Southern Arkansas University, Camden-SAU Tech announced on April 9 that it will begin providing a new academic transfer delivery model for fall 2021.
Rocket University, developed by SAU Tech, is built on the premise that students seeking bachelor’s degrees can obtain the first two years of a degree at a lower cost with individualized support services without giving up the freshman college experience.
While the state of Arkansas has a transfer system in place between two-year and four-year state colleges, SAU Tech has taken the transfer process a step further with Rocket University to ensure that students have a seamless transfer process. SAU Tech’s transfer process now includes university transfer agreements with in-state and out-of-state universities. Partner universities include Arkansas Tech University, Arkansas State University-Jonesboro, Henderson State University, John Brown University, Southern Arkansas University, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, Columbia College, Columbia Southern University, and Purdue Global University.
The real advantages of Rocket University lie in the flexibility for the individual student. Students can participate in the “freshman experience” they expect from colleges such as NJCAA athletics, student housing, student organizations, scholars programs, leadership and volunteer opportunities, choir, and support services to help them succeed academically and personally in their first two years.
SAU Tech did not limit the transfer options under Rocket University to students seeing bachelor of science or arts degrees; the College also included transfers for bachelor of applied science degrees. Students or alumni who have degrees in technical fields can now obtain bachelor’s degrees.
The delivery of transfer options was also a consideration when creating the Rocket University model. The College wanted to provide students with alternate delivery options. Many of the articulations include online degrees. This is especially important to students balancing their personal and work lives while working on a college degree.
Dr. Jason Morrison, SAU Tech Chancellor, said that “We wanted to take transfer options for our students and make them accessible to our students with this model we created. Providing clear articulated agreements between SAU Tech and partner universities removes the stress from the process for students and college advisors. It opens up the world of education for two-year college students. Our vice chancellor for academics and planning, Dr. Valerie Wilson, is developing transfer pathways to include more university partners for our students. We want to give the freshman college experience to our students and make the process of obtaining a bachelor’s degree a reality for them.”
SAU Tech will formally begin the program in the fall of this academic year. For more information on Rocket University, go to www.sautech.edu/transferor call 870-574-4558.