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Perkins V funding assists PTC students attain their goal of a rewarding career in high wage/high demand occupations in our region.

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Perkins V Information – Click here to open the menu
What are Articulation Agreements?
PTC Admission Requirements and Procedures

PTC uses Perkins V, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, to fund the promotion of technical and academic skills for Career and Technical Education (CTE) students.

We achieve this goal through developing challenging academic and technical standards, improving instruction by supporting professional development of faculty and staff, and encouraging the use of Articulation Agreements between our region’s secondary schools and PTC. We also use the funding to purchase equipment that our students will be expected to know how to use when they enter the labor market.

These initiatives provide students with the knowledge and tools to gain employment in high wage/high demand jobs, and students also learn skills they will use throughout their careers.

Perkins V supports the programs below through two kinds of articulation agreements and also through dual enrollment agreements. SOAR (Students Occupationally and Academically Ready) uses a Statewide Articulation Agreement, while most of our programs currently use Secondary Articulation Agreements (made with local career technical centers). In the case of health care programs, Dual Enrollment Agreements may be made instead of articulation agreements. These options are used to award/accept credits for specific courses.

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Perkins V Priorities
  • Student Achievement
    • A strong focus on the academic and technical skills achievements of students
  • Alignment
    • An emphasis on alignment with state-level and local needs
  • Special Populations
    • Expanded attention to Special Populations and their participation in CTE

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Special Populations
  1. Individuals with disabilities
  2. Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including low-income youth and adults
  3. Individuals preparing for non-traditional fields
  4. Single parents, including single pregnant women
  5. Out-of-workforce individuals
  6. English learners
  7. Homeless individuals described in section 725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a)
  8. Youth who are in, or have aged out of, the foster care system; and
  9. Youth with a parent who—
    1. is a member of the armed forces (as such term is defined in section 101(a)(4) of Title 10, United States Code); and
    2. is on active duty (as such term is defined in section 101(d)(1) of such title)

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Size, Scope, and Quality

For an institution to be eligible for funding it must meet the Perkins V definitions of Size, Scope and Quality

  • Size – at the institutional level the postsecondary must have:
    • at least three CTE Programs of Study… not fewer than three different career fields.
    • each of which must serve a minimum of eight students.
  • Scope:
    • Programs must have at least 50 percent occupational (technical) credit hours;
    • Secondary and postsecondary academic and technical content are aligned, with non-duplicative course content offering;
    • Work-based learning opportunities are available to students; and
    • A credit articulation agreement exists between the secondary corresponding postsecondary portion of the CTE Program of Study.
  • Quality:
    • For postsecondary institutions to meet the quality definition they will have to document the following, via a state information management system:
    • How program offerings are meeting labor market need,
    • How programs are addressing the institutions/student needs as stated in the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment,
    • Program content,
    • Student to instructor ratio,
    • Equipment & supplies (existing items vs need),
    • Safety practices,
    • How the program is meeting Perkins V Performance indicators,
    • List of what certifications are available to students,
    • Instructor credentials (minimum hiring criteria)

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Current Perkins-Approved Programs (2022-2023)

(Does not include any bachelor programs within these domains)

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Required uses of funds
  • Career exploration and career development;
  • Professional development;
  • Careers in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations;
  • Integration of academic skills into CTE programs;
  • Programs that result in increasing student achievement of the local levels of performance;
  • Developing and implementing evaluations.

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Performance Indicators
  • 1P1: Postsecondary Retention and Placement: The percentage of CTE concentrators who, during the second quarter after program completion, remain enrolled in postsecondary education, are in advanced training, military service, or a service program that receives assistance under Title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511 et seq.), are volunteers as described in section 5(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504(a)), or are placed or retained in employment.
  • 2P1: Earned Recognized Postsecondary Credential: The percentage of CTE concentrators who receive a recognized postsecondary credential during participation in or within 1 year of program completion. This means that a student gets counted under this indicator whether the student obtains the credential during participation or within 1 year of completion. The Department interprets “within 1 year of completion” to have the plain meaning of those words: “that the student would be counted if the student obtains the credential in the 1 year following that student’s completion of the program.”
  • 3P1: Nontraditional Program Enrollment: The percentage of CTE concentrators in career and technical education programs and programs of study that lead to non-traditional fields. This means that a student gets counted under this indicator if individuals from their gender comprise less than 25 percent of the individuals employed in the related occupation or field of work.
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What are Articulation Agreements?

Our admissions staff will assist you with the process of getting credit for pertinent secondary courses you’ve completed. For a list of our Articulation Agreements and the courses accepted, see https://ptcollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdf/articulation_agreement_secondary.pdf. Below are explanations of what’s required to get these credits transferred into your program of choice.

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Credit through Secondary Articulation Agreements

PTC has a number of articulation agreements with high schools, career technical training centers, and vocational technical schools. Students wishing to transfer credit for secondary learning must meet the admissions criteria of Pittsburgh Technical College and submit their final high school transcripts prior to their official start date. The requirements of the articulation agreements may vary depending on the courses affected. Questions regarding the awarding of credit through these articulation agreements should be directed to the prospective student’s Admissions Coordinator.

