Two new Modesto Junior College associates degrees will give students priority consideration at California State University campuses, when applying to similar programs.

The new Associate of Arts Transfer in Communications Studies and Associate of Science Transfer in Mathematics come as part of MJC’s implementation of the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, signed into law on Sept. 29.

“We are excited to offer these new degrees beginning in the 2011-12 academic year,” said MJC Vice President of Instruction Karen Walters Dunlap, who is also serving as acting president for the college. “These courses of study provide a seamless pathway from a community college to a four-year institution, preventing loss of time or money that can occur if an MJC course is not accepted by a university. We look forward to adding more associate degrees for transfer in coming years.”

The STAR act requires community colleges to grant associate degrees for transfer to students who have met the degree and transfer requirements for that major. Upon completion of the degree, the student is eligible to transfer into the CSU system as a junior.

The bill prevents community colleges from adding course requirements above and beyond those laid out in the STAR act, and prohibits CSU campuses from requiring transferring students to repeat similar courses.

Further information on the new majors is available online at http://www.mjc.edu/common/catalog/pdfs/1112/addendum_2011_12_web.pdf