Academic Agreements

A cooperative academic arrangement is a formal agreement between UofL and another organization to deliver program content. The coursework completed through these arrangements is recorded on the student’s UofL transcript as UofL credit (Source: SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy, p. 143). 

UofL currently has the following cooperative academic arrangements:

A dual academic award is a formal partnership between two or more institutions, where students complete coordinated coursework at each institution and earn separate academic credentials at the same level. Each credential is issued solely by the granting institution and includes only its name, seal, and authorized signatures (Source: SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy, p. 53).

At UofL, some graduate programs are labeled as “dual degrees.” However, unless they involve an external academic partner, they do not meet the official definition of a dual academic award as outlined by UofL's accreditor. To explore all combined and dual graduate degree options available at UofL, visit the Graduate Academic Catalog.

Dual academic awards are an arrangement in which a student receives instruction at two or more institutions in prescribed curricula leading to each institution granting academic awards at the same credential level. The award granted by each institution bears only its name, seals, and officials’ signatures (Source: SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy, p. 53). 

UofL currently offers the following dual academic awards with external partners:

An articulation agreement is a formal partnership between UofL and another accredited college, university, or a group of institutions working together (called a consortium). These agreements explain how courses taken at the partner school can count toward a UofL degree or certificate. The credits help meet graduation requirements, but they are not listed as UofL courses on students' transcripts (Source: SACSCOC Resource Manual, p. 160).

While articulation agreements provide a clear pathway for transferring credits, they are not required. UofL also accepts eligible transfer coursework from other institutions without a formal agreement. To learn more about transferring credits, visit the Undergraduate Admissions website.

The following are active articulation agreements at UofL:

Footnotes:

* A 2+2 transfer agreement is a planned program of study that lets students complete the first two years of college at a partner school, then transfer to UofL to finish the final two years. After completing all requirements, students earn a bachelor’s degree from UofL. These programs are different from dual academic awards because the partner school does not grant a degree or credential at the same educational level.

** The exchange agreement between the UofL Brandeis School of Law and NKU Chase College of Law allows students to take up to 12 total credit hours either remotely or face-to-face at the partner institution. Students pay the home institution tuition rate, and the credits are recorded on the transcript as transfer credits. Students must receive permission from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs to participate in the program according to the Brandeis School of Law Student Handbook (p. 41).

*** A study abroad consortium is a group of colleges and universities working together to offer international study programs. Through these partnerships, students enrolled at one institution can participate in study abroad opportunities organized by another member of the consortium. Coursework completed through a consortium program is approved by UofL and counts toward the student's degree, but these credits appear on the transcript as transfer credit, not as UofL coursework.

Completion pathways are programs where students take courses at two or more schools and earn degrees at different levels, such as an associates degree from one school and a bachelors degree from another. Each school awards its own credential with its name and official signatures (Source: Adapted from SACSCOC Resource Manual, p. 79 and SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy, p. 143). Some programs may include reverse transfer, where credits from the second school are sent back to the first to help complete a degree.

UofL offers accelerated programs that let students earn both a bachelors and a masters degree in less time. These programs do not involve another institution, so they are considered combined degree programs, not completion pathways (Source: SACSCOC Resource Manual, p. 79). To learn more about UofL’s Soaring Scholar program and other accelerated options, visit the Undergraduate Academic Catalog.

UofL currently offers the following completion pathways with external partners:

Accreditation and Academic Programs (AAP), on behalf of the Provost, monitors certain academic agreements that are not covered by SACSCOC policies but are still closely related. These may include awarding credit for prior learning or providing instruction to students from other institutions through cooperative academic arrangements.

Agreements monitored by AAP that are outside of the scope of SACSCOC are the following: