Start at RCC and finish at the 4-Year of your choice! Roxbury Community College students have many options when transferring for a bachelor's degree. The main goal of RCC's Transfer Services is to assist students with learning about the transfer process and understanding the value of obtaining a bachelor’s degree!
To learn more about transferring to a four-year college/university, use the Transfer Services website as your guide! Explore a variety of transfer options through state and private programs, learn about transfer scholarships and search how your RCC courses will transfer using course equivalency databases. This site also has direct contact information for four-year college transfer admissions reps in Massachusetts and the New England region.
Appointment
Make a virtual(Teams) or on-campus appointment with Evan Desatnick, Coordinator of Transfer Affairs & Articulation Services via Bookings at: Transfer Services Student Appointments (office365.com)
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2025!!
There are many ways to explore the transfer process! RCC Transfer Services has many transfer engagement events such as Virtual Transfer Workshops, Four-Year Colleges/University Transfer Tabling, College Transfer Fair and other events throughout the academic year!
Summer 2025 Transfer Event
Delaware State University Transfer Virtual Information Session
Tuesday: July 29th at 11am via Zoom
https://zoom.us/j/91399459473?pwd=iz6TZwClOhGCtKVQa6IVHlhmhEOhhR.1
Meeting ID: 913 9945 9473
Passcode: 725531
Become an HBCU student at DSU! Learn about RCC to DSU's Transfer Agreement for an online bachelor of science in Public Health!
https://www.desu.edu/academics/dsu-online
The following is a general guided timeline to assist you in your transfer planning throughout your academic journey at RCC!
General Transfer Plan by Credits
0-12 Credits
- Work closely with an RCC academic advisor at the Center for Student SUCCESS, Advising & Retention to plan your RCC coursework and review your academic goals. Use your RCC degree audit to understand your program requirements and map out an RCC academic plan.
- Work with your RCC academic advisor to ensure you are in a transfer-focused program of study.
- Begin basic research on four-year college/universities both private and public.
- Consider the who, what, where, when and why in your plan search/plan. These may include desired features such as cost, location, size, student services, and availability of online learning. Ask yourself these questions:
- Utilize the RCC Transfer Services website for general information and use the transfer contact database to reach out to transfer admissions reps at your schools of interest.
- If you are considering transferring to a four-year state college/university, visit the MassTransfer website for Associate to Bachelor (A2B) Program Maps that will lay out specific course work for your program of choice and have financial advantages based on your graduation at RCC and final GPA.
- If you are considering transferring to a four-year private college in Massachusetts, visit the Mass Guarantee website for information on transfer benefits for RCC graduates.
13-30 Credits
- Continue your research on colleges/universities that continue to attract your interests.
- Make an appointment with RCC's Transfer Coordinator to begin a review of your transfer plans.
- Attend virtual or in-person open houses, admissions events, program specific information sessions.
- Attend RCC's transfer events and workshops during the academic year.
- Visit with four-year college/university transfer admissions reps that come to RCC for Transfer tabling.
31-45 Credits
- Attend transfer events and open houses at colleges/universities you wish to attend.
- Work with your RCC academic advisor and be sure you are on track with the required RCC coursework.
- Work directly with RCC's Transfer Coordinator for continued dialogue with your transfer plans.
- Narrow your focus on the colleges where you plan to apply.
- Directly contact the transfer admissions reps of schools you are interested in. Many contacts can be found on the RCC Transfer Services website.
- Contact the prospective major department at the four-year college/university to see if there are departmental admission requirements or open houses for your major.
- Begin general review of colleges/universities application materials and become familiar with transfer deadlines.
- Begin research on the process of your college application (remember transcripts, letters of recommendation, deadlines, school specific requirements).
- Research Transfer Scholarship opportunities and ensure you meet the criteria to apply and have the correct deadlines of each scholarship.
-Visit the university before you apply. This is a good time to find out information about the institution as well as let them know who you are.
46-61 Credits
- Review your degree audit with your RCC academic advisor and make sure you are on track to graduate!
- Attend RCC transfer events and visit the college/university you plan on attending to finalize transfer plan with four-year colleges.
- Finalize all Transfer Scholarship applications
- APPLY!
If you are applying to a four-year state college/university you will most likely be applying as a MassTransfer student.
