Transfer from RTC

Career Training Degrees

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) & Associate of Applied Science- Transfer (AAS-T) degrees 

• Hands-on, career-specific training 
• Start your career after graduation 
• Transfer options to career-focused bachelor's degrees  
• Not fully transferrable to most four-year universities 

AAS and AAS-T degrees prepare students for employment after graduation. They combine hands-on training for specific careers or industries along with general education classes in communication, mathematics, social science, and humanities. Both degrees prepare students for transfer into career-focused Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) programs. AAS-T degrees include college transfer-level English and math courses to support transfer to BAS degrees. Neither AAS or AAS-T degrees will fully transfer to most four-year university BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BS (Bachelor of Science) degree programs.  

• Explore Career Training Degrees at Renton Technical College
• Explore Transfer Pathways from RTC Career Training Degrees

Transfer Degrees

Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA)/ Major Related Program (MRP)/ Associate of Arts (AA) degrees

• General education classes to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Transfer to a four-year university Bachelor’s degree program after graduation
• Include classes to help prepare students to meet prerequisites for specific majors or programs at universities
• Does not directly prepare students for a specific career or industry, more education necessary at university after graduation from RTC

Transfer associate’s degrees are meant to be the first two years of a four-year university bachelor's degree. DTA degrees prepare you for transfer to most Bachelor of Arts (BA) programs at four-year colleges and universities in Washington State. DTA degrees include mostly general education classes, which focus on theory and understanding the “why” behind a concept, along with some hands-on experience to prepare students for the major or bachelor's degree program that they plan to study at university. RTC offers three transfer degrees, which are all AA/ DTA/ MRP degrees:

• Associate in Business
• Associate in Computer Science
• Associate in Pre-Nursing
• DTA (Washington Direct Transfer Agreement): A degree that prepares students for transfer to all public universities and many private colleges in Washington State
• MRP (Major Related Program): A transfer degree that prepares students for bachelor’s degree programs that require specific courses in the first two years. 
• AA (Associate of Arts): A two-year, 90 credit general education degree that prepares students for transfer to university bachelor's degree programs  

Applied Bachelor's Degrees

Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degrees 

• Build on your AAS or AAS-T degree to earn a bachelor's degree 
• Advance technical skills along with communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving 
• Grow your career and prepare yourself for higher paying jobs with more responsibility 
• Available at RTC and community and technical colleges across Washington State 

A Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree builds on the skills and training from a career training associate’s degree (two years in the AAS or AAS-T degree + two years in the BAS degree program = four-year bachelor's degree). BAS programs help students develop advanced knowledge in their field and improve important skills like communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving through additional general education courses. These degrees prepare students for jobs with more responsibility and advanced career opportunities. BAS programs are available at many community & technical colleges across Washington State. Renton Technical College offers two BAS degrees for students who have earned an AAS or AAS-T in Information Technology, or have an associate's degree in a different field who are making a career change into IT:

• BAS Computer Network Engineering
• BAS Application Development

Transfer Classes

General Education/ Academic Transfer courses

RTC offers many general education classes that can be transferred to other colleges and universities. Unlike career-focused classes, which provide specific & hands-on job training but don’t transfer as easily, general education classes are similar across different schools, so they are more likely to transfer. 

•  Distribution Areas: General Education classes are separated into different categories, or “distribution areas” depending on the type of class they are. Sometimes a specific general education class is required for a degree or certificate, and sometimes the distribution area is required, and you get to choose a class to take from that distribution area: 
  • Communications (English): focus on effective writing & research 
    • COMP 100 class is not a transfer-level class 
  • Mathematics: develop quantitative, analytical, and problem-solving skills through subjects like algebra, calculus, and statistics 
    • AMATH classes are not transfer-level  
  • Humanities: explore human culture and expression through subjects like literature, philosophy, art, and languages 
  •  Natural Science: explore the physical and biological world through fields like biology, chemistry, and physics 
  • Social Science: examine human behavior and societal structures through disciplines like psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, and political science 
• CCN (Common Course Numbering): CCN classes have an “&” in the course name. They are courses that have the same name and number across Washinton State community and technical colleges, making it easier for comparable classes to transfer between different schools. 
• Equivalency Guides: show how classes from one school transfer to another by identifying comparable courses, even if they have different names or numbers. The receiving school decides how credits transfer. If a class isn’t listed, it may still transfer—you’ll need to check with the school and might need to provide details like a course syllabus. 

Prerequisite classes 

Many degree programs, such as RTC’s Registered Nurse AAS-T program, require prerequisite classes as part of their admissions process. Prerequisites are specific courses or requirements that provide the foundational knowledge and skills needed for success in a program. RTC offers a variety of prerequisite classes to support different educational goals. However, individual prerequisite classes may not qualify for financial aid unless they are taken as part of a financial aid-eligible degree program. Talk to the RTC Financial Aid office or your adviser for more details. 

• MEDEX PA program prerequisites

Washington 45

The Washington 45 is a list of general education classes that are guaranteed to transfer to most colleges and universities within Washington State. Students can take up to 45 credits—about one year of full-time study or 9 classes—to prepare for transfer. A 2.0 GPA or higher required in each class. 

Completing the Washington 45 does not earn a certificate or degree, which means that it is not a financial aid eligible degree program by itself. It does not guarantee admission to a four-year university; students must still meet university admissions requirements. Some universities may prefer a completed DTA transfer degree. Additionally, because the list includes very general transfer classes, it may not align with the specific requirements of your intended major or bachelor's degree. To make sure the Washington 45 aligns with your goals, talk with an adviser.  

• Communications: choose 1 
  • ENGL& 101 English Composition  
  • ENGL& 102 Writing from Research 
• Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning: choose 1 
  • MATH& 107 Contemporary Math  
  • MATH& 148 Business Calculus 
  • MATH& 151 Calculus I 
• Humanities: choose 2 
  • ENGL& 111 Introduction to Literature  
  • PHIL& 101 Intro to Philosophy 
  • MUSC& 105 Music Appreciation  
• Social Science: choose 2 
  • PSYC& 100 General Psychology  
  • SOC& 101 Survey of Sociology  
  • POLS& 202 American Government  
• Natural Sciences: choose 2 
  • BIOL& 160 General Biology  
  • CHEM& 121 Introduction to Chemistry  
  • GEOL& 101 Intro to Physical Geology  
  • PHYS& 114 General Physics I 
• Elective: choose 1 
  • The final class can be anything on the list above that you haven’t already taken.