articulation agreement

Definition

A formal partnership between institutions ensuring credits transfer smoothly, theoretically eliminating the nightmare of re-taking courses you've already passed. In practice, there's always some obscure requirement that doesn't quite match.

Example Usage

Despite our articulation agreement, her Introduction to Psychology from community college doesn't count toward our psychology major because it's missing one specific topic.

Origin

Transfer policy terminology from community college movement

Fun Fact

States with comprehensive articulation agreements can increase community college transfer rates by up to 15%, yet many institutions resist them to protect enrollment

Source: Transfer policy and inter-institutional agreement terminology

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