Oakland University and Macomb Community College are expanding their partnership by allowing students at Macomb to seamlessly transfer to OU for baccalaureate degree completion.

"This is an exciting addition to the partnership we have with Macomb Community College," said OU President Gary Russi. "In 2003, close to 30 percent of Oakland's students came from Macomb County, making it the second largest county to send students to OU. Now, Macomb students will be able to plan their degree paths knowing that Macomb Community College courses will give them full credits toward completing dozens of OU majors."

Macomb Community College has developed the Associate of Baccalaureate Studies (ABS) degree for students who intend to earn their bachelor's degree and know what they want for a major and where they want to transfer. Students now can complete their first two years of coursework at Macomb and enter Oakland University as a junior in more than 40 bachelor's degree majors.     

"We are pleased to be able to continue to collaborate with Oakland University to increase the range of readily available educational opportunities for Macomb County residents," said Albert Lorenzo, president of Macomb Community College. "With jobs requiring a college degree growing at a pace that is twice as fast as others, increased access to college degree programs is important to the future and vitality of Macomb County."    

In addition to the signing of the transfer agreement for Macomb's ABS degree, Oakland University also will launch of a number of new degree programs that will be offered at Macomb's University Center on the college's Clinton Township campus in the fall.    

The new programs include bachelor of arts in communication, Bachelor of Science in occupational health and safety, Bachelor of Science in elementary education, Master of Arts in counseling, Master of Arts in training and development, and Master of Arts in teacher development and education studies. A Master of Educational Leadership and Doctor of Philosophy in education, educational leadership concentration also will be offered in Macomb County at the Macomb ISD beginning this fall.

"President Lorenzo and I feel it is critical in these times of tight higher education budgets that we both use existing resources efficiently and look for ways to make it easier for our students to get a college degree," Russi said. "With the addition of these new OU programs, many more Macomb County students will be able to complete their degrees without ever leaving Macomb County."

The new degrees bring OU's total of undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, graduate and certification programs at MUC to 17.