Applied Opportunity: Transfer Pathways of the Associates in Applied Sciences Degree in Kentucky

Growing numbers of previously terminal AAS degrees have been targeted for transfer agreements with four-year institutions (Townsend, 2001). What happens when terminal credentials designed for a specific segment of the labor market become part of a broader academic pathway? Does this open new opportunity for applied degree recipients? In this study, we analyze articulation agreements for AAS degrees between the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, and state public and private four-year colleges. This exploratory study reveals that while the expansion of credentials from AAS to the baccalaureate does offer some opportunities for students who begin what would have once been a terminal degree, the promise of smooth articulation is difficult to meet. Unless a student is focused and knowledgeable, almost all of the five types of transfer pathways described hold risks and there are numerous obstacles to successful completion.