Dual Enrollment FAQ

Do colleges accept associate degrees earned via dual enrollment?

Four-year institutions generally accept baccalaureate-oriented associate degrees completed through dual enrollment. However, the process involves several nuances outlined below:

1) Institutional Guaranteed Admission Agreements (GAA) may not apply to students earning an associate degree simultaneously with high school graduation. Institutions that do not guarantee admission under the GAA will accept and apply credits in accordance with SCHEV policy, specifically the Virginia Public Higher Education Policy for Dual Enrollment Transferability.

This policy requires that dual enrollment courses be accepted and applied identically to those same courses taken on the college campus. Students are advised to review each institution’s GAA, available on the Transfer Virginia Portal (www.transfervirginia.org).

2) High school students or traditional community college transfers who earn an Associate Degree in General Studies (GS) may find fewer credits applicable to their intended program of study upon admission to a four-year institution. This is due to misalignment between the GS degree and the receiving institution's general studies and/or major requirements. It is important to distinguish between credit acceptance (the institution accepts course credit) and applicability (course credit counts toward the student’s program or major).

For example, a student completes an associate degree in GS, fulfilling graduation requirements with three sociology courses. If transferring to a four-year institution whose general education requires only one sociology course, all nine credits may be accepted, but only three will apply toward degree requirements.

3) Associate degrees earned through a combination of college-level coursework and credit for prior learning (CPL) are subject to the receiving institution’s CPL review process. CPL for high school students typically consists of passing scores on Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Cambridge examinations. According to the Virginia Public Higher Education Policy on Course Credit for AP, Cambridge, CLEP, and IB, each institution establishes minimum standards for accepting and applying CPL credits.

Consequently, students completing an associate degree that includes CPL may receive less credit hours accepted and/or applied toward degree completion than those completed solely with college-level coursework. This CPL policy applies to all associate degrees, without distinction between those earned via dual enrollment or on campus.

4) As stated in the Virginia Public Higher Education Policy Guidelines for the Development of Pathway Maps, transferable associate degree pathways between two- and four-year institutions must be developed for properly aligned baccalaureate programs. These pathway maps apply to all transferable associate degree earners, regardless of whether the degree was obtained via dual enrollment. Credits are accepted, but if the pathway map is not followed or the student pursues a different discipline, credits may not apply toward all baccalaureate requirements.

For instance, a high school student who completes an associate degree in history and follows the pathway map for history but transitions into a STEM field at the baccalaureate institution may have 60 credit hours accepted, but only 45 credit hours apply toward graduation in the STEM program due to pathway misalignment.

Detailed institutional and program-specific pathway maps are accessible through the Transfer Virginia Portal (www.transfervirginia.org).

5) Students earning an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, whether through dual enrollment or on campus, do not receive the same benefits as those completing baccalaureate-oriented associate degrees. AAS degrees are not designed for transfer; therefore, minimal credit is accepted and applied toward bachelor’s degree requirements. Some AAS programs offered by two-year institutions may correspond to relevant four-year bachelor’s programs (e.g., nursing, early childhood education), allowing for increased credit acceptance and applicability in those fields.

For questions, please contact Paul Smith, PhD, SCHEV, paulsmith@schev.edu.

Link to download: Dual Enrollment FAQ