DURHAM, N.H. - The University of New Hampshire and Great Bay Community College have announced a new dual admission program that will allow students to seamlessly transfer into UNH to complete a bachelor's degree after completing their associate degree at Great Bay. Qualified students can earn credits that apply to both their associate degree and bachelor's degree while at GBCC. Upon completion of an associate degree and a cumulative 2.5 grade point average or higher, program participants are guaranteed seamless entry into UNH's College of Liberal Arts.    

"The greatest challenges facing higher education continue to be access and affordability," UNH President Mark Huddleston said. "I am pleased that we are again expanding our collaboration with Great Bay to allow more New Hampshire students the opportunity to continue their learning beyond the associate degree level."

The dual admission program is open to students applying or currently enrolled for the fall semester at Great Bay Community College. The program is intended to serve as a pilot that will eventually include all University System of New Hampshire and Community College System of New Hampshire institutions. GBCC and UNH currently have articulation agreements that guarantee transfer into the University's College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, and the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics.

"This is the next step in a great partnership with UNH. With this new program we are able to provide a wider population of students the opportunity to complete an associate degree at GBCC and move seamlessly to UNH as a junior," said GBCC President Wildolfo Arvelo. "By offering this cost effective option, we look forward to increasing access to higher education." 

Benefits to GBCC students enrolled in the dual admission program with UNH include having one application fee, access to specialized academic advising to maximize course completion and ensure eligibility, invitations to academic, athletic, cultural and social events at UNH throughout the year, guaranteed university housing upon successful completion of the dual admission program, and eligibility for merit based scholarships for students who meet GPA requirements.

Great Bay Community College, founded in 1945, serves 5000 students annually in over 50 career and transfer oriented programs, in such areas as Liberal Arts, Sciences, Education, Allied Health, Business, Information Technology, and Advanced Manufacturing.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

For more information on the dual admission program, visit: www.greatbay.edu/dualadmission or contact Natalie Girouard at 603-427-7607 or ngirouard@ccsnh.edu.

Image to be downloaded: /unhtoday/news/releases/2014/08/images/unh-great-bay-signing-20-1631.jpg
Caption: (l to r) University of New Hampshire President Mark W. Huddleston and Great Bay Community College President Wildolfo Arvelo  
Credit: Mark Bolton