The Transfer Alignment Project uses the following terms and acronyms related to Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) and UC Transfer Pathway (UCTP) alignment to clarify the scope of the alignment effort and interconnected work.
ADT
The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), established by SB 1440 (Padilla, 2010) and SB 440 (Padilla, 2013), is an associate degree that students must be able to complete within a maximum of 60 semester units. Upon completion with a minimum grade point average of 2.0, and other grade criteria, the student is guaranteed admission to a CSU campus in a similar major that requires no more than an additional 60 semester units to complete the baccalaureate degree, as determined by the CSU. In addition, if a CCC offers a local associate degree in a major that also has an approved TMC, the college is required to offer the ADT.
CCCMC
The California Community Colleges Model Curricula (CCCMCs) are developed for certificates and degrees in the California Community Colleges by CCC faculty but may have some intersegmental participation where appropriate. Currently, there is no expectation that CCCMCs are designed or intended for transfer. The CCCMCs have been typically developed for career education and professional licensure programs in the CCCs.
C-ID
The Course Identification Numbering System (C-ID) is a supranumbering system designed to ease transfer and articulation in California’s higher education institutions.
C-ID Course Descriptor
A C-ID Course Descriptor provides a description of a commonly offered lower-division course developed by a team of intersegmental discipline faculty. Both the approved and draft C-ID Course Descriptors can be found at https://www.c-id.net/descriptors.
DIG
A Discipline Input Group (DIG) is a convening of faculty from all segments to initiate the discussion of C-ID Course Descriptors and a Transfer Model Curriculum. All faculty are welcome to attend and provide feedback.
FDRG
A Faculty Discipline Review Group (FDRG) consists of full-time discipline faculty with curriculum experience from all higher education segments in California appointed by their segment academic senate. This group is responsible for developing C-ID Course Descriptors and a Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) or Model Curriculum (ISMC or CCCMC).
ISMC
Intersegmental Model Curricula (ISMCs) are developed for transfer majors or areas of study that do not fit into the parameters required for Transfer Model Curricula but where a common description of lower division requirements benefits transfer students. This includes high unit majors such as Engineering, where the distribution of units between upper and lower division requirements do not align with the standards developed for Transfer Model Curricula. ISMCs may provide statewide benefits upon transfer to students who have completed an ISMC-aligned degree.
STEM
STEM is a common abbreviation for four closely connected areas of study: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
TMC
A Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) describes the major preparation course components of an Associate Degree for Transfer. Each TMC consists of a minimum of 18 semester units in a major that details the coursework needed for transfer into a similar CSU major (or majors). TMCs provide the framework under which colleges create Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADTs). Additional information about the C-ID TMC process can be found on the C-ID website and within the C-ID/TMC/ADT Handbook.
UCTP
A UC Transfer Pathway is defined as the set of courses required for admission as a transfer student, by at least one major from a group of majors electing to participate. Its purpose is to convey to students how to prepare for transfer to any UC campus, for the major specified, by ensuring that the student will know every course required for transfer admission by any of the campuses.
TMC and UCTP Alignment
A TMC characterizes all lower-division preparation for transfer in an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT). UC does not define a counterpart to the TMC; TMC courses could be required for major preparation, for GE, or merely for units toward graduation. Instead, the UCTP describes the courses a transfer student needs to take to qualify for comprehensive review for admission selection at every participating major in the UC system. Some majors do not require all of these courses and some majors specify additional lower-division major requirements that are not needed for admission. Hence, neither the TMC nor the Core Requirements within the TMC bear any fixed relationship to a UCTP. The Transfer Alignment Project and the University of California Academic Council Special Committee on Transfer Issues (ACSCOTI) are working to define what it means for a TMC to align with a UCTP. The following has been proposed. The UC course expectations stated in the UCTP description are included in the Core requirements of the TMC. In short, a TMC would align with the UCTP if the transfer applicant completing the ADT will not be denied admission to any participating UC major due to the absence of any course relevant for major preparation.