BETHANY, W.Va. — The Presidents of Bethany College and The Art Institute of Pittsburgh have signed a Junior Year College Affiliate Program and Transfer of Credit Agreement that provides enhanced academic offerings for students from both institutions. The signing was announced by George L. Pry, President of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and Dr. Scott D. Miller, President of Bethany College.
 
 “We believe our agreement to be mutually beneficial for both Bethany College and The Art Institute students to expand their knowledge, experience and opportunities,” Pry said. “Our advanced technology and historic mission for career preparedness create an edge for students from Bethany College who want to become more specialized. Bethany College will provide Art Institute students with new and different perspectives from students and faculty who study in disciplines outside the fields we offer.”
 
The primary purposes of the agreement are to enable qualified Bethany College students to pursue specific Junior Year College Affiliate Programs at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and to define a path enabling graduates from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh to articulate seamlessly into Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programs being offered at Bethany College.
 
“Because of our location, Bethany has always had strong ties to the Pittsburgh community,” Miller said. “This synergistic partnership affords Bethany students the opportunity to spend a full academic year studying in the heart of one of the most vibrant and exciting urban environments in the nation while reaping the benefits of the state-of-the-art facilities and resources offered by The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.”
 
Qualified students in their third year at Bethany College may enroll at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh for a specialized three-quarter period (45 quarter credits equal 30 semester credits) in one of 15 selected programs: Advertising, Culinary Management, Digital Media Production, Entertainment Design, Fashion and Retail Management, Game Art and Design, Graphic Design, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Media Arts and Animation, Web Design and Interactive Media, Photography, Video Production, Visual Effects and Motion Graphics.
 
Bethany students must have completed two years (58-64 semester credits) with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher to participate in the program. Students must be approved by their Department Chairperson and Advisor and have received approval to enter a specific program at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. After completion of the Junior Year option, students will return to Bethany to complete their senior year and all graduation requirements.
 
Associates Degree graduates from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh will receive up to 62 semester credit hours toward a Baccalaureate Degree at Bethany College. The number of credits required to complete a Bachelor’s Degree will depend on the student’s choice of program and major. Both institutions have agreed to accept all transfer-applicable credits from the other institution provided the transferring student has achieved a grade of “C” or better in the course and that there is an equivalent course at the destination institution.
 
Bethany is a small college of national distinction located on a picturesque and historic 1,300-acre campus in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. Founded in 1840, Bethany is the oldest college in the state.