete the MTA at a sending institutin? Sme academic prgrams may have general educatin requirements that are cmprised f mstly math and science curses. In thse cases, students shuld wrk with their academic advisrs at their sending institutins in rder t determine whether the MTA is apprpriate fr their educatinal needs. Will cmmunity clleges include curses they have transferred in frm institutins that are nt reginally accredited institutins? Cmmunity clleges will fllw their wn transfer plicies t determine which curses can be transferred int their cllege and used t satisfy the MTA. The exceptin t this rule wuld be any plicies allwing transfer credit fr cursewrk in which a grade lwer than a C was earned. Cursewrk must be earned with a grade f C (2.0) r higher in rder t be utilized fr the MTA. What shuld institutins d with transcripts n which a student has earned a C, but the sending institutin has given them tw grade pints? If a sending institutin has included a curse like this in a student s satisfied MTA, it is understd that the institutin recgnizes this curse as a 2.0 What if a student placed ut f a cllege level math class? If a student passed a cllege level math placement exam, he/she wuld be respnsible fr taking a math curse that is the next level up. Fr example, if a student placed ut f Intermediate Algebra and Cllege Algebra was the next level math curse, he/she wuld take Cllege Algebra t meet the MTA math requirement. This des NOT apply fr students wh received a passing scre n the AP r CLEP exam fr which cllege credit is granted and may be applied t the 30 credit blck. What are ccupatinal (vcatinal) curses? Will they cunt twards satisfying any f the MTA distributin requirements? Occupatinal (vcatinal) curses are thse classes devted t educating based n ccupatin r emplyment in preparing students fr specific trades, crafts, and careers. These curses typically teach jb specific skills and training that are nt generally accepted as part f a liberal arts educatin. Examples f ccupatinal curses include ffice administratin, apprenticeships, etc. Occupatinal curses cannt be cnsidered in fulfilling MTA distributin requirements.
What are studi and perfrming arts curses? Will they cunt twards satisfying any f the MTA distributin requirements? Studi and perfrming arts curses cannt be cnsidered in fulfilling MTA distributin requirements. Studi and perfrming arts curses are applied and pragmatic in nature, as ppsed t lecture based curses devted t a brad survey f the arts designed t sensitize students t the variety f art frms and their imprtance in cntemprary civilizatin. Examples f studi and perfrming arts curses include drawing, sculpture, acting, etc. Studi and perfrming arts curses cannt be cnsidered in fulfilling MTA distributin requirements. Can a student chse t participate in the MTA if he/she started his/her pst secndary educatin befre fall 2014? Yes. Students that started at a sending institutin befre fall 2014 may elect t pursue the MTA. Students are encuraged t wrk with an advisr in rder t determine which agreement is the best fit fr them. Hw lng des a student have t finish the MACRAO Transfer Agreement if he/she started prir t fall 2014? Students wh started prir t fall 2014 will be able t cmplete the existing MACRAO Transfer Agreement until the end f summer 2019. Students are encuraged t wrk with an advisr in rder t determine which agreement is the best fit fr them. Is it pssible fr a student t duble cunt a speech curse as satisfying bth the secnd cmpsitin/cmmunicatins curse and as ne f the tw curses required fr humanities? The intent f the MTA is fr a student t cmplete a separate curse in each f the categries. If a student elects t take a cmmunicatins curse fr their cmpsitin/cmmunicatin categry, they must cmplete tw additinal humanities curses t satisfy the MTA. If a student is required t cmplete intermediate algebra as a prerequisite t their MTA mathematics curse, can the credit hurs earned in the intermediate algebra curses cunt in the 30 required fr the cmpletin f the MTA? N. All cursewrk included in a student s MTA must be cllege level.
Hw might the MTA be impacted by credit hur earned thrugh AP, IB, CLEP, Dual Enrllment, r Early/Middle Clleges? Advanced Credit (AP, IB, CLEP, etc.), Dual Enrllment, and Early/Middle Clleges were nt cnsidered in the drafting f the initial MTA recmmendatins. We recgnize the imprtance f this cnversatin, and we plan t include mre detailed language n this matter in subsequent versins f the MTA handbk. In the interim, institutins are encuraged t keep with the spirit f the MTA in making studentcentered decisins. The abve list f questins is nt meant t be exhaustive. Shuld yu have a questin that is nt listed n this FAQ, please cntact MTA Supprt at michigantransferagreement@gmail.cm.