If you are applying to a selective four-year private college/university, review their full applications deadlines and requirements. You will most likely be using the Common Application.
- Send RCC Transcripts
*Note: Check with the Roxbury CC Registrar’s Office to ensure that your graduation status is recorded on your transcript before you request a final transcript.
- Apply for Financial Aid
This Transfer Planning guide should be helpful for you when you are considering your 4-year college/university transfer options.
MassTransfer
RCC students thinking about transferring to a Massachusetts public state college/university should consider MassTransfer.
What is MassTransfer?
MassTransfer consists of three main components that are all designed to maximize transferrability.
State Colleges/Universities Participating in MassTransfer:
| UMass Amherst | UMass Boston |
| UMass Dartmouth | UMass Lowell |
| Bridgewater State University | Fitchburg State University |
| Framingham State University | Mass. College of Liberal Arts |
| Mass. Maritime Academy | Mass. College of Art & Design |
| Salem State University | Westfield State University |
| Worcester State University |
Roxbury Community College MassTransfer Programs
| Arts & Humanities | Business Administration |
| Biological Sciences | Broadcast Media Technology |
| English | Criminal Justice (for RCC students enrolled after fall 2024) |
| Health Careers | Liberal Arts |
| Mathematics | Musical Arts |
| Physical Science | Social Science |
|
Theatre Arts |
Visual Arts |
MassTransfer General Education Foundation (MassTransfer Block)
Complete 34 credits of general education foundation and save an average of 11% on your bachelor’s degree!
The first MassTransfer benefit for students is known as the MassTransfer General Education Foundation (also called the MassTransfer Block). This is a set of 34 general requirement courses for most undergraduate degrees at a two and four-year higher ediucation institution. The courses in the MassTransfer Gen Ed Foundation are shown below.
When a student completes the MassTransfer General Education Foundation, the receiving institution may add no more than two additional courses (up to 8 credits) for students transferring with the GenEd Foundation and no more than four additional courses (up to 16 credits) for students with the STEM GenEd. This provision only applies in instances when the receiving institution places these requirements on its resident students.
* Please note that students who just complete the MT General Education Foundation will have this noted on their RCC transcript but it will not guarantee admission to the four-year institution or provide any MassTransfer financial benefits.
* The STEM Gen Ed Foundation must be completed with the associate degree and will not transfer as a block of courses by itself. Student will recieve the STEM Block by completing RCC associate degrees in Biotechnology, Engineering and Mathematics
MassTransfer General Education Foundation & RCC Courses
| Subject Areas | Credits | Roxbury Community College Courses |
| English Composition/Writing | 6 Credits | ENG 101, ENG 102 |
| Behavioral/Social Sciences | 9 Credits | ECE 100, ECE 101, SSI Courses |
| Humanities/Fine Arts | 9 Credits | ENG 110, ENG 220, ENG 221, ENG 225, ENG 226, ENG 232, HUM courses, LAN courses |
| Natural/Physical Science | 7 Credits | SCI courses |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | 3 Credits |
MAT courses (MAT 103, 120,201,203,204,205,225,244) |
| Total | 34 Credits | • A grade of D or higher is required in all general education foundation courses for the block to be stamped on an RCC transcript. |
STEM General Education Foundation
A student completing the STEM General Education Foundation(below) for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs will have earned the following 28 credit hours outlined below, exclusive of developmental coursework.
The following RCC programs have the following 28 credits embedded in their program to meet this STEM Block requirement (Biotechnology, Engineering and Mathematics). Students who complete these programs will have the STEM GenEd Foundation stamped on their transcript.
MassTransfer STEM General Education Foundation & RCC Courses
| Subject Areas | Credits | Roxbury Community College Courses |
| English Composition/Writing | 6 Credits | ENG 101, ENG 102 |
| Behavioral/Social Sciences | 6 Credits | ECE 100, ECE 101, SSI Courses |
| Humanities/Fine Arts | 6 Credits | ENG 110, ENG 220, ENG 221, ENG 225, ENG 226, ENG 232, HUM courses, LAN courses |
| Natural/Physical Science | 7 Credits | SCI courses |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | 3 Credits |
MAT courses (MAT 103, 120,201,203,204,205,225,244) |
| Total | 28 Credits | • A grade of D or higher is required in all general education foundation courses for the block to be stamped on an RCC transcript. |
RCC's AA Degrees: Roxbury Community Colleges Associate in Arts degrees(plus Criminal Justice) have the below MassTransfer General Education Foundation courses embedded in their programs. In other words, if you complete your RCC associate in arts, you will have completed the MassTransfer General Education Foundation courses.
