Overview

The Oregon Transfer Module (OTM) provides a one-year curriculum for students who plan to transfer to a state of Oregon community college or another Oregon public university. The module allows students to complete one year of general-education foundation course work that is academically sound and readily transferable within Oregon.

Any student holding an Oregon Transfer Module that conforms to the guidelines below will have met the requirements for the Transfer Module at any Oregon community college or Oregon public university. Upon transfer, the receiving institution may specify additional course work that is required for a major or for degree requirements or to make up the difference between the Transfer Module and the institution's total General Education requirements.

Guidelines

The Oregon Transfer Module includes the following course work, which is equivalent to 3 academic quarters. The coursework must be chosen from the courses approved for the categories below by the institution issuing the credit. In the case of community colleges, these will be courses approved for the AA/OT degree; in the case of universities and 4-year colleges, they will be courses approved for the General Education part of a baccalaureate degree. All courses must be passed with a grade of "C-" or better and must be worth at least 3 credits (quarter system). Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the time the module is posted.

Foundational Skills

Introduction to Disciplines

Electives

As required to bring the total credits to 45. Courses must be from the Introduction to Disciplines areas (Arts & Letters, Social Science, or Science/Math/Computer Science).

Notes and Clarifications

1. Courses that are designed to prepare students for college-level work are not applicable to the transfer module.
2. When choosing courses in science and mathematics, students and advisors should check the specific requirements at receiving schools. Courses that include a laboratory component, or that deal with specific subjects, may be required for majors or degrees.
3. Computer Science courses used in the Math/Science/Computer Science area must meet Oregon Council of Computer Chairs criteria for a science course.
4. In Arts and Letters, the second year of a foreign language may be included, but not the first year. American Sign Language (ASL) is considered a foreign language.  Demonstrated proficiency in an American Indian language can meet all or part of the second language requirement, as certified by the governing body of any federally recognized tribe.
5. Most Oregon community colleges and participating Oregon public universities will offer students the opportunity to complete an Oregon Transfer Module and the OTM designation will be posted on the transcript by the issuing institution upon request. Regionally accredited private colleges and universities within the state are also welcome to offer and issue Transfer Modules, which will be accepted at any Oregon public college or university.
6. Oregon Transfer Module credits may not match program requirements in the receiving school. The OTM supplements, but does not supplant existing articulation agreements and does not replace effective advising.

Adopted by Oregon Community Colleges Handbook and Planning Guide. http://handbook.ccwdwebforms.net/handbook/definitions/associate-degrees/oregon-transfer-module-(otm)

List of Courses

Foundational Skills

Writing and Oral Communication

Mathematics

Introduction to the Areas of Inquiry

Arts & Letters

Science/Math/Computer Science

Social Science

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Oregon Transfer Module (OTM)?

The OTM was created jointly by Oregon colleges and universities to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of students who transfer among these institutions. The OTM does not replace the need for effective advising, but it will facilitate transfer without loss of credit toward associate's and bachelor's degrees and without unnecessary duplication of courses.

The OTM is not a certificate or degree, but is documentation that students have met a subset of common General Education requirements. It includes both Foundational Skills (Communication and Mathematics) and Introduction to the Disciplines (Arts and Letters, Social Science, and Science), and students will complete the OTM by selecting from General Education courses that have been approved for the Associate of Arts/Oregon Transfer degree, the Associate of Science Oregon Transfer-Business degree, or for bachelor's degrees from participating Oregon Public Universities.

The OTM is equivalent to the first year of a bachelor's degree, or approximately half of an associate's degree (45 credits). Its intent is to help students structure their first year of college in a way that is both academically sound and readily transferable within Oregon. 

How do students benefit from the OTM?

Taking courses that satisfy the OTM is a good first step for college students who are undecided about a major. The OTM is a milestone in itself and it can lead to an associate's or a bachelor's degree. For students taking courses at multiple post-secondary institutions, OTM completion can save on the cost of tuition by ensuring transferability of course work.

For the growing number of high school students who take college courses from a local college or university, choosing courses that count toward the OTM will give a head start on a college degree.

Will this be a single set of courses for all Oregon colleges?

No. The intent is to preserve the uniqueness of each institution's General Education curriculum, while assuring students that their first year of General Education courses will transfer to another institution.

The OTM is the first step in developing an outcomes-based framework for articulation and transfer that is derived from a common understanding of the criteria for General Education curricula.

Are students taking courses toward the OTM eligible for financial aid?

Yes, but only if they are enrolled in a degree or certificate program.

Do students completing an OTM get counted as "completers" and, if so, how?

The OTM is a measure of completion that will be tracked as an OCCURS (Oregon Community College Unified Reporting System) data element for Oregon's community colleges and as a SCARF (Student Centralized Administrative Reporting File) data element for participating Oregon Public Universities. The AA-OT CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs code) should be used to identify community college students who complete the OTM each term. Participating independent colleges will determine how they will report OTM completion.

Can institutions charge a processing fee as with degrees and certificates?

Yes. Institutions currently charge fees to cover the expense of transcript evaluation, and may do so for the OTM. This is an individual institutional decision.

How do institutional residency requirements apply to the OTM?

Since the OTM is not a degree or certificate, there are no formal residency requirements, and the OTM is initiated by completion of the first General Education course that counts toward it. Since the credit minimum for such courses is 3, residency for OTM purposes can be established with as few as 3 credits.

Important: This information does not apply to residency requirements for tuition purposes.

Does OTM completion data need to be compiled for IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) reporting?

No. Since the OTM is not a major, the information does not need to be reported to IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System).

Do all institutions have to offer students an OTM?

Most Oregon community colleges and participating public universities will offer the OTM to their students; Oregon independent colleges and universities are invited to do so as well. All receiving institutions must accept the OTM Foundational Skills and Introduction to Disciplines courses as they were counted by the sending institution. For example, a course in a field such as psychology, which might be considered a social science on one campus and a natural science on another, will count in the category designated by the institution offering the course.

Will the OTM encourage early transfer? That is, will it increase the number of students who transfer before completing their associate's degrees?

Probably not. Many community college students already transfer without completing an associate's degree. Some of these students will now complete an OTM before transferring.

What happens if a student completes a course with a grade below C-?

Courses passed with a grade below C- do not apply to the OTM, but may apply to the additional course requirements for an associate's or bachelor's degree.

Will Pass/No Pass grades be accepted toward completion of the OTM?

Students should be advised to take all courses for the OTM for a letter grade. Many Oregon colleges and universities limit the number of courses that can be taken Pass/No Pass and most require letter grades in courses taken to fulfill General Education requirements.

Will courses from out-of-state institutions count for the OTM?

Yes, General Education courses from all regionally-accredited institutions, which are accepted in transfer to apply toward bachelor's degrees, can also apply to the OTM.

Can 300- and 400-level courses be used to satisfy the OTM requirements?

Yes, as long as they could be used to satisfy the granting institution's general education requirements.

When there is a discrepancy between institutions how will it be resolved?

It is anticipated that discussion between institutions will resolve most discrepancies. As with the AA-OT, the Joint Boards Articulation Commission will serve as a mediating body when necessary.

What is the process for adding and deleting courses from a college or universities course list?

A central web page with links to institutional course lists is being proposed for the OrACRAO (Oregon Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) web site. Colleges/Universities are responsible for keeping their course lists up to date when their curricula change.