MassTransfer A2B PATHWAYS
Associate to Bachelor’s
A2B Mapped Pathways
A college degree can change your life, but rising costs can sink your dreams. Following an A2B Map greatly reduces the overall cost of a your bachelor's degree, enabling you to achieve your college dreams with lower student debt.
1. Start at a Community College
A2B Maps can guide your pathway:
- Mapped pathways include First-Year and Sophomore-level courses in your choice of majors.
- Follow the map and the credits you earn at the community college are guaranteed to transfer towards bachelor's degree completion at the state university or UMass campus you choose.
2. Earn an Associate Degree
Finish strong! Your GPA can increase your benefits:
- Finish with a 2.0 or higher
- application essay and fees are waived
- Finish with a 2.5 or higher
- admission to your major is guaranteed on a "space permitted" basis.
- *work with your academic advisor to plan: some majors require a higher GPA or additional steps like auditions or portfolio submission.
3. Finish at a State University or UMass Campus
You have so many choices to complete your bachelor's!
- Four UMass campuses: UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth or UMass Lowell
- Seven comprehensive state universities in Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Framingham, Salem, Westfield, Worcester, and North Adams
- Two special-mission colleges: the Massachusetts College of Art & Design and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Maximize Your Savings: Go Full-Time & Finish "on Time!"
Participate in the Commonwealth Commitment program and you could save thousands more on the total cost of your bachelor's degree:
- Follow an A2B Map
- Register as full-time
- Earn at least a 3.00 GPA
- Complete five semesters at the community college
- Finish in four semesters after you transfer Work with your academic advisor to sign up and plan your pathway!
Find Your A2B Pathway
Below is a list of the three primary types of A2B Pathways. Each pathway ensures that all credits on the curriculum map will be accepted in transfer and applied to your bachelor's degree.
Research shows that working with your institutional academic advisor(s) to help you decide what your major will be and where you'd like to finish your bachelor's degree is the best way to:
- Ensure that you're taking the best courses for transfer
- Identify how your courses will be accepted at the baccalaureate institution
- Increase your chances of completing both degrees in a timely manner
Please discuss the options below with your institutional academic advisor(s) in order to select the MassTransfer pathway that's best for you!
A2B System-Wide Pathways
A2B System-Wide Pathway maps are comprised of the MassTransfer GenEd Foundation and a selection of courses in your major field of study. These Major Foundational Courses are guaranteed to be accepted in transfer by each state university and UMass campus. They also represent the minimum number of major courses you would need to complete at your community college in order to still complete your bachelor's degree within two years after your transfer. A2B System-Wide Pathways are most beneficial if you know your intended major but are not sure to which state university or UMass campus you want to transfer.
A2B Campus-to-Campus Pathways
In addition to the MassTransfer GenEd Foundation, A2B Campus-to-Campus Pathway maps list all of the major-specific courses that resident students would complete within their first 60 credits of study at the baccalaureate institution. Completing all of the courses is recommended, but not required. As long as you complete your associate degree, you will receive all the benefits of an A2B transfer. A2B Campus-to-Campus Pathways are your best choice if you know what you want to major in and to which state university or UMass campus you want to transfer.
A2B Linked Pathways
A2B Linked Pathways do not feature curriculum maps. Although these agreements guarantee 60 credits will transfer, whether the credits are applied in your major, as general education, or as electives is at the discretion of the receiving institution. A2B Linked Pathways are best for students in non-traditional or highly specialized fields of study. If you do not find a System-Wide or Campus-to-Campus Pathway for your major on the list below, you'll definitely find it here:
