University Parallel/Transfer Pathways

Students planning to earn a baccalaureate degree at a four-year college or university may complete the first two years at Pellissippi State by earning either the Associate of Arts, Associate of Fine Arts, Associate of Science or the Associate of Science in Teaching degree, each requiring a minimum of 60 semester hours. A broad selection of courses is offered that will transfer to four-year institutions.

University Parallel program requirements are specified by

• Articulation/transfer agreements. Prescribed curricula developed cooperatively by Pellissippi State and four-year colleges and universities.
• General associate degree requirements. Programs designed with the flexibility to allow students to select courses that parallel the requirements of the four-year institution to which they intend to transfer.
• Tennessee Transfer Pathways. Associate of Arts, Associate of Fine Arts, Associate of Science and Associate of Science in Teaching designed for transfer to Tennessee public colleges and universities.

University Parallel core curriculum requirements are applicable to associate degrees earned by completing the requirements of a Tennessee Transfer Pathway (TTP), an articulation agreement or a general associate degree. Academic advisors are available for all University Parallel students. Prior to registering each semester, the student is expected to consult with an advisor to review the student’s academic plan and select courses for the upcoming semester.

University Parallel Guarantee

Pellissippi State will refund the tuition of any Pellissippi State graduate for any course passed with at least a C grade if that earned course credit does not transfer to a college or university within two years of graduation from Pellissippi State. Such courses must be listed as transferable on the transfer equivalency table provided by the receiving institution. The transfer guarantee program is limited to those institutions participating in TTPs or maintaining an articulation agreement with Pellissippi State and to the courses identified in transfer equivalency documents.

Articulation/Transfer Agreements

An articulation agreement is a document that specifies the curriculum agreed to by Pellissippi State and a four-year college or university to satisfy the degree requirements at Pellissippi State and at the receiving institution. Completion of freshman and sophomore requirements leads to an associate degree at Pellissippi State. The remaining requirements for the baccalaureate degree are completed at the four-year institution. Students must successfully complete all courses outlined in a particular program and must satisfy all other academic regulations of Pellissippi State and the receiving institution. Exceptions to the agreement can only be approved by the four-year institution.

Pellissippi State has program-specific articulation agreements and transfer agreements for the general Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. Visit the transfer hub for a current list of agreements and institutions.

TBR General Education Core and Transferability of Courses Among TBR Institutions

Each Tennessee Independently Governed University and TBR - The College System of Tennessee shares a common lower-division general education core curriculum of 41 semester hours for baccalaureate degrees and the Associate of Arts, Associate of Fine Arts, Associate of Science and the Associate of Science in Teaching degrees. “Lower-division” means freshman and sophomore courses. The courses composing the general education curriculum are contained within the following subject categories:

Baccalaureate degrees and Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees¹:

 ¹Modern language courses are an additional requirement for the Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree. The Associate of Arts degree requires proficiency in a modern language equivalent to completion of one year of college-level work.

²Six hours of English composition and 3 hours in English oral presentational communication are required.

³Chosen from HIST 2010 , HIST 2020 , HIST 2030 , HIST 2210 , HIST 2220 , HIST 2310  and HIST 2320 . Students planning to transfer to out-of-state or private universities must check requirements at the institution and take the appropriate courses.

⁴Credit toward graduation cannot be received for both courses in either of the following pairs: BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1110; BIOL 1020 and BIOL 1120.

Although the courses designated by Tennessee Board of Regents institutions to fulfill the requirements of the General Education subject categories vary, transfer of the courses is assured through the following means:

• Upon completion of an A.A., A.F.A., A.S., or A.S.T. degree, the requirements of the lower-division General Education courses will be complete and accepted by any state university in the transfer process.
• If an A.A., A.F.A., A.S., or A.S.T. is not obtained, transfer of General Education courses will be based upon fulfillment of complete subject categories. (Example: If all 8 hours in the category of Natural Sciences are complete, then this “block” of the general education core is complete.) When a subject category is incomplete, course-by-course evaluation will be conducted. The provision of block fulfillment pertains also to students who transfer among Tennessee Independently Governed universities.
• Institutional/departmental requirements of the grade of C will be honored. Even if credit is granted for a course, any specific requirements for the grade of C by the receiving institution will be enforced.
• In certain majors, specific General Education courses must be taken. It is important that students and advisors be aware of any major requirements that must be fulfilled under General Education.

A complete listing of the courses fulfilling general education requirements for all system institutions is available on the TBR website under Transfer and Articulation Information.

Tennessee Transfer Pathways

A student entering a community college in Tennessee who selects one of these majors with an accompanying transfer pathway, completes required courses and earns an associate degree can transition as a junior to a Tennessee public university. Some specific academic programs may have competitive admissions, but students will be advised about requirements when they first enroll at Pellissippi State.

All earned credit hours outlined on the pathways will apply toward a bachelor’s degree in the same discipline. These pathways guarantee admission to all public universities in the state, except for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where competitive admission standards will still apply.

TTPs for the 2021-2022 academic year at Pellissippi State:

(A.A.: Associate of Arts; A.S.: Associate of Science; A.F.A.: Associate of Fine Arts; A.S.T.: Associate of Science in Teaching)

• Accounting Pathway (A.S.)  
• Agriculture - Animal Science Pathway (A.S.)  
• Agriculture - Business Pathway (A.S.)  
• Agriculture - Plant and Soil Science Pathway (A.S.)  
• Anthropology Pathway (A.A.)  
• Anthropology Pathway (A.S.)  
• Art Pathway (A.F.A.)  
• Biology Pathway (A.S.)  
• Business Administration Pathway (A.S.)  
• Communication Studies Pathway (A.A.)  
• Communication Studies Pathway (A.S.)  
• Computer Science Pathway (A.S.)  
• Criminal Justice Pathway (A.A.)  
• Criminal Justice Pathway (A.S.)  
• Early Childhood Education Pre-K-3 Pathway (A.S.T.)  
• Economics Pathway (A.A.)  
• Economics Pathway (A.S.)  
• Elementary Education K-5 Pathway (A.S.T.)  
• Engineering Technology Pathway (A.S.)  
• English Pathway (A.A.)  
• Exercise Science Pathway (A.S.)  
• Family and Consumer Sciences Pathway (A.S.)  
• Finance Pathway (A.S.)  
• Foreign Language Pathway (A.A.)  
• Geosciences Pathway (A.S.)  
• History Pathway (A.A.)  
• History Pathway (A.S.)  
• Imaging Sciences Pathway (A.S.)  
• Information Systems Pathway (A.S.)  
• International Affairs Pathway (A.A.)  
• Management Pathway (A.S.)  
• Marketing Pathway (A.S.)  
• Mass Communication Pathway (A.A.)  
• Mass Communication Pathway (A.S.)  
• Mathematics Pathway (A.S.)  
• Music Pathway (A.F.A.)  
• Nutrition and Food Science Pathway (A.S.)  
• Philosophy Pathway (A.A.)  
• Philosophy Pathway (A.S.)  
• Physical Education Pathway (A.S.)  
• Political Science Pathway (A.A.)  
• Political Science Pathway (A.S.)  
• Pre-Clinical Laboratory Sciences Pathway (A.S.)  
• Pre-Dental Hygiene Pathway (A.S.)  
• Pre-Health Professions: Dentistry, Medicine, Optometry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine Pathway (A.S.)  
• Pre-Occupational Therapy Pathway (A.S.)  
• Pre-Physical Therapy Pathway (A.S.)  
• Psychology Pathway (A.A.)  
• Psychology Pathway (A.S.)  
• Secondary Education English Pathway (A.S.T.)  
• Secondary Education Mathematics Pathway (A.S.T.)  
• Secondary Education Social Studies Pathway (A.S.T.)  
• Social Work Pathway (A.A.)  
• Social Work Pathway (A.S.)  
• Sociology Pathway (A.A.)  
• Sociology Pathway (A.S.)  
• Special Education Pathway (A.S.)  
• Sport and Leisure Management Pathway (A.S.)  
• Theatre Arts - Design Tech Pathway (A.F.A.)  
• Theatre Arts - Performance Pathway (A.F.A.)  
• Theatre Arts Pathway (A.A.)  
• Theatre Arts Pathway (A.S.)  

Visit Tennessee Transfer Pathways website for more information.

TN eCampus

TN eCampus courses are entirely online and are completely transferable among all the participating institutions. Students who pursue online courses should be highly motivated, independent, active learners who have good organizational and time management skills. Students also should have the discipline to study without external reminders and be able to adapt to new learning environments.

Contact(s): Director of Distance Education, 865-694-6691; pframp@pstcc.edu