Marywood University and Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) have entered into two new enrollment agreements that will help students complete their academic degrees.

The first agreement, the Dual Admissions Agreement, is designed to facilitate the transfer of LCCC students to Marywood University in a variety of programs. Under the Dual Admissions Agreement, LCCC students will be guaranteed admissions into a parallel-articulated bachelor's degree program with third year (junior) status at Marywood.

In order to participate in the Dual Admissions Agreement, students must graduate from LCCC with an associate's degree, having earned the designated minimum grade point average. Certain majors will require a higher grade point average. Students also must enroll at Marywood within one year of graduating from LCCC and not attend another institution between the time the student graduates from LCCC and when enrollment begins at Marywood.

"Over the years, many excellent students began their academic careers at Luzerne County Community College and transferred to Marywood to complete their baccalaureate degrees," Marywood University President Sister Anne Munley said in a statement. "We are pleased to enhance the relationship between our two institutions to better serve transfer students."

A full-time student admitted with third year (junior) status to Marywood will be able to complete a bachelor's degree at Marywood within four regular semesters, provided that they have completed the appropriate associate's degree program requirements at LCCC and complete and appropriately sequence their remaining required course work at Marywood.

These students will not pay an application fee to Marywood and all qualified full-time students will receive a generous scholarship.

The second agreement, the Reverse Transfer Agreement, is intended to strengthen the collaborative partnership already established between LCCC and Marywood and to increase students' education credential obtainment as well as their academic and career success.

Through this initiative, students will be given the opportunity to transfer earned credits at Marywood to LCCC in order to earn their associate's degree.

In order to take advantage of the Reverse Transfer Agreement, students must have earned a minimum of 32 credits at LCCC; be/have been in good standing at both institutions; and must have earned the designated minimum grade point average.

"These new agreements improve the transfer process for graduates who wish to continue their education and complete their bachelor's degree at Marywood University," Thomas P. Leary, president of LCCC, said in a statement. "They also open doors for those who wish to fulfill their associate degree requirements and gain a lasting and marketable credential," Leary added.