Welcome or just admitted? Transfer receptivity in California State University music programs
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
Community colleges in the United States create opportunities for students to pursue higher education yet transfer to four-year universities may present barriers that challenge or interrupt student progress. In California, students may begin at one of the California Community Colleges (CCCs) with plans to transfer to one of the California State Universities (CSUs). Although pathways between CCCs and CSUs are designed to promote access, music transfer students may encounter barriers due to the unique nature of music study, including sequenced coursework, limited alignment between institutions, and program-specific requirements such as performance juries and audition requirements, which may not transfer or align consistently across institutions.Transfer Receptive Culture (TRC) (Jain et al., 2011) a framework used to evaluate institutional commitment to supporting successful transfer students, emphasizes structural factors rather than placing responsibility on individual students. The purpose of this study was to examine whether and to what extent TRC is enacted within CSU music departments from the perspectives of CSU faculty who work with CCC transfer students. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was implemented, with a faculty questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Both the design and analysis were developed in alignment with Critical Realism as the guiding paradigm.
Key findings included misalignment between CCC and CSU curricula, inconsistent advising and communication, and limited institutional assessment of transfer-related practices at the CSUs. Broader themes also emerged beyond the TRC framework, including student well-being, faculty strain and emotional labor, deflecting institutional responsibility, and systemic misalignment and institutional frustration. TRC implementation varied across CSU music programs, with support structures differing in both consistency and comprehensiveness. Practical implications for the promotion of TRC within university settings are also presented.
Description
2026