Two first-ever college agriculture curriculums will provide greater degree and educational opportunities for students studying in the University of Nebraska system – whether at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, or at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.
In 2014, online courses will pave the way for technical agriculture sophomores completing their two-year studies in Curtis to continue at the NCTA campus for another two years and earn a bachelor of applied science degree by taking online courses from UNL, administrators announced last week.
“While working on their bachelor’s degrees, students can remain residents in Curtis and have full access to the standard support services available to NCTA students, such as the ability to live in the residence halls, access college advising and financial aid assistance, use NCTA library services, access computer services and participate in campus athletic activities,” said Ron Rosati, NCTA dean.
During their junior and senior years of the program, students will be taking primarily online courses from the College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources at UNL, where they will pay UNL tuition and fees.
“Students can remain on the NCTA campus and benefit from the mentoring of NCTA faculty,” said Steve Waller, CASNR Dean. “This innovative relationship provides another pathway for students in agriculture to pursue their educational and professional aspirations.”
Rosati said some upperclassmen in the bachelor’s of applied science program might be student leaders assisting NCTA faculty with freshman and sophomore student academics and team activities. NCTA faculty will teach selected support courses, adding structure, guidance, and technical assistance to bachelor’s students.
"An important part of the mission of NCTA is to provide access to higher education services,” Rosati added. “We do that by providing an extremely supportive, friendly and nurturing campus environment. We have small class sizes where faculty and staff know students by their first names.”
Over the past three years, 91 percent of NCTA students have received financial aid. On average, for Nebraska residents receiving financial aid, the grant and scholarship awards have exceeded the cost of tuition and fees by $700 per year.
Rosati and Waller joined Ronnie Green, NU vice president and Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Harlan vice chancellor, in signing the cooperative agreement Oct. 3.
A second agreement, called the “Reverse Transfer agreement,” is designed to streamline a degree or certificate from NCTA.
"It’s common for students to transfer credits from a two-year college, such as NCTA, to a four-year university, such as UNL. Many students, however, leave two or four-year institutions without having completed the requirements for earning a degree,” Rosati said.
The reverse transfer agreement allows students to more easily transfer credits from UNL’s CASNR to NCTA, to receive an academic credential,” he added. “We are working creatively to help the state of Nebraska reach its goal of increasing the number of citizens with higher education degrees.”
Students who pursue a baccalaureate degree, either online degree completion or by transferring to Lincoln, can now be guaranteed they can complete both their associate of ccience degree and the baccalaureate degree,” said Waller. “These two agreements are indicative of the exciting times that lie ahead for our students at both institutions.”
Details are available for the UNL Online Bachelors of Applied Science (BAS) program at http://appliedscience.unl.edu/online-bachelors-degree-completion
Information about NCTA is at 1-800-3CURTIS or online at NCTA.unl.edu
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/qd8k