York Technical College and Winthrop University Announce New Fast Track Program for Dual Enrollment Students

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – A new program between Winthrop University and York Technical College will help students complete their bachelor’s degree in record time, producing skilled workers in high-demand sectors like education, healthcare, finance, and business to address the labor market shortage.

Fast Track to Winthrop provides dual enrollment students from York Technical College with an academic pathway for the degree program of their choice at Winthrop. 

“As we launch this latest partnership with Winthrop University, we envision a future where high school students can embark on a seamless educational journey, dual enrolling at York Technical College and then soaring towards their dreams a Winthrop University,” said York Technical College President Dr. Stacey Moore. “The Fast Track program will accelerate their path to graduation and empower our students with a more affordable and enriched college experience.”

“With the seamless transfer of courses to Winthrop University, dual enrollment students at York Tech can work toward their college degree with confidence that each class they successfully pass at York Tech takes them one step closer to a bachelor’s degree at an exceptional university right here in York County,” said Winthrop President Edward Serna. “We are excited to begin this partnership that helps ensure students aren’t wasting time or money taking courses that ultimately will not transfer over.” 

Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing Joseph Miller noted that the Fast Track to Winthrop pathways include the university’s most popular majors that align with the career goals many students have now. 

“To make the college decision easier for students, a number of majors are included within each pathway so students have the flexibility and peace of mind that they can change their major and still receive the credit,” he said.

“The FastTrack program is another example of how York Tech and Winthrop are effectively partnering to connect area students to educational opportunities and ensure their success. This initiative is a win-win for both institutions and our community,” said York Technical College Executive Vice President Jamie Cooper. 

The pathways developed for Fast Track to Winthrop include programs in the following areas:

1. Arts, Language and Communication
2. Business and Management
3. Society and Politics
4. Science and Health 

The guided pathways also include an on-ramp process to clarify their college and career goals and embed advisement, academic support and feedback on student progress throughout their educational path.

For the students who are ready to get started, the simple process is:

1. Interested students apply to York Tech’s dual enrollment program.
2. They select their program of interest at Winthrop.
3. They work with an advisor at Winthrop to register for the necessary classes. 
4. Once they complete those classes, they finish their last two years at Winthrop. 

An example: a student wants to pursue a business degree with an accounting concentration. The Business and Management guided pathway lists every course the student could take in his or her time at York Tech that will seamlessly transfer to Winthrop when the student is ready to start their bachelor’s degree. 

Learn more about Fast Track to Winthrop here.

Learn more about York Technical College’s Dual Enrollment Program here.

For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, Winthrop's news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or at longshawj@winthrop.edu or Indira Eskieva, Tork Technical College's director of Strategic Communications and Marketing, at 803/280-3242 or at ieskieva@yorktech.edu.