Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences from UNT is the first bachelor’s degree from a U.S university on Coursera
By Dil Sidhu, Chief Content Officer at Coursera
A four-year degree continues to be regarded as one of the most valued credentials in the job market: An estimated 35% of jobs in the U.S. require at least a bachelor’s degree and a worker with a bachelor’s degree earns 84 percent more than a worker without one. However, 36 million Americans have attended some college but never completed their degree.
To help students everywhere reach their goal, we’re excited to announce that the University of North Texas (UNT) is bringing their Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (B.A.A.S.) to Coursera. UNT initially developed this degree program to help students with diverse backgrounds, including those who have prior college or military credit, earn an accredited bachelor’s degree in the most streamlined way possible. Those students who successfully complete the Google IT Support Professional Certificate, hosted on Coursera, can also earn credit toward the information technology concentration of the online B.A.A.S.
The B.A.A.S. is one of the fastest, most affordable ways for transfer students from community colleges and technical institutions, veterans or active-duty military personnel, and other non-traditional students with college credit to finish their bachelor’s degree. International students with a three-year bachelor’s degree can also apply their previous credits to this program to earn a four-year bachelor’s degree — fulfilling an eligibility requirement for many U.S.-based master’s programs. As part of their broader commitment to increasing access to top-quality education, UNT also plans to offer a limited number of full scholarships to the online B.A.A.S.
“By bringing our B.A.A.S. program to Coursera, we’re offering non-traditional students everywhere the opportunity to thrive in a quality academic environment,” said Dr. Jennifer Cowley, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at UNT. “The program will offer students the same engaging support, personal interaction, and career services as our on-campus B.A.A.S. program to ensure they are set up for success post-graduation.”
At $330 per credit hour*, the B.A.A.S. has one of the most affordable tuition rates among comparable programs. UNT will provide each applicant with a pre-advisor to help create a customized degree plan based on their goals and previously earned credits. Once admitted to the program, the advising team will provide continuous guidance throughout the student’s degree journey.
“At UNT, we recognize that not everyone can take the traditional path to a bachelor’s degree and strive to help students of all backgrounds and experiences succeed,” said Dr. Adam Fein, vice president of digital strategy and innovation at UNT. “We’re excited to bring our successful B.A.A.S. program to Coursera and offer students around the world the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree and take advantage of the vast career opportunities this credential offers.”
The rigorous, multidisciplinary degree offers seven focused concentrations: administration, organizational supervision, social services, hospitality, media innovation, consumer behavior, and information technology. Graduates will be prepared to tackle new challenges as leaders in business, non-profit organizations, and community engagement.
We’re also thrilled that this degree program will be recognizing industry content from Google: Students who complete the Google IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera can receive credit toward the information technology concentration of the B.A.A.S. Developed by Google, the program is designed to prepare learners for an entry-level job in IT support in under six months. With this new pathway from UNT, learners can pursue a career in IT while working toward a full bachelor’s degree.
UNT is a Carnegie Tier-One research university and ranks in the top 100 nationally for ethnic diversity and social mobility. We’re proud to partner with them to provide this unique degree pathway for non-traditional students around the world. Applications for the B.A.A.S. will open in February 2020 and the first cohort is expected to begin this fall. To learn more, please visit https://www.coursera.org/degrees/unt-online-bachelor-completion
* For illustrative purposes, students who complete 45 credit hours through the online B.A.A.S. from UNT will see a total tuition cost of less than $15,000