Getting a bachelor's degree from a foreign university just got that much easier and cheaper. This week, St. John's College announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Regis University - a private Jesuit institution based in Denver, Colorado. The "Associate's to Bachelor's" Program will allow SJC graduates to complete their bachelor's degree at Regis University in Colorado without leaving home, because it'll be done over the internet. SJC's Junior College Dean Neulin Villanueva and Director of Social Outreach Dianne Lindo today explained how it will work.
Neulin Villanueva, Dean of St. John's College JC
"The program is targeting primarily the adult worker who wants to continue to learn or to improve their educational background either for advancement in their current careers or if they would want to switch careers."
Keith Swift,
How will this work in terms of the cost?
Dianne Lindo, Dir. - Charles T. Hunter Commission for Social Outreach
"Students start with an SJC Associate's Degree. After that they take additional courses at SJC at SJC cost which is currently $30 per credit hour at the Junior College or $110 at the School of Professional Studies. Once they do that, they then move into the Regis online portion which costs US$360 per credit hour. The total cost of the program, tuition, works out to just under BZ$30,000 without having to leave the country, without having to interrupt your personal life and your professional life and you have seven years to complete the program. So it is not that you have cram all of this into one year. Students have the option of taking one course at a time until they are through. Seven years is adequate time for people to finish."
Keith Swift,
Do I have to come into SJC to sign up?
Dianne Lindo,
"No. All signing up is done online directly with Regis. You are enrolled with Regis. Through the agreement, Regis has accepted SJC's credits so that students can do a portion in Belize to save costs."
Keith Swift,
Is this an attempt to undermine the national university?
Neulin Villanueva,
"On no I think it is important that we continue to offer options to give students additional opportunities. Some students will prefer to go to the University of Belize and that is fine. This is not for every student but I think the more options that students have, the better it is for the country."
Currently bachelor's degrees will only be offered through the program in the sciences of accounting, business administration, computer information systems and networking, finance, marketing, and public administration. The cost of the bachelor's degree should be just under BZ$30,000. The only requirement is that you apply at least three years after graduating from SJC Junior College. You can find out more about the program at TransfertoRegis.org.
We should note that Galen University offers a similar program through an agreement signed with the University of Indianapolis.
