Credits, Time, and Attainment: Articulation Policies and Success After Transfer

Abstract

While state legislatures are increasingly enacting articulation policies, research to date provides little evidence that these policies enhance students’ likelihood of transfer. Based on a careful historical review of state statutes, the authors propose that articulation policies do not improve transfer rates because that is not their intended purpose; the main goal of articulation policies is to prevent the loss of credits when students transfer within state higher education systems. Subsequently, the authors use the National Education Longitudinal Study to evaluate articulation policies based on an alternative set of outcomes: attainment of a bachelor’s degree, time to degree, and credits required to complete a bachelor’s degree. They discuss the limitations of existing data and propose that future studies be designed to specifically evaluate the transfer or loss of credits applicable toward general education requirements.