Cottey approved to offer wide variety of four-year degrees

Nevada Daily Mail

Cottey College has been approved by its accrediting agency, The Higher Learning Commission, to offer baccalaureate degrees in the life sciences and physical sciences and to remove the limiting language in the general stipulation on offering specific baccalaureate programs.

Beginning in fall 2014, students may work toward a bachelor of arts in health sciences.

The "removal of the limiting language" means that Cottey has approval to develop and offer bachelor degrees in any field consistent with its mission as a liberal arts and sciences college without having to go through an additional site visit for approval.

"We are thrilled to be able to tell prospective students they can earn a bachelor's degree in science," said Dr. Judy Rogers, president of Cottey College. "Probably most exciting for us, however, is the general approval we now have to develop baccalaureate degrees in any liberal arts and sciences field. This means we can carefully look at the majors that today's students are interested in pursuing, develop a program, and offer it."

Three years ago, the College received permission from the Higher Learning Commission to offer its first three bachelor of arts degrees. With the addition of science, Cottey will offer eight baccalaureate majors: business administration-management, English, environmental studies, health sciences, international business, international relations, liberal arts, and psychology.

"These eight majors give us a solid foundation across the disciplines as we look to expand our four-year offerings," said Dr. Cathryn Pridal, vice president for academic affairs. "Our faculty are already working on new proposals which can only enhance Cottey's reputation as a growing, vital institution."

"We are still supportive of our associate degree programs and our history and tradition as an associate degree-granting college," added Dr. Rogers. "Even as we expand into more four-year degree programs, we fully support and encourage our traditional degree offerings.

"Our two-year programs have been excellent, and have prepared young women well to become learners, leaders, and citizens in a global society. We will continue to support those students who want to come to Cottey, earn an associate degree, and transfer to another college or university."

Cottey offers the associate in arts, associate in arts-music, associate in fine arts, and associate in science degrees.