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Destination Raiderland Expands, Partner Institutions Continue to Grow

By Stacy Gumula, Project Manager

Throughout 2019, the Office of Academic Partnerships has worked toward its goal of developing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with every community college in the state of Texas.

In support of the 60x30TX Strategic Plan Initiative, Texas Tech University pursues seamless transfer pathways that promote access, affordability, success and cost efficiency for transfer students. This initiative is achieved not only by having MOUs in place across the state, but also by strengthening existing partnerships with articulation agreements. These partnerships also increase awareness of educational and student support opportunities and provide pre-TTU academic advising to increase degree applicability of transfer credits.

Many of these official signings were initiated in 2019 with a signing ceremony. However, several other agreements were signed and put into place throughout the year, easing the transfer process into Texas Tech, one institution at a time.

Navarro College (NC) partnered with Texas Tech University (TTU) in July of 2019 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. Navarro College, home of the Bulldogs, is a two-year accredited, state-supported community college consisting of five campuses, with the main campus in historic Corsicana. With the MOU in place, TTU and NC can work together to develop program-specific pathways for degree completion at Navarro College to transition into degree programs at Texas Tech.

Collin County Community College District (CCCCD), or Collin College, partnered with TTU in March of 2019 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the institutions. CCCCD, home of the Cougars, is a student-and community-centered institution committed to developing skills, strengthening character and challenging the intellect. With multiple campuses, Collin College provides a large population of students the opportunity to utilize this partnership to transfer seamlessly into Texas Tech to finish their baccalaureate degree.

Every five years, these institutions must agree to renew the established MOU and continue working together to grow the partnership. Texas Tech renewed the MOU with both Kilgore College and Alamo Colleges District. Kilgore College, home of the Rangers, based out of Kilgore, Texas renewed the agreement with Texas Tech in March of 2019. Alamo Colleges District, home of the Nighthawks, Wildcats, Palominos, Tigers and Rangers, are based out of San Antonio and host five main campuses across the region. The renewed agreement with ACD and TTU was signed in January of 2019.

While the MOU provides an institutional handshake to begin working together as partners, articulation agreements strengthen the partnership even further. Articulation agreements serve as program-to-program alliances illustrating exact coursework to be completed at the community college, which is then applied as the first two years of the student's Texas Tech baccalaureate degree. Though some of these agreements are announced with a signing, many of them are put into place quickly and the advisors of both institutions hit the ground running with transfer students to make their journey as smooth as possible.

While Texas Tech and Alamo Colleges District recently renewed the institutional MOU in January, they also signed a TechTeach articulation agreement in May. The agreement allows students to complete their Associates of Arts in Teaching at ACD to multiple different options for their bachelor's within the College of Education at TTU following the 2+1 model.

Most recently, in November of 2019, TTU and Lone Star College (LSC), home of the Hurricanes, signed a new education articulation agreement. Though two education agreements are already in place with these institutions, this one creates a pathway for students to complete their Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) at LSC and seamlessly transfer into TTU Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies program, with a concentration in Middle‑Level Math.

In June of 2019, TTU and McLennan Community College (MCC), home of the Highlanders, signed eight new engineering articulation agreements. This was the first set of articulation agreements to be signed between the two institutions, that now allow students to complete their Associate of Science in Engineering disciplines at MCC and finish up at the Texas Tech Whitacre College of Engineering.

In May of 2019, TTU and Central Texas College (CTC), home of the Eagles, signed a TechTeach articulation agreement. This agreement is one of many with CTC, as it is the partner college for the Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg regional site. Students can complete their AAT at CTC to Bachelors of Multidisciplinary Studies with EC-6th Grade Generalist and Special Education Certification, ESL or Bilingual Education Certification EC-6 at Texas Tech. 

One month earlier, in April of 2019, CTC and TTU signed the Plant and Soil Sciences articulation agreement. Students follow this degree program, complete their Associates of Art in Interdisciplinary Studies at CTC to Bachelor of Science in Plant in Soil Sciences, part of the enology and viticulture program, at the TTU Fredericksburg regional site.

Texas Tech strives to reach all transfer students throughout the state of Texas and beyond and works hard to ensure their journey to become Red Raiders is as seamless as possible. The Red Raider family has grown so much in the past year alone, adding Bulldogs, Cougars, Nighthawks, Wildcats, Palominos, Tigers, Rangers, Hurricanes, Highlanders and Eagles to make a welcoming and diverse group of students.

Texas Tech partners with many other institutions around Texas and neighboring states; visit our partner institutions page to find out more.