Four-year institutions offer degrees through FC
By Jennifer Allen
[email protected]
Assistant Editor
In a collaborative effort with the State University of West Georgia and Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) bachelor's degrees in several different fields are now available on the Georgia Highlands College campus.
These programs allow students to earn their associate degree at Floyd and then continue with their bachelor's degree work here as well, while earning the four-year degree through one of the universities.
According to Dr. Virginia Carson, vice president of academic affairs, the programs are �wonderful to give students an opportunity to earn a four-year degree without having to leave their hometown.�
West Georgia offers two degrees at FC. One of these is in early childhood education and the other is in nursing.
The early childhood education program started in August 2002. According to Gail Bentley, administrative secretary of the program, the enrollment has nearly doubled in comparison to last year's numbers with 53 students currently enrolled. This year's 19 seniors will be the first graduating class of the program.
Carson stated that in order to be admitted to the West Georgia program, students must complete state requirements for earning a degree in early childhood education. These include completion of an associate degree and satisfactory completion of the Praxis I Test.
The nursing program offered through West Georgia has been with FC since 1995, and there are currently 38 students in the program, said Dr. Kathryn Grams, chair and professor of nursing at West Georgia.
According to Dr. Vera Brock, associate professor of nursing at Georgia Highlands College, the program admits 25-30 students every year and requires an associate degree in nursing. Under this program students can complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (BSN) �in two years while attending classes full-time or in about three years if they attend part-time,� Brock said.
Southern Polytechnic State University offers a degree in information technology (IT), known as the BIT program, which started in January 2003.
According to Madhavi Sethna, faculty and program lead for SPSU's BIT program at FC, �As compared to private institutions in this area, the SPSU degree is more cost effective.� There are approximately 11 students enrolled in the program, said Sethna, and when they complete their degrees they will be able to work in the field of information technology.
Requirements of the program include completion of a two-year degree in IT, such as FC's Associate of Science in Information Technology degree or a bachelor's degree in any other field from an accredited institution.
Larry Smith, a student in the BIT program, said, �I like the idea of not having to travel to pursue a four-year degree that I have an interest in.� He also commented on the program's importance by saying, �Technology will play a larger part in everyone's lives as it becomes more innovative.�
More information concerning the early childhood education and BIT programs is available in the offices for West Georgia and Southern Polytechnic Universities that are located in the Walraven Building. For more information concerning the BSN through West Georgia, contact Brock, at (706) 295-6321 or at [email protected]
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