STEM Block Degrees: RCC associate degrees that meet the MassTransfer STEM Block are: Biotechnology, Engineering and Mathematics
Some Associate in Science degrees will not meet either the MT General Education Foundation or the STEM Foundation and may require more courses to be completed. Visit RCC's Academic Advising Office to make sure you are taking the correct additional courses to meet either the 34 credit or 28 credit foundational courses for MassTransfer.
MassTransfer Associates to Bachelors (A2B) Pathways
MassTransfer seeks to reward community college students who complete associate degrees at Massachusetts community colleges before they enroll in a bachelor’s program at state universities or UMass campus.
MassTransfer students who have graduated RCC with a completed A2B Mapped Pathway will receive the following benefits:
Click the link for more about the MassTransfer Tuition Credit https://www.mass.edu/masstransfer/tools/tuitioncredit.asp
A2B Mapped Pathways are transfer maps that show what you need to do in an associate degree program and how it will transfer to your bcahelor degree program. Search MassTransfer A2B Pathways so you can see what programs transfer effectively.
There are two main kinds of A2B Pathways.
1) A2B System-Wide Pathway maps are comprised of the MassTransfer GenEd Foundation and a selection of courses in your major field of study. These Major Foundational Courses are guaranteed to be accepted in transfer by each state university and UMass campus. They also represent the minimum number of major courses you would need to complete at your community college in order to still complete your bachelor's degree within two years after your transfer. A2B System-Wide Pathways are most beneficial if you know your intended major but are not sure to which state university or UMass campus you want to transfer.
2) If you know your intended major and the institution to which you want to transfer A2B Campus-to-Campus Pathway maps list all of the major-specific courses that resident students would complete within their first 60 credits of study at the baccalaureate institution. Completing all of the courses is recommended, but not required. As long as you complete your associate degree, you will receive all the benefits of an A2B transfer. A2B Campus-to-Campus Pathways are your best choice if you know your intended major and to which state university or UMass campus you want to transfer.
The MassTransfer Application Process
The Massachusetts Guarantee
For students looking at four-year private independent colleges/universities, the Massachusetts Guarantee offers similar benefits to MassTransfer in certain degree programs.
What is the Massachusetts Guarantee?
 |
Guaranteed transfer of associate degree credits |
|
No application fee or admission essay |
|
Guaranteed admission Given the student has met all eligibility criteria for the selected Massachusetts Guarantee institution and the institution has available capacity within the intended major. |
|
Junior status upon enrollment |
|
Scholarship and financial incentives |
There are many colleges participating in the Mass. Guarantee such as:
Visit the Massachusetts Guarantee Website for a full list of participating four-year private colleges/univeristies.
Navigating the world of transfer student scholarships can be challenging. There are many colleges/universities that will have their own scholarships(many times called merit scholarships). There are also private and public non-profit organizations that will have scholarship opportunities for transfer students.
Below is a list of both college/university and general websites listing various scholarships opportunities.
University of Massachusetts Boston
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Emerson College Next Step Scholarship
Roxbury Community College has a variety of transfer agreements, also known as articulation agreements, with both private and public colleges/universities. A transfer agreement is designed to maximize courses from Roxbury to the partner institution.
Below is a list of various associate to bachelor transfer agreements designed for students looking to transfer in a variety of fields of study. Each agreement may have a variety of benefits for students so make sure to inquire with the transfer representative at the four-year college about agreement specifics.
Associate to Bachelor Degree Transfer Articulation Agreements
Southern New Hampshire University (Online)
Northeastern University College of Professional Studies (CPS)
Associate to Masters Workforce Accelerator Agreement
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Delaware State University (HBCU)
You can also see additional transfer agreement information on each Associate of Arts and Associate of Science program page. Please note, some of these agreements are in review for updates.
