SCCC facilitates graphic arts continuum program with Fairleigh Dickinson

Sussex County Community College has grown in leaps and bounds not just in its own right but by expanding options for its students.

In this vein, the college has transfer agreements to ease the transition when students transfer to four-year colleges and universities. These formal, signed agreements guarantee that once a student completes his or her associate degree at SCCC in a specific program, the student will begin at junior year status at the college or university listed in the agreements SCCC has with other institutes of higher learning. The latest agreement, which was signed on Friday, is for a graphic design program with Fairleigh Dickenson College.

"The significance of this is that our students here will have a great place to go to further their education and it's right within the state of New Jersey," Sherry Fitzgerald, SCCC Assistant Professor, program Coordinator of Graphic Design/Computer Gaming/New Media said. "Fairleigh has given our students some great opportunities, and it's an extremely reputable university with a strong program in graphic design and 3D animation."

"Our articulation agreement with SCCC for our B.A. in Graphic Design will result in students being able to transfer many of their courses in design to FDU for full credit. While all New Jersey universities accept broad articulation with the county colleges, agreements that focus on specialized areas of study promise even more advantages to those students transferring into four year institutions. FDU looks forward to working with SCCC to establish even more specialized articulations," said Geoffrey Weinman, FDU Dean Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Science.

Fitzgerald explained that once students earn their two year degree at SCCC, they'll be able to go right into Fairleigh Dickenson as a junior.

"Fairleigh has some great opportunities for them in the way of scholarships, for our students too," Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald said she started talking about the possibility of this agreement with Robyn Barkley, an Animator, Web Designer/Developer, Graphic Designer at Fairleigh Dickinson, about a year ago. "When Fairleigh Dickinson opened a new graphic program, they wanted to offer that to us to let us know that it's available and if our students could come there it would be great," Fitzgerald said, "We've been working back and forth for about a year now."

With the agreement, students completing their associate in applied science degree in the county college's graphic design program will be able to easily transfer to the program at Fairleigh Dickinson. In addition to Fairleigh Dickinson, the college has agreements with the New Jersey Institute of Technology, East Stroudsburg University, Felician College, Marywood University and William Paterson University.