However, the economy has some graduates looking at staying in school, and with that in mind the University of North Carolina at Pembroke is offering several new interdisciplinary programs in the fall semester that target graduates of the Applied Associate in Science degree.
There are two types of associate degrees one may earn from a North Carolina community college. The Applied Associate of Arts, otherwise known as college transfer, and the AAS.
The AAS has traditionally meant it was only a two-year course and students completed their degrees at the end of their community college coursework.
“Pembroke has just started offering the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree in partnership with Richmond Community College, and it targets students who got a terminal degree from the community college,” UNC-P’s Campus Administrative Coordinator for RCC said. “By terminal degree, we mean non-traditional university students who might not have considered attending a four-year university with the courses they’ve taken.”
The three degrees being offered through RCC are Public and Non-Profit Administration, Applied Professional Studies: Office Administration and Criminal Justice: Sociology. UNC-P offers other BIS degrees at other area community colleges.
“RCC has articulation agreements with several senior institutions that accept our associate in applied science degree programs such as accounting, business administration, and criminal justice,” RCC Vice President for Instruction Johnnie Simpson said. “These students transfer as juniors just like our associate in arts degree students do.
“The new interdisciplinary degrees present options for students with terminal degrees, those associate in applied science degrees that don’t have articulation agreements. It gives graduates the opportunity to continue their education toward a bachelor’s degree.”
“We tried to choose the programs that would serve the most people,” Layne said, then explained there have been agreements about transferring these courses in the past. “This takes any AAS degree and allows it to transfer into the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program.”
Layne explained the appeal of each of the three programs.
She said the Public and Non-Profit Administration degree allows students to gain valuable management skills.
“We all know that you people who are going to administer a non-profit or a similar organization are going to have to wear a lot of different hats, and this allows them to take courses that allow them to gain some valuable management skills,” she said.
The courses students take will include the areas of marketing, communication and sociological skills.
“Besides working with clients, you’ve got to be able to balance the books, and to give that balance in a clear, concise professional report,” Layne said. “You’re going to have to know how to write grants, and many other things. This really highlights what this program is focused on doing, taking courses from different areas and combining them to make these people more marketable.”
The criminal justice degree is focused on giving graduates of RCC’s criminal justice program an outlet to gain a four-year degree.
“If you talk to the people over at Richmond County Probation and Parole, a lot of them have come through the programs at these two schools,” Layne said. “Of course, anything doesn’t guarantee you a job, but that’s an example of how successful people from these programs have been.”
Simpson said not only does a bachelor degree make your resume look better, but it also benefits you once you’re in the employ of many businesses and government agencies.
“Aside from requiring bachelor’s degrees for certain jobs, many businesses and agencies give financial incentives for additional degrees,” Simpson said. “The degree helps a graduate reach that goal, and also become a more productive employee.”
In addition, the office administration pathway is aimed at giving AAS graduates a chance to look at Business Administration and other applications of the skills they gained with their two-year degree.
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