The Compact Agreement

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SIU Carbondale has recognized the Illinois regionally accredited community college transferable baccalaureate-oriented Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees under the Compact Agreement since 1970. SIU Carbondale will continue to recognize the baccalaureate oriented associate degree (A.A. or A.S. degree) under the Illinois Articulation Initiative. The Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.), the Associate in General Studies (A.G.S.), and the Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A.) are not covered under the Compact Agreement and do not carry the same benefits as the A.A. and A.S. degrees.

Students without an A.A. or A.S. from an Illinois Accredited Community College

Transfer students who have not earned a baccalaureate-oriented Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from an accredited Illinois public community college prior to attending SIU Carbondale, but who have been certified by a participating Illinois Articulation Initiative institution as having completed the Illinois Transferable General Education Core Curriculum (IAI GECC) will be considered as having fulfilled the University Core Curriculum requirements required for general graduation.

SIU Carbondale will waive a fraction of a semester hour of University Core Curriculum course requirement for a satisfactorily completed and approved course from an accredited institution participating in the Illinois Articulation Initiative. Students must complete a minimum of 37 credit (56 quarter) hours to satisfy the University Core Curriculum requirements.

Transfer students with an AA or AS from a regionally accredited out-of-state institution or an Illinois institution that does not participate in IAI, who present 37 or more credit hours of general education credit prior to initial enrollment will be evaluated to determine completion of the University Core Curriculum model. If the student has completed the SIU Carbondale model, the student will be considered as having fulfilled the University Core Curriculum requirements.

Transfer students who have earned the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree may qualify to complete their University Core Curriculum requirements under the Capstone Option. Information about the Capstone Option and the participating majors is explained here.

Evaluation of courses taken at regionally accredited colleges and universities will be completed by Articulation & Evaluation, a division of the Registrar's Office, at the time of the student’s admission to the University. Any Illinois Transferable General Education Core (IAI) course that is articulated to a University Core Curriculum course will be utilized toward completion of the University Core Curriculum. Transcripts submitted for evaluation must be issued within the last thirty days, in a sealed envelope, or sent electronically from the institution from an approved third-party transcript provider.

The Illinois Articulation Initiative Transferable General Education Core (IAIGECC) is in effect for students who began an associate or baccalaureate degree as first-time freshmen Summer 1998 or thereafter. Students transferring from SIU Carbondale to another institution may request that SIU Carbondale audit their record for completion of the Illinois Transferable General Education Core (IAIGECC). If this is complete, the student will receive certification of that completion on the transcript. The student must have 37 or more credit hours of general education credits prior to this request. IAI general education core courses are listed under the Illinois Articulation Initiative section.

SIU Carbondale re-entry students who have not earned an Illinois baccalaureate-oriented AA or AS degree, or students concurrently enrolled at another institution while attending SIU Carbondale, must complete the University Core Curriculum or the IAI General Education Core Curriculum (IAIGECC) requirements. A student must have a minimum of 30 credit hours of transfer credit prior to enrollment at SIU Carbondale in order to be eligible to complete the IAI GECC in lieu of the SIU Carbondale UCC requirement subsequent to admission to the University. Concurrently enrolled students should seek advice from Articulation & Evaluation on acceptable course equivalents to the University Core Curriculum or visit the web site: articulation.siu.edu.