INAG News The IAA Provides
Paths to Degrees
IAA Graduates Flourish in Bachelor’s Degree Programs By: Heather McHale
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or some IAA students, the educational journey doesn’t end when they receive their Certificate in Applied Agriculture. An increasing number of IAA grads apply to the university as transfer students and go on to earn bachelor’s degrees. While IAA graduates apply as transfer students, just like graduates of other two-year programs might, they have a major advantage: if they’re admitted to the degree program, they get “resident credit” for the Universityapproved courses they took during their time at the IAA. (That means the credits are certain to transfer and that their grades count toward the GPA.) For some areas of study
in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, almost every single credit earned at the IAA will apply toward the requirements for the major, which makes the path toward the bachelor’s degree a lot smoother. With good planning, a student’s transition from IAA to bachelor’s degree program can be virtually seamless, which minimizes time and credit hours needed to earn both credentials. The IAA’s advisors can help make that happen, says Becky Jones, a 2018 graduate of the IAA’s Agricultural Business Management program. Jones, who is now working toward a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics, had a distinguished career at the IAA. She was deemed AGNR’s
Outstanding Student from the twoyear program, and she balanced her academic pursuits with a long list of extracurricular activities, from founding the UMD chapter of the Collegiate Farm Bureau to serving as the President of the AGNR Student Council. She encourages other transfer students to make use of their resources at the IAA. “Utilize your advisor,” Jones says. “They’ll know exactly what you need to take… They’ll make it so you can get it done as fast as possible.” See DEGREES, page 3.
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Pictured left to right: Monica Martin, Cameron Smith, and Becky Jones. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND / FEARLESS IDEAS