Signing the international-education articulation agreement between Middlesex and Northern Essex community colleges and Great Britain’s Bath Spa University are (left to right): NECC President Lane Glenn, Bath Spa University Vice-Chancellor Christina Slade and Middlesex President Carole Cowan.

Northern Essex Community College and Middlesex Community College have signed an international-education articulation agreement with Bath Spa University (BSU) in Bath, England, that allows students to complete either a semester abroad or an associate degree in selected programs at either college then transfer to BSU to complete a bachelor’s degree.

The memorandum of agreement between the three institutions was signed recently by NECC President Lane Glenn, Middlesex President Carole Cowan, and BSU Vice-Chancellor Christina Slade in a ceremony at MCC’s historic John Nesmith House.

“This new agreement will open up study abroad opportunities for our students, who can now choose to study for a semester or for two years at Bath Spa University,” says Yeager.

If a student elects to transfer after earning an associate degree, the NECC programs that will transfer include liberal arts: biology option, liberal arts: writing option, liberal arts: history option, liberal arts: journalism communications option; liberal arts: philosophy option, and liberal arts. Students can transfer into seven programs at BSU, including Creative Writing, History, Biology, Literature and Religions, Philosophy, and Ethics – with more programs to be added in the future.

“We have created a full transition to finishing a bachelor’s degree at NECC for the liberal arts programs listed above,” Yeager says.

Bath is England’s only United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage City and has been voted one of the safest cities in Great Britain. Bath Spa University (https://www.bathspa.ac.uk) is one of the top liberal arts universities in the U.K. and offers small class sizes in historic buildings, flexible programs and entrepreneurial partnerships.

NECC has been growing its international studies programs over the last few years, says Yeager. Prior to this agreement, students could take NECC courses that include a capstone experience requiring studying for up to two weeks abroad. Past courses have included sciences in Belize and Ecuador, archeology in Turkey, and plans are being developed for business, economics, and literature courses.

All International courses help students become globally aware citizens, according to Yeager.

Students can also work with Yeager to apply for semester-long study abroad experiences to other countries. Generally students travel alone to a foreign university and NECC works to make sure their course work aligns with NECC graduation requirements.

For more information about NECC’s articulation agreement with Bath Spa University or other study abroad opportunities, contact Yeager, NECC international studies coordinator at myeager@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3326.