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A Joint Educational Feeder Program

Abstract

In 2005, a joint undergraduate educational program, the SIT-CMU Joint Program, was established on the campus of Shanghai Institute of Technology (SIT) in China. It serves as a feeder program for the Central Michigan University (CMU) in the U.S. Participating students of this joint educational program are encouraged to continue their studies at CMU. They can transfer to CMU to complete a bachelor’s degree program if they have successfully completed the first two years of coursework at the program site. This paper discusses the curriculum, faculty recruitment, program management, transfer options, and the commitment required from both schools for this joint program.

Introduction

Central Michigan University (CMU) in the U.S. and Shanghai Institute of Technology (SIT) in China executed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2000 to promote international undergraduate and graduate educations and to strengthen academic exchanges and cooperation between the two universities. After extensive communication and discussion between the two schools, they entered a Memorandum of Agreement in 2002 to expand their relationship. Under this agreement, a joint four-year undergraduate educational program, named the SIT-CMU Joint Program, was established in 2005. As the main program site, SIT is responsible for recruiting 80 high school graduates into a cohort program of Automation and Mechanical Design & Manufacturing every other year. Each institution provides instruction for the joint program; however, all teaching activities are carried out on the main program site.

CMU is responsible for covering six engineering courses, whose curricula are determined and agreed to by both schools. These courses are spread over the last three years of the program and are taught in English. CMU has the option of offering either three courses each summer or six courses in one summer every other year. CMU-taught courses use the same textbooks, standards, expectations, and grading policy as those regularly used at CMU. SIT and CMU faculty members work together to provide laboratory and other assistance for courses.

The SIT-CMU Joint Program is considered as a feeder program for CMU in the U.S. instead of a CMU branch campus in China1,2. All participating students are eligible to transfer to CMU if they have successfully completed the first two years at SIT and meet the minimum GPA requirement. However, most students have decided not to transfer due to a mismatch in the General Education requirement of the two curricula. This issue of General Education must be worked out for the transfer process to be successful. As a result, most participating students will receive a bachelor’s degree from SIT and a program completion certificate from CMU as part of the SIT-CMU Joint Program. Currently, both schools are working to explore other transfer options. One of these options is to allow students to complete their senior years at CMU if they plan to pursue a master’s degree at CMU. These students will also receive a bachelor’s degree from SIT, assuming they also met the SIT degree requirements. This paper discusses what could

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Chen, M., & Peng, A., & Sun, Y. (2008, June), A Joint Educational Feeder Program Paper presented at 2008 Annual Conference & Exposition, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 10.18260/1-2--4489