Partnership with University of West London creates global education opportunities for College of DuPage students

College of DuPage students who have earned an Associate of Applied Science degree can now transfer their studies to the University of West London to gain a bachelor's degree in a range of subjects.

Thanks to a new progression agreement with the renowned U.K. university, eligible COD students will be able to study in a range of fields including business, criminology, computer information systems, cyber security, culinary arts management, travel and tourism management, and hospitality management.

"Students studying at UWL will gain a global perspective," said College of DuPage Criminal Justice Professor Theo Darden. "Through the experience, students will begin to see themselves as part of the global society, helping to shape their ideas beyond their own socialized norms and making them effective problem solvers and critical thinkers - skills that employers are searching for. To my knowledge, there are no other community colleges in Illinois with such an agreement with a four-year international university."

Professor Anthony Woodman, University of West London Deputy Vice Chancellor, applauded the partnership.

"With our leafy London location, growing reputation and industry standard facilities, UWL is increasingly becoming the University of choice for students from America," he said. "By partnering with College of DuPage I hope that we will see many more students from Illinois benefit from everything we have to offer."

Lisa Stock, associate vice president of academic affairs at College of DuPage, said the agreement is the culmination of the mutual respect and direct alignment of programs between University of West London and College of DuPage.

"We are thrilled to take on this partnership and provide a wonderful opportunity for students who are seeking an international education experience and all the benefits that go along with it," she said. "This is a partnership between has grown out of collaborations between academic staff that has enabled the two universities to align their education programs."

For more information about the College of DuPage transfer agreement with University of West London, contact Transfer Coordinator Justin Hardee at hardeej@cod.edu or (630) 942-3977.

College of DuPage is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Serving approximately 25,000 students each term, College of DuPage is the largest public community college in the state of Illinois. The college grants seven associate degrees and offers more than 170 career and technical certificates in over 50 areas of study.