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Illinois Eastern Community Colleges will launch a new generation of transfer-focused programs beginning Fall 2026, following formal approval by the IECC Board of Trustees.
The newly approved Transfer Pathways represent a major step forward in helping students move seamlessly from IECC to four-year universities. Each pathway is a clearly structured, 64-credit degree plan designed to align with university requirements, reduce excess credits and provide students with a clear and intentional route to a bachelor’s degree.
Rather than asking students to piece together courses on their own, IECC faculty and staff have mapped semester-by-semester degree plans that connect directly to specific majors at Illinois universities and other regional partners. Students will know from day one what courses to take, when to take them and how they apply toward the bachelor’s degree they want to pursue.
“We’ve built a strong reputation in career and technical education by offering programs that are clear, purposeful and connected to outcomes,” said Dr. Cathy Robb, IECC Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. “Transfer Pathways applies that same philosophy to university-bound students. By naming programs by major and aligning them directly to bachelor’s degrees, we are elevating the visibility of transfer options and establishing IECC as a leader in transfer success.”
Beginning Fall 2026, IECC students will be able to enroll in newly structured transfer degrees across a wide range of disciplines, including:
Accounting
Agriculture, with concentration options in Ag Business, Crop and Soil Science, Animal Science and Ag Education
Art
Biological Sciences
Broadcasting
Business Administration and Management
Chemistry
Community and Public Health
Criminal Justice
Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
English Literature
Engineering
Exercise Science
Health Professions
History
Journalism
Mathematics
Theatre
Music
Each pathway includes carefully sequenced general education coursework, major-specific core courses and built-in academic and career planning through IECC’s First-Year Experience sequence. Students complete a full associate degree designed for transfer in four semesters.
“Completing those first two years with a clear plan also has a significant financial impact,” said Dr. Ryan Gower, IECC Chancellor. “At IECC, a student can complete two years of college for about $13,400 in tuition, fees and books. At the University of Illinois, those same two years can exceed $62,000 when housing and meals are included. That is more than $48,000 saved by starting your education at one of our four campuses. Transfer Pathways make IECC the smart and affordable starting point for students planning to earn a four-year degree.”
The Transfer Pathways initiative is part of IECC’s broader commitment to Guided Pathways, a student-centered approach that organizes programs into clear academic and career routes, strengthens advising and helps students complete degrees on time.
For students and families, the impact is straightforward:
Fewer unnecessary credits
Lower total cost of earning a bachelor’s degree
Stronger advising support
A clear academic plan from the first semester to transfer
IECC will begin recruiting students into the new Transfer Pathways programs during the current admission cycle for Fall 2026 enrollment.
Additional information, including detailed degree maps for each pathway, will be available on the IECC website in the coming months.