In a constant effort to improve the quality of academics for every student that enrolls on their campus, community colleges from coast to coast are on the lookout for new programs to add to their course catalog. This year, there are a number of new offerings at schools around the country, from those that celebrate the inner artist to practical programs designed to give graduates an upper hand in the workplace. Check out these new degree programs coming soon to a community college near you.
Kentucky Community College Offering Vet Tech Degree
In response to a community that is highly agricultural, Owensboro Community and Technical College will be adding a new veterinary technician degree program to its roster. This program will be the first degree in veterinary technology offered by a community college in Kentucky. The program, which will be funded by a $475,000 grant to Daviess and Hancock Counties, will fill a vital need in the state. According to the Lane Report, veterinary technicians are considered the fastest-growing occupation in Kentucky currently. With only two four-year schools offering degrees in this field, there is a definite need to train up more professionals to handle the increasing employment need in the state.
“This veterinary program will be an outstanding addition to the curriculum offered at the Owensboro Community and Technical College,” Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear told the Lane Report. “With a strong economic foundation in agriculture, western Kentucky needs qualified veterinary professionals, and I’m pleased the college is taking the lead in providing quality education for those seeking a degree in the veterinary field.”
The funding received will allow Owensboro to revamp classrooms and facilities to bring them up to par with the standards set by the American Veterinary Medical Association. The school will add new classrooms and laboratories for vet tech students to use, as well as surgery facilities and an animal holding area.
This video offers a brief look at Owensboro Community and Technical College veterinarian technician program.
Mid Michigan Responds to Needs of Local Workforce
Mid Michigan Community College has also introduced a new degree program to answer the needs of an evolving workforce in the area. Plastics News reports that the school will be offering an associate degree program in thermoforming plastics technology. The program will answer the employment needs of numerous thermoforming companies in the state, with both a degree and certificate option that will get students through school and ready to go to work as quickly as possible. The new degree program was made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation, which will total $717,000 over the next three years.
“We’re looking primarily to serve the local employment needs here, which are crying for people,” Scott Govitz, executive director of workforce and economic development for Mid Michigan Community College, told Plastics News.
The thermoforming plastics technology courses are slated to begin at the college this fall. Those who wish to continue their education beyond community college will be able to transfer credits earned at Mid Michigan to Ferris State University to complete a four-year degree program. Those that want to enter the workforce right away will receive sufficient skills and training to do so as well.
This video offers a look at Mid-Michigan Community College's thermoforming plastics technology program.
Three New Programs Added at Chattanooga State
Three new degree programs will be offered at Chattanooga State Community College this fall, the Tennessee Board of Regents announced at Nooga.com. The new programs will include a fine arts degree with a music emphasis, a degree in criminal justice with an emphasis in either corrections or law enforcement, and a health sciences degree. The programs will offer students additional choices in their field of study and help prepare them for a broader range of professional options after graduation.
“By adding these programs to the curricula, TBR is enhancing Chattanooga State’s ability to meet the educational needs of our students and motivate them to complete the degree of their choice,” Dr. Fannie Hewlett, provost and vice president of academic affairs at the school, told Nooga.com.
In addition to providing students with additional options in degrees from the community colleges, these new programs will also offer the option for students to transfer credits to a four-year school in the state if they wish to further their academic endeavors. The criminal justice degree program will also offer students the opportunity to earn their degree through the school’s online system, which is often a preferred approach for working adults wanting to gain additional education for career change or advancement.
This video offers a look at Chatanooga State Community College's criminal justice program.
Del Tech Ramping Up Program Selection
Delaware Technical Community College is another school ramping up its program selections to bring them in par with the employment needs of the area, according to the Cape Gazette. The school’s Owens Campus in Georgetown is preparing to introduce a number of new degree programs this fall, including environmental engineering technology, renewable energy solar technology, and sustainable landscaping. In addition, the school is adding an associate degree in science education that allows students to begin training to become science teachers at the secondary level. The credits earned will be transferrable to one of the state’s four-year schools, allowing students to complete their education and become certified to teach in the state.
Mid-Plains Adding Emphases to Current Degree Programs
Finally, Mid-Plains Community College is adding some new emphases to current degree programs to make them more marketable after graduation, according to the McCook Daily Gazette. The Applied Science in Business degree at the school can now be accompanied by an emphasis in Sports and Recreation Management, Events Management, or Nonprofit Management. The addition will allow students earning the degree to specialize in a particular area when they are ready to enter the workforce.
With so many new degree options, students have plenty of choices this year to embark upon a lucrative and rewarding career training program.
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