Northwest Shoals and Jacksonville State launch Sonography Transfer Pathway
Muscle Shoals, AL (01/12/2026) — Jacksonville State University (Jax State) and Northwest Shoals Community College (NWSCC) signed a new articulation agreement on Friday to support the education and training of diagnostic medical sonographers.
The agreement allows NWSCC graduates who have earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) to seamlessly transfer into Jax State's Integrated Studies program to pursue a Bachelor of Arts. The pathway makes them eligible for scholarships and gives sonography professionals an opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree.
"Northwest Shoals takes great pride in how we prepare and train our students for successful health science careers," said NWSCC President Dr. Jeff Goodwin. "This new partnership with Jacksonville State gives our Diagnostic Medical Sonography graduates a clear, affordable path to a bachelor's degree. We hope this will open more doors to advanced roles in health care."
The Northwest Shoals DMS program provides students with the knowledge and hands-on training needed to succeed in the sonography industry, including abdomen, small parts, obstetrics-gynecology and vascular sonography.
Jacksonville State University's Integrated Studies program is designed as a flexible degree-completion option in which students work with advisors to design their own interdisciplinary curriculum. The Bachelor of Arts program allows students to build an individualized course of study that integrates academic coursework with prior technical training and professional experience. Students develop a degree plan aligned with their career goals, making the program well-suited for healthcare professionals such as diagnostic medical sonographers seeking leadership, advancement, or expanded opportunities within the field.
Through the new partnership, eligible NWSCC graduates may be awarded up to 36 hours of technical credit for their DMS courses, which will be applied as Integrated Studies electives at Jax State. Students may transfer up to 52 credit hours from NWSCC, including general education courses and electives. They then work with an Integrated Studies advisor at Jax State to design a degree plan that aligns with their career goals. For a more in-depth look at the pathway, visit jsu.edu/pla/pathways.html.
"This agreement creates a meaningful next step for highly trained healthcare professionals who want to build on their credentials," said Dr. Don C. Killingsworth, Jr., President of Jacksonville State University. "By partnering with Northwest Shoals, we're helping diagnostic medical sonography graduates turn their technical expertise into a bachelor's degree that supports career advancement, leadership opportunities, and long-term success in the healthcare workforce."
For more information about the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Northwest Shoals Community College, visit nwscc.edu/diagnostic-medical-sonography. For details on Jacksonville State's Integrated Studies program, visit jsu.edu/integratedstudies.
About Jacksonville State University: Founded in 1883 as a state teachers' college, Jacksonville State University has grown from humble beginnings into the Alabama regional university with the highest percentage of accredited programs. Located in the Appalachian foothills midway between Birmingham and Atlanta, Jax State offers more than 150 courses of study, including over 40 online programs, at the undergraduate and graduate levels. To learn more, visit www.jsu.edu, call 1-800-231-JAX1, or e-mail jaxfacts@jsu.edu.
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Jax State President Dr. Don C. Killingsworth, Jr. (left) and NWSCC President Dr. Jeff Goodwin
Jacksonville State University
Josh Underwood, 256-782-8156, underwood@jsu.eduShare this Story
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