Pierce Administration weighs the possibility of offering certain four-year degrees

Cameron Cyprain Staff Writer

Pierce College faculty has discussed offering an applied bachelor’s program for students who have already earned their associate’s degree. While still in its theoretical phases of development, the new program would give students the opportunity to remain at Pierce in order to earn a bachelor’s of the arts or sciences degree, depending on their previous academic track. “We are in the early discussion stages of offering a bachelor’s program here at Pierce College,”Tami Walsh, one the credentials evaluators, said. For years, there have been a number of transfer and progressive academic options available to students that allow them to get a head start on their education and job training. “Currently, the only two colleges doing so are Peninsula College and Bellevue College,” Walsh said. What is yet to be determined however is whether or not Pierce would be considered a four-year college once the program is implemented. Similar programs tend to focus more heavily on quantitative, technical, and/or ethical skills, so prospective applicants of the program may want to consider some form of administration or science as a pursuit. Should the applied bachelor’s program come to fruition, enrollees could remain at Pierce, wholly bypassing the process of applying, testing for, and transferring to four-year colleges. Students could also slash their expenses by not having to make new living arrangements while moving to their institution of choice. As of now, students may either take advantage of Central Washington University’s dual credit program, which allows students to earn credits from both Pierce and Central, or the direct transfer program offered by Central in partnership with Pierce College Fort Steilacoom. “We do work in conjunction with Brandman University and Central Washington University, so students can come here and get degrees through them,” Brian Benedetti, director of marketing and communications, said. The proposed applied bachelor’s program would be the first of its kind offered by Pierce; one that fully allows students to continue their education while attending the same institution.