LYNNWOOD — A new community college degree could open doors for some college students seeking professional or technical training now but who may want to pursue a bachelor’s degree later.
Edmonds Community College, whose board of trustees agreed Friday to add the associate in applied science-T degree, or one with transferable credits, is the latest two-year institution to offer the option.
“I’m so pleased they did that,” said Loretta Seppanen, assistant director for educational services at the state Board of Community and Technical Colleges. “I’m sure many other institutions are about at the same stage.”
Seppanen said the new degree allows Washington to offer an option available in some other states.
The new degree is built on technical courses that prepare students for work in specific careers, but also includes a college-level general education component transferable to some four-year colleges and universities. In the past, those students would have missed out on the transferable credits.
The general education courses typically include English, math and social science.
The degree will only be allowed for specific programs at certain four-year universities. City University and the University of Phoenix have agreements in place to accept the degrees, while acceptance is under review at Seattle Pacific University and The Evergreen State College.
Other schools, including Central Washington and Eastern Washington universities, are working on bachelor’s of applied science degrees that would be able to accept the new community college credits for specified programs.
Central is particularly appealing to Edmonds Community College because it shares space with the university’s branch campus in Lynnwood, said Steve Hanson, executive vice president of instruction at Edmonds Community College.
The degree should help students who enter a career and can advance in their companies if they finish a four-year degree, Hanson said. That scenario is common in the information technology field.
Gov. Gary Locke has asked the state board to work with CWU on a funding request to support the new degree program, according to EdCC officials.
Even so, the degree won’t be accepted as appropriate preparation for most bachelor’s degrees, and students will need to know ahead of time which schools will accept the credits.
Eric Stevick is a writer for The Herald in Everett.
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