Transfer Guide

Introduction and Transfer Advice

Richard Bland College of William & Mary prides itself on being your transfer institution of choice. For many students, earning an Associate degree at RBC is a key component of their journey. An RBC degree makes your academic pathway visible, viable, and affordable. With all of our transfer partner institutions, Richard Bland College is a wise choice for the savvy student. To make sure that your pathway works, follow the guides in the following section when selecting your coursework and note any required GPA or course grade guidelines in terms of transferability. Generally, keeping above a 3.5 GPA gives you the best transfer options, maintaining a 3.0 GPA provides numerous pathways to the bachelor’s degree, while keeping a 2.5- 2.8 GPA will limit your choices. Being aware of all of this important information can seem confusing, but taking the time to plan ahead will help ensure your successful transfer.

When in doubt, talk to your Learner Mentor/Guided Pathways Specialists here at RBC, and be proactive and review your course schedule and course progress with the transfer admissions specialist at the transfer institution of your choice. Please note that any remedial courses you might have needed do not transfer to a four-year institution. Some courses–even some that look quite similar–sometimes will have a closer alignment with a four-year degree pathway, so always confirm your chosen course will work towards your chosen academic pathway.

Transfer Guides

In this next section, you’ll find a number of guides to assist you and your Learner Mentor/Guided Pathways Specialists in your course selection process. Whenever possible, try to think not only about the courses you’ll need to graduate from Richard Bland College, but also think ahead to what courses you’ll need to successfully graduate from one of our four-year transfer partner institutions. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to reach out to a transfer counselor at your chosen four year school(s) to confirm.

Core Courses List

Course with an asterisk (*) may be used to satisfy the requirements of only one category. A student may not satisfy the requirements in both the Human Experience and US & World Cultures exclusively with Philosophy and Religion courses.

NOTE: For the AA Degree, two semesters of foreign language are required to complete the degree requirements. For the AS Degree, the foreign language classes are all considered electives (none required).

Elective Course Selection Guide

We’ve created this guide to help you see which courses are most likely to transfer to a four-year institution. As you choose which electives you’d like to take at Richard Bland College, you should also check and see whether this course is likely to transfer to a four-year institution.

Course Selection Guides for First-Year Students

A student taking 12 credits in a semester is considered to be a fulltime student. A fulltime student who plans to graduate in 4 semesters should average 15-16 credits each semester. 

Associate in Arts

1. Most students in all programs should take the ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 sequence their first year.
2. It is also a good idea, but not required, for AA students to begin your two semester foreign language requirement.
3. Math and Science typically have prerequisites and are taken in specific sequences. To complete your math and science requirements it helps to start early and plan ahead. Depending on placement your first math may be MATH 121 or MATH 110. MATH 110 is a good choice for majors without a lot of math (Consult with Learner Mentor/Guided Pathways Specialists)
4. Courses from the following areas may have prerequisites but sequence is not usually important and you can take these in any order. These are good courses to start with because the cover a broad range of topics and will give students an opportunity to explore.

• The Language and History of Fine Arts Core
• Human Experience Core
• US and World Cultures Core
• Communication

5.​ An elective course does not necessarily come from a core area but contributes credits toward graduation.

Associate in Arts (Sample Schedule)

Please refer to the Core Courses List  for a complete list of course choices and categories for which they satisfy.

Associate in Science

1. Most students in all programs should take the ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 sequence their first year.
2. Math and Science typically have prerequisites and are taken in specific sequences. To complete your math and science requirements it helps to start early and plan ahead. Depending on your placement your first math is probably MATH 121 or MATH 110. MATH 110 is a good choice for non-STEM majors (Consult with Learner Mentor/Guided Pathways Specialists).
3. Sciences will have a lab and be 4 credits.
4. Courses from the following areas may have prerequisites but sequence is not usually important and you can take these in any order. These are good courses to start with because the cover a broad range of topics and will give students an opportunity to explore.

• The Language and History of Fine Arts
• Human Experience
• US and World Cultures
• Communication

​5. An elective course does not necessarily come from a core area but contributes credits toward graduation. Some schools require a year of foreign language.  Try to select a variety of courses and look for balance. Science course typically have a 1 credit 2-3 hour lab.

Associate in Science (Sample Schedule)

Please refer to the Core Courses List  for a complete list of course choices and categories for which they satisfy.