Student Transitions to Four-Year Institutions and the Workplace

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of students enrolling in college is projected to increase 22% over the current decade. A National Science Foundation report notes that more than 40% of students earning bachelor’s or master’s degrees in science or engineering have attended a two-year college. Regardless of what institution they attend or what degree they earn, most of these students enter the workforce.

Instructors at all types of programs are increasingly preparing their students for both types of transitions: into four-year programs and into the workforce. The following resources are designed to provide instructors and administrators with the information they need to facilitate these critical transitions.

Transitions to Four-Year Institutions

Transitions to the Workplace

Transitions to Four-Year Institutions

Across the board, the number of students at two-year colleges and the number of “swirling” students (students who attend more than one college or university to achieve their degree) are on the rise. However, the 2009 National Survey of Student Engagement found that transfer students are less engaged and less satisfied with their college experience. Consequently, improving student transfers is a topic of interest for all institutions.

Whether you are working at a two- or four-year institution, the following resources can help you create a richer educational experience for transfer students, while ensuring they are ready for the changes they will face.

ACS Resources

• ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs
  A comprehensive model for chemistry education at two-year colleges
• ACS Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor’s Degree Programs
  Requirements for ACS approval of bachelor’s chemistry programs
• Partnerships for improving education
  Information, tools, and advice for creating and growing collaborative partnerships between two- and four-year institutions
• Symposia on the Guidelines
  Presentations and summaries from symposia on student transitions and implementation of the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs
• Undergraduate Transitions: Enhancing Student Success
  Report from a 2004 symposium addressing the complex issues involved in supporting students who transfer colleges
• Maximizing our impact in the world of student transfer
  A handbook designed to help faculty understand the student transfer landscape, learn how partnerships can facilitate student transfer, and identify effective practices in student transfer

External Resources*

• Community College Survey of Student Engagement
  A companion survey to the 2009 National Survey of Student Engagement, the survey identifies ways to better engage students at two-year colleges
• National Resource Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition
  Collection and dissemination of effective practices in student engagement and transfer
• NCES Postsecondary Surveys and Programs
  Reports and data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on two-year programs, bachelor’s programs, and more

* These resources are provided for informational purposes only. Listing of a product or service on this website does not constitute an endorsement by ACS.

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Transitions to the Workforce

According to a report by National Center for Education Statistics, over 40% of students enrolling in a two-year college do so with the express goal of acquiring or improving jobs skills. Whether you are incorporating employability skills into a chemistry-based technology program or adding value to a transfer program, the following resources can help you prepare your students for the workplace.

ACS Resources

• ACS Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs
  A comprehensive model for chemistry education at two-year colleges
• ACS Webinars^TM
  Free on-line seminars with leaders in chemical sciences, management, and business on relevant professional topics (See also, recordings from the ACS Careers Industry Forum)
• Partnerships for improving education
  Information, tools, and advice for creating and growing collaborative partnerships between education and industry

External Resources*

• O*NET online
  Career and skill information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Process technology course objectives
  Course objectives for the PTEC™ process technology curriculum, developed by Gulf Coast Process Technology Alliance
• Skill standards: biotechnology
  Biotechnology skill standards compiled by Bio-Links, an NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Center
• CTE™ Career Clusters
  Curriculum resources for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc)
• WorkKeys
  ACT’s system for identifying workplace knowledge and skills and incorporating them into a curriculum

* These resources are provided for informational purposes only. Listing of a product or service on this website does not constitute an endorsement by ACS.

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Contact Us

Have a question? Want to suggest a resource? Email 2YColleges@acs.org.