Bachelor’s degree applications open at Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College opened registration to its Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Data Analytics and Programming degree and its Bachelor’s of Arts in Early Childhood Education – Dual Language degree on March 20, with classes beginning this fall.
MCC joins six other Maricopa County Community Colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees at the community college level.
Two years ago, the Arizona Higher Learning Commision approved MCCCD to begin offering seven accredited baccalaureate degrees in 2023, including the two offered at MCC, making the district’s community colleges the first in Arizona to offer baccalaureate degrees
A baccalaureate degree, another name for a bachelor’s degree, expands career opportunities immediately after graduation, with the average starting salary of a baccalaureate degree holder making $20,000 more than those with an associates degree, according to the American Association of Community Colleges in a 2022 study.
The five other baccalaureate degrees offered outside of MCC are:
- Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Information Technology – Phoenix Community College
- Bachelor’s of Science in Behavioral Sciences – South Mountain Community College
- Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Nuclear Medicine Technology and Computed Tomography – Gateway Community College
- Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Public Safety Administration – Phoenix Community College and Rio Salado Community College
- Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary Education and Special Education – Glendale Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, and Rio Salado Community College
Interested students can enroll using the same online process at each individual community college. Classes will start in August at the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester.
Baccalaureate degrees at MCCCD gives students the opportunity to have small class sizes, low tuition rates, and accessible enrollment qualifications, making it easier to get a higher education with the help of the inclusivity that community college is known for.
“These baccalaureate degrees represent a historic new chapter for our System and the residents of Greater Phoenix,” said Steven R. Gonzales, chancellor of MCCD.
“By investing and broadening our educational offerings to include baccalaureate degrees, we now provide students with additional opportunities to learn and grow in their chosen paths,” Gonzales added.
MCCCD chose each particular baccalaureate degree in hopes that it would benefit high-demand fields in Arizona, doing this in an effort “to provide proactive solutions that address the state’s labor shortage that extends across diverse industries”, according to MCCCD in a press release.
Students can now enroll in classes for baccalaureate degree programs for the Fall 2023 semester, with tuition fees due by August 9.
