Columbus Technical College and Valdosta State University have entered into a partnership designed to increase the number of West Georgians pursuing and earning advanced training and education. The signing of the Pathways Program last Wednesday made VSU the first University System of Georgia institution of higher education to sign articulation agreements with all 22 colleges in the Technical College System of Georgia.

The Pathways Program agreement will allow Columbus Technical College students with an Associate of Applied Science in one or more of 29 articulated programs to maximize the transfer of credits in order to complete either a Bachelor of Science in organizational leadership, a Bachelor of Applied Science in human capital performance, or a Bachelor of Science in office administration and technology in two years or less at Valdosta State University, noted Dr. Joseph G. Weaver, director of Off-Campus Programs at VSU. The agreement greatly enhances the transferability for Columbus Tech students; VSU has always accepted Associate of Science degrees.

“Articulation agreements between the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia provide associate degree graduates with the most affordable means of earning a bachelor's degree,” said Lorette M. Hoover, president of Columbus Technical College. “VSU's articulation agreement is the most generous of all, as our associate of applied science degree graduates are now eligible to earn that initial bachelor's degree and then have the option to go on to pursue a master’s degree and maybe even a doctorate in the future. We are excited about the opportunities our students will have to further their education, advance their professional careers, and improve their quality of life.”

The Pathways Program centers on the priorities of Complete College Georgia, an initiative developed to increase the number of Georgians earning a college degree. It is a collaboration between Valdosta State and partner institutions like Columbus Technical College to allow students with approved Associate of Applied Science or Associate of Applied Technology degrees to maximize the transfer of credits in order to complete a bachelor’s degree in two years or less. Pathways students can expect 51 or more transferable credit hours to be applied to either of the three articulated programs — Bachelor of Science in organizational leadership, Bachelor of Applied Science in human capital performance, or Bachelor of Science in office administration and technology — all of which are offered completely online.

“Over the past four years, hundreds of Technical College System of Georgia students from throughout the state have taken advantage of the Pathways Program to continue their education at VSU,” Weaver said. “As a group, these students have performed very well academically — a tribute to the education they received while earning their two-year degree.” 

It is projected that over 60 percent of jobs in Georgia will require a certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree by 2020. Presently, approximately 42 percent of the state’s young adults, its developing workforce, are prepared to such a level, which means that Georgia must not only maintain current graduation levels but also produce an additional estimated 250,000 graduates in upcoming years to remain competitive.