Before course exemptions can be awarded, the following conditions must be fulfilled:

  • Student must meet admission criteria of Pittsburgh Technical College.
  • Application for course exemption must be completed prior to starting the program at PTC, and applicant must notify the Admissions Coordinator at Pittsburgh Technical College of his/her intention to articulate the above-mentioned course(s).
  • Applicants who desire credit for the referenced courses must have received a “B” or better average in their related high school courses. Students must complete a minimum of two years in their secondary program to be considered for exemption. They will also need to score 80% or above on final course examination at PTC, at the discretion of the Academic Chair.
  • In lieu of a letter grade, the applicant will receive an “EX” grade on their transcript designating that the applicant has received exemption for the above-mentioned courses.
  • Upon meeting the exemption requirements, the student will receive credit toward PTC tuition.
  • Applicants should be aware that course exemptions could have an impact on financial aid resources if course load falls below 12 credits per quarter.

Program specific requirements (if applicable):

  • Prior to receiving credit, students may be required to complete a program assessment. Students must work with their Academic Chairs to arrange the program assessment prior to the add/drop period of the quarter in which they are scheduled to officially start. Exemption credit will not be posted to their record until students have successfully completed the program assessment.
  • Applicants who earned ServSafe or NRFSP Food Manager certification prior to starting Pittsburgh Technical College will be exempt from CUL114.

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SOAR (Students Occupationally and Academically Ready)

SOAR is the career and technical Program of Study (POS) educational plan that articulates secondary career and technical programs to postsecondary degree or diploma or certificate programs. SOAR’s mission is to prepare students for college and careers in a diverse, high-performing workforce. For more information, visit PA Dept. of Education’s Programs of Study SOAR page. Students and parents should work with their secondary school guidance counselors, principals and other school officials to be sure that the list of items below are submitted in time to meet the agreement terms.

Students who participate in the approved SOAR Programs may receive the following credit towards their Associate Degree:

           Associate Degree Programs                                                          Credits Accepted Toward Degree

           Electronics Engineering Technology …………………………………………..ELT102, ELT105, ELT119

According to the terms and conditions of the SOAR Agreement (revised April 2022), transcripted technical postsecondary semester credit or equivalent clock hours will be granted to students when all of the student criteria listed in the student documentation coversheet is achieved and proper documentation is submitted to the postsecondary institution by the secondary institution.

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Other Opportunities to Earn Credit in High School

As part of the Perkins program, PTC offers, in cooperation with local high schools, the opportunity to earn credit at the college while they are still attending high school. At this point, PTC offers a Dual Enrollment for A.W. Beattie Career Center students who wish to attain an Associate’s degree in Nursing at PTC (Registered Nurse).

Most Perkins-funded programs utilize Articulation Agreements with specific secondary schools. However, many health-related fields, such as nursing, are credentialed through boards related to their field , so credit opportunities are more restricted in order to maintain the academic rigor needed for that field.

A dual agreement allows the student to take college level courses through a college and receive college credit for the courses. This provides the student an opportunity to get a jumpstart on their college career. These credits may be applied toward a PTC program. Other postsecondary schools may also consider the courses for transfer credit based on those institution’s practices. These credits are not typically applied toward their high school diploma.

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PTC Admission Requirements and Procedures

The basic requirement for admission is graduation from an accredited high school, private school, home school, completion of a General Education Diploma (GED), or completing the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma as noted:

  • An associate degree, or
  • Successful completion of at least 60 semester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours that does not result in the awarding of an associate degree, but that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree at Pittsburgh Technical College, or
  • Enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program where at least 60 semester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours have been successfully completed, including credit hours transferred into the bachelor’s degree program.

Some programs have special criteria that will be explained by an Admissions Coordinator (see below).

Applications for admission are accepted throughout the year for students to begin classes at various times during the year, based on the school’s academic calendar.

The following conditions must be satisfied for final registration:

  • Certification of high school graduation, GED, or home school equivalency.
  • Official grade transcripts from all previously attended colleges.
  • Payment of required deposits.
  • Attendance at a required student orientation program.
  • Completion of acceptable financial arrangements for payment of tuition, fees, and housing if applicable.

Should PTC receive information that bears upon the student’s anticipated behavior while in school and/or his/her ability to successfully progress while enrolled, PTC reserves the right to make additional informational requests or demands on the applicant and/or rescind acceptance.

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Admission requirements for Associate of Science in Nursing Program

In addition to the academic review requirements, admission requirements for admittance into the Associate of Science in Nursing Program include:

  • One of the following must be met:
    • ATI TEAS score of 65% or higher (taken within the past 2 years);
    • SAT math score of 500 or higher and SAT reading/writing score of 500 or higher;
    • ACT score of 21 or higher.
  • Prior to enrollment, ASN candidates must also obtain a comprehensive physical examination that includes a two-step TB test (QuantiFERON®-TB Gold blood test is also acceptable), evidence of immunizations (including the COVID-19 vaccination), titers bloodwork, and a negative 10-panel urine drug screen.
  • Provide evidence of current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification taken through the American Heart Association.
  • Obtain Act 33, 34, and 73 criminal background clearances
  • Students who have completed theory and lab classes for Anatomy & Physiology 1, Anatomy & Physiology 2, and Microbiology at a school other than PTC, must have completed the courses with the last 5 years and earned a solid “C” or higher to be considered for transfer credit.

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Admission Criteria for Additional Associate Degree Programs

Prospective Surgical Technology students must earn a minimum score of 237 on the ACCUPLACER Writing exam to be accepted into the program.

Prospective Computer Information Systems – Software Development students must earn a minimum score of 256 on the ACCUPLACER Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, & Statistics (QAS) exam to be accepted into the program.

Practice questions for these tests can be obtained by going to the ACCUPLACER website.