From N.C. State University
North Carolina State University and Carteret Community College have signed a new agreement designed to create a streamlined transfer pathway for students seeking to earn bachelor’s degrees in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology.
Supporter Spotlight
Under the agreement, students enrolled in Carteret’s transfer-track Associate in Applied Science in Aquaculture Technology program will be eligible to transfer into NC State’s Bachelor of Science in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology program.
Carteret students who complete the transfer-track associate degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher — and meet all other university admission requirements — will be admitted to the fisheries science concentration of NC State’s fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology program.
Erin Sills, head of the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to expanding educational opportunities and preparing the next generation of professionals in natural resource conservation.
“Through our partnership with Carteret, students will graduate with valuable hands-on experience in aquaculture paired with a four-year education at a world-class research institution,” Sills said. “This combination of practical experience and advanced study will equip students with the skills needed to address the complex challenges of managing and conserving fisheries and other natural resources.”
Tracy Mancini, president of Carteret Community College, added that the partnership builds on Carteret’s strengths in aquaculture education while creating new opportunities for students to continue their academic and professional journeys.
Supporter Spotlight
“We are delighted to form this meaningful partnership with NC State,” Mancini said. “The articulation agreement will allow our highly skilled and qualified students to complete an undergraduate degree that might bring them back to Carteret County’s rich marine sciences landscape.”
Mancini added that the partnership also builds on the strong marine sciences presence already established in Carteret County. With the NC State Center for Marine Sciences and Technology on Carteret’s campus and established partnerships with CMAST faculty and NC Sea Grant staff, the agreement “promises to have positive, long-term implications for the pipeline and network of prepared marine sciences researchers and technicians.”
Carteret’s aquaculture technology curriculum is well-aligned with NC State’s fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology program, according to Lara Pacifici, director of undergraduate programs in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State.
The program prepares students for careers in one of the nation’s fastest-growing food production industries through hands-on training and classroom instruction. Students learn every stage of aquaculture production, from fish genetics and breeding to hatchery management to business principles such as marketing and distribution.
“Students from Carteret will bring skills and knowledge specific to aquaculture that many of our fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology students have not yet been exposed to,” Pacifici said. “Students will learn from each other and broaden their understanding of possible career paths.”
NC State will accept up to 57 transfer credit hours from approved Carteret courses completed with a grade of C or higher. Students will enter NC State with sophomore standing, and those who complete additional approved coursework may qualify for junior standing.
Sarah Griggs, assistant director of undergraduate programs in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State, will work closely with students in Carteret’s aquaculture technology program to help them navigate their transition to NC State.
Griggs said the new pathway is already generating interest among Carteret students. She is in communication with at least one student about transferring into the fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology program at NC State.
For Carteret students interested in transferring, Griggs encouraged them to begin planning early and work with program advisors to ensure they meet all admission requirements. The application deadline is Oct. 1 for spring entry and Feb. 15 for fall entry.
