CSM Hosts Transfer Fairs, Offers Accessible Pathways to Possibilities with 292 Transfer Agreements to Four-Year Institutions

In recent months, the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) finalized 15 new transfer pathways with West Virginia University – so CSM can now boast that the college offers nearly 300 articulation agreements with 71 different transfer partners. This means that CSM students who meet certain criteria are given priority enrollment or guaranteed access to four-year colleges and universities worldwide.  

This month, students can learn more about their transfer options at three Transfer Fair events – on Monday, Sept. 16, at the Leonardtown Campus; on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Prince Frederick Campus; and on Thursday, Sept. 19, via Zoom. The time for each event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

"Our goal is to make the transfer process as seamless and affordable as possible for students to prevent any stop-outs and allow for mobility to continue and complete the bachelor’s degree,” said Becky Price, assistant director of the CSM Registrar’s Office. About 36 percent of CSM students are in transfer degree programs, and students are more likely to transfer and be successful if there is an agreement in place with a pathway to follow, she said.  

“By taking the guesswork out of transfer, students can take more control of their transfer experience,” Price said.  

• CSM’s 292 program agreements outline how courses transfer and what courses are needed to successfully obtain a bachelor’s degree.  
• CSM’s 27 guaranteed admission requirements outline acceptance into the educational institution and how they will be accepted.  

• There are five Reverse Transfer Agreements, and the Reverse Transfer Process in general allows students to obtain their associate degree from CSM after transferring to take advantage of scholarship opportunities.  

• There are three Dual Admission Agreements that allow students to take classes at their intended four-year institution to ensure that students stay on track and are up to date on all transfer opportunities.  

“We are not only giving our students an abundance of options they may not have even considered before, but we are supporting them in their educational journey even after they leave CSM to ensure mobility in their educational journey,” Price said.  

CSM Alum Robbie Katzberg '24, pictured right, earned his associate degree in applied science in Cybersecurity this past spring. As of this week, he is now attending the University of Maryland Global Campus pursuing a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree.  

After graduating from CSM, Katzberg said the transfer process took about three weeks and all his CSM courses transferred over.  

“I’m able to see what I need to take to finish my bachelor’s here pretty easily,” he said.  

More than 36 percent of CSM students transferred to University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) in fiscal year 2022, followed by University of Maryland College Park with 14 percent and Towson University with 7.9 percent. CSM, with four campuses in Southern Maryland, is one of UMGC’s largest transfer partners while being the six-largest community college in Maryland. For more information about the transfer agreement with UMGC you may be interested in reading:  

https://www.csmd.edu/news/2023/csm-umgc-renew-transfer-agreement-with-signing-ceremony.html  

In addition to the numerous transfer agreements, CSM also offers pre-transfer programs where students can get support from both CSM and the transfer destination to ensure they stay on track from start to finish. For more information, see https://www.csmd.edu/student-services/transfer-services/pre-transfer/index.html  

Price said that CSM’s most successful pre-transfer program is probably the ENTRY program with the A. James Clark School of Engineering from University of Maryland College Park, Price said.  

In addition to September’s transfer events, CSM also offers a Virtual Transfer Fair. Each Thursday, there is an online Zoom meeting that runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with different institutions each week for students to meet with virtually. Students can also stop by one of the three CSM campuses at La Plata, Leonardtown or Prince Frederick to speak with a representative in person if they are scheduled for that day and time. The available dates and times for representatives to sign up for are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon; noon to 2 p.m.; or 2-4 p.m. The Transfer Thursday and on-campus visit schedules are based on the dates and times that institutions sign up for. View the transfer events dates, here: https://www.csmd.edu/student-services/transfer-services/transfer-fairs/index.html  

For students transferring into CSM, the Transfer Evaluation System shows students how their courses will transfer ahead of time. More information can be found here: https://www.csmd.edu/student-services/transfer-services/transfer-eval-system.html