Making the transfer process easy for students has been a goal for St. Cloud Technical & Community College, and with the recent addition of several Transfer Pathways, it’s not just easy, but specialized.
Psychology is currently the most popular Transfer Pathway; it’s also one of two that have been offered the longest at SCTCC.
Anna Eid from Becker and Breanna Ruchti from Paynesville both received their Psychology associate of arts degree spring of 2019 and are starting at St. Cloud State University this fall to complete their bachelor’s degrees.
When asked why they decided to start at SCTCC and transfer, they both said it made sense for them.
“At SCTCC, there are smaller classes and you can talk to the instructor one on one,” said Eid. “Since there are fewer people, it’s easier to understand the material. It’s really comfortable here.”
Eid plans to get her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice with a plan to find a career in clinical psychology. Since that field requires at least a master’s degree, her plan is to go to Montana State University for her master’s, and then she hopes to go all the way for her doctorate.
For all transfer pathways, students take core curriculum for general education credits, then specialize their associate degree with several classes specific to their field. For the Psychology pathway, this includes Introduction to Psychology, Statistics for Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, and a Psychology elective.
“If you’re not really sure if you want to go into something, it’s nice to go to SCTCC so you don’t spend as much money. You need to get your generals done anyway, so it’s a nice choice,” said Eid.
Ruchti took a different path to SCTCC. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I graduated from high school,” she said.
After taking some classes at another community college, Ruchti went to a four-year university, but the class sizes were really big and she felt like she was wasting money.
“And then I came to SCTCC, and I liked it a lot more,” Ruchti said. “It’s smaller, more personable, and I felt like I was well taken care of. It’s a lot more affordable than at a 4-year, especially since I didn’t know what I was doing.”
After dabbling in Engineering, Ruchti settled on a Psychology major.
“I could feel out different areas and talk to different people about careers. The instructors here made me feel like Psychology was something I could be good at; they pushed me to figure out what I actually wanted to do.”
Ruchti’s path isn’t uncommon among SCTCC students. Many students may start at the larger universities and decide they need a smaller, more personalized experience. As an added bonus, transferring credits and registering for classes within the Minnesota State system is easy.
“It was pretty easy to transfer,” explains Eid. “I thought I would struggle and be anxious about it, but it didn’t take long. I thought class registration was going to be so different [at SCSU], but it’s the same system that they use at SCTCC.”
And while Ruchti doesn’t have the same set career path as Eid does, she is thinking about pursuing her master’s degree. She may even move out to Montana with Eid after completing her bachelor’s degree.
But no worrying for either of them on the career prospects: “A psychology major is really nice,” said Eid. “It’s such a broad topic that you can do a lot with it, and it’s really interesting.”
The Psychology Transfer Pathway is just one of four pathway options at SCTCC, which include: Biology, Business, Psychology, and Spanish. Each pathway is designed to 100% transfer to any Minnesota State university with the corresponding bachelor’s degree major. Students enter the university at a junior status.
“Transfer Pathway degrees prioritize successful transfer for our students,” said Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Melissa Lindsey. “Students who complete one of these degrees at SCTCC will find an affordable and convenient way to start their four-year college degree, knowing that their credits will provide a firm foundation of knowledge and skills that allow them to enter a Minnesota State university with junior status in their chosen degree path.”