Academics > Illinois Articulation Initiative

The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) is a voluntary statewide transfer agreement among 110 participating 2- and 4-year Illinois public and independent institutions.

IAI was built on three key concepts: first, that "associate and baccalaureate degree-granting institutions must be equal partners" in delivering lower-division courses; second, that "faculties must take primary responsibility for developing and maintaining program and course articulation," and third, that "institutions are expected to work together to assure that lower-division baccalaureate programs are comparable in scope, quality, and rigor." Faculty panels are responsible for developing course recommendations and approving courses submitted by participating institutions.

IAI is designed to help students transfer general education and essential lower division requirements in 27 separate baccalaureate majors.

• The General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) is comprised of 37-41 credits in five areas: Communication, Mathematics, Humanities and Fine Arts, Physical and Life Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Completion of the GECC fulfills the all-campus lower division general education requirements at all participating institutions for students who transfer.
• Twenty-seven major panels have also been established to recommend lower division coursework that will prepare students for advanced work in the major.

To date, over 18,000 courses have been approved. The IAI maintains a website that is visited by over 2 million individuals annually.

More information about IAI is available at

• Illinois Transfer and Articulation Initiatives Annual Report 2007-2008 (10/2008)
  This item reviews the current status of the IAI and CAS projects, highlights the past year’s activities, and outlines the challenges facing the projects in the near future.
  
  
• llinois Transfer and Articulation Initiatives Annual Report 2006-2007 (10/2007)
  This item reviews the current status of the IAI and CAS projects, highlights the past year's activities, and outlines considerations for the future.
  
  
• Illinois Transfer and Articulation Initiatives Annual Report 2005-2006 (10/2006)
  The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) continues to be the primary statewide vehicle for encouraging transferability among postsecondary institutions in the state of Illinois. A more recent statewide transfer and articulation project, the Course Applicability System (CAS), is in the process of being implemented. CAS complements IAI, and will significantly enhance the availability and accuracy of transfer information to allow even more effective and efficient degree completion. This item reviews the current status of the IAI and CAS projects, highlights the past year’s activities, and outlines considerations for the future.
  
  
• Evaluation of the Illinois Articulation Initiative Report and Recommendations January 2006 (04/2006)
  
  
• Preliminary Report and Recommendations from the Evaluation of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (11/2005)
  
  
• Illinois Transfer and Articulation Initiatives Annual Report 2004-2005 (10/2005)
  The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) continues to be the primary statewide vehicle for encouraging transferability among postsecondary institutions in the state of Illinois. A more recent statewide transfer and articulation project, the Course Applicability System (CAS), is in the process of being implemented. CAS complements IAI, and will significantly enhance the availability and accuracy of transfer information to allow even more effective and efficient degree completion. This item reviews the current status of the IAI and CAS projects, highlights the past year's activities, and outlines considerations for the future.
  
  
• Illinois Transfer and Articulation Initiatives, Annual Report 2003-2004 (10/2004)
  This item reviews the current status of the IAI and CAS projects, highlights the past year's activities, and outlines considerations for the future.
  
  
• The Illinois Articulation Initiative: Endorsement of Physics Articulation (2/2004)
  This item recommends endorsement of the recommendations of the physics major panel.

• The Illinois Articulation Initiative: Annual Report 2002-2003 (10/2003)
  The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) was designed to ease transfer for students among Illinois colleges and universities. The General Education Core Curriculum (GECC), implemented in the summer of 1998, marked the end of the fifth year of implementation in May 2003. In addition to the adoption of the GECC, 27 major panels also have been convened. This item reviews the current status of the IAI, highlights the past year's activities, and considerations for the future.
  
  
• The Illinois Articulation Initiative: Annual Report 2001-2002 (8/2002)
  May 2002 marked the end of the fourth year of implementing the transferable General Education Core Curriculum, which was designed to ease transfer for students among Illinois colleges and universities. This item reviews the current status of the Illinois Articulation Initiative, highlights the past year's activities, and presents considerations for the future.
  
  
• The Illinois Articulation Initiative: Annual Report (8/2001)
  May 2001 marked the beginning of the fourth year of implementing the transferable General Education Core Curriculum of the Illinois Articulation Initiative designed to ease transfer for students among Illinois colleges and universities. Since January 1993, faculty panels also have developed lists of appropriate courses to be taken by lower division students in preparation for transferring into the 26 most popular baccalaureate majors. This item reviews the current status of the IAI.
  
  
• The Illinois Articulation Initiative: Endorsement of Sociology Articulation (2/2001)
  This item requests endorsement of the recommendations of the sociology degree major panel.
  
  
• The Illinois Articulation Initiative: Revised General Education Core Curriculum and an Additional Baccalaureate Major Endorsement (6/2000)
  In May 2000, the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) began its third year of easing the transfer of students among Illinois colleges and universities. The IAI also completed its first “fifth-year review” of the transferable General Education Core Curriculum. This item requests Board of Higher Education endorsement for the Revised General Education Core Curriculum to become effective for freshmen entering in summer 2001 and beyond. The item also requests Board endorsement for one more baccalaureate major agreement and presents preliminary findings from an evaluation survey of representatives of participating institutions