UW–Platteville, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College and Nicolet College in Rhinelander have formed a partnership to award an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree, otherwise known as a University Transfer Liberal Arts degree.

UW–Platteville Chancellor Dennis J. Shields, Southwest Tech President Duane M. Ford and Nicolet College President Elizabeth Burmaster will sign the agreement in Room 2007 in UW–Platteville’s Ullsvik Hall today at 11 a.m.

Students earning the University Transfer Liberal Arts Degree at Nicolet College will be eligible to have all credits transfer and meet the UW–Platteville general education requirements, with the exception of ethnic and gender studies. Students at Southwest Tech will complete a year of coursework through the Fennimore campus and a subsequent year through Nicolet College.

After the completion of the “1+1” program, students are awarded the Transfer Liberal Arts Associate degree.  Students who maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average in the program will be guaranteed admission to UW–Platteville.

The goal of the program is to retain qualified southwest Wisconsin candidates who leave the technical college district for other, approved transfer opportunities. It is believed the agreement could serve up to 125 students per year who leave to study at other two-year institutions and then return to the area.

With current enrollment of more than 8,600 students, UW–Platteville continues to be the fastest-growing public university in Wisconsin. Southwest Tech’s main campus has more than 1,600 full-time equivalent students and serves approximately 12,000 southwest Wisconsin residents each year.

Nicolet College offers more than 70 different associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and apprenticeships as well as a University Transfer Liberal Arts Program, where students earn credits towards a bachelor’s degree before transferring to a four-year college or university.