Associate Degree And More Through New College Programs

Colleges and universities throughout the country this year began providing students new educational opportunities through additional programs at the associate degree, bachelor's degree and master's degree levels. Through a new articulation agreement between two institutions as well, students who earn an associate degree at a technical school can save money when moving on to a bachelor's degree at another institution. The new degree programs include:



ITT Technical Institute has added associate degree programs in mobile communications technology, software development technology. A new ITT Tech bachelor's degree in project management is designed to provide students with skills to help them initiate and plan projects, make sure projects meet time and budget requirements and everything in between. The bachelor's in project management is available online as well as on campus. Also new to ITT Tech's online degree programs are associate degrees in information systems administration, computer forensics, construction technology, web design, paralegal studies and nursing.



Kaplan University has added several new online degree and certificate programs. They include master's degrees in public administration, education in instructional technology, homeland security, criminal justice, legal studies, environmental policy and emergency management. Also new to Kaplan University is a leadership specialization for its master's degree in management; an information systems management career focus area for its four year degree in information technology; and a help desk administration career focus area for its associate degree in information technology. Kaplan University's new professional certificates - more than 15 of them - include graduate certificates in accounting, human resources, project management information, information security and, in Canada, entrepreneurship new ventures and growth ventures.



Kendall College, Chicago, Ill., has added new concentration options for students seeking a bachelor's degree in business from the institution. The college's school of business now offers these degrees with concentrations in psychology and small business management. Beginning in the fall of 2010, Kendall College was expected to begin offering a childhood nutrition concentration option for its four year degree in early childhood education. The institution this year also began offering Bilingual Education and English as a Second Language endorsements for early child educators. In addition to business and early childhood education, Kendall College provides undergraduate degrees in culinary arts and hospitality management. Courses are offered online and on campus.



Westwood College, Denver, Colo., has formed an agreement with San Jacinto College whereby qualifying San Jacinto College students who complete associate degree programs can transfer to Westwood College as juniors in a bachelor's degree program. San Jacinto College also is accepting academic credits from students who earned them at Westwood College at one point or another and want to complete associate degree programs. San Jacinto College offers associate degrees online and on campus. Bachelor's degree programs typically take four years to complete, but Westwood College's bachelor's degree programs take three years. Earlier this year, Westwood College announced that it had doubled the degree programs it offers at its Texas campuses in Dallas and Fort Worth. The new degree programs at these campuses include bachelor's degrees in computer forensics; systems security; accounting and financial management; healthcare management; management and marketing management.



Rasmussen College in October began offering bachelor's degrees in game and simulation programming, as well as digital design and animation. The new bachelor's degrees are to be offered at Rasmussen College's 14 campuses and through online courses. In January, Rasmussen College begins offering a new associate degree in professional nursing. Also in January, Rasmussen College plans to begin offering an online Leadership Academy that, at no cost, helps students to identify and enhance their leadership, professional, and interpersonal skills. Rasmussen College's most recently opened campus, located in Tampa, Fla., this fall began offering associate degrees in multimedia technologies and information systems management. Thanks to an agreement reached in October, Fox Valley Technical College students can now transfer all of their associate degree credits to Rasmussen College and receive 10 percent discount on tuition when they enroll in bachelor's degree programs at Rasmussen within a year after they graduate from Fox Valley.



South University for fall 2010 began offering a bachelor's degree in nursing at a new College of Nursing in Richmond, Va. The institution, with campuses throughout the country, this year also expanded its physical presence in Florida and Michigan, by opening and dedicating facilities in the metropolitan Detroit area of Novi and in West Palm Beach. The Novi campus offers bachelor's degrees in criminal justice, business administration and healthcare management and masters degrees in business administration and professional counseling. The West Palm Beach campus offers associate degrees in information technology, paralegal studies, physical therapist assisting and business administration; bachelor's degrees in business administration, information technology, healthcare management and administration, health science, legal studies, criminal justice, psychology and nursing; masters degrees in business administration and professional counseling; and an RN to BSN degree completion program for registered nurses.