NOVA and Old Dominion University Sign Guaranteed Transfer and Cybersecurity Agreements

NORFOLK, Va. - Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) and Old Dominion University have entered into a guaranteed transfer partnership agreement that will make it even easier for NOVA students to make a seamless transfer to earning their bachelor’s degree at ODU. 

Nationally, community college students lose an average of about 13 credits when they transfer, which is a huge waste of time and money. This partnership allows students to transfer to a bachelor’s degree program without wasting any effort or tuition dollars. 

"Most students attend community colleges with the goal of eventually transferring and completing a bachelor's degree," Northern Virginia Community College President Scott Ralls said. "Too often, however, they find their courses either do not transfer or were evaluated as electives, not requirements. The NOVA/ODU partnership ensures that students who follow a prescribed informed pathway will have all of their courses count as curriculum requirements and will transfer as first semester juniors."

A cybersecurity pathway program was also finalized, addressing workforce shortages in the high-demand field. This partnership will help educate and prepare students for thousands of unfilled cybersecurity positions throughout the Commonwealth.

"With new cyber-attacks dominating the headlines, the importance of a dynamic cybersecurity workforce is paramount," said Old Dominion President, John R. Broderick. "Yet thousands of high-paying positions remain unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates. Old Dominion University's partnership with Northern Virginia Community College will be a tremendous asset in our joint effort to address that employment gap. It will provide a clear pathway for high-quality students to obtain a four-year degree and enter the cybersecurity field without delay."

Students transferring from NOVA may choose to either come to ODU’s main campus in Norfolk, Virginia or complete a degree online. While there are advantages to both, students who choose not to move or are unable to do so, can benefit from the flexibility of an online program. Learn more about ODUOnline's programs by visiting online.odu.edu.

Old Dominion University is Virginia's entrepreneurial-minded doctoral research university and has been delivering distance learning programs for 30 years. We offer over 100 programs through ODUOnline in a variety of formats, allowing students to complete degree programs all over the world. ODU serves over 24,000 students annually by providing the same rigorous academics online and on-campus.