Marshall University has entered into an agreement that allows journalism majors who have successfully earned associate degrees from Mountwest Community and Technical College to seamlessly transfer those credits to Marshall in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree, according to Donald Van Horn, dean of MU’s College of Arts and Media.
President Stephen J. Kopp and Mountwest President Keith J. Cotroneo signed a 2+2 Articulation Agreement last week to benefit students in the fields of advertising, public relations, online journalism as well as radio/television production and management. The signing took place in Studio A in the Communications Building. Afterward, Marshall students led a tour of the journalism and mass communications facilities including Studio A, The Parthenon newsroom, the WMUL radio studio and Out Loud, a creative agency space designed for advertising and public relations majors.
![Mountwest-JMCAgreement2-300x199[1]](http://www.marshall.edu/jmc/files/Mountwest-JMCAgreement2-300x1991-300x199.jpg)
Van Horn said faculty and staff in the College of Arts and Media as well as the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications are excited about the opportunity to provide these degree options to students from Mountwest.
“The agreement aligns programs at the two institutions and provides opportunities for students to further their studies, which is important as we prepare them for the global workplace,” Van Horn said.
According to the official agreement, the deans of both programs will continually monitor the curriculum at both institutions to ensure consistency and program quality. Students who earn an associate degree at Mountwest will earn a bachelor’s degree from Marshall by fulfilling their final two years of coursework on the Huntington campus. Once at Marshall, transfer students are a part of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism that is housed within the College of Arts and Media.
Cotroneo said this is a great opportunity for Mountwest students who have worked hard to earn their associate degree in journalism.
“Mountwest is pleased to offer this opportunity for our journalism students to pursue a bachelor’s degree close to home,” Cotroneo said. “Our newest partnership with Marshall University makes it easy for Mountwest graduates to continue working toward their career goals.”
Janet Dooley, an associate dean in the College of Arts and Media and director of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications, said the agreement is a benefit to both institutions. Marshall gets high-performing students from Mountwest and those students get to earn a four-year degree from a nationally accredited program.
“After reviewing Mountwest’s curriculum requirements, it seems like such a logical progression to continue in journalism and mass communications to earn a bachelor’s degree,” Dooley said. “We’re looking forward to the first cohort of students from Mountwest.”
Linda Vinson, associate professor of communication at Mountwest, said it’s been a privilege to collaborate with Marshall’s faculty to create this opportunity for a seamless transfer from Mountwest to Marshall.
“Both Mountwest and Marshall University share a common goal to help students achieve their career aspirations of working in the exciting world of mass media,” Vinson said.
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Photos: (Above) Marshall University graduate student Hanna Francis talks about the Marshall broadcasting program to students from MCTC as President Stephen J. Kopp and Mountwest President Keith J. Cotroneo look on. The presidents signed a 2+2 Articulation Agreement in Studio A on the Huntington campus that will benefit students studying journalism and mass communications. (Below) Two Mountwest Community and Technical College students get a feel for broadcasting behind the MU Report desk in Studio A. Photos by Rick Haye.