Elmhurst College and College of DuPage recently launched several new 2+2 programs designed to help COD students transfer seamlessly to Elmhurst.
Developed for students who plan to major in political science, Spanish, French, German or English with secondary education licensure, the programs allow students to earn an associate degree at COD and a bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst in just four years.
The new programs follow the model set by a previously established articulation agreement for philosophy students. Launched in 2015, the philosophy 2+2 program was the first such program to emerge from the partnership between Elmhurst College and COD.
Under the 2+2 agreements, COD students will be guided through an academic plan that ensures a smooth transition to Elmhurst. COD students may transfer up to 70 hours of credit to Elmhurst.
“We are very pleased to offer these additional transfer opportunities with Elmhurst College,” said Dr. Emmanuel Awuah, COD associate vice president for academic affairs. “At both College of DuPage and Elmhurst College, our focus is always on student success. These agreements provide efficient pathways for our students to reach their goals in higher education and future careers.”
As part of the partnership agreement, Elmhurst and COD have established a faculty exchange, in which faculty members have the opportunity to teach classes on each other’s campuses.
Elmhurst College Associate Professor Katrina Sifferd, who taught an ethics class at COD during Fall Term 2016, said the faculty exchange—and the partnership in general—have been beneficial for both institutions.
“I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to be on campus at COD,” Sifferd said. “It’s a good way to get to know COD students and learn about their needs as transfer students, while also helping them get to know more about Elmhurst.”
Sifferd said the partnership has led to a greater degree of collaboration between the two institutions.
“COD faculty are talking to their students more about Elmhurst,” she noted. “They’re sending us notifications about upcoming speakers at COD that our students might be interested in, and they’ve invited our students to a philosophy research symposium in the spring. The partnership between the two institutions is a win-win proposition.”