Bergen Community College President Eric M. Friedman, Ph.D., and Stockton University President Harvey Kesselman, Ed.D.
PARAMUS, N.J. – Bergen Community College has signed a dual admission and transfer partnership agreement with Stockton University that will help students make a smooth transition from the institution to Stockton’s bachelor’s degree program. The five-year agreement strengthens the relationship between Bergen and Stockton by offering multiple opportunities for students to seamlessly pursue associate and bachelor’s degrees at the two institutions of higher education.
“It remains critically important to provide pathways for Bergen Community College students, who seek to further their learning and expand their professional prospects,” President Eric M. Friedman, Ph.D., said. “When we have an opportunity to strengthen our pathways with one of the state’s great public institutions in Stockton University, it’s a win for our students, our community and New Jersey.”
Stockton President Harvey Kesselman, Ed.D., said the agreement will give students access to Stockton services while they attend Bergen, and provide a smooth pathway to Stockton as juniors after they earn their associate degree.
“More than 220 students from Bergen County already attend Stockton,” Kesselman said. “We look forward to welcoming even more students through this partnership. They can start their education at Bergen Community College with the confidence of knowing they are on the path to a four-year college degree.”
Stockton now has transfer pathways agreements with 11 of the state’s 18 community colleges, offering thousands of students an affordable path to a four-year college degree.
The terms of the agreement include:
- Students who successfully complete their associate degree at Bergen can automatically transfer to Stockton with junior standing to complete their bachelor’s degree. Application fees to Stockton will be waived for eligible students.
- Students who complete at least 30 credits at Bergen, and a total of 60 credits between the county college and the four-year institution, are eligible to receive a retroactive associate degree from Bergen. Stockton and Bergen will co-host “reverse transfer” information sessions for students.
- Students who are denied direct admission to Stockton can receive conditional dual admission in partnership with Bergen. Students will attend classes at Bergen but have access to campus housing, activities and student groups at Stockton and receive a special Stockton identification card through Stockton’s Transfer Pathways program.
- Stockton and Bergen will develop specific program-to-program articulation agreements for high-demand majors to facilitate the quality and ease of transfer.
- Students will receive joint advising from Stockton and Bergen and a Stockton advisor will have office space and a regular schedule at Bergen.
- Students will be eligible for financial aid from whichever institution they are attending. Stockton will provide five one-year scholarships of $2,000 per year to Bergen graduates whose admission to Stockton is covered by the agreement.
- Stockton and Bergen will establish an advisory committee to ensure best practices in recruitment, enrollment management, academic and student services, information technology, marketing and facilities use.
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
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