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Higher Education Coordination Commission

Educator Resources – Transfer Maps

The State of Oregon, community colleges, and public universities work together to expand Major Transfer Maps (MTMs) across Oregon public institutions. MTMs are major-specific transfer degrees that allow students to transfer credits from Oregon community colleges to Oregon public universities if the participating institutions offer programs in the MTM subject area. Here you can find information on approved MTMs as well as resources for institutions and educators.

Resources for Institutions and Educators

If students complete a Major Transfer Map and meet public university admissions requirements, they are guaranteed transfer to a participating Oregon four-year public university with junior standing, and their coursework will count toward a bachelor’s degree in that specific major. On this page, educators and partners can find the current list of approved MTMs, as well as information guiding the ongoing implementation of MTMs in Oregon.

Resources for Students

Students can find tips at the link below for starting the transfer process, including introductions to the resources in the Oregon Transfer Compass (Core Transfer Maps, Major Transfer Maps, and other tools).

Plan to Transfer — The Oregon Transfer Compass

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQs on Transfer Maps

The intention is to support student success by decreasing the time it takes to complete a degree and the cost for that degree. Both the Core Transfer Maps and Major Transfer Maps should help students find their degree path sooner, spend less time and money, and complete degrees at higher rates.

A Core Transfer Map (roughly 30 credits) is part of each Major Transfer Map (typically 90 credits). Many Major Transfer Maps will require students to take specific courses to complete the Core portion of the Major Transfer Map. Students who know what they want to major in should follow a Major Transfer Map and see an advisor to pick the specific Core Transfer Map courses that fit within their Major Transfer Map.​

If a student successfully completes a Core Transfer Map, all of the credits from that Map are guaranteed to transfer to any Oregon public university and count toward its core bachelor’s degree requirements. While Core Transfer Maps are great starting points for college, they are NOT complete first-year course plans. For information on specific majors or complete general education requirements, students should talk to their advisors for guidance on the next steps they should take.


Students should ask their advisors about Major Transfer Maps. A Major Transfer Map is a course plan for a chosen major that, when completed, allows a student to transfer their credits to a participating Oregon public university, and count those credits toward a bachelor’s degree in the specific major.  Students should talk to their advisors about the list of available Major Transfer Maps. MTMs are available at institutions that have programs in the MTM subject area.​

A Major Transfer Map is right for Oregon community college students who plan to transfer to a four-year public university and think they know what they want to major in.​

Any participating Oregon public university will accept all of the Major Transfer Map credits and count them all toward a bachelor’s degree in the specific major when a student successfully completes a Major Transfer Map. MTMs are available at institutions with programs of study in the MTM subject.​ Following one of these Maps should save students time, money, and stress because Major Transfer Maps are streamlined course plans for each major and all credits will transfer and count toward their degree. 


Students should talk with advisors at their home institutions. A Major Transfer Map is a course plan for a major that, when completed, will allow students to transfer credits from an Oregon community college to an Oregon public university (if the participating institutions offer programs in the MTM subject areas​), and count all of those credits toward a bachelor’s degree in a specific major. Studetns can see the following student-focused pages on our website:

​MTMs are only available at Oregon public institutions that offer the relevant academic programming for each MTM major. HECC maintains a spreadsheet of the institutions required to participate in each Major Transfer Map and whether the MTM is currently being offered at a community college. This tool is updated annually. Institutions can report any errors in this spreadsheet to Leigh.Graziano@hecc.oregon.gov. 

  • ​​MTM Participation and​ Implementation ​​ (coming soon)​

​Yes. All MTM agreements (MOUs and CAPs) have catalog rights. Much like a student’s catalog year follows them throughout their years at a university, the year a student begins an MTM pathway determines which MTM agreement they are following and which Bachelor’s degree requirements they are following at their receiving institution. Students have seven years from the term they begin an MTM to complete it. For example, a student that began the MTM-MOU in Computer Science in Fall 2023 has seven years to complete it. They would still follow the MOU agreement even though a new CAP agreement has been published (beginning Fall 2024, new students can only follow the MTM-CAP in Computer Science).  Participating institutions are required to honor the agreement as written and articulate courses as specified in the agreement. 

This language is enshrined in the guarantees that open the MTM-MOU and MTM-CAP agreements:

“Catalog rights follow the MTM CAP agreement. Eligibility to graduate following the Bachelors’ degree requirements in effect at the university during the academic year the student first enrolled in the community college that awarded the [name of associate degree for MTM-CAP subject area]. If the student does not complete the Bachelor’s degree within 7 years of the first enrollment at the community college awarding the [name of associate degree], they should meet with an advisor to determine which catalog to use.”

Approved Major Transfer Maps

The transfer degrees below were approved by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). These statewide transfer agreements identify the participating community colleges and universities for each transfer map and the specific coursework needed to transfer to a participating Oregon public university as a junior seeking a Bachelor in the given major. New students beginning a Major Transfer Map (MTM) should always follow the most recent approved version. MTM agreements  function like catalogs and have catalog rights. See the FAQ for more information. 

The agreements below are Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) or Curriculum Articulation Policies (CAP). The template for MTM Course Articulation Policies (CAP) is available here.

Major
Approved MTM Agreement 
Dates
Biology
MTM MOU, Associate of Science Transfer (AST) in Biology
Approved 11/27/18; Effective Fall 2019

Business
MTM MOU, AST in Business 
Approved 01/06/21; Effective Fall 2021
Computer Science
MTM CAP, AST in Computer Science 
Approved 06/13/24; Effective Fall 2024
Computer Science
MTM MOU, AST in Computer Science 
Approved 11/27/18; Effective Fall 2019-Spring 2024
Elementary Education
MTM MOU, Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) in Elementary Education
Approved 10/18/19; Effective Fall 2020
English Literature
MTM MOU, Associate of Arts Transfer (AAT) in English Literature 
Approved 03/15/19; Effective Fall 2019


Major Transfer Maps Under Development

Several new MTMs are being developed and will become available once they are approved by Transfer Council and the Commission. 

In Development:
  • AAT and AST, Human Development and Family Services
  • AST, Psychology
  • AAT and AST, Sociology
  • AAT and AST, Sociology/Anthropology
Pending Development (2025-2026):
  • Communications
  • Criminal Justice

Institution and Educator Resources for Transfer Maps

Resources

Communications Tools for Implementation of Maps

​The following materials are for public community colleges in Oregon to use to communicate Oregon Transfer Compass tools (such as the Core Transfer Maps and the Major Transfer Maps)to students when they are approved and available at each specific institution.

Oregon Compass Branding Doc​​uments for Campus Use:

Social Media Tools: 

The HECC has social media graphic images and possible social media text available to be customized by Oregon community colleges according to their available program options. To request these resources, contact Leigh.Graziano@hecc.oregon.gov​ ​  


Stay Engaged

The Transfer Council meetings and Major Transfer Map subcommittee meetings are open to the public. Public testimony is welcomed at all public meetings of the HECC, the Transfer Council, and its subcommittees.  

Major Transfer Map Subcommittees

The Transfer Council convenes numerous subcommittees focused on Major Transfer Maps.  

Learn about membership and charges of the Transfer Council and subcommittees.

Legislative Reports on Transfer

See all legislative reports on student transfer on our reports archive page.