Learning 1st: A National Consortium of Leading Online Universities

and Coastline Community College

Jason WardProject Director

League for Innovation in the Community College

Karen MoranskiAssociate Vice Chancellor

for Undergraduate StudiesUniversity of Illinois - Springfield

Learning 1st (L1st) is a collaborative partnership among the League for Innovation in the Community College,

Pennsylvania State University (Penn State World Campus), the University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS),

the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMassOnline), and Coastline Community College (CCC).

Pennsylvania State University

Penn State World Campus

University of Illinois

Springfield

University of Massachusetts

AmherstUMassOnline

Coastline Community

College

League for Innovation in the

Community College

Program GoalsPrimary areas of focus for the L1st consortium:

• Increasing online community colleges’ capacity to serve students, particularly low-income and working adults

• Creating unique partner articulation models

• Decreasing the amount of time, and associated costs, required for students to earn a bachelor’s degree in an online format from a prominent four-year university

Three Unique Program Pathways

Pennsylvania State University

Penn State World Campus

University of Illinois Springfield

University of Massachusetts

AmherstUMassOnline

Coastline Community

College

AA Degree – PsychologyBA Degree – Psychology

AS Degree – Computer Networking

BS Degree – Computer Science

AA Degree – Business Administration

BBA Degree – Business Administration

Application and AdmissionProspective students will apply to the program by completing the online common application.

All partners agree to waive applicable student application fees.

Applicant will be asked to identify their preferred program pathway at the time of admission.

Both partners will review official academic transcripts.

Admitted students will receive a jointly prepared program ‘roadmap’ detailing the specific coursework needed to complete both an Associate and Baccalaureate degree

Baseline Program Admissions Criteria

U.S. High School Graduate or Equivalent

Student must be degree seeking

College-level Math and English skills

Fewer than 30 degree applicable units completed

Online Math and English Placement Testing, Self-readiness Assessment

and Program Orientation are in place or

will be forthcoming shortly.

Enhanced Benefits and Services• Upon program admission the L1st student receives access to both institution’s online

resources, student services and virtual libraries. • Each student will be assigned an advisor from both CCC and the partnering university in order

to ensure guidance is provided toward meeting both the associate and baccalaureate degree requirements of the two institutions.

• At the time of transfer to the university, no additional application or fee is required. • Students who complete the program within four years are guaranteed a tuition rate freeze.• Partner universities will not charge out-of-state tuition rates.• Students will be assured space at the partner university provided they maintain continuous

enrollment and meet all requirements, including grade point average, for entry into the major.

• Students will be governed by the university degree requirements in effect at the time of program admission as long as the student maintains continuous enrollment.

• Each student will receive an annual update relating academic progress with respect to their chosen educational pathway.

UIS/CCC Computer Science Pathway

The UIS/CCC Computer Science bachelors degree pathway incorporates a unique 1-2-1 articulation and concurrent enrollment model.

CCC will offer the first-year lower division/general education courses based on the agreed upon articulation.

Upon completion of 30 units, CCC will submit an official transcript to UIS in order to ensure all conditional admissions requirements have been met.

Students will then begin concurrent enrollment with both institutions for the second and third years (60 additional units) of the program. No additional UIS admissions application or application fee is required.

Students having completed all prescripted CCC coursework by the end of the third year will have earned an Associates degree.

The fourth, capstone year (30 units), will be completed entirely as a UIS student.

Concurrent Enrollment

Unit Load: Full-time vs. Part-time EnrollmentFull-time (4 Years)

Three Phase Pilot Launch

Computer SciencesSpring 2013

PsychologySummer 2013

Business AdministrationSummer 2013

League for Innovation in the

Community College

Learning 1st has been funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, guided by the belief that every life has equal value, they work to help all people lead healthy, productive lives and seek to ensure that all people, especially those with the fewest resources, have access to the opportunities needed to succeed.

The League is an international organization dedicated to catalyzing the community college movement. We host conferences and institutes, develop Web resources, conduct research, produce publications, provide services, and lead projects and initiatives with our member colleges, corporate partners, and other agencies in our continuing efforts to make a positive difference for students and communities.