(SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York – Nov. 25, 2019) A new partnership between State University of New York Empire State College and Bergen Community College provides guaranteed admission to a bachelor's degree program at SUNY Empire for eligible Bergen graduates.

The new agreement will assure a seamless transfer to SUNY Empire, the State University of New York’s leading online college, for Bergen graduates with any associate degree. It allows students to transfer up to 79 lower-division credits to SUNY Empire, more than half the 124 total credits required to complete a bachelor’s degree, meaning students can earn a bachelor’s degree in as little as one year after their associate degree.

The partnership also waives the orientation fee, and SUNY Empire offers a nonresident tuition grant for out-of-state students that reduces per-credit tuition cost by more than 50 percent.

Thanks to SUNY Empire’s flexible, personalized education model, Bergen students can complete their degrees entirely online with one-to-one mentoring and academic support. SUNY Empire also offers on-site learning at more than 30 locations across New York state.

“We’re proud to help Bergen students take their next step and earn a bachelor’s degree faster and at lower cost,” said SUNY Empire State College President Jim Malatras. “A higher education opens doors, strengthens communities, and ripples through generations. I commend Bergen Community College President Dr. Michael Redmond and the faculty and staff at both institutions for making this partnership possible.”

“We are pleased to offer our students this new transfer option,” said Dr. Michael Redmond, Bergen’s president. “This agreement between Bergen and SUNY Empire enhances our students’ opportunities by providing another direct pathway to earning a bachelor’s degree.”

Eligible Bergen transfer students must have completed an associate degree within the past three years, or be in, or entering, their final semester of an associate degree. The program is also open to employees of Bergen Community College. Employees who already hold a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue a graduate degree at SUNY Empire are eligible for the same benefits listed above. In addition, these students will have access to a point of contact at the School for Graduate Studies to help with the admissions, enrollment, and orientation process.

SUNY Empire State College offers a wide range of bachelor’s degree programs that align with many of the associate degree programs at Bergen. For a list of bachelor’s degree programs, visit www.esc.edu/degrees-programs/.

For more information on graduate level degree and certificate programs offered by SUNY Empire State College, or to apply, visit www.esc.edu/graduate-studies/.

About Bergen Community College

Founded in 1965 to satisfy the region’s need for a convenient, affordable and comprehensive higher education destination, Bergen Community College now enrolls nearly 17,000 students in its academic degree programs. The College’s three sites in Paramus (main campus), Hackensack (Ciarco Learning Center) and Lyndhurst (Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands) serve more than 32,000 students in degree, continuing education and adult education programs. Upon graduation, students not only utilize the statewide transfer agreement to attend New Jersey’s four-year schools, but leverage Bergen’s reputation as a top community college to propel them to institutions nationwide. Other students enter careers with the skills they need in order to succeed. The College boasts an accomplished faculty, cutting-edge facilities and opportunities for cultural awareness, civic engagement and service-learning. Bergen maintains accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

About SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire State College educates more than 17,000 students in person, online, and through a blend of both, at more than 30 locations in New York and at eight international sites worldwide. Together with one of SUNY Empire’s more than 1,300 faculty mentors, each student designs their own individualized pathway to a college degree that accommodates their schedule and awards credit for prior college-level learning. SUNY Empire awards more than 3,000 degrees annually and 94 percent of graduates stay in New York state. Today, more than 87,000 SUNY Empire alumni are entrepreneurs, veterans, and active members of the military, professional athletes, teachers, medical professionals, and leaders in their field, as well as in their communities. To learn more, visit www.esc.edu and follow the college on social media @SUNYEmpire.