The agreement will allow Oakland Community College students who earn an associate degree in cybersecurity to transfer credits to Grand Valley State University toward a bachelor degree in cybersecurity.
Grand Valley State University and Oakland Community College have formed a transfer partnership that creates a seamless pathway for students who have earned an associate degree in cybersecurity at the community college to transfer credits to the university to earn a bachelor degree in cybersecurity. The new articulation agreement was established in October 2025 and will last through September of 2028.
According to an article on Grand Valley State University’s website, Marouane Kessentini, who serves as the dean of the university’s College of Computing, was quoted as saying fo the new transfer pathway, “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to cybersecurity training and providing students with clear, affordable and high-quality pathways into cybersecurity careers. Through this collaboration, we are enhancing opportunities for learners across Michigan to gain the skills, experience and credentials needed to protect our digital future.”
The agreement will provide a simple pathway for Oakland Community College students who have completed an associate degree in cybersecurity to transfer up to 80 of their earned credits to Grand Valley State University for a bachelor degree in cybersecurity. Students will then earn 45 more credits at the university to earn their bachelor degree.
Hany Othman, who serves as the department chair of Oakland Community College’s business and computer information systems program, said of the partnership, “We continue to see an increase in cybersecurity jobs and this transfer agreement gives our computer information systems students a seamless pathway to earning their bachelor’s degree at a great institution like Grand Valley and preparing themselves for in-demand careers in the information security industry.”
In recognition of Grand Valley State University’s successful and innovative curriculum in cybersecurity, the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity awarded the university’s College of Computing the National Centers of Academic Excellence-Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation in 2024.
For more information about Grand Valley State University, visit the school’s website.