Entrance of SMC with Students who are taking Ferris State University classes

Ferris State University

Start Here, Stay Here.

An affordable bachelor’s degree, right here in Dowagiac.

Complete your bachelor’s degree on SMC’s Dowagiac campus to save time and money on your degree.

How It Works

In our unique partnership with Ferris State University, you’ll take a combination of Ferris and SMC classes to complete a bachelor’s degree. You’ll start by beginning an SMC associate degree program, completing general education courses and introductory to intermediate courses in your major area. After you’ve completed 30-48 credits with SMC, you’ll begin the Ferris portion of the program, taking Ferris courses as well as additional SMC courses until you’ve completed both an associate and a bachelor’s degree. 

Ferris courses are taught by Ferris professors on SMC’s campus or online. Courses may be in the evening or during the day. 

Once they’re admitted to Ferris, students are considered full Ferris students and are eligible for Ferris scholarships and have access to all the same online resources as Ferris students, including Ferris’s online library and databases. 

While taking SMC courses, students are also considered full SMC students and have access to all of SMC’s student services and campus life, including on-campus housing.

Learn More on Ferris State University's Website

Why Ferris at SMC?

Save Money

You can transfer a total of up to 90 credits from SMC into your Ferris program (traditional community college-to-university transfers only transfer up to 60 credits). This means you can pay SMC’s low tuition rate for the majority of your classes, significantly lowering the overall cost of the program. Bonus: Out-of-state students pay Ferris’s in-state tuition. 

Save Time

Many SMC programs are designed to ladder seamlessly into Ferris programs, so you don’t lose any credits or waste time on classes that don’t transfer.

Ferris at SMC Programs

Bachelor’s Degrees

  • Accountancy
  • Business Administration
  • Business Administration—Professional Track
  • Computer Information Technology
  • Criminal Justice
  • Elementary Education
  • Human Resource Management

Certificates

  • Human Resource Management
  • International Business 
  • Leadership & Supervision

Admissions Information

  • How to Get Started
    1. Complete SMC’s admission process and begin an SMC degree program.
    2. Contact the Ferris at SMC advisor to learn more about the program that interests you and how to select courses best suited for transfer into the program.
    3. After you’ve earned 30-48 credits from SMC, apply to Ferris.
  • Admission Requirements

    Students must have 30-48 transferable credit hours and a minimum GPA of 2.0-2.5 depending on the program.