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CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – Beginning with the 2013 fall semester, Central Arizona College’s Weekend College will join forces with Northern Arizona’s Extended Campuses to offer a 90/30 bachelor’s degree program.
This arrangement will allow students to complete one of three NAU baccalaureate programs without ever having to leave Pinal County, or take classes at an inconvenient time.
The three degrees scheduled to be offered are in public management, justice administration and emergency services administration.
Through the program, students will be able to complete 90 credit hours exclusively with CAC or in combination with any transferable coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Students then will be able to finish the remaining 30 credit hours required to complete a bachelor’s program through NAU’s Extended Campuses at either CAC’s Signal Peak Campus or Corporate Center.
This will enable a student to earn a bachelor’s degree after just three semesters as an NAU student.
With all of the required courses fitting into CAC’s Weekend College schedule of Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, the program ensures accessibility to those whose schedules are otherwise full.
“If you’re already attending CAC and you choose one of these three degrees to pursue, you will stay enrolled at CAC and pay CAC tuition until you reach 90 credits,” Sheryl Daniels, outreach coordinator for NAU, explained. “Then you would transfer and become a degree-seeking student at NAU and fulfill only 30 credits, which is exactly 10 classes.
It makes a lot of dollars and cents, it’s very practical, it’s very efficient, and you won’t have to go to Flagstaff to get your bachelor’s degree.”
As CAC’s Weekend College has expanded over the years, its offerings have grown to help students fulfill their Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) requirements.
“I’m really excited about the prospect of these degrees,” Mary Marrinan-Menchaca, CAC district director of the Weekend College, said. “We’ve been talking about this for about a year. What we will be offering here at CAC Weekend College is all of the courses you need to prepare for a seamless transition from CAC to NAU.”
That seamless transition can include a student’s participation in CAC’s annual commencement ceremonies upon completion of an associate degree, even if they will continue to work toward those 90 credits at Central Arizona College.
For those concerned about the costs of the degrees, those who are eligible for financial aid still may receive it from CAC – through a consortium agreement with NAU – upon completion of an associate degree and up to the 90 CAC credits.
Students will be welcome to apply for financial aid through NAU after successfully transferring.
For more information regarding CAC’s Weekend College, visit the CAC website at CentralAZ.edu or contact Mary Marrinan-Menchaca at the Corporate Center by phone at 520- 494-6664.
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