Forging New Pathways of Success

Three students talking outside on a sunny day at the NYS Plaza overlooking the NYS Capital building.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 24, 2021) – As the fall 2021 semester begins, the University at Albany, Hudson Valley Community College and Albany Law School are about to enter a new collaborative chapter.

As UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez, Hudson Valley President Roger Ramsammy and Albany Law School President and Dean Alicia Ouellette prepare to unveil a new program on Wednesday, Aug. 25, designed to expand opportunities for students throughout New York and beyond, it’s worth reflecting on the past initiatives that have led to this juncture.

In 2019, UAlbany and Hudson Valley launched the Transfer Admission Guarantee program, which assures HVCC students pursuing their associate’s degree with acceptance at UAlbany. The programs require students to maintain program-specific GPAs, but once they earn their associate’s degree they are guaranteed admission to UAlbany.

  • With multiple pathways available based on students’ academic goals, the program also provides numerous additional benefits, including:
  • Meetings with academic and financial aid advisors at both Hudson Valley and UAlbany;
  • Connections to UAlbany staff and faculty while students at Hudson Valley and planning to come to UAlbany;
  • Invitation by UAlbany departments to alumni and job talks while students at Hudson Valley;
  • Access to UAlbany events while a student at Hudson Valley; and
  • Peer mentor programs through Transfer Student Services at UAlbany.

While the UAlbany/Hudson Valley partnership has dramatically expanded opportunities for students first embarking on their collegiate paths, the UAlbany/Albany Law Affiliation, launch in 2015, provides a seamless experience for students interested in pursuing legal careers with graduate degrees from one or both institutions.

UAlbany and Albany Law already maintained a “3+3” program before the new affiliation, and the schools now provide eight additional programs of study to earn a law degree from Albany Law as well as master’s degrees from UAlbany’s School of Criminal Justice, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, School of Business, School of Social Work, School of Public Health or College of Arts and Sciences.

The cross-registration agreement between the institutions allows eligible seniors and graduate students the opportunity to take select courses at each other’s campus through the cross-registration process.

Through the “3+3” program, select students who fulfill the criteria for the program start at Albany Law School after their junior year at UAlbany and receive a bachelor's degree from the University at Albany after their first year of study at Albany Law School. Students in this program complete standard bachelor’s degree requirements at the University at Albany.

For students interested in study at Hudson Valley, UAlbany or Albany Law, the pathways for a successful career abound.