ISSUED: 1 July 2014
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University and Blue Ridge Community and Technical College have established several articulation agreements in education, nursing, and credit-for-experience degrees (Blue Ridge CTC’s Board of Governor’s A.A.S. degree to Shepherd’s Regents Bachelor of Arts degree). Shepherd President Suzanne Shipley and Blue Ridge CTC President Peter Checkovich signed the agreements June 30 in a ceremony at Blue Ridge CTC.
“These are degrees that greatly strengthen the workforce of the region, educating teachers and nurses with a minimum of interruption,” said Shepherd President Suzanne Shipley. “Any student entering these programs can avoid wasting time, credits, or money because the requirements are clearly spelled out. In particular, this partnership gets teachers into the classroom more quickly since there will be no difference between the first two years preparation for our area’s teachers, whether they complete it at BRCTC or at Shepherd. Students won’t lose credits as they transfer and are more likely to be able to complete a degree in four years. The signing for the Board of Governors’ degree and our R.B.A. greatly helps working adults complete a bachelor’s without repeating courses also. With 60 credits at BRCTC and 60 at Shepherd they should be able to have a competitive, high quality professional preparation for advancement in their careers.”
A collaborative teacher education program will allow students who earn an associate of science degree in education at Blue Ridge CTC to continue their studies at Shepherd, where they will earn a bachelor’s degree with teaching specializations in social studies (5-adult), general science (5-adult), biology (9-adult), mathematics (5-adult), English (5-adult), or elementary education (K-6). Students who earn an associate of science in nursing degree at Blue Ridge CTC can continue their nursing studies at Shepherd in the R.N. to B.S.N. program. The agreement also allows graduates of Blue Ridge CTC’s Board of Governor’s A.A.S. degree to continue in Shepherd’s R.B.A. program. For more information, contact the Office of Enrollment Management at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College at 304-260-4380 or the Office of Admissions at Shepherd University at 304-876-5212.
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