UW Trustees Approve Bachelor of Applied Science Degree |  
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Jan. 26, 2007 -- Community college graduates with an associate of applied science (A.A.S.) degree and work experience will be able to earn a degree from the University of Wyoming under a new bachelor's of applied science (B.A.S.) degree track.
"Wyoming's economy needs more workers with communications and problem solving skills, a broad understanding of societies and our global economy, and a knowledge of how organizations work," says Rollin Abernethy, UW associate vice president for academic affairs. "The B.A.S. degree will give workers throughout Wyoming the means to broaden their knowledge and skills that should allow them to move into leadership and management positions, and to more actively participate in their communities as civic leaders. Workers with these attributes will strengthen the Wyoming economy and our communities, today and in the future."
The B.A.S. is designed to give qualified students an opportunity to enhance their career opportunities by adding value to their degrees and job training. The degree, approved today (Friday) by the UW Board of Trustees, was developed through extensive collaboration among UW and Wyoming Community College faculty and administrators and the Wyoming Community College Commission.
"The bachelor's of applied science degree allows those student-learners who earned an applied science degree to return to capture a more general education and leadership degree," says Laramie County Community College President Darrel Hammon. "This way, vocational-technical students have the ability to earn a bachelor's degree that they couldn't necessarily have done previously without having to trudge through a long, circuitous route. Plus, being able to partner with the University of Wyoming to deliver the bachelor of applied science degree only enhances the degree and the opportunities for student-learners in the state of Wyoming."
The B.A.S. degree has four basic components: University Studies, a Career Specialty Component, a Professional Concentration Component, and an Elective Component.
University Studies is the 32-credit general education requirement for all UW students.
Sixteen hours toward the B.A.S. degree may be completed at a Wyoming community college as part of its A.A.S. common general education core curriculum. A.A.S. degrees earned at other institutions must be certified by a Wyoming community college as meeting its curricular requirements. The remaining 16 credits would be completed at UW.
The Career Specialty Component can be fulfilled by completing the community college A.A.S. degree with a minimum of 40 credits.
The Professional Concentration Component consists of 36-40 upper-division University of Wyoming credits in courses agreed upon by students and their academic advisers from six concentrations: discovering and utilizing ideas and information; communicating in writing and speaking; analysis and problem-solving; organizational leadership; contemporary society; and career electives.
The Elective Component consists of the remaining credit hours needed to meet UW's requirement of a minimum of 120 credits for completion of a bachelor's degree.
All UW coursework for the B.A.S. degree will be delivered by the UW Outreach School to accommodate site-bound students.
Posted on Friday, January 26, 2007
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