Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas

CCCUA, ATU Signs BPS Program Agreement

Southwest Arkansas residents have another educational option open to them, thanks to an agreement entered into by Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas and Arkansas Tech University on Monday. Representatives of the two schools met at the College’s De Queen campus to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow students who have completed the appropriate coursework at CCCUA to go directly into Tech’s Bachelor of Professional Studies Degree (BPS) program. The BPS degree program targets individuals who have completed an Associate of Applied Science degree, other Associate degrees, certificates, and community college programs. It allows students with these credentials to choose an area of concentration for further study. The areas include Agri-business, Early Childhood Education, Information Technology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Public Relations.

Vice-Chancellor Steve Cole said, “We are extremely excited about our relationship with Arkansas Tech. This Bachelor’s degree completion program is offered totally on-line, so once a student completes their degree at CCCUA, they can transition seamlessly to their Bachelors degree program. We look forward to working closely with Arkansas Tech on this degree as we continue to develop other educational possibilities for the people in our service area.”

Cole added, “This is just another step in providing more options for our students at CCCUA. I view the next several years as the ‘time for collaboration’. When we can do this, not only do we strengthen our offerings, we give our local students many more ways to pursue their careers right here at home. Dr. Brown is a good friend, and he and Arkansas Tech have been very willing to align themselves with CCCUA to provide this degree option for our students. CCCUA will continue to aggressively pursue and sign more agreements like this one with Tech and other universities. It shows our commitment to the communities we serve, and shows our determination to do what we can to meet their needs.” The College already has similar agreements in place with several universities, both in and out of state.

Dr. Robert C. Brown, president of Arkansas Tech University, stated that “we are enormously pleased at ATU that we are to partner with Cossatot. We recognize that education is a continuum, and any partnerships and programs we are able to engage in that advance opportunities for our citizens are viewed with great favor. We appreciate the excellent level of cooperation that we have received from Chancellor Adams, Vice-Chancellor Cole and from all the outstanding staff and administration at Cossatot.”