New Jersey City University (NJCU) and Essex County College (ECC) established a seamless transfer program between the two institutions, the Essex|NJCU Express.

NJCU and ECC leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding at a ceremony last week in Jersey City with other leaders and stakeholders.

Effective Sept. 1, 2024, for a period of at least five years, some key aspects of the program include:

• The waiver of all all application fees for transfer students into NJCU.
• NJCU will grant joint admission with junior status to ECC students in good academic standing who have earned an Associate of Arts or Science degree in the similar academic program of study.
• The schools will adopt specific program-to-program articulation agreements for all 39 bachelor’s degrees and distinct degree and certification pathways.
• Every credit earned at ECC will transfer to NJCU.
• NJCU and ECC will collaborate to identify program maps to:
  • Facilitate the transfer of credits and limit excess credit accumulation;
  • develop joint admission standards, academic advising and support programs and staff;
  • establish a timeline for the automatic transfer of credits.
• Ongoing data-driven evaluations of the program will assess effectiveness and make adjustment when necessary.

Opening doors

NJCU says the agreement builds on recent efforts, such as HCCC|NJCU Connect. Additionally, NJCU overhauled its general education curriculum last year to become a statewide leader as the most transfer-friendly public university in the Garden State.

“The American Dream for many in our communities finds its foothold on campuses like Essex County College, and we are creating an expeditious process where students complete those pursuits on our campus at NJCU,” said interim President Andres Acebo.

Acebo stressed that both institutions serve some of the most diverse communities and socioeconomically diverse students in the state. He noted that throughout their respective histories, NJCU and ECC have been a vehicle and modality for social mobility and prosperity.

“Our work manifests in real time when we come together to launch bold initiatives like Essex|NJCU Express to anchor purpose and mission around people. What we are doing here today through our joint admission matriculation partnership is anchoring ourselves around the people we are privileged to lift, champion, and amplify through our dedicated and concerted efforts,” said Acebo. “Today, we honor where our student’s academic journeys begin and recommit to help shepherd them through its timely conclusion and the professional pursuits that follow.”

“This collaboration between the two institutions is a win-win for all our students,” said Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., a 1976 NJCU alumnus and member of its Lawrence R. Schiner Athletics Hall of Fame. “Giving students who graduate from ECC an opportunity to easily continue their studies and earn bachelor’s degrees at NJCU is what it’s all about. Opportunities like this will change the trajectory of people’s lives and open doors for future academic and employment growth. We look forward to the many positive outcomes this partnership will bring.”

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