Westminster College and Laurel Institutes signed an articulation agreement on Tuesday, Nov. 26, providing an educational pathway for Laurel students to earn their bachelor’s degrees at Westminster College.

The agreement allows students and graduates of any of Laurel Institutes’ campuses—including Hermitage, Pa., Uniontown, Pa., and Morgantown, W. Va.—to seamlessly transition to Westminster to complete coursework for a bachelor’s degree.

“The Laurel Institutes have a great history of serving students who want to pursue associate degrees and related credentials. They are important partners in the communities they serve, including Mercer County, and we are pleased to create this agreement that welcomes Laurel Institutes’ students as they complete a four-year degree at Westminster,” said Westminster College Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Dr. Jamie McMinn, who signed the agreement on behalf of Westminster College. Laurel Institutes was represented by Executive Vice President Dr. Douglas Decker.

“Westminster College is and has been a pillar of higher education in Western Pennsylvania for nearly 175 years. Their partnership creates seamless bachelor degree pathways for Laurel graduates that recognizes the entirety of their earned credits. Laurel is grateful for the opportunity to keep our graduates working and continuing their education locally,” said Decker.

Westminster will accept up to 96 semester hours from Laurel Institute toward completion of a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, Laurel students who hold a conferred associate degree will be exempt from the first-year, intellectual perspectives and cluster requirements of the Westminster Plan.

Students in good academic standing and who meet all of Westminster’s entrance requirements are eligible to be admitted to a bachelor’s degree program.

“Our commitment is to help these students continue their experiential education, knowing that they will find a challenging and supportive learning environment that helps them develop the competencies, commitments and characteristics that distinguish human beings at their best—the Westminster mission,” said McMinn.

Laurel Institutes is an accredited institute that provides career-focused training, associate degrees and professional certifications.

For more information about the agreement, please contact Dr. McMinn at mcminnjg@westminster.edu.

Pictured at top, Dr. Jamie McMinn, Westminster's vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College, and Dr. Douglas Decker, executive vice president of Laurel Institutes, officially sign the articulation agreement between the two institutions. At bottom, from left, are Lana Whitehead, vice president for enrollment management at Westminster; Dr. McMinn; Westminster President Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson; and Dr. Decker.

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