Middle Tennessee State University and Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis announced agreements Monday (Nov. 9) to make it easier for community college students to transfer and successfully earn an advanced degree at the university.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Southwest President Tracy D. Hall authorized agreements creating dual admissions and reverse transfer options between Southwest -- with two main campuses, four centers and one other site -- and MTSU, located in Murfreesboro.

The agreement signing occurred at the The Peabody Memphis, where the seventh leg of MTSU's 10-city True Blue Tour was held featuring a reception for prospective students and their guests and luncheon for area high school counselors and community college staff.

The agreement helps establish programs to promote successful experiences for students wanting to complete a degree. Southwest students can now interact with MTSU advisers and have access to faculty and programs within their proposed majors. Students completing an associate degree will be granted access to register early for university classes.

"MTSU and Southwest strive for our students to succeed and this partnership provides another element to enable more Tennessee residents to graduate from college, fully supporting the state's objective to produce a more educated workforce, making sure these students achieve their (higher education) goals," McPhee said.

"Southwest is excited to partner with MTSU to provide seamless transfer opportunities for our students," Hall said. "Southwest students are guaranteed admission to MTSU when they complete their Southwest degrees, amounting to a great opportunity for our students to continue their higher education at a prestigious university in our state."

A student completing MTSU courses can transfer those credits back to Southwest to help meet requirements for an associate degree. To learn more, students should email transfer@mtsu.edu or visit http://www.mtsu.edu/apply.

MTSU, the largest and oldest institution in the Tennessee Board of Regents system, recently established a dual admissions agreement with Cleveland State and Walters State Community College this fall. Other similar agreements are with Nashville State, Chattanooga State, Walters State, Dyersburg State, Motlow State, Northeast State, Jackson State, Columbia State and Roane State community colleges.

MTSU offers more than 150 programs including recording industry, Concrete Industry Management, aerospace, business and mechatronics engineering. Learn more at http://www.mtsu.edu/programs/.

Southwest is a TBR community college offering more than 100 programs of study that lead to as many as 27 university transfer and career-associated degrees and more than 20 technical certificates. Exciting continuing education opportunities are available including the college's cutting-edge Industrial Readiness Training program. Student success is its top priority.

The college serves Shelby, Fayette and the Mid-South region with two main campuses and three centers in Memphis, a center in Millington and the Fayette site in Somerville. To learn more about the college, visit http://www.southwest.tn.edu.

MTSU's True Blue Tour travels to Jackson, Tennessee, Tuesday, Nov. 10, for an 11:30 a.m. luncheon for area high school counselors and community college staff and a 6-8 p.m. student reception.