Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University and Northeast Mississippi Community College signed a memorandum of understanding today [June 5] to formalize partnership programs for students enrolled in technical education programs.
The agreement outlines a pathway for Northeast students to complete MSU’s new Bachelor of Applied Science program, leveraging the strengths of both institutions to provide more opportunities in technical education and meet current and future workforce demands.
“We need more two-year and four-year graduates to move Mississippi forward,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum, an alumnus of Northeast. “By working together, I believe we’ll be able to better assist our fellow Mississippians in gaining the education they need to compete for the jobs of the 21st century. We are committed to helping all of our BAS students excel, succeed and earn a bachelor’s degree—building on the excellent foundation they have been given at Northeast.”
“This is a great opportunity for our students to transfer to Mississippi State University and get a Bachelor of Applied Science degree,” said Northeast President Ricky G. Ford. “It’s going to help our students further their education and I want to say we are thankful for Mississippi State for providing this opportunity for our students to get a more enhanced and advanced degree in career tech education. It is huge for our students.”
MSU launched its Bachelor of Applied Science program last August, significantly expanding the university’s acceptance of technical credit from community colleges and military training. It is intended to serve the needs of adults who have completed a technical associate’s degree program through a community college or the military and need additional education to advance their careers. MSU announced new emphasis areas for the BAS program in April.
The agreement between MSU and Northeast outlines which courses must be completed at each institution to fulfill degree requirements. MSU will provide an advisor to assist with guiding Northeast students through the BAS pathway. Additionally, Northeast and MSU will work together to provide classroom space for the delivery of synchronous online courses.
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Science program will have access to advisors from MSU-Meridian and MSU Online. Credits in the degree program can be earned through online or in-person courses, providing the flexibility that has become a hallmark of MSU’s nationally ranked online offerings.
For more on the Bachelor of Applied Science program, visit https://www.msstate.edu/students/bachelor-of-applied-science.
Northeast Mississippi Community College is a public, comprehensive community college that exists to meet the diverse educational and career needs of individual students and the community within the district it serves—Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union Counties—by awarding the Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Applied Science degree and certificates. Beyond this original scope, Northeast responds to the needs of all who seek to further their education. For more, visit www.nemcc.edu.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.