ETSU offers new pathways with Chattanooga State Community College

Ember Brummitt June 4, 2025

From left to right: Whitney Marlowe, Dr. Rebecca Ashford, Dr. Bill Flora, and Dr. Mosunmola George-Taylor

A new partnership between East Tennessee State University and Chattanooga State Community College expands opportunities for students to seamlessly transition from associate to bachelor’s degree programs, opening doors to more accessible and affordable four-year degrees in high-demand fields like allied health leadership, industrial leadership, dental hygiene and more. 

Chattanooga State Community College is a public community college serving students for nearly 60 years across 100+ program options. Chatt State also hosts Tennessee’s only fully embedded technical college, offering career-ready credentials in 12 months or less. 

We are excited about the direct pathways these articulation agreements create for students in fields ranging from computer systems, construction engineering and culinary arts to entrepreneurship, industrial technology and mechatronics, who seek to expand their associate degrees into a four-year university experience,” said Dr. Jill LeRoy-Frazier, chair of ETSU’s Division of Cross-Disciplinary Studies. 

ETSU Associate Provost for Curriculum Dr. Bill Flora and Chatt State President Dr. Rebecca Ashford formalized the partnership at a signing event held May 29 on the Chatt State campus. 

The new partnership offers 18 different degree pathways: 

  • AAS Administrative Professional Technology to BAS Professional Studies  
  • AAS Computer Systems Concentration to BAS Industrial Leadership  
  • AAS Construction Engineering Technology to BAS Industrial Leadership  
  • AAS Culinary Arts to BAS Culinary Leadership  
  • AAS Dental Hygiene to B.S. Dental Hygiene (Online Degree)  
  • AAS Entrepreneurship to BAS Professional Studies  
  • AAS Food and Beverage Management to BAS Culinary Leadership  
  • AAS Industrial Technology to BAS Industrial Leadership  
  • AAS Management Concentration to BAS Professional Studies  
  • AAS Mechanical Engineering Technology to BAS Industrial Leadership  
  • AAS Mechatronics Technology to BAS Industrial Leadership  
  • AAS Medical Coding and Billing to B.S. Allied Health Leadership  
  • AAS Medical Laboratory Technology to BS Allied Health Leadership  
  • AAS Paramedic to B.S. Allied Health Leadership  
  • AAS Physical Therapy Assistant to B.S. Allied Health Leadership  
  • AAS Radiologic Technology to B.S. Radiologic Science  
  • AAS Respiratory Care to B.S. Respiratory Therapy  
  • AAS Surgical Tech Program to B.S. Allied Health Leadership 

I am truly thrilled to sign these articulation agreements with ETSU. These agreements mark the first of their kind for many of the academic programs included in them. When community colleges and universities work together, our students win,” said Ashford. 

Students interested in transferring to ETSU via these pathways can visit www.etsu.edu/articulation/agreements/chattanooga08-09.php. Chatt State students can also request information at https://chattanoogastate.edu/transfer-students. 


East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.

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