FAQ Addendum: Math Requirement A select number f mathematics faculty frm tw year and fur year institutins were appinted t a special task frce t define the MTA math requirement. The Math Task Frce devised three math pathways that satisfy the MTA math requirement: Cllege Algebra Pathway Fr students prceeding t prgrams that specifically require backgrund in algebra, particularly STEM prgrams. Statement n Prerequisites: Fr success in the Cllege Algebra Pathway a cllege level curse has a prerequisite skill level f intermediate algebra r high schl algebra II r equivalent cntent. Students will be expected t apply advanced algebra skills. This curse must be beynd Intermediate Algebra. Tpics/cntent that shuld be a part f a curse in this pathway: Functins, plynmials (including plynmials f degree greater than 2 and the fundamental therem f algebra), ratinal functins, lgarithms, expnential functins, inverse functins, and graphing by recgnitin and transfrmatin rather than by pltting pints. Pre calculus tpics such as sequences and series may als be included. Descriptrs t cnsider fr this pathway: This curse (pssibly in cnjunctin with a separate curse n trignmetry) wuld qualify a student t take a calculus curse This curse shuld be ne that yur mathematically capable student wuld start with after cmpleting high schl Algebra I and II This curse shuld prvide a strng fundatin fr critical mathematical thinking Many students in this pathway will have additinal math curses required fr their prgram; if a cllegealgebra type curse is a prerequisite fr that curse, students wh are ready t begin with that curse might be able t use it fr meeting the math requirement. Guidelines frm the Mathematics Assciatin f America: Cllege Algebra prvides students a cllege level academic experience that emphasizes the use f algebra and functins in prblem slving and mdeling, prvides a fundatin in quantitative literacy, supplies the algebra and ther mathematics needed in partner disciplines, and helps meet quantitative needs in, and utside f, academia. Students address prblems presented as real wrld situatins by creating and interpreting mathematical mdels. Slutins t the prblems are frmulated, validated, and analyzed using mental, paper and pencil, algebraic, and technlgy based techniques as apprpriate. Link: http://www.maa.rg/sites/default/files/pdf/cupm/crafty/crafty Cll Alg Guidelines.pdf
Statistics Pathway Fr students prceeding t prgrams in business r scial sciences. Statement n Prerequisites: The Statistics Pathway will satisfy the MTA requirements fr general educatin. Fr success in the Statistics Pathway a cllege level curse has a prerequisite skill level f at least beginning algebra r high schl algebra I r equivalent cntent. Students will be expected t apply basic algebra skills. Tpics/cntent that shuld be a part f a curse in this pathway: Prbability, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics, including hypthesis testing, p values, cnfidence intervals, and linear regressin. The curse shuld incrprate bth frmula based and technlgy based appraches t statistics. Descriptrs t cnsider fr this pathway: This curse must g beynd descriptive statistics The curse can be algebra based r calculus based The curse must be taught and rganized by the Math (r Statistics) department r be crss listed as a Math (r Statistics) curse The curse shuld be cnceptually driven frm a Math perspective Guidelines frm the American Statistical Assciatin: The best thinking abut intrductry statistics curses is that students shuld fcus n statistical thinking. The Guidelines list gals f the statistics curse, which frm the minimum expectatins fr an MTA statistics curse. Link: http://www.amstat.rg/educatin/gaise/gaisecllege_gals.pdf
Quantitative Reasning Pathway Fr students prceeding t prgrams nt requiring statistics r calculus. Statement n Prerequisites: The Quantitative Reasning Pathway will satisfy the MTA requirements fr general educatin. Fr success in the Quantitative Reasning Pathway a cllege level curse has a prerequisite skill level f at least beginning algebra r high schl algebra I r equivalent cntent. Students will be expected t apply basic algebra skills. Tpics/cntent that shuld be a part f a curse in this pathway: Mathematical mdeling and the use f reasning t chse between cmpeting mdels Numeric, symblic, and graphical methds t handle a variety f applicatins Tpics culd include but are nt limited t number sense and estimatin, linear and nn linear mdels, financial mdels, symblic lgic, netwrks and graphs, prbability and cunting, statistical reasning, vting thery, gemetric mdels, similarity and scaling, and game thery Descriptrs t cnsider fr this pathway: Building n the Kentucky guidelines articulated belw, this curse shuld help students cmmunicate mathematical and/r statistical infrmatin symblically, visually, and/r numerically. This curse shuld als help students cmmunicate a quantitative argument in writing. Guidelines brrwed frm the Kentucky Cuncil n Pstsecndary Educatin: The General Educatin Transfer Plicy and Implementatin Guidelines fr Quantitative Reasning (page 11): Interpret infrmatin presented in mathematical and/r statistical frms. Illustrate and cmmunicate mathematical and/r statistical infrmatin symblically, visually, and/r numerically. Determine when cmputatins are needed and t execute the apprpriate cmputatins. Apply an apprpriate mdel t the prblem t be slved Make inferences, evaluate assumptins, and assess limitatins in estimatin mdeling and/r statistical analysis. Link: http://cpe.ky.gv/nr/rdnlyres/6d7a8159 16D8 4810 A0B6 3D8161157D73/0/Revised_GE_Transfer_PlicyImp_Guidelines.pdf