Course Equivalency Databases
To determine whether courses transfer from RCC to four-year colleges/universities, it is important to understand a few key factors:
* One, if a course is transferrable, it may transfer as either as a course to course (i.e English Comp to English Comp) or course to elective. Keep in mind, if the course transfer as an elective, it still is counting towards the 120 credits for your bachelor degree.
* Two, if you are looking at course transferability to colleges/universities beyond the New England region, you will want to contact each college and meet with their transfer admissions rep to guage the college transfer credit policy and procedure.
* Three, colleges/universities will do pre-admission credit evauation for you so it is important to ask them about this possibility.
For detailed information on Massachusetts state college/university course equivalencies click the following link:
Massachusetts Course Equivalency Database (MAST)
For individual Massachusetts state college and university course equivalency databases, click the following links:
For Massachusetts private college/university course equivalency databases, click the following links:
Disclaimer: While Roxbury Community College will make every effort to provide accurate information, it is the responsibility of the student to confirm with the four-year college or university as to the validity and accuracy of the information provided.
UMASS University Without Walls (Online)
Boston University Metropolitan College
Boston University Undergraduate Transfer Admissions
Contact: Christine Cuddemi
E-Mail: christine.cuddemi@mcphs.edu
Northeastern University College of Professional Studies
RCC to NU CPS Associate to Masters Workforce Accelerator Program
Northeastern University Undergraduate Transfer Admissions
Contact: Heather Schramm
Contact: Elaine Concepcion
E-Mail: econcepcion@salemstate.edu
*Note: Check with the Roxbury CC Registrar’s Office to ensure that your graduation status is recorded on your transcript before you request a final transcript.
STEP ONE: Apply
Applying to college/university as a transfer student will have its own deadlines and requirements. Once you have decided on what colleges/universities you are applying to, consider the following:
If you are applying to a four-year state college/university you will most likely be applying as a MassTransfer student.
If you are applying to a selective four-year private college/university, review their full admissions application deadlines and requirements. Many schools will most likely be using the Common Application.
STEP TWO: Send RCC Transcripts
*Note: Check with the Roxbury CC Registrar’s Office to ensure that your graduation status is recorded on your transcript before you request a final transcript.
STEP THREE: Apply for Financial Aid
I. Preamble
The community colleges of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in order to ease and clarify the process of transferring earned credit from one college to another, whether among themselves or from other public or private institutions; to provide standards for the evaluation of alternative sources of credit; to reduce the time and cost of completing a college education; and to increase the opportunities for graduation of their students, establish these Community College Transfer Principles. These Principles respect the academic standards, quality and integrity of each of the Massachusetts community colleges.
II. Introduction
In accepting undergraduate transfer credit from other institutions, the Massachusetts community colleges apply these Transfer Principles to ensure that credit accepted reflects appropriate levels of academic quality and is applicable to students’ programs. Each community college makes these Transfer Principles publicly available to students and prospective students on their websites and other communications. These Principles reduce unnecessary barriers to protect the colleges’ academic quality and integrity.
These Transfer Principles address issues of academic credit earned through coursework completed at one institution and transferred to another. It also addresses the related issue of credit earned through alternative sources of credit, such as examinations, professional courses, military training and other prior learning experiences.
III. General Conditions
IV. Minimum Grades
V. Residency Requirement/Maximum Transfer Credit Allowed
Institutions require students to complete at least one quarter (25%) of the credits of the first associate degree at that institution in order to graduate (referred to as the residency requirement). Transfer of up to the remaining three-quarters of the credits will depend upon the associate degree program’s requirements and elective options. Requirements for a second and subsequent degree vary depending on institutions’ practices. The number of credits transferable toward a certificate program varies by college and certificate.
VI. Alternative Sources of Credit
VII. Time Limits
VIII. Student Appeals
IX. Review and Amendment
The Department of Higher Education will from time to time convene a group of community college transfer professionals to review these Principles and recommend amendments to the Department.
X. Contact
Interested parties with comments or questions may contact Art Esposito of the Department of Higher Education at: aesposito@dhe.mass.edu
XI.Adoption
These Community College Transfer Principles were reviewed and approved by the Academic Affairs Committee on June 13, 2017 and adopted by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education on June 20, 2017.
